What would you do if you were . . . .

[abelisle]

What would you do if you were an Adventist in Arizona and you had illegal immigrants as felow church members?

Listen to the following conversation; especially about the "Montenegro" individual:

Anthea Butler is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Graduate Chair at the University of Pennsylvania. Rev. Peter Laarman is the executive director of Progressive Christians Uniting

Alex (still making up my mind)

[abelisle]

Just remembered.

BTW, my family took in a young Russian defector for two years (here in the US on a student exchange program) who hid in our church after the pastor suggested we turn him in to the police or (listen to this!) suggest that he become an Adventist so that we could officially offer him legal assistance. Interestingly, he hid in our church while we were having Wed. night prayer meeting because he was afraid to hide in the larger Catholic church down the street which he thought was a "state" church.Ironically it was the Catholic diocese who had the best organizational facilities for amnesty requests.

He is now a legal resident with a good job and family

Will the Adventist church jeopardize their legal status if they decide to offer official amnesty? Why does this remind me of safeguarding the Jews during WW II by gentile families?

Alex (yes, I'd do it again)

[karl]

Just remembered.

BTW, my family took in a young Russian defector for two years (here in the US on a student exchange program) who hid in our church after the pastor suggested we turn him in to the police or (listen to this!) suggest that he become an Adventist so that we could officially offer him legal assistance.

Defectors from Russia were automatically eligible for refuge in the US. Legally. Why would he have to hide from the police?

[Gerr]

This morning someone rang our doorbell. It turned out to be a Mexican who was looking for work. He came to my house at the suggestion of a friend of his who did the same thing almost a year ago. I happened to be putting in a lawn and doing landscaping around the house at that time so I was able to give him work for several days. This time I had no work to offer him. I did ask him if they could use food and answered yes. So I gave food. In neither case did I ask if they were here legally or not. When we were still living in SoCal, I used to pick up day laborers to help me with odd jobs around the house. I never asked them about their legal status. I thought that what I was doing was either the Christian thing to do, or a win-win proposition. I figured that if the gov't was really serious about illegal immigration, they could round up all the day laborers and check on their status.

Would the SDA church lose its tax exempt or legal status if it were found helping illegals? I don't know, but if my recollection is correct, our pioneers had no qualms helping the escaping slaves. I would hope that every Christian, especially SDAs, would rather err on the side of kindness than worrying about the legal or whatever status a person has.

[phkrause]

This morning someone rang our doorbell. It turned out to be a Mexican who was looking for work. He came to my house at the suggestion of a friend of his who did the same thing almost a year ago. I happened to be putting in a lawn and doing landscaping around the house at that time so I was able to give him work for several days. This time I had no work to offer him. I did ask him if they could use food and answered yes. So I gave food. In neither case did I ask if they were here legally or not. When we were still living in SoCal, I used to pick up day laborers to help me with odd jobs around the house. I never asked them about their legal status. I thought that what I was doing was either the Christian thing to do, or a win-win proposition. I figured that if the gov't was really serious about illegal immigration, they could round up all the day laborers and check on their status.

Would the SDA church lose its tax exempt or legal status if it were found helping illegals? I don't know, but if my recollection is correct, our pioneers had no qualms helping the escaping slaves. I would hope that every Christian, especially SDAs, would rather err on the side of kindness than worrying about the legal or whatever status a person has.

Good post Gerry. For me I'd try to help them become legal.

pk

[Woody]

Quote:

Good post Gerry. For me I'd try to help them become legal.

Yes, of course once they went back to where they came from.

When I visited a foreign country and tried to work ... I was told by the government that I would have to return to where I came from and apply from there.

We all need to obey the rules.

[mrsducky]

This new Arizona "law" is a poor ineffective solution to a problem. I think that those who have posted about helping without questions is commendable. I would do that. First step in helping them to a better life in Jesus!

[LifeHiscost]

We all need to obey the rules.

Shades of legalism. Horrors.You never know where it's going to pop up.

[Neil D]

Yes, of course once they went back to where they came from.

When I visited a foreign country and tried to work ... I was told by the government that I would have to return to where I came from and apply from there.

We all need to obey the rules.

"Obey the rules"...... Let's see...if every illegal were to go back to where they came from, that would cause a LOT of job openings, wouldn't there....

Unfortunately, nobody currently in the US would want the back breaking work of farm labor..ie picking cotton, tomatoes, lettuce ect......There would be some carpentry work and some other labor work, but these jobs don't pay much over minimum wage and those that do, pay SS, and federal and state taxes....True, the majority MAY have forged drivers licences and SS card, but they are here to do jobs that most US citizens will not do. To remove them would depleat the food to the markets...

I would support an enforcement of the current laws on employers and put them out of business who did not check out thier employees by selling thier land at 1/4 current price to new agricultural graduates only. At the same time, I would also encourage current illegals who are here, to apply for citizenship. I also would encourage that the border to be sealed for a couple of years...with more guards along the borders...I know that it's simplistic, but it's better than allowing illegals to kill our border citizenry...

Just remember, "where sin [that is, trangression of the law] did abound, GRACE did much more abound"....

[Gerr]

Quote:

We all need to obey the rules.

Of course! Like the rule love, kindness, and common decency.

[Gerr]

This new Arizona "law" is a poor ineffective solution to a problem. I think that those who have posted about helping without questions is commendable. I would do that. First step in helping them to a better life in Jesus!

So what is your better solution?