| Opinion: On immigration, do Baptists believe the Bible? |
|
|
| By Libby Grammer Garrett | ||
| Wednesday, September 16, 2009 | ||
(ABP) -- Undocumented immigration cannot be described as either a problem or a possibility -- it simply is a reality, and one that we are not dealing with very well. As someone who works with immigration issues every day in an immigration law practice, I can attest that most Americans are grossly misinformed about this issue, dependent as they are on inflammatory and misleading news sources. Being exposed to an actual immigrant’s story can help us break down these conventional stereotypes: Lidiana entered the United States in the early 1990s, seeking work because she could not make ends meet in Mexico. She quickly found work in a factory and has been paying taxes for years. She married a lawful permanent resident and had three children, all U.S. citizens. Her husband filed papers for her so she could obtain her green card, but because of long processing times at the former INS -- now the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) -- many years passed before that petition would become current and she could actually adjust her status to obtain permanent residency. But in the meantime, her marriage became abusive, and Lidiana was forced to leave her husband. He withdrew the papers he had filed for her, making her ineligible to obtain legal status. Her only option to regularize her status was using novel legal arguments from a skilled attorney, but she still faced the possibility that the petition could be rejected. If rejected, she would be put in deportation proceedings, leaving her children with no mother and no income to support them in the only home they have ever known. When real people who are made in the image of God become involved, we realize that the issue of undocumented immigration is testing the capacity of Christians to resist temptations that undermine a Kingdom ethic -- xenophobia, racism, greed. If Christians claim to look to the Bible as our guide on moral decision-making, then we must do so on the issue of undocumented immigration as well. The Old Testament is full of references to migrants and their families. The scriptures demand justice and mercy toward strangers and aliens. Many crucial Old Testament stories -- Abraham, Joseph and Ruth -- depict the lives and struggles of sojourners and foreigners. Hebrew law clearly demands care for the alien/sojourner and grounds that demand in Israel’s own experience as “aliens in Egypt” (Lev. 19:34). The teachings and actions of Jesus and his followers in the New Testament carry forward the same pattern. Jesus himself was an alien in Egypt when his parents fled to save his life. He was kind to strangers and taught a Kingdom ethic in which inclusion of outsiders was central. Paul noted our status as resident aliens in the world and what might be called our ‘naturalized citizenship’ in the Kingdom of Heaven. Just and merciful treatment of those on the margins of society is a fundamental biblical norm. That we have so much trouble seeing this is a scandal that reflects the corruption of our purported commitment to the Lordship of Christ. We must treat undocumented immigrants with the dignity that every human being deserves. We must become advocates for the 12 million of our neighbors who remain vulnerable and in the shadows. Some Christians have found avenues to advocate for these strangers among us. The Roman Catholic Church has led the way. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has called for broad-based legalization (permanent residency) for undocumented immigrants, reform of family-based and employment-based immigration pathways so that families divided by immigration may be reunited, and humane working conditions for everyone. They call for an abandonment of the “blockade” border-enforcement strategy and a restoration of due-process protections for all immigrants. Catholic Charities offers direct care to hundreds of thousands of immigrants each year. Sadly, Baptists lag behind Catholics in their attention to immigration reform, though some groups (such as the American Baptist Churches USA and the Baptist General Convention of Texas) have offered services in the form of lawsuits on behalf of immigrants and training for church-based aid to immigrants. However, other groups (such as the Southern Baptist Convention) have only offered words of kindness to strangers while doing little to advocate publicly for the undocumented. This is a marginally good start -- but Baptists must do better. If our denominational structures are too sluggish to offer leadership, local congregations must blaze the trail. This means re-centering the issue around Scripture and its norms for each Christian's public witness while avoiding the fictional information spouted forth by uninformed media outlets seeking to place blame for all of our country's ills on one group of people. Almost every community in this country is home to undocumented immigrants. The question is whether we choose to view them through the lens of our Kingdom citizenship -- or our national xenophobia. -30- Libby Grammer Garrett is a master-of-divinity student at McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, and is an immigration paralegal at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz in Chattanooga, Tenn. This guest column was originally written as an exercise for a seminary class in writing for ministry.
