Congress debates biblical stance on immigration
Congress tackled the role of religion and ethics in the politically explosive immigration debate Wednesday as biblical passages and church doctrines were invoked during a heated discussion of various reform proposals.
The argument exposed a sharp philosophical divide on an issue that has taken center stage in the wake of Arizona’s passage of a controversial law designed to crack down on illegal immigration.
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Our immigration system is not broken. The ENFORCEMENT of our immigration system is broken. We already have a pathway to citizenship. Millions are waiting all over the world in hostile, violent and repulsive circumstances, waiting their turn to become American citizens. To reward those who make the decision to violate our laws for their own benefit, and then demand that we have compassion for them for breaking the law is not keeping with God's laws. The Ten Commandments are not negotiable. What message are we sending to those waiting all over the world? Sorry, you have to remain where you are because we are putting law breakers at the head of the line simply because they are able to cross the American border. This will jump start our road to anarchy. If we overlook and re-write our laws for a group of people on a compassion argument, where will it stop? Will we overlook and re-write our laws prohibiting bank robbery, murder, rape, incest, fraud, bribery, tax evasion, and pedophilia because we want to show compassion for these people who commit such atrocities in the name of decency? Satan is using this as a simple divide and conquer strategy, and many are falling into the trap. But as Jesus said, Broad is the gate that leads to destruction and many will go in by it. Illegals sneaking into our country under the cover of darkness and destroying our sovereignty are doing it of their own free will. Yes we are a nation of immigrants, legal immigrants. We waited in line in the light of day for our turn, following the law of the United States. If we cannot stand behind the law of entrance into our nation, how can we expect any other law to have any validity?
-American MilesExcellent comment!
-ErnieTo bad your not the one making the disecions instead of the judges, you hit the nail on the head and you are 100'% right
-PatriciaI have heard Richard Land speak once at my former church, and know that he can have a lot of influence. But it is the LORD who works through him and not himself if he is staying close to the LORD on this subject matter. The ones who want to be in the U.S. should try to do so, from the legal standpoint, and not illegal. Those who seek to be in this country without going through the right proceedures are struggling and they do need help, but proper help, not the kind of fix that says, you don't need to learn history, or the English, American language . They need to learn all of this, and be able to know that they are to be responsible for their part in this country, not have easy fixes all the time, but this country is so spoiled there not wanting to help in the right way, and needing to do so. They need to have the desire to be real citizens and not be here because of reasons too many to list . ( illegally speaking that is ) . Prayer should be offered up for all who are willing to go about it the right way, and education for those who seek to do it wrong, so they can make it right by doing it the right way. But they need to be able to understand what is the right way, and not cause further problems for others.
-Mrs. James ClemonsJust like to tell Barry to go and read the Mayflower Compact, or some of the writings and PRAYERS of our Founding Fathers. We ARE a nation based on Christianity. You may chose to deny it, but you won't change the facts because of your denial. Congress would PRAY to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for hours before doing anything. Harvard was first established to teach young men how to preach the gospel. Do some research on the subject before you take the view of progressives who chose to deny God. Many like to refer to Thomas Jefferson, but go back and read his inauguration prayer from March 4, 1801. I'll give you the beginning, "Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy Will… There are too many other quotes, examples and documentation to name here. But you are being deceived.
-American MilesTHOU SHALT NOT STEAL—-The Illegals stole into our Country,in the dark of the night.They have stolen jobs that our people need.A lot of property
has been stolen in the process.Now they wnt to steal all of the benefits,like Social Security and whatever else they can get their hands on.We worked for
all of these benefits.DEPORT them,let them enter the quota system for Immigration.We really do not owe these people anything.
