Immigration:

So, I posted a post about immigration. It was a demonstration using gumballs conducted by NumbersUSA. I wrote this quite a while ago and so, I do not have access to the original sources for stats.

“You’re right. 1 % own the world’s wealth. For my knowledge, the 1% is already taxed an awful lot. I’ve got a question for you. How much do you think it costs to keep the government institutions running and functioning in America for one year? Police, busses, hospitals, civic stuff? Here’s an example: infrastructure alone, it is estimated to repair all of it by the American Society for Civil Engineers to be 3.6 trillion by 2020. That’s a lot of money spent on roads. That’s nearly a quarter of the gross value of the 1%. I agree with you that there are a lot of things that money could be used for. https://fivethirtyeight.com/.../why-we-still-cant-afford.../ .

I am pretty sure that not many people these days are against legal immigration. What I disagree with is illegal and unchecked immigration. As a matter of fact, so did our friend, Bill Clinton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3yesvvYEvs .

With respect, I think you guys are missing the point of the video. Which is that we need to help these developing countries in their countries by stimulating growth, not by taking their best, their brightest and strongest. Like I said, it costs an awful lot to simply keep daily business up and running in one country these days. We should be working to stimulate improvement, growth and betterment in the developing world so that they can provide for their own citizens. Integration is another issue. Multiculturalism is a good thing. When cultures come to a country and do not assimilate, that is another thing. Which happens easily when there is no control over borders. It’s not hard to see what is happening in a lot of the world right now.

I think that what I am saying is very reasonable. Beware of the appeal to pathos on your psychological condition in entertainment and its ability to subconsciously persuade your values. People have been through a lot. When I think of so many people in this world all working so beautifully hard towards their own goals and ambitions, I am overpowered by joy and wonder. We are such a beautiful creation. I want to encourage you that you’re all doing such a great job of working through the hurt with happiness and strength.

Compassion and mercy are important themes. The Bible is very clear in its stance on immigration. It is very open to immigration. The passage you mentioned is a perfect example of how we are to respect foreigners and outsiders. With respect, I think we need to read everything in context. It may not be entirely responsible to read and judge the purpose of an economics textbook for a couple of pages, or a single passage. You may get an idea about what the book is about, but you’ll be missing a lot. The Bible really has a lot to say about national borders and the law. The passage you mentioned are good examples of hospitality and helping people who need it but I think it speaks to people who were invited to stay. Again, there is a difference between an immigrant and an illegal immigrant. Here’s a Biblical example: Before Joseph was reunited with his family who emigrated from Goshen, Joseph asked Pharaoh for permission to bring them. In the Bible, immigrants were treated with respect, given food and water, shelter. Though it was expected that the immigrants respect and follow the law of the land. How does someone in a place illegally respect that place’s laws? People shouldn’t be indifferent to law. Nor should we be indifferent to our responsibility to observe laws. We should be responsible to ensure that we have the resources necessary to respond to the needs of both the citizens of a country and those who are being granted sanctuary.

Numbers 15:30 “But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD and must be cut off from the people of Israel.”

Leviticus 24:22 “You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.”

If we want to be compassionate and merciful to immigrants these days, law-abiding foreigners who desperately want to come to this part of the world shouldn’t be pushed aside unfairly by those who break the law and push ahead of them. In any case, I think we should forgive those who enter illegally. But there is importance in their assimilation to our culture. Multiculturalism is a good thing. How can we live together multiculturally if people are not expected to assimilate?

Proverbs 23:10,11 “Do not touch the boundaries of little ones, and do not enter into the field of the fatherless. For their close relative is strong, and he will judge their case against you.”

Borders are important for so many reasons. At the top, national security and protecting its citizens. Borders are vital to the stability and order of a civil society. Mercy and the Law are connected. The church already does a lot of humanitarian work. I believe that the Church is the world’s largest charitable organization. With schools, hospitals and other institutions like homeless outreach and foodbanks. Borders are vital to the stability and order of a civil society.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

Let’s do this ourselves. We can adopt. We cannot just elect politicians to do this for us. There’s an adage that goes, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” It’s a sensible thought. This is why we need to empower countries in the developing world to be in a position where they can support their own citizens. We have to be able to differentiate between economic migrants and genuine refugees and asylum seekers. Let’s be loving. Let’s be loving to citizens of a country. Let’s be loving to those seeking to enter legally.

About his politics, I don't know. I don't agree with the views you have suggested he has. I'd be interested in seeing some credible reference. What I do know is that he makes a good argument here, which is why I posted this video. I offered my own opinion in response to the comment section where you posted a verse from Scripture. In that, is my context. There are many reasons not to have open borders. This video illustrates one. The way people are going to start coming up with solutions to problems is through dialogue. Not by poisoning the well or through violence.

I’ve always said multiculturalism is a good thing. Integration is key. Strength in unity not diversity. Unity brings us together. I am not against legal immigration. This is not necessarily a revelation from God. Up until a few years ago, this would have been common sense.

The poverty the Gospel speaks about remedying is a poverty in spirit. By making the Gospel to address financial inequality, you are ignoring the premise of the Gospel. A man’s soul is worth much more than his body. Yes, his physical well being needs to be taken care of. But the gospel is not about money. Being rich is not a sin. If no one has money, who could give to charity and support people who are in need? The love of money is a sin. Not having money.”