Illegals and the church

>Sorry, Bill. If you break a law you are a criminal and entering the country illegally is breaking the law (hence the "illegal" part).

You want the law enforced against people you don't like and want a free pass for yourself, right?

Anyway, the thread title . . . do you all also deny and despise the traditional concept of the church as a place of refuge?

 

Where is anyone asking for a pass billwald? Please show me where one poster on this thread has said they would like a pass on their illegal activity?

Please show me where New Testament churches have been a place of refuge for criminals? Blow the dust off your Bible, read it, and come back when you haven't found it in there.

 

Christians argue from silence and by their bad driving. If Christians drove under the speed limit it would be the norm because of the physics of driving.

In Washington State the only lanes I can both legally and pragmatically drive the speed limit are the car pool lanes. I get my entertainment by setting the autopilot at the speed limit and watch all the good Christians speed by.

Cities of Refuge were designated by God.

 

Once again, where has anyone here asked for a pass? I do my best to not speed. Yes, occasionally I will speed when I don't pay attention as closely as I should. On those occasions, I would have no problem with the police enforcing the law and giving me a ticket. It's the police's job to enforce the law and I'm not going to complain when they do.

Way to dance around the question. Please show me where New Testament churches have been a place a refuge for criminals? Please show me where God instructs us to do that.

Billwald, you confuse me. I thought you'd be against the illegal aliens. They steal Union jobs don't they?

 

I guess because God has put the love for Hispanic Ministry in my heart, this issue is easy for me to get passionate about.
I agree with your statement here.
If one would come to our Hispanic Ministry, and get saved, we would go through the proper channels to get them to be legally here. This teaches the responsibility of the Christian to abide to the law of the land, while at the same time showing Christian kindness...

Here is an article I wrote for our conventions magazine a couple months ago concerning the willingness of Christians to reach out to Latinos.

 

Being the son of an immigrant, I guess you don't know much about unions or workers rights. Of course, it's becaue of immigrants that our unions have become so weak. They bring down the wages, I know I work around dozens of them.

 

Watch it Snow...your liberal tendencies (and hence your racist tendencies) are showing through!

 

I am a child of an immigrant as well. I am kind of biased.

 

Just the truth, accept is or not. It doesn't change anything.

 

my great grandparents are from turkey, they entered this country legaly. by entering illegally they show they do not intend on abiding by our laws, they flaunt their illegal activity, and for the most part we do nothing about it

 

Just curious to all who have commented on this thread...
If you knew someone was Illegal, would you share Christ with them?

 

why not? I've been a part of the hispanic ministry at our old church, I knew full well we had people coming each week who were illegal, I wasn't aware of which ones, the pastor was.

 

Coool.. the reason I ask is because I know some people that have said they wouldn't. That bothers me.

 

Seems it is being intimated that due to their illegal status some would not witness to them. Find that hard to believe since we are to share with all that are lost but anyway????

I live in a city with a high ratio of Hispanics. I find them standoffish, arrogant and unfriendly, but then if I were here illegally I would think I might be the same :laugh: I have found it takes a couple dozen times of being friendly before they will even act like they want to interact. I have had to point at pictures to order my breakfast at times.

I also teach a basic computer class that often is heavy in students that speak little if any English. I've done a 12 week course with some that will never speak to me other than when they have to and all will evade questions as simple as what part of town they live in.

It must be hard knowing that trouble could strike at any time for them, though it IS their fault.

I wish all of them would take what they have learned here and go home and change their own country but I'd guess they will be citizens here before the year is up.

In the church? They are like anyone else till our government says differently. I like the thought of showing them their need to take responsibility once they are saved. It boils down to how would you treat anyone that is doing something illegal - being and illegal alien is no different than any other person involved in illegal activities.

 

Although someone else answered you I will do my own.

what free pass? If I speed I am breaking the law. I will not say I am blameless, but I seldom speed anymore. Was I breaking the law? Yes, I was. Had I been caught I would have had to pay the penalty, not get a government handout or a deal under the table. In the times I was exceeding the speed limit I was a criminal and do not deny it. I broke the law, pure and simple.

The same thing applies for any other law of the land. If I break it I am guilty. I may not be caught, but if I am I will have to pay the penalty for breaking that law. I will have no excuse and no way to avoid it.

Illegals come here outside of proper channels. If they are caught they should have to face the consequences for doing so. They are no better than I am. If I entered Mexico illegally I would be arrested and deported (if I were lucky). The same goes for Canada or any other country. There shouldn't be a difference here.

The cities of refuge were for the Jews, not the church. The catholic church may play that game, but I don't.

Absolutely. They still need the Lord. We now have ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at our church that I am a part of, and we are doing this very thing. That doesn't change my feelings about them being here illegally, but I would not refuse to share the gospel with them and help them become legal.

 

Sure Would, While Waiting for....

... INS to come and arrest them and send them back home. At least they'd be born-again when they return home:laugh:

Actually, without sounding so cold, there is no reason to not hsare the Gospel message, that is what we're called to do, Tiny.

And that was a heart searching question. Thanks for asking!

 

So, according to you ("Being the son of an immigrant, I guess you don't know much about unions or workers rights."), immigrants, or sons of immigrants, don't know much about unions or workers rights. That's your truth Snow?

 

No, I'm not in favor of it. I'm just saying the real reason not much is being done about it is because of the adverse effects on our economy. People always come up with simple answers for problems like these only to find out they are not so simple.

 

Yes I do. My family immigrated here legally from Nicaragua back in the 30's. I grew up around immigrants legal and illegal for a time when I lived in california. There is a whole underground economy that people just so conviently ignore when it comes to immigrants (illegal). Some of it good some of it bad. Most politicians understand the idiosyncrasies with regard to this but unless the populace is personally affected all they see is the side that shows misuse of emergency rooms etc... Which is why no one really wants to touch it. Accept to bluster.
However, don't believe me and build your wall see what happens when our country takes an economic tail dive.