-Donald the RealistThose up there trying to use the Bible as a way of letting the illegals into our country, should be ashamed of them selves. Yes we are a Nation of immigrants. But do it the right way. There are those people who have been trying to come to America for years,and they cant come, because we are to caught up in trying to justify these who are here now and have broken our laws. Shame on all of you trying to say its because what God would do. You dont have a clue as to what God would do. So why dont you "shut up" and let the government do its job. And by the way, in all probabality, they will get it wrong also. Just like they got the Stimulus Wrong, Healthcare Wrong, Taking over the Car Companies, In fact I will make it easy for you, JUST WHAT THE HELL HAVE THEY GOT RIGHT SO FAR???????????????????????????????????????????
-Billy CooperI THINK ITS COMPLETELY SICK THAT ANY SO CALLED REPRESENTITIVE USES ANY BIBLICAL STATEMENTS WHEN THERE LUST FOR POWER AND GREED IS SO BEYOND ANY TEACHING OF WHAT JESUS SAID WHEN HE WAS HERE! THERE PAGEN POLITICS AND EVIL NONSENCE TO DESTROY A GREAT COUNTRY IS DISPICABLE AND DUSGUSTS ME COMPLETELY. THEY HAVE THE HEAD PAGEN "MR O" AND ALL OF HIS SICK PUPPETS LEADING US TO A DEAD END ROAD SOON! ITS LIKE THE DEVIL LEADING THE DEMONS. PEOPLE REAL BAD IS COMMING REAL SOON! WAKE UP, YOU HAVE BEEN SOLD OUT AND THOSE WHO BOUGHT YOU WANT WHAT IS THERES!
-Andrew HunterI think that we need to send of of Congress back to kindergarten and teach them the meaning of ILLEGAL. Besides the Arizona law is Following the Federal law regarding Immigration. SO MR. Obama Stuff it in your rear end!
-Charles BrandonI agree with the previous comment. Yet, I don't think Obama could find his rear end with both hands and a flashlight.
-Michael G.I firmly believe in helping those less fortunate. However, illegal is against the law. Have you read what other countries do to illegals? My solution is to pack them a big lunch and send them all home! That's caring about their welfare.
-Mary Jean SchulerIs this some sort of joke ??? Can you BELIEVE we have these hypocrites in office invoking GOD ??? First off they do not want him until they feel they can use him in some sort of agenda of theirs ? Then they are asking him to help them out to break the very laws THEY WROTE , they want him to help them deceive the very people they govern, and finally they are asking him to help them break these laws, so they can get votes. This is almost laughable if it did not concern God. Then they rebuke him in their court houses, on their state symbols and in their offices. What they really want to do, (because everyone knows liberals do not read their Bibles, attend church or know full scriptures) they only remember small portions of Scriptures they heard in their Sunday school classes that their parents made them attend, then they spout off a small fragment of those Scriptures then they twist, pull, smash, edit and interpret it to say what they want it to say not reading or knowing what that particular scripture was REALLY referring to and they actually try to use it against the Christians and the public. This always makes them feel their superior. My last point is, I thought they had interpreted the Constitution to say there was this separation of church and state, therefore God, religion, the Bible, and faith could no longer be used in their chambers, the public square, our court rooms, or anywhere else except our closets. .When in fact separation of church and state merely meant THEY could NOT force US into any particular religion of THEIR chosing which is what we fled from in Britain. Otherwise they would have us all praying to their God, Satan right now. God has laws they have been ignoring for centuries now and we were told to KEEP them FOREVER, for ALL our generations. We were even told to remember one of them which is really forgotten. But like with God's laws they want to Ignore, use them for their benifit and cherry pick right through them. We have reached a point where we are encouraged to practice lawlessness, because one law only applies to CERTAIN people, where law breakers are being rewarded and law keepers are being punished. There is a prophesy that says, God will take justice from them and I believe we are being blessed enough to witness it. He also said, he would give them up to a base mind and I believe that has happened. He has made simple the wise and and the wise simple.
-SeaLilyCan you believe this, these left wing dumbocrats are Christian haters who detest the Bible but like Satan they can quote it when they try to confuse others with their evil ways. They hate the Bible, Jesus, Jehovah and everything to do with God, but these evil little pieces of snot try to use the Bible to convince others to be accomplices in their evil plans.