EDITORIAL DISCLAIMER: As part of our mission to provide credible and compelling information about matters of faith, Associated Baptist Press actively seeks a diversity of viewpoints in its columns, commentaries and other opinion-based content. Opinions expressed in these articles are not intended to represent ABP editorial policy and do not necessarily reflect the views of ABP's staff, board of directors or supporters.                 Comments (17)
 ...
written by robber, September 16, 2009
So where exactly does the rule of law fit in with your thesis? You have DLT disease. You assume because I don't want a person here it's because I am racist. I don't want them here because they entered the country illegally; and if they don't have respect for our laws then what else might they do when they're here? What you present is a sad story. If I were her neighbor, I would do what I could to help her. Make sure she was clothed, and fed. But it wouldn't change the fact that she was here illegally; and she should return to Mexico. I'm having trouble making ends meet right now, but that doesn't give me a right to break into my rich neighbor's house and take money or food -- no matter how desperately I might need it. It's a matter of law. Being a legal assistant or whatever you are, you should know that more than I; and you should readily be able to separate the emotional aspect of a situation and apply the law. The fact that you don't want to do that, but instead suggest Baptists or any other group are the guilty ones because we don't ignore the law is proof that you have DLT disease. Don't worry: this attitude should put you perfectly in line for your doctorate.
kudos
written by JohnBlackmon, September 16, 2009
I could hardly wait to finish reading just to express what a relief it was to hear someone put these issues in real words and real terms with a healthy ethical and hermeneutical application of these Biblical statutes. Thanks. I will be sharing this article.
response...
written by Cliff, September 16, 2009
Lousy analysis, Mr. J
Pretty sure I know what that J stands for... Insightful Article
written by GregF, September 16, 2009
Ms. Garrett your are right on the mark!
"Immigration can be a resource for development rather than an obstacle to it... (and) Institutions in host countries must keep careful watch to prevent the spread of the temptation to exploit foreign labourers, denying them the same rights enjoyed by nationals, rights that are to be guaranteed to all without discrimination." COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH ...
written by pjerwin, September 17, 2009
I think I’ve noticed a pattern here: two articles posted with a day of each other from the “freedom of thought crowd” questioning the biblical faith of those fail to agree with the authors’ points of view. Never mind that the authors don’t seem to be able to make coherent points.
We know we’re in for great intellectual enlightenment when the author begins with such a lofty phrase as: Undocumented immigration cannot be described as either a problem or a possibility -- it simply is a reality, and one that we are not dealing with very well.Hmm, if we’re not dealing very well with a simply reality, isn’t that a… problem? And if it’s not, why is she discussing it? The simple reality is, that’s a problem. She follows that bit of wisdom with another gem. She seems to believe that since she “works with immigration issues every day in an immigration law practice” she can attest that “most Americans are grossly misinformed about this issue.” Unfortunately, she doesn’t work with “most Americans” and likely hasn’t polled “most Americans” to find out how informed they are. Don’t these eggheads take courses in critical thinking, logic, or rhetoric anymore? This article is replete with logical fallacies. Her straw man argument posits that those who think differently than she are xenophobic, racist, greedy, and unbiblical – there are no other options. She employs the fallacy of judgmental language, using insulting or pejorative language to influence her audience’s judgment; the genetic fallacy, overlooking the differences between the past in the present situations and elevating the esteem of the earlier context; the sentimental fallacy, positing that since her utopian ideal would be more pleasant, it must be right; and turns the ecological fallacy on its head, inferring that the nature of the group is the same as the nature of specific individuals belonging to that group. There are more, these are just the first to jump out at me… But it doesn’t stop there: “Being exposed to an actual immigrant’s story can help us break down these conventional stereotypes…” She presumes that few of us are exposed to “actual immigrants” and their stories. Everybody’s got a story. I live in Podunk, USA in the Midwest and they’re all around me; they’re my friends, neighbors, parishioners, and also strangers. Most of those with whom I’m acquainted are not “immigrants,” illegal, undocumented, or otherwise, they’re migrant – they aren’t seeking and don’t intend to seek US citizenship, and they intend to return to their countries of origin. Many of them are here illegally, but have some kind of documentation, like state driver’s licenses. Each of them has a story and each is different from the others’. Those who came here illegally did so fully aware of what they were doing and are fully aware of the possible consequences. They know they’re breaking US law and that if we did the same thing in their countries we’d be breaking their law – and we’d suffer deportation at the first opportunity. And while writing an article on biblical belief, she demonstrates that she cannot handle the Bible correctly. She fails to recognize, or ignores, the historical and cultural differences between ancient Middle Eastern borders and migration and those of modern Western