Illegal Immigration - The Next Political Battlefield

In the ever-changing American political landscape, our politicians keep changing the 'Hot Button' issue.  It is frustrating, in that they never stay on a topic long enough to actually have a legitimate dialogue and public debate about that particular issue.  Instead, they would rather call people names, demagogue the issue, pass a resolution in Congress, and move on to the next thing - all in the hopes of finding a popular issue that will carry them to their re-election.

Over the past several years, we have seen many 'Hot Button' topics come and go, including: the 2000 Presidential election, Afghanistan, Iraq, WMD, National Security, 1st amendment rights (and the non-constitutional right to privacy), global warming, global climate change, bailouts, the economy, taxes, hope & change, and the list goes on and on.  The latest and greatest issue is that of illegal immigration and how we should deal with it.

Supporters of the pro-amnesty cause do not like to use the term "illegal" when referring to this particular group of people.  They will refer to these folks as immigrants (without the illegal moniker) or as undocumented workers.  They refer to those who want tighter immigration measures as racists or xenophobes.  They try to play to people's sympathies, because in a debate about the legalities, they have no leg to stand on.

Here is one of my problems with the whole amnesty thing.  We are a nation of laws.  If a nation chooses not to enforce some laws, then what moral authority do they have to enforce others?  Laws are to be enforced equally, on all people, at all times.  No man is to be above the law in this country.  In essence, these people are putting themselves above the law, trying to make the case that the laws do not apply to them.  However, this amnesty movement has become so brazen that not only do illegals gather in large groups to protest our laws, we have civil rights groups and the ACLU standing with them, protesting the nation's laws.

And these protests are not really that peaceful.  While they may not be full-fledged riots, these are people who obviously have no problem with lawlessness (since they are already breaking the law in being here illegally).  So they have no problem in tying up traffic and disrupting local businesses in order to try to get us to have sympathy for them. (Compare these illegal immigrant protests to Tea Party protests and see which ones are more civil).  Yet the establishment applauds these lawless gatherings, while demeaning peaceful Tea Party rallies.

We ought to understand that it is called illegal immigration for a reason.  We have immigration laws in this country.  These people are not following the laws in place.  Therefore, they are here illegally.  It is not very difficult to understand.  They say that this is a nation of immigrants and we should not be closing the door to immigration after all these years.  True, we are a nation of immigrants.  What they are not telling you is that we are a nation of legal immigrants who put emphasis on the rule of law.  There are millions of immigrants here legally who followed the rules and did things the right way.  If the government chooses to reward those who did not follow the rules, then we have slapped the face of those who are here legally.

Many illegal immigrants are here from Mexico.  The Mexican government is mad at us for attempting to enforce immigration laws.  Apparently, we are inhumane for trying to enforce laws.  But one thing we do not hear about are Mexico's immigration laws.  They put people in jail, fine them, deport them.  They will have nothing to do with people who are in their country illegally.  Yet, it is wrong for us to try to enforce our own laws by simply sending people back to their own country?

Also, this is a tremendous national security issue.  If people can easily cross over our southern border, then the door is open for terrorists to get into our country the same way.  The primary goal of the government is to protect the citizens who live under that government.  How can this government protect its citizens when they selectively enforce the laws of the land, not caring who has come across our borders?  Actually, by refusing to enforce immigration laws, they are endangering the citizens, not protecting them.

So, how do we deal with this?  It has been estimated that we have between 10-15 million people in this country illegally?  Can we send them all back to their home country and tell them to start over?  That would be great, but it will be hard to do.  How do we find them all?  How do we keep up with it, since others will inevitably come and take their place?  Does the federal government even care?

Arizona stepped up to the plate and decided that they would start to enforce the federal laws.  Immigration laws are only supposed to be enforced by federal agencies.  Arizona saw that the federal government was shirking their duties of upholding the law.  They want the laws enforced, and if the federal government is not going to do it, then they saw that their only option is to take care of it on their own.

Now, we have the typical liberals out there decrying this move by the state of Arizona.  Many are labelling them as racists.  The President calls them misguided.  Many liberals groups and politicians are lying about the bill, talking of the institutionalization of discrimination and profiling.

The federal government does not really want to do anything about this problem, because they are looking for any way possible to get re-elected.  If we keep them in this country, then surely we can find a way to get them to vote.  And if they find a way to vote, they are going to vote for the people who are letting them stay here.

