Caring for the Needy

Let me say up front that this post may be somewhat controversial. There's much in the news the past couple months about immigrants, refugees and the poor and the country is very divided on the subject. The reason for the divide is often based on misinformation being circulated by the media. Bible verses and even mottoes of the Statue of Liberty are being quoted. It's interesting to me how often Bible is misused and misinterpreted. 

Let me say right off that I AM NOT AGAINST IMMIGRATION! LEGAL immigration. I believe fully that we need to secure our borders first and have good plans and laws in place to allow for people to become citizens of the USA. Good laws that ARE ENFORCED! It's absolutely ridiculous that so much is given to people who come here illegally while our veterans struggle for benefits (and don't get on here and comment that they aren't given aid, medical care, education, allowed jobs and it's even been proven that many are voting in our election system - this is the real reason many are against picture id voting) I am tired of hearing that employers are not allowed to hire undocumented immigrants when I can take you right to a company that manufactures whiskey barrels in a town in Missouri who absolutely hires illegals. Maybe if caught, the owner would get in trouble, but hasn't yet. He is quoted as saying "the Americans aren't willing to work doing what the Mexicans will". What he really means is that many won't work for the low wages he's willing to pay for hard labor and that he now doesn't have to pay FICA on the illegals because they have no social security number. Doesn't matter. ... He's not supposed to hire illegals, yet he does! 

Now, about the "asylum" status. Legally, asylum is granted in the first country bordering the country they are leaving, not several away. If people were really wanting asylum from a country they feel the need to flee, why are they carrying that country's flag as they storm our border?! If I felt the need to flee some country where I was treated badly and couldn't physically and mentally survive, I'd want nothing to do with that country. I'd want no connection with it! 

Now let's address the Bible verses being quoted. The commands in the Bible about caring for the needy, the orphans, the widows, etc. are being commanded either to individuals or to churches. NO WHERE IN GOD'S WORD IS IT COMMANDED THAT THE RULING GOVERNMENT TAX PEOPLE AND THEN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHO GETS THE DOLED OUT COMPASSION! As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure that tax collection in the Bible times was used to make leaders richer and/or the collectors and to suppress those being taxed. Absolutely, we as individuals and as local churches, are to have compassion and help when we see a genuine need. My husband and I have helped people ourselves many times (not bragging just explaining) and our church where my husband pastors, also has helped many people in our local area and internationally, also. I am very, very thankful for the times people have stepped up and helped my family when we were in need. More than once someone has put food in our frig, freezer and pantry or given money to help take a severely hurt pet to the vet when we had no money to do so. I believe fully that it's okay to accept help when you are in need but also when you can help fill another's needs, you should. Gal. 6:10 - As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Still, not to come from the government. If you want to know how and why governmental aid was started you surely can google it! Even FDR had stipulations and was quoted as saying it was to be temporary and that if not temporary would lead to spiritual and moral and mental despair in individuals and then the country. This was based on the premise that people feel good about themselves when they learn to provide for themselves. 

Moving on to the Statue of Liberty motto... Please do some research on your own about how citizenship was obtained years ago. I will be the first to agree that some of it was quite unethical and is good it's not still in place. Things such as charging a 50 cent per head tax on any immigrants coming from an Asian country. However, there has always been and still are rules and regulations of how to obtain citizenship. Everyone who has gone through proper and legal channels has had to follow those rules. Some of which was to prove themselves worthy to become citizens by being healthy, getting a job, learning the language, passing a written test and pledging allegiance with the United States and denouncing allegiance with any other country. Before someone wants to call me a bigot or a racist, let me just say that my Aunt was full blooded Mexican who was raised in Arizona and whose parents came to America LEGALLY many years ago when it wasn't as easy as just getting across the border somehow. They went through proper channels and became full fledged citizens. They spoke English and Spanish. They never desired to go back to Mexico to live. They were thankful for the opportunity to begin a new life and raise their children in America. My Aunt's father worked in the mines of Merenci, Arizona. I was blessed to know them and have them in my family. I AM NOT ANTI-IMMIGRANT! I, after all, am a descendant of German and Irish immigrants!  I am for secured borders with laws that protect the citizens FIRST and makes allowance for those with good intentions to take steps to become an AMERICAN! Not come here and demand that every desire and culture from their homeland be enforced here in the USA. If their homeland was so wonderful, then why bother to come here? 

BTW, I also find it interesting that those who will fight tooth and nail against "right to work" in a state are those fighting so hard to allow the "caravan" immigrants in who WILL lower wages and eat up jobs. Just a side note! 

Well, I am sure there will be many angered by this post. I hope I have clearly articulated my position, however and will make some stop and think.