As far as a Catholic priest who tries to show that letting everyone into our home is the Christian thing to do probably think having sex with young boys is also the Christian thing to do and if fact is their right. I am not downing Catholic priests in general(there are a lot of good ones) just this idiot making statements about the "Christian" thing to do is probably one of those.
And those idiots who try to tell others that the founding fathers were not religious or not Christian or did not believe in the God of the Bible are talking out their butts. These people know nothing about American history. They are just idiots! Hey if you don't want the Bible or to acknowledge the fact of its importance throughout American history – say so. But don't try to use history which you know nothing about to prove your point because it just shows how ignorant you are. I will bet also that those idiots are all Dumbocrats too
-budI have done empirical surveys to figure out where the hate for God and Christ comes from. I have discovered that most of the hate is from the left wing and from democrats. I have also investigated crime in America. Democrats commit 3x the rate of Republicans. Republicans serve their country in the military at about 2x the rate of dumbocrats. Dumbocrats serve their country by taking high paying government and civil service jobs where the surf the internet for porn and generally do all they can do to destroy America from their positions of trust. During the Vietnam war I asked thousands of soldiers who they voted for or for whom they would vote. It turned out that draft dodgers were almost 95% dumbocrats. So the Republicans spend their blood keeping the dumbocrats free so they can trash God and Country. No survey here but I am guessing that about 35% of dumbocrats are actually traitors and would give any enemy anything they could get that would betray the US.
Maybe it is time to make dumbocrats who vote for a bigger dumbocrat for president fight his/her wars. Republican who vote in a Republican President would fight his/her war. If this happened you would discover that the dumbocrat president who was voted into office with 51% of the vote would probably end up with about 100,000 dumbocrat voters with enough guts/courage to actually risk their petty lives for their petty pres.
-bud( Alex Jones For President ) We Despertly Need ,The Right Next President.The The Way I Look At It,We Need Someone We Can Trust,And Someone Who Knows Who All The Bad Guys Are,and What They Want ,And How They Plan On Getting it !He Has Been On The Front Lines Most Of His Life, I Think He Is One Of America's Bravest Men Ever ,that This Country Has Ever Had. This Is The Only Kind Man That Could Ever Get Us Out Of This Mess! He Knows Their Game ! He Is Not RunnIng, But, I Bet We Could Change His Mind .! He Truely Loves Our Country And That Is The Only Way We Will Ever Change For The Better,Is With A Man That Truely Loves This Country ! Think About IT! Love Tod
-todThese illegals should stay in their own country, find their backbone, and fix their own country! They have so many natural resources of their own! No, the Mexicans want to bring their arrogance taking advantage of our apathy, stupidity, resources, weakness, freebies saying if you don't like it go sit down in a corner and keep your mouth shut and most American cowards just say ,oh okay! Both parties offend me and especially the weak minded Christians that sit back and say nothing!!! Or want to let them do it! Some people are saying the country is being split! Maybe these people have pushed us around long enough! Could it be that the lilly livered Americans have gone to mandy pandy land and found some confidence and backbone?!
-StanleyWhat happened to separation of church and state? There is NO excuse for our government failing to enforce our laws and have allowed 20 million plus ILLEGAL ALIENS into this country. ALL MUST BE ROUNDED UP AND DEPORTED OUR OF THIS COUNTRY AND BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
THERE WILL COME A DAY WHERE THOSE OF US THAT WANT THE 20 MILLION PLUS ILLEGAL ALIENS OUT OF OUR COUNTRY WILL STAND UP AND FIGHT TO STOP THIS INVASION AND SECURE THE BORDER OURSELVES AND TO HELL WITH THE GOVERNMENT!
