We conservative/Republican Christians like to think that liberals have it all wrong. I may have a cynical view of all politicians, but I do believe that Democrats view immigrants as prospective voters and if they weren't so determined to convert them all to their party, they would not be such big defenders of illegal immigrants. Cynical, I know.... but I do believe that.
Obama and other liberals love to toss Scripture at anyone who isn't for granting amnesty, and it can be downright nauseating.... especially when they ignore passages that would condemn their other pet sins and policies. One such liberal wrote an article titled "Who would Jesus Deport" that was posted yesterday in a group I help moderate. The writer used Scripture to try to make the case that Christians should welcome all immigrants with open arms, legal and illegal, and it is what Jesus would do. I disagreed with him, but it only added questions and concerns to my growing list of both.
I am not naive or stupid. I know we need borders. I know there are too many people in our country that are barely making it. We have too many homeless people, too many vets who have fought for our country and are homeless and/or barely surviving...... so of course it goes against everything I believe right that we'd give illegal immigrants free food, housing, healthcare, and whatever else they need. I know the risks of letting so many into our country unchecked and un-investigated. The risk of terrorists coming in with these people are great, and is not an imagined threat as Obama and his minions would try to convince us.
It is easy to take the opposite stance. I have. I even have thought before that we'd be better of to export all Muslims back to where they came from, and not allow them into our country since every terrorist since 911 have been Muslim.
But is that the correct Christian attitude and response? Is it how Jesus would be?
Donald Trump got his following by promising to build a wall and sending Muslims back where they came from. The more he talked about it, the more people supported him. Building a wall became the battle cry of the Republican Party, led by a loud mouth who had held liberal views on everything for years.
A young preacher's kid who was old enough to vote in this election, commented on a post I did one day and said "you need to pray, pray pray! that Trump wins, or your nieces and nephews will be in danger from illegal immigrants". Yeah, he used pray 3 times.
Now toss aside your Republican beliefs, and even your conservative beliefs for a moment, and try your best to think about this from a Christian/Biblical standpoint. And I am not saying this PK is a sinner, but he makes a good example: Should any true Christian that is serving Jesus with their all surrendered and trusting in God, make a statement like that? Should we be so fearful of our lives that we toss Biblical principles and common sense to the wind, and decide our only hope from being raped, pillaged, and killed by illegal immigrants lies in electing a godless corrupt individual - or any individual?
Something that has been on my mind a lot lately, is what do people outside of the conservative Christian/evangelical movement think of us for so fully supporting a man like Donald Trump..... and more specifically, I have wondered what illegal immigrants and Muslims think of us.
Seriously. Put aside whatever you think about Donald Trump. Does it matter to the millions of evangelical Christians what these people think of us? Do we really want to be associated with the hate and fear associated with building a wall? If that doesn't concern us even a little, then we seriously need help.
What are the chances of these people being interested in our Jesus if they associate Christians with Donald Trump, specifically his campaign promise to build a wall and ship the Muslims back? Should we care that associating with that could turn off people on Jesus forever? Should we be concerned that the Republican stance on immigration could possibly be opposite to what the Bible teaches, and what Jesus would want?
What would Jesus' position be on building a wall, illegal immigrants, and Muslims? Would He be building a wall, or would He be building bridges and loving illegal immigrants and Muslims? Would He even take a political position and/or side with a political position on it?
I have been reading lately of Christians in Muslim countries and what they go through. When they make the decision to serve Christ, they are asked if they are willing to die for their faith...... for it is a harsh reality there, not just a figure of speech. Christians there go through a lot, and often lose everything, including their lives, yet they joyfully and fearlessly serve Jesus. There are people going to Muslim countries as missionaries, risking their lives to take Jesus to them....... and then there is us.....We Republican Christians are so scared of Muslims we are more focused on building a wall and sending Muslims back home, then we are with showing God's love to them and winning them to Jesus.
And I honestly don't have the answers, nor am I trying to pretend that I do. I want to feel safe. I want our vets and homeless people taken care of before people who are breaking the law by just being here illegally.
Yet is that Christian? Is it being like Jesus? Or are we being ruled by our fears, by our insecurities and lack of trust in God?
No matter what you think of Donald Trump, he tapped into an all too prevalent fear and hatched his political career on the fears of conservatives, and sadly many Christians.
Are we more focused on winning souls to Jesus and showing His love to them, or are we more concerned with building a wall and feeling safe? I fear the latter is all too prevalent among we who claim to trust God and want to be like Jesus in all we do and say. Immigration and politics should not be the exemption to that.
And I repeat my statement that I don't have the answers. I have just come to believe that the Republican stance on immigration is not at all like Jesus, and not what the Bible teaches. What it should be, I don't know...... but if it is based on fear and selfishness, it is not like Jesus.
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