"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born."

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Some conservatives may reject comprehensive immigration reform as amnesty, but a large group of conservatives — Baptists — say the Bible mandates they back legalization.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas and Southern Baptists Convention have adopted resolutions embracing immigrants — legal and illegal.

"You cannot deny the message of migration in the biblical story, in the Old Testament and the New Testament. God calling people into unknown lands is very central to the biblical story," said Suzii Paynter, director of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

Through the program Immigrant Services and Aid Center, the Baptist General Convention of Texas will join with Buckner International, a Christian social welfare organization, to offer accredited training and other resources to churches around the country to assist immigrants.

The program won't be exclusive to Baptist congregations.

"We can't wait until everything is figured out by the government," Paynter said.

The decision to start the program, already under way in Texas, was made after the Baptist General Convention of Texas approved a resolution acknowledging documented and undocumented immigrants are members of Baptist congregations. The convention is made up of about 5,700 congregations with about 2.2 million members.

In the same resolution, congregations affirmed the view of the Hispanic Baptist Convention that encouraged in its own resolution a few months earlier "the adoption of new legislation that unshackles the immigrant."

The decision to be a ministry focused on immigrants came after a Baptist General Convention of Texas task force wrestled for a year with the immigration issue.

On the one hand the Baptists believe the Bible mandates obedience to those in authority. But it also teaches followers to show hospitality to strangers "even the least of these."

Deuteronomy teaches God "defends the cause of the widow and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." Leviticus preaches that "when an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt."

The Texas Baptists say they embrace an immigration plan that boosts border security, allows for temporary workers and reforms broken immigration laws. As for illegal immigrants in the country, they should be considered on an a case-by-case basis and consider their "ledger of life."

Those who have contributed to the country, paid taxes and stayed out of trouble, should be allowed to become Americans, Paynter said.

She emphasized that her commission does not speak for the Baptist congregations and that each congregation is autonomous. But the resolution passed overwhelmingly.

Southern Baptists passed a resolution nearly unanimously in June 2006. The resolution criticizes the federal government for failing to enforce immigration laws, laws that the Bible teaches them to respect.

The resolution urges the federal government to secure the nation and deal realistically with the immigration crisis and enforce immigration laws.

But it also encourages all Southern Baptists to "save those who are lost among the immigrant population to the end that these individuals might become both legal residents of the United States and loyal citizens of the Kingdom of God."

"We have responsibilities as citizens of the United States and the Kingdom of God," said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "As citizens of God we have an obligation to reach out and try to meet the emotional, physical and spiritual needs of visitors in our midst and that certainly would include people who are illegal aliens."

The Southern Baptist Convention is made up of about 43,800 congregations, not all of which are in the South, with 16.4 million members.

Land refuses to accept the amnesty label for proposals allowing illegal immigrants to pay fines and work their way to legal status.

Those who define the proposed legislation as amnesty "need a refresher course in the English language," he said.

With requirements that certain border security and immigration enforcement measures be in place first in the Senate bill, it would take some 14 years for illegal immigrants to gain legal status, he said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metrop...an/4916930.html

[Donna A 4]

the bible also says obey the laws of the land.

which means get your greencard the legal way!!!!

[rclouse 0]

Amazing: the Bible being used to justify kindness instead of hatred.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Amazing: the Bible being used to justify kindness instead of hatred.

Silence, heathen! God hates lawbreakers...although His Son was a renegade.

[trueimage 0]

God also said 'Obey the law of the land'.

The 'aliens' in Egypt were slaves kept against their will.

He referes to these 'aliens' as visitors, but they aren't vistors. They've set up camp and plan to stay. I think it's unfair to compare with Old Testament scenarios. In the OT times, there was plenty of room to roam for everyone. When God told a people to go from here to there, He was going to give them the land. Is he implying that God is 'giving' this country to illegal aliens? If he's implying that God has told these people to break laws and come here illegally, I wouldn't want to sit in his congregation.

[GaryC 7]

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

I think this explains the whole thing. Just protecting their own is all.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

I think this explains the whole thing. Just protecting their own is all.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

God also said 'Obey the law of the land'.

The 'aliens' in Egypt were slaves kept against their will.

He referes to these 'aliens' as visitors, but they aren't vistors. They've set up camp and plan to stay. I think it's unfair to compare with Old Testament scenarios. In the OT times, there was plenty of room to roam for everyone. When God told a people to go from here to there, He was going to give them the land. Is he implying that God is 'giving' this country to illegal aliens? If he's implying that God has told these people to break laws and come here illegally, I wouldn't want to sit in his congregation.

Also, there were certain "aliens" on whom God had specific prohibitions--the most obvious example being the Amalekite!

And I'll use a cruder approach here. The illegal alien should no more be welcomed in the US than the Bangla illegal should be in India (unfortunately, Indira Gandhi's government failed to apply that during Ershad's tenure as dictator of Bangladesh--which greatly contributed to several insurgencies in the northeast).

So, if the US government wishes to grant amnesty then it should also recognise the Republic of Texas movement as having validity!

[Saddle Bronc 124]

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

I think this explains the whole thing. Just protecting their own is all.

ON THE NAIL!!!!

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Amazing: the Bible being used to justify kindness instead of hatred.

Indeed. These are the kinda guys who make Christianity look good

[peejay 327]

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

I think this explains the whole thing. Just protecting their own is all.

Just keep those thithes rolling in. And while we're at it...I'm sure many members of the congregation have plenty of work available for the faithful...no matter what their immigration status may be.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The Hispanic Baptist Convention, an arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, plans to unveil at its convention in Austin today a national program to aid immigrants with obtaining citizenship, legal residency and other immigration problems.

I think this explains the whole thing. Just protecting their own is all.

Just keep those thithes rolling in. And while we're at it...I'm sure many members of the congregation have plenty of work available for the faithful...no matter what their immigration status may be.

People trying to do the right thing will always be wrongly accused by others.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Amazing: the Bible being used to justify kindness instead of hatred.

Indeed. These are the kinda guys who make Christianity look good

Really? Ask a gay person about all the love the Southern Baptists spread. You'd find that they ain't all that kind.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

i always like to think about when the time comes and i am being judge and they ask how i treated others; that i'd be able to say neither race nor creed nor orientation nor legal status made me think ill of other people. to each his own.

Daniel

:energetic: