This post will likely spark some disagreement. I think it is pertinent regarding the immigration debates that are going on lately. While I believe in upholding and sustaining the law, you will all find that I may not agree with you regarding immigration laws. I have a strictly "Let Them Come!" philosophy and to date have found no argument save one to convince me otherwise. I can find no justification for selfishly holding this land to myself. Instead I find examples from the scriptures that make me question where America or Americans are heading spiritually.
Regardless of which side of the issue you sit on, please consider the following scriptures with an open heart.
From Ezek. 16: 49 I pulled this scripture that talks about the sin of Sodom right before its destruction. Interestingly enough Sexual sins (which are also abundantly debated at this time) were only one of their grievous sins. The other was the selfishness of those with money and education. The Lord commands Ezekiel to explain the Jerusalem that they are going to be destroyed because they have become like Sodom. Then he describes in what way. He says, "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
Pride? Fulness of Bread? Abundance of Idleness? and Not Strengthening those in need? Sounds a lot like this debate raging about immigrants and where they belong.
Interesting to note that right before the destruction of the America's preceding Christ's coming it describes a great division in that people as well. It says in 3 Nephi 6:12, "And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning; yea, some were ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great learning because of their riches.
I see in America right now a completely underprivileged class trying to make ends meet. If I personally push them away then how am I any different than the Nephites and Lamanites who were ripe for destruction? It is easy for us to mock because we are the ones with the upper hand. We are the ones who have received great learning because of our riches... and we turn them away.
Please consider an alternative perspective on the immigration issue. Yes, it must be legal... but we are not the ones who enforce the law. As disciples of Christ we are to be the ones visiting those in prison (Matthew 25: 31-46), or rather comforting the immigrants as they feel our heavy hand come down upon them.
31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his aright hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his aright hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Love you all.
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4 comments:
I couldn't agree more.
I am often amazed a the ability that some people seem to have to compartmentalize their lives between their church selves and their business selves on questions of integrity issues; or their church selves and their political selves on a variety of other issues.
I think that this is such a case. What is the duty of a christian? What was the baptismal covenant we entered into when we took HIS name upon us? When will we learn the lesson taught by the scriptures that you cited about pride, class distinction, bigotry, etc.?
I agree that immigration must be done legally, but does the fact that one of my brothers or sisters illegally crossed the border supersede the promise I made when I was baptized? NOTHING supersedes the covenants that I have made, beginning with baptism and including the O & C of the priesthood and temple covenants.
Let's stop compartmentalizing our lives and become whole people, and wholly and truly CHRISTians.
I guess I’ll add my two-cents as well – maybe it’s only a penny’s worth. I had a real change of heart about this topic about a year ago. I agree with pretty much everything you’ve all said, especially that legal immigration needs to be easier because I believe that those with good, honest intentions would to that route if it wasn’t so difficult.
Anyway, I haven’t thought about it as much in the last year so I’ll see if I can remember how my feelings changed.
Previously I had negative feelings about them all – that they were ruining our country (some of them), etc. Then I read a newspaper article from the Salt Lake Tribune and there were come comments from a sister returned missionary who had served in Southern California, Spanish-speaking. She talked about working among these people, that many of them were illegal – including the bishops and stake presidents. I thought that if the Lord doesn’t have a problem with them being here and doesn’t look at them as having broken the law – which I assume He doesn’t as He called them to those positions – then why do I?
I know there are still some who need to go back – the drug runners, gang members, etc. but those who are living honestly, let them live here. Let the Lord guide them, as I too believe He has.
Sigh...sadly I do not agree with the feeling of excitement some may have at the news that "they might be goin' home". This country was founded by immigrants. Should I scream "Deport the Caucasians! Send those dirt bags back to Europe where they came from!" Though I agree with the need for secure boarders and orderly immigrations laws I do not in any way condone the inhumane attitudes of so many of our citizens regarding modern day immigrants. I think that racism blinds people and it is not Gods way. I know many Hispanic immigrants most of which are legal, some of which might not be, all of which are good people. One of my brothers best friends came here illegally. At the time it was not a question of right or wrong to him. His eyes were not even open to that concept. It was a question of survival. It was a pressing need to get to the land of opportunity. Years after being here he began to realize that what he'd done was ethically wrong, at which point he went through the difficult process of becoming legal. He is not some uneducated dirty immigrant who is contributing to the crime rate. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a husband, a father, and as good a man as I have met. His name is Guido. He is a real person. Not a cow belonging to a herd that needs to be driven back to where it came from. My neighbors are immigrants and some of my best friends. They are saddened at times by the treatment they recieve from certain people out there just because she happens to be Hispanic. She is legal, but many assume she is not just because she has an accent. I am disgusted at how many comments are made on KSL news boards regarding so called illegals. They are dripping with racism and hate. They refer to illegal immigrants as less than human beings and they blame every crime committed on them. It's not only wrong, it's disturbing and frightening and rings far to familiar of past ills. I am frustrated. I apollogize for this response but I am so very frustrated. It weighs on me. More and more I view myself as a member of the human family, Gods family. My alliegance belongs to God first, to goodness, and purity, to people (the Children of God) no matter their country, or language, or social status, and then to my country. I feel blessed to live here. I do. And I am thankful for the many who sacrifice their lives to keep us safe. But...I am a member of the family of God. "Give me your tired your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golded door!" What happened to that America?
2 Nephi 1: 5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
Sorry, it's a soft spot. I had to get my opinion out. Love you.
Shelby
Just another novel worth of things that I wanted to add to this discussion. First, I agree with almost all of what you have said. What I don't agree with or condone is the stereotyping that goes on, labeling the problem on the Hispanics and the Latino's as a whole. It is not the Hispanics as a whole that we have a problem with, it is some of them. It is not the Muslims as a whole that we have problems with. It is some of them. I have been so surprised at how alive and well racism is in our lovely state of Utah. I have been shocked at times. Quite shocked. Does having minority children make me more aware of it? You better believe it. People are so eagerly ready to blindly crucify their fellow human beings and throw them to the wolves. What if we cared about those kids in the hall, instead of wanting to send them packing? What if we designed our programs to help those in trouble, instead of labeling them as "problem kids"? I am all for secure immigration. But it is tough. When I experienced immigration for my self (bringing Drew and Salem to the U.S.) I was very taken back. I was given a new view of the country I loved. And instead of being the "nice guys" as we believe we are, our government immigration personnel were just plain cruel. I was warned right off the bat by our adoption agency that the folks at the immigration office were going to give me trouble. "They don't like adoptions", I was told. They will sit on your paperwork and take as long as they please. Then they'll conveniently lose it. Or better yet, they'll deny you for no good reason. And what can you do about it? Nothing. It's the heavy hand. I sat in the immigration offices in both Florida and Utah. I felt the heavy hand. The coldness was palpable. I could write a book on my tiny experience with immigration. And I am just an adoptive mother. Why? Why are they yelling at that man like they loath him more than dung? Why am I being treated like I am smuggling in a terrorist? Why was the room filled with fear? Why am I crying and pleading at the counter for the citizenship of my children which is now being denied because of a mistake that the immigration office made on my paperwork, not me? If I have felt them staring me down like I was in there for some horrible crime, then how do the rest of them feel? Not everyone who comes here is a criminal. The problem is not racial. It never has been. There are other factors that make people the way they are and that is what needs to be explored and addressed in order to fix the ills or our day. The "send em packin' cause they're all a bunch of scum" mentality just doesn't work for me. One last thing. In the email you forwarded there were a few statements regarding Mexico's supposed immigration laws (I have not checked to see if this email is even correct, which in my oppinion should not be sent around unless it provides references to those laws). The following quote indicates to me a very stupid line of thinking. Forgive my being harsh but lets think about it for a moment. First, lets take it from a societal point of view. Were we to adopt the following mentality, "Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No welfare, no food stamps, no health care, or other government assistance programs. Any burden will be deported", what good does it do for your own society? I have heard calls for denying illegals or children of illegals education etc. Will this solve your problem? No! It will agrevate it. So now instead of having immigrants, you have poor, uneducated immigrants that are denied basic needs. Can you imagine this helping your society, or perpetuating crime and sub-par living. Educate them! Their children have a right to happiness just as much as we do, and given equal opportunities will suceed as productive Americans. So the following quote bugs the daylights out of me,
"These sound fine to me. NOW, how can we get these laws to be America 's immigration laws?"
This goes against my grain. I feel it vitally important to have immigration be secure, but putting up walls? Chasing down people like animals (I have seen this on the news), what are we, Hitlers Germany?! I can't agree with it. I don't know the answers. I know there needs to be order, but at what cost? Hitler was pretty orderly. I refuse to look at my fellow brothers and sisters of Hispanic decent as a problem. People are the problem, all of us. And plenty of them are born true blue Americans right here within our borders. I don't know the answers. All I am saying is there is something wrong with the picture to me. There are women and children crossing those borders and we are hunting them down with firearms. I spent a week in Haiti. I am not at all surprised that they risk life and limb to make it here. Consider the desperation of their situation. Why would they risk so much to be here? I would be surprised at any of you who wouldn't do the same thing for the chance to live a better life were you in their shoes. Look up the episode of "What would you do?" (I think that's what it's called) on the immigrants who go to a restaraunt to order some food but don't speak English. Very interesting. Anyway...sorry to vent about this, it's been on my mind for many years. Bottom line, I just think that we need to be VERY careful about how we choose to treat people, how we handle such issues, and in making sure our views are in line with how God would deal with His children, and frankly, I don't think you can see border lines from Heaven. ;-)
p.s. I have not read all of your responses, I got them after I wrote this.
Shelby
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