civilization. She misrepresents US American Christians’ treatment of and attitudes toward illegal migrants and immigrants, demonstrating either a lack of honesty, ignorance, or naïveté. She fails to understand Baptist polity, writing that “If our [Baptist] denominational structures are too sluggish to offer leadership, local congregations must blaze the trail.” That’s the way it’s supposed to be! Baptists aren’t led by our “denominational structures.” The brilliant faculty at the McAfee School of Theology should have given this exercise for a seminary class in writing for ministry a failing grade and be embarrassed by its publication. One thing on which I can agree with the author is that we should all be “avoiding the fictional information spouted forth by uninformed [authors and] media outlets seeking to place blame for all of our country's ills on one group of people.” To wit I give you the author Libby Grammer Garrett and the media outlet ABP. mercy and respect does not entail entitlement to citizenship
written by Xenophon, September 17, 2009
One can and should show mercy to anyone and everyone in need and show basic respect to any fellow human. Those principles are laid down for us in the Bible as well as by reason. Additionally, we should be sure to present the Gospel to people who are here from other countries, whether legally or illegally, since they might never hear that Jesus can save them from Hell.
But because we should be kind to strangers and those in need does not require us to accept anyone and everyone as an American citizen. If everyone in the world who would like to live in the United States came here to live, then the United States would come to an end just as if all of the people, including myself, who would like to live in France were able to immigrate to France would bring France to an end. Simply my presence living in France along with millions of others would who are not French, even though we appreciate and admire French language and culture, would dilute and disrupt French folkways that make France a unique country. The same principle applies to America. Not everyone is an American even if everyone is a human being. Who among us doesn't?
written by mcskinny, September 17, 2009
Most of us feel differently toward anyone when we get to know their story.
I have been on summer mission to Anapra, Mexico. Getting to know people who live on $5 a week literally within sight and sound of busy I-10 just a few thousand yards away. A member of our group once said, " I understand the need to regulate and control illegal immigration, but if I lived here, I would gather my children each night and try to find a way across the border!" We no longer go there on mission trips because of the violence across the border. The increased violence also increases the understanding of why mothers and fathers have the need to find a way to make a better safer life for their families. This does not lessen nor change the equally increasing need to enforce immigration laws from this side of the border. Charlie Mac ...
written by wilx1, September 17, 2009
Moderate Christians continue to lecture Conservatives on how we (America) are not a theocracy. That's exactly right. We are a Constitutional government. Therefore, the Constitution must be respected and obeyed or else we end up without an absolute governing authority.
Illegal immigration is a classic case where moderates continue to use double-speak. They say,rather emphatically, that religion has no place in public schools or government facilities because of the Constitutional separation of Church and State. But they ignore the Constitution on matters of national sovereignty and immigration. No one has a right to be an American citizen, it is a privilege. Even those of us who are born here can, under certain circumstances, have our citizenship revoked. Why would we give that privilege to those who start out in our country by breaking our laws. Disconnect
written by Nabhi, September 17, 2009
Do Baptists believe the Bible? Sure!
Do they obey it? Only when convenient and when the command is what they already are inclined to do. This case and some of the disparaging remarks above testify to that. Marsden was right....
written by JB19475, September 17, 2009
George Marsden certainly hit the nail on the head when he inferred that "fundamemtalists are evangelicals who seem to always be angry about something". I never ceased to be amazed at the Pharisee mindset of so many of those who purport to be followers of Christ. Miss Garrett's thesis and arguments are right on target; far too many Baptists have decided to take up their stones and cast them at immigrants as though they were lepers beyond hope. Miss Garrett's hermeneutic is accurate and she is certainly not naive in her interpretation of Baptist failure to model Christlike compassion on the poor and marginalized. While a few on this blog seem content to condemn with their self-imposed intellectual superiority and condescending self-righteous piety, it is clear that Miss Garrett has a much firmer grasp of Biblical truth than others would be willing to concede (or perhaps understand). Truthfully her logic and insight are clear and focused but more importantly, they are Christ driven. Why is that immigrants (and let's just be honest - we are referring to Hispanics) find themselves in the crosshairs of the very ones who are supposedly the practiioners of love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and care. Truthfully I don't see too many self-righteous Baptists out working on road crews, mowing yards, roofing houses, washing dishes, or a host of other manual labor yet immigrants continue to be the target of the ones who benefit from their labor. Perhaps some of those who write on this blog need to spend some time in impoverished countries and experience life as a marginalized second class citizen.
