Cedarville Conference Preaches Support of Immigrants

[tinytim]

I presume you have donated all your temporal wealth to the poor before making this statement.

Not all , but some.. I have a responsibility to my family too.. :smilewinkgrin:

but I have helped illegals in the process to become legal.. AFTER the officials lost the money and I helped pay again!...

I don't check for documentation before I give money to people.. if they need help.. i help them if I can....

Tomorrow I am checking on a teen that told my son that their family needs help.. I have $20 i'm planning on helping where I can.. I don't know if this teen is illegal or not.. I don't know if her mom is American, Black, white, latino, french, Democrat, or even a Christian.. I'm not sure if it is a mixed marriage, or even if they had ancestors from Turkey!... I don't care...

All I care about is the family needs help.. and if I can't look past legal status.. (Heck the mom and dad may not even be married.. aghast!.).. to help them, then i am no better than the pharisees that didn't want to have anything to do with those "illegal" samaritans!...

That said, I'm pretty sure the family is American.. born and raised in Southern WV.. but hey, they may be on drugs, pain medicines, etc.. and if they are, I'll figure out how to help the kids wisely with my $20.

We stood amazed and horrified at the video of the child laying on the street after getting hit by a van, and people walked by.. we talk about how bad the chinese are.. but Christians that refuse to help others based on documentation.. are just as bad...

Either you abide by kingdom principles. or you don't.. Loving others is a requirement in the Kingdom.. with no strings attached..

And even if you don't want to give money to help.. learn how to help in more tangible ways like walking with them and helping them become legal. Learn how to tudor an ESL class.. many Latinos want to learn English.. many are learning.. but need help...

 

[righteousdude2]

You Sound Like an Amazing Representative for the Kingdom!

Either you abide by kingdom principles or you don't. Loving others is a requirement in the Kingdom with no strings attached.

While you are truly admirable, there are differing sides as to just what those Kingdom principles are and stand for.

Some of us believe that we must render unto Ceasar (obey the principles and laws of Rome), and then practice the principles of the Kingdom.

To disobey the laws of the land in which you are a citizen of and to encourage others (here illegally) to disobey those same laws, is not Christ like. To assist others to break the very laws others are obligated and commanded to obey is not a good witness of the church and Jesus Christ.

And while you demonstrate a huge heart for those who are here illegally, I still believe you have got the cart in front of the horse, or donkey.

Still, you may be absolutely right on, and we will not know until we stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment and hear the final verdict from Jehovah, Himself!

Blessing to you and your work.

Pastor Paul

 

[tinytim]

I understand.. and thank you..
For me I believe it's Ok to break the laws of the land when they are in conflict with the Laws of the Kingdom of God...

I believe you believe the same thing... the devil is in the details..
For instance.. the State law says to not kill deer out of season.. Now if a family was starving, I see nothing wrong with killing a deer out of season to feed the family... In other words.. there are some things that trumps earthly laws...

Andy Griffith used an example one time to explain to Opie how laws sometimes need to be broken... He used the example that a pond has a sign that says "no swimming".. but some one went swimming and are now drowning.. you are on the bank.. do you jump in and swim to them to save their life, or do you obey the law and not go swimming..
Even Opie realized it was wrong to watch someone drown.... the right thing, the moral thing is to save the life.

If a person is in need, I will help them.. period... and I believe you would too... who knows you may have already helped an illegal, who knows.. I mean the term illegal can also apply to people that are not Latino..

But here is the prejudice in America today.. illegal = Latino...
Hence the discriminatory practices of Arizona and Alabama.. unless they check EVERYONE for citizenship, they are being prejudiced.. and the laws are illegal in themselves.

 

[SolaSaint]

How many of us walk right by people in need that are American citizens? I see it almost everyday and I'm talking about myself too. It's an admirable thing to give anyone a helping hand, but what does it have to do with citizenship? It is a hot button issue that I assume Jim Wallis will exploit. I wonder if he ever gives money or helps someone without giving notice? I'm not saying he doesn't, but just food for thought. I always wonder about any Christian who shouts from the roof top how everyone else is to walk the Christian way like they do.

 

[tinytim]

There's enough hurt to go around.. everywhere.. Here is what I told my congregation yesterday.. "find 1 or 2 people you can help this week.. even if you have to sacrifice eating at Bob Evans for one evening".. American citizens or not.. people are suffering!.. Let's stop this arguing over trivial stuff.. and help people.

 

[JesusFan]

While you are truly admirable, there are differing sides as to just what those Kingdom principles are and stand for.

Some of us believe that we must render unto Ceasar (obey the principles and laws of Rome), and then practice the principles of the Kingdom.

To disobey the laws of the land in which you are a citizen of and to encourage others (here illegally) to disobey those same laws, is not Christ like. To assist others to break the very laws others are obligated and commanded to obey is not a good witness of the church and Jesus Christ.

And while you demonstrate a huge heart for those who are here illegally, I still believe you have got the cart in front of the horse, or donkey.

Still, you may be absolutely right on, and we will not know until we stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment and hear the final verdict from Jehovah, Himself!

Blessing to you and your work.

Pastor Paul

As a Christian, should treat ALL people with dignity/respect as befitting being human beings BUT

can do that WITHOUT extending/granting them same rights as a legal immigrant, who decided to obey the law and became a legal citizen!