When I defend religion as a possibly healthy expression of specific developmental stages, this post is what I have in mind. There are many unhealthy expressions of religion in the US and around the world, but this need not be the case. Christianity (and other religions, for that matter), when it actually takes its lead from the teachings of Jesus, can be a very compassionate and healthy expression of religious belief.This post comes from Jonathan Moore at Mens' News Daily.
Go read the whole post - the comments tend to think he's nuts for posting this, which is sad.The Alien Among Us: A Conservative Christian Perspective
Most of those involved in the immigration debate agree that immigration policy needs to be reformed. How to reform the system exactly is a matter of considerably greater disagreement.Immigration is a complex issue affected by numerous factors like welfare policy and public education. Thus, clear solutions to the conundrum are difficult to arrive at. What we can get at, however, is a broad set of principles (which some Christian conservatives have a difficult time grasping) that policy makers should consider in any reform effort to construct a rational, God-honoring immigration law.
1) God created man in his own image, and as such, human beings need to be treated in a compassionate, loving manner.As God’s image bearers, humanity has intrinsic, literally God-like value, and should be cherished.The Bible has much to say about how to treat God’s image bearers, even when they are foreigners. For instance, in Leviticus 19:33-34, the children of Israel are taught to love the alien in their midst as they would one of their own: “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.”
In short, a moral and just immigration policy should reflect God’s attitude towards immigrants. To paraphrase Kepler, man is at his best when he “thinks God’s thoughts after him.”
One of the most loving ways to decrease global poverty is to create new opportunities for people to work themselves out of poverty and provide for their families.
Few foreigners have opportunities to care for their families in their home country like they would in the United States. Allowing them to come to here to better their lives is a Christ-like option.
2) The more people, the better.
Conservatives hold this to be true in matters such as abortion, eugenics, and forced sterilization. More people produce more goods and services for society. Even those deemed a “drain” on society should be valued.
Yet on immigration, many conservatives find themselves on the same side of the issue as people who have values diametrically opposed to their own; population-control advocates.
In a puzzling twist, conservatives have recently found themselves using the same rhetoric as zero-population-growth advocates, arguing that allowing more people to enter this country is a net loss for society due to increased unemployment, increased consumption of social services, etc. They would never accept the same arguments as justification for ending the lives of (or deporting) disabled children, the elderly, or other individuals who consume more societal resources than they contribute.
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