...
written by pjerwin, September 17, 2009
Lets be honest, JB19475, shall we? Read Garrett’s and De La Torre’s articles and admit that they’re angry. If Garrett wasn’t angry, she wouldn’t refer to people who don’t believe and act the way she does with regard to the illegal migrant issue as grossly misinformed greedy xenophobic racists. ABP is a place where moderates and liberals vent their anger on a regular basis.
You say you “don’t see too many self-righteous Baptists out working on road crews, mowing yards, roofing houses, washing dishes, or a host of other manual labor…” What makes you think many of these manual laborers aren’t Baptists? Is it because, in your mindset of “let's just be honest -- we are referring to Hispanics,” and you apparently believe Hispanics aren’t Baptists. Even in my little congregation in Podunktown, Midwest USA, illegals Ruth, Hector, and Janyer have been welcomed. And what sort of employment DO you see “self-righteous Baptists” engaged in? As you drive past people as they work, how do you identify who’s Baptist and who’s not, who’s self-righteous and who’s not? In your own pharisaical outlook, you fail to recognize your own angry prejudices and double standards. I can say one thing for sure: Southern Baptists comprise one of the largest national resources when disasters occur in this country. SB Disaster Relief is among the top 3 agencies contacted at those times, with the Red Cross being number 1. But who does the Red Cross call when they need to do food distribution at those times: SB Disaster Relief. And what are the “self-righteous” Baptists doing: any of the dirtiest jobs that need to be done to help people get back on their feet. They do all kinds of work like this nationally and internationally. Leaving aside the issue of Garrett’s hermeneutic for a moment, let’s look at yours: “far too many Baptists have decided to take up their stones and cast them at immigrants as though they were lepers beyond hope.” Who stoned lepers in Scripture? Who stoned lepers today? Who stoned foreigners, aliens, or sojourners in Scripture or today? No one, of course. Baptists by-and-large are not failing to meet the needs of and model Christlike compassion toward the poor and marginalized who come to them for help and do not treat them as if they’re “beyond hope.” You’ve created a caricature for yourself. You fail to recognize your own self-righteousness. And regarding Ms. Garrett’s firm grasp on biblical truth, migration and immigration in the ancient Middle East bears little resemblance to that of the modern West. While “the Old Testament is full of references to migrants and their families,” one simply cannot make such a one-to-one, apples-to-apples comparison of that largely migratory culture with today’s culture which is just beginning to develop a more global, borderless outlook. And citing “Israel’s own experience as ‘aliens in Egypt,’” she fails to account for the fact that the Israelites had not gone into Egypt illegally, but migrated there temporarily through Egypt’s legal process. “Jesus himself was an alien in Egypt when his parents fled to save his life,” but is that anywhere like the illegal migration to the US? No. “Why is that immigrants (and let's just be honest…” you ask, “find themselves in the crosshairs…“ Well, let’s do be honest: we’re talking about illegal migrants and immigrants and I doesn’t matter where they’re from. Take Garrett’s example: “Lidiana entered the United States in the early 1990s…” She willfully entered the US illegally in the early 1990s, knowing full-well what the consequences might be. She was desperate. Okay. But she found factory work, work that millions of US Americans do all the time, not work that US Americans will not do. Despite being here illegally and knowing what could happen, she developed relationships and brought children into the world knowing that because of her lawlessness their lives could be ripped apart. Two people are responsible for her present circumstance: her and her former husband. And does she expect us to believe that if Lidiana was to be deported, she would not be allowed to take her children with her and they would simply be left to fend for themselves? Give me a break. Are illegal migrants and immigrants in the US “marginalized second class citizen Your argument isn’t coherent. ...
written by pjerwin, September 17, 2009
Don't know what happened on those last two paragraphs.
