Ranting on Things I Know Nothing About...

So I used to listened to political commentary 24/7, but I have been thankfully nauseated by most of American politics recently and it has allowed me to get on with my life. However, the immigration issue--of which I have little knowledge or experience--has come up in a few conversations recently with my good friends and my family.

The polarity between people who's opinions I normally respect has really challenged me here. I hear good folks on each sides speaking with fervor. On the one hand, there seems to be a lot of fear: both in terms of someone from another country taking my job, or someone from another country blowing up my city. I suppose there is the added fear of people who are different changing our culture, sapping governmental resources, and perhaps adding to the crime burden.

On the other side, there are the obvious compassion issues. Those crossing the border are the face of the poor and desperate in our midst. They are the targets of racist angst. If anyone is needy and oppressed in America, certainly it is these people.

My wife was scouring a website for bumper stickers--a new obsession--and it was unreal the amount of shameless hate (exemplified in the mustached picture on the left) making its way into the propaganda on both sides. The website had at least 300 different reactions to this issue. It is worth going there simply to see the energy and passion of both the thoughtful and the perverse. (The American Indian response was some times humorous and can be boiled down to: Illegal immigration began in 1492.)

Because this is such a difficult issue, it is important to self-consciously decide where we begin when addressing it. Where do we start: with the protection of my culture, with the needs of the citizen, with my own needs, with the protection of the poor, where?

Mark Driscoll--who's stuff I normally find bland--actually gets it right on this issue (here) by simply pointing to some key Old Testament passages about how one ought to treat aliens in your country. As it stands, these are some of the best golden rule style passages in the Bible and they are worth digesting.

*Leviticus 19:33-34 says, "When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself."

*God cares for and defends those immigrating to a new nation because He loves them. In Exodus 22:21, 23-24 God says, "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him. ... If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused."

*Immigrants should be given economic opportunity including fair wages. Deuteronomy 24:14 says, "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns."

*Deuteronomy 24:17 says, "Do not deprive the alien ... of justice."

But Driscoll also says that God commands strangers immigrating into a nation from other lands to abide by the customs and laws of their new nation. Romans 13:1-7 says that God works through governments to bring justice and social order.

These issues are much more complicated than this, but these are worthy observations with which to begin our thinking on this matter.

Beyond this particular debate, we ought to be aware that the restoration of our world is best showcased when people of different cultures love one another and worship at the same table (see the entirity of Acts). He has choosen the Church to be the great unifer of humanity, with our common language--not English--but faith in the risen Jesus.

May we be faithful in being the people of God for the good of the world.