Christian Living / Jesus Was An Illegal Alien?
Jesus Was An Illegal Alien?
September 6, 2006 By Laura 17 Comments
A recent post on faithfuldemocrats.com contended that, because Mary and Joseph took Jesus and fled to Egypt, that Jesus was an illegal immigrant. I can certainly understand the desire to use the Bible to buttress your political philosophy – for Christians there is no higher authority. But, really, that’s just weak. And the commenters don’t hesitate to say so. Another example, but this time one whose conclusions I largely agree with, is this post.
So, what does the Bible teach about immigration? While it does not directly confront illegal immigrants, it has some basic principles we can follow. Hebrews 13 provides us with one of the most common verses on the issue of obeying and submitting to leadership. The over-all context is mainly recognized as referring to spiritual leaders, but I think the general principles found in the Bible can be applied to everyday situations. Verse seventeen reads: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
[...]Some believe we should reach out to illegal immigrants. Of course, we must share the Gospel with them, and show them the love of Christ, but beyond that I feel inclined to think this strategy will only place us “in harms way.” After all, by breaking the laws of our nation (which is rebellion against government), these people ultimately are breaking God’s laws of submission.
Interesting perspective. Chuck Colson has warned about the “demonizing” of illegal aliens, and of course we must remember that they are fellow human beings. Joel Belz had a column in World Magazine that bluntly stated “The big fear for evangelical Christians should not be the ire of Hispanic voters, but the wrath of God.” Mr. Belz’s problem is that he views illegal immigrants as immigrants, and not as colonizers. It’s an important distinction, and Jay Tea at Wizbang summed it up well.
Immigrants leave behind their native culture and society to join another. They might bring pieces of it, but their main motivation is to be a part of that society, perhaps improve it a bit with parts of their own, but the mainly intend to assimilate. They see something better for them, and want to be a part of it.
Colonists, though, intend to extend their homeland. They feel an obligation (“white man’s burden”) to bring the benefits of “civilization” to a new land. They come bearing all the baggage from home that immigrants leave behind, determined to recreate the best parts of home. And if there happen to be people already there, why then they must be made to share the blessings of liberty.
[...]Nowadays, in America, we are being colonized again. We have groups coming in and establishing their own little ghettos and havens, where their own language, customs, and beliefs reign supreme. In one town in southern Texas, the local government passed an ordinanace proclaiming Spanish as their official language.
Something to think about… as Christians, we are obviously required – and should want – to share both the Gospel and the love of Christ. But nowhere in the bible does it say that we must allow our culture and society to be overtaken by colonizers – especially when these actions will hinder our continuing to feed the hungry and help the poor. Mexico is not poor because it lacks resources – it has oil, plenty of arable land, and many other blessings. It’s poor largely because of corruption and bad government. For example, a Mexican illegal immigrant left California and moved to Kentucky, saying, “California now resembles Mexico — everyone thinks like in Mexico. California’s broken.” That woman has assimilated, but far too many others have not, and California and other parts of the country have paid the price.
Is a failure to welcome illegal aliens going to invite the wrath of God into my life, as Mr. Belz contends? Or as C.S. Lewis contends in “Why I Am Not A Pacifist,” is “the suppression of a higher religion by a lower, or even a higher secular culture by a lower, a much greater evil.” ? Although he was referring to war as being preferable to some alternatives, I think the concept of one culture taking over another can still apply here. Certainly this is a bloodless takeover of land, and with all due respect to Mexican heritage, the current culture in Mexico is obviously lacking or its citizens would stay and fight for it. And the current culture in California and the border states is now also lacking, or illegal aliens wouldn’t be moving inland to escape it.
Do religion and politics mix? Certainly, because religion mixes with everything, if you truly believe in your faith. ItÂ’s not possible to truly believe, and yet somehow segregate that belief from another part of your life. My faith influences my politics as it does everything else from my clothing choices to the stores I patronize. But I think we need to be very careful not to allow political doctrine to influence our theological doctrine.
This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.
Jesus Was An Illegal Alien? ? Pursuing Holiness