The answer is simple.  We need to vote for people in the upcoming elections that want to enforce our immigration laws.  We need to hold our current leaders accountable for neglecting to enforce the existing laws.  We need to hold businesses accountable that knowingly hire illegal workers.  We need to tell our leaders that we expect them to do their Constitutional duty and protect this country.  And if they do not do this, then we ought to show them the door.

That Great Day (an Easter Drama)

You are invited to attend "That Great Day," an Easter drama, on Easter Sunday, April 4, at Faith Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA.  This drama centers on the events surrounding the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  Though many are familiar with these events, to see them re-enacted helps us to understand what Jesus Christ went through for us, and what these events mean for us in light of eternity.

Make this Easter special. Join us Sunday at 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, or 6:30 PM. We will provide a nursery for children ages three years old and younger. All of our guests are welcome to enjoy light refreshments and a small "Thank You" gift following the drama.

Will the Westboro Baptist Church please go away!!

The Westboro Baptist Church from somewhere in Kansas continues to keep its name in the news headlines, even though everyone would like for them to just go away.  This so-called church is led by the Rev. Fred Phelps.  This church has made a name for itself by protesting everything you can possibly think of, blaming the ills of society on the fact that God does not like homosexuality.  I am not sure how many people are in this church, but my personal feeling is that it is the Phelps family, and that is about it.  These people even tote their kids around and have them protest also.  To me, they are no better than the KKK, using a church as their cover.

Anyway, before I go further, I must say that I believe that the Bible condemns homosexuality, and this condemnation can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.  However, people are able to be saved out of this lifestyle.  This Easter season reminds us that the death of Jesus Christ on the cross was for all the sins of all mankind, homosexuality included.  If you are a Christian, I do not believe that you can be homosexual.  God is not the author of confusion.  So if homosexuality is a sin, then He could not have made you into that lifestyle - it is a choice that one makes.

But I also believe that we are to reach out to those who do not know Christ.  By holding up signs that say "God Hates Fags" or "Thank God for Dead Soldiers", this church is not trying to help anyone know Christ.  Nor are they showing the same love that Jesus Christ showed to sinners.  Jesus died for all of the sins of all mankind - not just for certain sins and certain sinners.  If Jesus Christ showed this kind of love for sinners when He definitely did not need to do so, then why won't these people show that same sort of love for the lost?  Mankind rejected Jesus Christ, yet He still gave His life for us.  In showing them love, we do not accept their sinful behavior.  Rather, we show a genuine interest in their lost soul and the fact that they need to accept Christ as their Savior.

Getting back to the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), they have made the news here in Central PA.  They were sued by a man by the name of Albert Snyder, who lost a son in the war in Iraq.  The church decided that they would protest the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder.  Mr. Snyder sued the church over this, and won.  However, an Appeals Court ruled that Mr. Snyder must pay the legal bills for the WBC, which amount to a little over $16,000, money he does not have.  Many people, including Bill O'Reilly, are helping him with this bill.  The case is now going to the Supreme Court.  (I am not sure where the WBC gets their money to travel and protest, as they seem to only have 1 family in their church - the Phelps family.)

Here are some of my questions:

• What does the WBC plan to accomplish?
• Why do these people think that they are too good to share the Gospel with those who need it?
• Do think that they are now God, deciding who should hear the Gospel and who should not?
• Does God abhor homosexuality?  Yes.
• However, does God wish for all sinners to come to a saving knowledge of Him and spend an eternity in heaven?  Yes, He does.
• How did this church's vision for the lost become so distorted and perverted?
• How can they be so full of hatred that they fail to see that what Jesus did for them, he also did for those that this church vehemently opposes and wishes death upon?
• How can these people teach their children this kind of hatred?
• Where do they get their funding?

The Great Commission tells us to go out and teach all people and all nations.  The last time I checked, it did not say teach everyone but gay people.  We are to teach ALL nations.  By refusing to participate in this Biblical admonition, this church is just as guilty and just as sinful as those they condemn.  They have a tremendous opportunity to reach out and tell others about the Gospel.  Instead, they choose to turn their back on the Great Commission and make themselves God, condemning others to an eternity in hell without telling them how they can be saved.

While I was in college, one of the major things that Dr. Bob Jones III tried to drill into us is that "The most sobering reality in the world today is that people are dying and going to hell today."  The fact that people are dying in their sin is not something we should find joy in.  It is something that should burden us.  It should cause us to want to reach out to them even more than what we may already be doing.

The WBC is shameful and appalling.  Because they show no concerns for the souls of others, I must ask myself if they are truly saved.  Do they truly know Christ?  I doubt it,  because if they did, they would not be acting this way.