One Christian's Perspective on Immigration

As stated on the "about" page, "The focus of Faith Reviewed is God's amazing love and power to transform our lives." 

So, you may wonder why I am writing about immigration. 

As a Christian, I believe have an obligation to be concerned for both the physical and spiritual well-being of those around me. 

Caring about people is not political, it is ethical. 

All over the news media (both conservative and liberal) and all over social media, many opinions have been thrown around recently about the subject of immigration.

I suggest that the way to look at this matter is through Jesus' eyes. 

Let's look at what He has to say...

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:24:40)

There is a plaque affixed to the Statue of Liberty, a plaque inscribed with a poem written in 1883 by Emma Lazarus, which says...

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" (emphasis mine)

The Statue of Liberty stands as a beacon of hope and freedom above New York harbor, and "from her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome."

America is by nature a land of immigrants. We all can trace our ancestors back to another land somewhere. If not for immigration, America would not exist as she does today. As that beacon of hope, I believe we have a responsibility to care for those who seek asylum on our shores for political, economic or whatever reason.

However, there is a RIGHT WAY and a WRONG WAY to enter these United States.

My brothers and I represent the first generation of our family born in the USA. Our parents came here from England LEGALLY in 1965. They completed all the required documentation, waited for a background check to be completed and paid all the required fees. They came the RIGHT WAY. 

According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, those who come from another part of the world to the United States and wish to become citizens are still required to learn our history, laws, culture and language. This, I believe, is vital to help them assimilate into the United States and also provides an understanding of the rights, freedoms and laws of this land. 

Some liberals complain that we place an undue burden on immigrants but that is false. If you or I chose to move to some other part of the world, that nation's government would require at least as much. Expecting immigrants to learn our history, laws, culture and language is not just reasonable, it is an exercise in wisdom. 

Those come to here ILLEGALLY have already broken our laws by entering the WRONG WAY. Their understanding of this great nation is limited and/or distorted depending upon where they came from and the respect they ought to have for our laws is limited since they already broke the law by sneaking across the border. Do you reward your children when they break the rules in your home? Why do we reward illegal immigrants by handing them a free pass and a hand out? 

As I stated above, caring about people is not political, it is ethical. I care about people who come here seeking refuge from famine, war or persecution or just simply seeking a better opportunity for themselves and their families.  I also care about my fellow Americans and our way of life as well as our physical and economic security. 

Yes, we should allow immigrants to enter these great United States, but we need to insist they do so the RIGHT WAY. If we continue to allow our borders to be so porous, not only we will find that all that makes America so great will be diluted and distorted, but we will also find an enormous decrease in the security of our citizens and an enormous increase in the burden on our social welfare programs.

If you, like me, are a Christian who is proud to be an American, then we need to stand up for the "poor and huddled masses," helping them to come the RIGHT WAY to a better way of life here. Remember Jesus' words:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

As believers in Christ, we need to be the hands and feet of Jesus to a dying world, for both the citizens of the United States of America and to those who desire to join us in the the blessings America has to offer and show them there is a RIGHT WAY and a WRONG WAY. 

God bless America.