Are illegal migrants and immigrants in the US “marginalized second class citizen”? Marginalized, yes, but how? Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, covering their nakedness and hiding from God, they know they’ve “sinned,” they’ve broken the law. And so, in the same way that Adam and Eve marginalized themselves, confining themselves to the outer edge of God’s periphery, so these illegals marginalize themselves, hoping the authorities won’t discover them, won’t uncover the nakedness of their lawlessness. People need to take personal responsibility for marginalizing themselves. Are they “second class citizens”? No, they’re not US citizens at all. ...
written by ABP Reader, September 17, 2009
pjerwin, based on your posts on this site, you vent on a regular basis. So, unless you're one of the moderates or liberals you mention, it's actually place for a variety of folks to vent. The comments sections often have a sizeable number of commenters who disagree with the article/opinion. It appears this is a two-way, equal-opportunity venting forum, and you keep coming back.
...
written by pjerwin, September 17, 2009
Touché, ABP Reader! I do vent, but seldom with anger. But the point still stands: anger isn't reserved for "fundamentalists;" there are those on all sides "who seem always to be angry about something."
the rule of law
written by Al5, September 24, 2009
The rule of law seems to be the best argument against the illegal immigrants. If one enters the country without going through the proper legal channels they should be deported because they have broken the law. This seems to basic argument. No one wants criminals coming in to our country. Yet if the law is inhumane and the government is slow about changing this law, what should be done? Do we leave people to face an inhumane system of law? Do we say, "don't come here until we've fixed the law"? Or do we treat people humanely regardless of the law? I’m all for a healthy respect for the law, but to quote a few good Christians, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, that to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” What is at issue here are inhumane and unjust immigration laws. The question before us as Baptist’s is do we sit idle and do nothing while God’s children suffer or do we like America’s founding fathers change the law and even revolt against the law until it is changed? This may not be to the liking of some who say we cannot compare today with a few hundred years ago. However, inhumanity is always wrong regardless of what the laws of government say. The time for humane and just immigration reform is now.
How about immigration reform that protects our culture's integrity? written by Xenophon, September 25, 2009
A15, what kind of immigration reform are you suggesting? Is it an open borders policy that would lead to the destruction of the Anglo-Saxon culture that our political, economic, and legal system is based upon?
Or do you have another proposal? Here is what I would suggest: a return to the 1924 Immigration that limited total legal immigration so that we could assimilate immigrants who are here already as well as encouraging immigration from Northern Europe while restricting mass immigration from other cultures. This law allowed the generation of immigrants to America during the early Twentieth Century to become anglicized resulting in the post-World War II prosperity and social cohesion. Re-instituting this key reform would protect our social capital that is being continually diminished as people from all over the world pour into the U.S. making spontaneous social cooperation virtually impossible. In the meantime, we should assist those who have come to the U.S. illegally to return to their homeland with the full-knowledge of the Gospel and their immediate physical needs met. More indirectly, we should also seek the passage of legislation to remove trade barriers to facilitate improving living conditions in their own country as well as diplomatic efforts to encourage economic policies and other reforms that would improve the standard of living around the world. But we must be clear and realistic about this issue. As I said above, everyone is entitled to a fundamental respect as a human, but that truth does not entitle everyone to become an American any more than everyone has a right to become French or Chinese or whatever other nationality. Linguistic, cultural, national affiliation and identity count in the life of the individual and the life of a community and nation. Readers alone are responsible for the content of the comments they post here. The comments are subject to the site’s terms and conditions of use and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or approval of the ABP News. Readers whose comments violate the terms of use may have their comments removed or all of their content blocked from viewing by other users without notification.
Write comment
|
||
Subscribe to this comment's feed
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Baptists
Nation
- Judge blocks Ariz. law; faith leaders, Senate Democrats respond
- Americans United urges IRS to investigate Oklahoma political rally
- Groups across spectrum file briefs supporting Westboro Baptist Church
- BJC files brief opposing sectarian prayer at government meetings
- Baptist church claims funeral protests protected by 1st Amendment
World
- Environmentalists urge closure of Jesus' baptism site
- Catholics in Nagaland claiming persecution at hands of Baptists
- In Grand-Goave, U.S. Baptists offer Haitians a hand with church, clinic
- Six months after massive earthquake, Haiti still has a long way to go
- CBF-funded Mercer team to attend to Haiti’s psychological wounds
| |