-KenHere are 14 reasons illegal aliens should vacate America,
1. $14 billion to $22 billion dollars are spent each year on welfare to illegal aliens.(that' s Billion with a 'B') http://tinyurl.com/zob77
2. $2.2 billion dollars are spent each year on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
3. $7.5 billion dollars are spent each year on Medicaid for illegal aliens. http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html
4. $12 billion dollars are spent each year on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they still cannot speak a word of English! http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ld…
5. $27 billion dollars are spent each year for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ld…
6. $3 Million Dollars 'PER DAY' is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. That's $1.2 Billion a year. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ld…
7. 28% percent of all federal prison inmates are illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ld…
8. $190 billion dollars are spent each year on illegal aliens for welfare & social services by the American taxpayers. – http://transcripts. cnn.com/TRANSCRI PTS/0610/ 29/ldt.01. html
9. $200 billion dollars per year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/01/ld…
10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US. http://transcripts. cnn.com/TRANSCRI PTS/0606/ 12/ldt.01. html
11. During the year 2005, there were 8 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our southern border with as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from other terrorist countries. Over 10,000 of those were middle-eastern terrorists. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroine, crack, Guns, and marijuana crossed into the U.S.from the southern border. http://tinyurl.com/t9sht
12. The National Policy Institute, estimates that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion, or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period http://www.nationalpolicyinstitute./.org/publicat… deportation
13. In 2006, illegal aliens sent home $65 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin, to their families and friends. http://www.rense.com/general75/niht.htm
14. The dark side of illegal immigration: Nearly one million sex crimes are committed by illegal immigrants in the United States! http://www.drdsk.com/articles.html
-KenI agree with seallilly. They throw GOD out of everything in our Govt, schools, etc. Then they all of a sudden decide they will invoke the Bible to find a solution or reason there, to do what they are wanting to do and say it is per the Bible. What a bunch of near do wells. They really make me sick.The whole bunch. We need to remember every single episode come November and show them the road.
-S in AzQuestion: "What does the Bible say about illegal immigration?"
Answer: Romans 13:1-7 makes it abundantly clear that God expects us to obey the laws of the government. The only exception to this is when a law of the government forces you to disobey a command of God (Acts 5:29). Illegal immigration is the breaking of a governmental law. There is nothing in Scripture that contradicts a nation having immigration laws. Therefore, it is a sin, rebellion against God, to illegally enter into another country.
Illegal immigration is definitely a controversial issue in the United States (and some other countries) today. Some argue that the immigration laws are unfair, unjust, and even discriminatory — giving individuals justification to immigrate illegally. However, Romans 13:1-7 does not give any permission to violate a law just because it is unjust. Again, the issue is not the fairness of a law. The only biblical reason to violate a governmental law is if that law violates God's Word. When Paul wrote the Book of Romans, he was under the authority of the Roman Empire, led by perhaps the most evil of all the Roman emperors, Nero. Under that reign, there were many laws that were unfair, unjust, and/or blatantly evil. Still, Paul instructed Christians to submit to the government.
Are the immigration laws of the United States unfair or unjust? Some think so, but that is not the issue. All developed countries in the world have immigration laws, some more strict that the USA and some less strict than the USA. There is nothing in the Bible to prohibit a country from having completely open borders, or to have completely closed borders. Romans 13:1-7 also gives the government the authority to punish lawbreakers. Whether the punishment is imprisonment and/or deportation, or even something more severe, it is within the rights of the government to determine.
The vast majority of illegal immigrants in the United States have come for the purpose of having a better life, providing for their families, and escaping from poverty. These are good goals and motivations. However, it is not biblical to violate a law to achieve something "good." Caring for the poor, orphans, and widows is something the Bible commands us to do (Galatians 2:10; James 1:27; 2:2-15). However, the biblical fact that we are to care for the misfortunate does not mean we should violate the law in doing so. Supporting, enabling, and/or encouraging illegal immigration is, therefore, also a violation of God's Word. Those seeking to immigrate to another country should always obey the immigration laws of that country. While this may cause delays and frustrations, these reasons do not give a person the right to violate a law.
