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"The whole concept of punishing people who serve immigrants is un-American," Mahony said. "If you take this to its logical, ludicrous extreme, every single person who comes up to receive Holy Communion, you have to ask them to show papers. It becomes absurd and the church is not about to get into that. The church is here to serve people…. We're not about to become immigration agents. It just throws more gasoline on the discussion and inflames people." Let me be clear, on this I believe he is correct. However, there are indications that his desire, because of his personal opinions on the matter, go much further than that. I do not know his mind, but he needs to address to what level the disobedience goes. To offer shelter, food and medical attention to those that need it is fair enough. To not allow the law to interfere with Constitutional Rights to not interfere with a person's religion and to disobey in the example of communion is also correct. But by institutionalising the support, contrary to law, to make it easier for illegal imigration versus legal imigration, is wrong. To provide those people with basic needs for a short time is certainly right, but there are indications of sheltering people from deportation, which may be cruel, they have stepped outside the confines of righteousness. By engaging in things such as lying to authorities, providing false documentation, building a network of an underground network, and such other actions that are not proper responses to the authorities that God has put over us is dead (and I do not mean corporeal death here folks) wrong. To not address these matters is to condone them, and by doing so, violating the scriptures on obedience. To organize a grass roots approach to change the landscape of the political tableau that is unfolding is the right way to handle this. To ask for fasting and prayer is also good. But if the government, for instance, were to strip them of their tax exempt status based upon violations of the law, they must do whatever they must do in faith, understanding that the consequences of what they must do may not be fair in their own eyes, and cheerfully bear their stripes for Christ, by giving unto Caeser what is Caeser's. I am particularly harsh here because although I believe in more open plicies towards immigration, I am most definitely against rewarding those who decide they will break the law because they are prospered at the expense of those who would wish to immigrate legally, and attaching a stinking stigma of illegitimacy to those who wish to be righteous in the matter. I am against amensty other than to not penalize a person who is caught once and sent back from properly applying for U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien Status, or special work permits that might evolve. Otherwise, if they are caught, they are sent back, with the understanding that if they are caught again, they will loose all chances to ever immigrate legally. Those of you who say my opinion is too harsh must understand that this is a matter of my faith speaking through what I believe is obedience. The God who instructed Israel to treat aliens among them with decency also instructed them to take a woman out of the gates of the town and sone her to death just because she did not raise her voice while she was being violated in the town. Each must do as their faith permits in this. Because you may disagree does not mean I will disown you as my brother or sister, even if you should disown me. Think on this one, and yes pray on it as well, both for guidance, and for the people that this will effect and their attitude even more than their physical well being. Which is more important, the body or the spirit? Do you want rebelious children? Do you suppose that is what God wants? Matthew 10:34 (NIV) 34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. If you think that God's Law requires you to stand apart from me on this issue, please be kind. If you think I am wrong, try to gently bring me to your understanding, so that even if I cannot come to total agreement with you, I can understand how you got to where you are with almost the same clarity as I can understand my own faith in this matter. In Truth, Mel 2006-03-05 00:52:40 Posted by Mel ()

Let me start by saying Iagree with you on this issue. What you must take into consideration on this issue however is that our leaders have elected to take a weak if not no stance at all on the issue and now that Mexicos President Fox has stood up to say we need these people and the need will grow with time if we choose to stop them now then when our need is greatest they wont be here for us, I fear our president is going to get even weaker on the issue. As far as the church is concerned,those breaking the law should not be taking communion anyway and the issue is not immigration, but illegal immigration, which we as a country should not have to tollerate Be blessed 2006-03-05 01:38:05 Posted by Ross ()

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