What is the biblical solution to illegal immigration? Simple…don't do it; obey the laws. If disobedience is not a biblical option, what can be done in regards to an unjust immgration law? It is completely within the rights of citizens to seek to change immigration laws. If it is your conviction that an immigration law is unjust, do everything that is legally within your power to get the law changed: pray, petition, vote, peacefully protest, etc. As Christians, we should be the first to seek to change any law that is unjust. At the same time, we are also to demonstrate our submission to God by obeying the government He has placed in authority over us.
"Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:13–16).
-JanineAll of this useless yapping about illegal aliens can be solved by a new law; Let mexican families sign up IN MEXICO for a TRADE with Progressive socialists, black panthers, Obamazombies, and others who hate America, and are willing to immigrate to Mexico, and we will have PEACEFUL, legal immigration.
-lesterI feel if God is not welcome in Washington DC. any other time , then his name should not be brought up now, They set up there on the hill and deny GOD then try to push him with their own evil,that is wrong They took God out of the school,s and court rooms , deny him and then call on him, God said is you deny my Son I will deny you at the Judgement, Obama only want,s what he want,s, nothing for America or it,s people,and the news media run,s around and hide,s what Obama has done like a kid lie,s to stay out of trouble, they are no better than Obama,,if we the people stand and bid him God,s speed we are no better than him,,we have the power to put him out of office
and all the dumbbama,s on the hill with him, if we do not do it we have no one to blame but ourself,s,,,and believe me another 3 year,s
and we will be under Obam,s rule in religion,,banking, housing,,church,s,,,,,,he will ber a king on his thrown and America will be no more
so it,s our call to eat it or spit it out,,and he has left a real bad taste in my mouth,
-Jackie R.The Holy Bible specifically states that we were NEVER to allow those who worship foreign gods behind our gates ! It does NOT support DIVERSITY of breeds either. IT STATES FOR YOU TO STAY WITH YOUR OWN KIND/BREED OF HUMAN ! That is a SPECIFIC reason the WHITE forefathers conquered this nation and called it America ! DIVERSITY DESTROYS NATIONS AND BREEDS OF HUMANS !
-KattIllegal immigrants are ILLEGAL and have broken our U.S. law by coming here ILLEGALLY. Many people have done it the right way by obeying our laws and going through the immigration system. We must stop the stream of illegals at the border before we can do anything about the ones already here.
Bonnye
-Bonnye Dean(I hope this doesn’t appear twice, but it hasn’t shown up.)
-CarolynThe only immigration problem we have is caused by people who enter this country illegally – that includes people from So. Am., Central Am., Europe, the Middle East, potential terrorists, those who want the privileges and benefits this country has to offer, but not the responsibilities. I didn’t separate the families. I didn’t cause their problems, and I am not obliged to solve them. Would they want this country back if everything the Gringos built were destroyed, and the land they got back was as it was in 1845: sand, horned toads, sidewinder rattlesnakes, sagebrush, tumble weeds, and s Spanish mission every few hundred miles, or do they just want to steal what someone else has worked and sacrificed and died for? What have they done with the land they’ve got called Mexico ? Look at Maywood, Calif., if you want to see what they would do with America if they had it. Enforce the immigration laws, and the problem will solve itself. Richard Land does not speak for So. Baptists; he has over-reached his authority and assumed that his position is more influential than it is.
We hav e so many people coming into our Country besides mexicans coming across our borders. Why does our government give green cards to Muslims, and never again check to see if their still here until the attack us! I feel if the people of this Country doesn't change their immoral practices, get down on their knees and pray God will heal our land. I think it's a terrible mus-justice for our people on the left to only inoke God's name for their own selfish purpose and that includes illegal immigration, Fear God for He is not mocked.
Carol Geary, Pensacola, Fl.
-Carol Gearywhats next – re-write the pledge of allegiance and dishonor all veterans who served and died for ONE NATION UNDER GOD because they believedI IN GOD WE TRUST…..
-rance carpenterWhat happened to separation of church and state. Where's the ACLU when they 're needed?
-M Potts