Category Archives: Religion

Immigration for Lunch

Law

Mitt Romney's Mexican Roots by RockCenter

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From both what I know of Romney and the communities in Mexico where his relatives live is relatively accurate.  However the random off shoot during the late parts of the segment regarding Mormon's is a little off center. Continue reading

Friday Documentary “Gospel Without Borders”

Documentary Teaser: Arkansas from EthicsDaily on Vimeo.

www.gospelwithoutborders.net.  

Gospel Without Borders brings more light and less heat to the issue of immigration. It separates myth from fact, examines what the Bible says about treatment of the “stranger,” shows the experiences of documented and undocumented immigrants, and provides handles for Christians to advance the common good.

The documentary highlights stories in five states: Arizona, Arkansas, North Carolina, Alabama and Iowa. Some stories break the heart. Others inspire the spirit. Still others challenge the mind. But all come together and show that the Christian gospel is indeed without borders.

Information Courtesy EthicsDaily.com

I was really excited when learning more about this documentary to see that it was created partly here in Arkansas.  Inform US Citizens will be purchasing a copy of the DVD and look forward to seeing this great project.

Preachers, Priests, Ministers, and Bishops

No this isn’t the beginning to another run of the mill religious joke. Instead it is an update regarding religious leaders in Alabama joining together to stand up for what they believe in.

“An Episcopal bishop, a Methodist bishop and a Roman Catholic archbishop and bishop, all based in Alabama, sued on the basis that the new statute violated their right to free exercise of religion, arguing that it would “make it a crime to follow God’s command to be Good Samaritans.”

 

“The law,” said Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, “attacks our core understanding of what it means to be a church.”

 

While church leaders have spoken out against similar laws elsewhere, Alabama is the only state where senior church leaders have gone so far in formal, organized opposition. But the law in Alabama, a state with an estimated 120,000 illegal immigrants, according to thePew Hispanic Center, goes further than any other. (NY Times)”

 

So here is the Parable of the Good Samaritan according to the King James Bible

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

 

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

 

26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?

 

27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’[a] and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’[b]

 

28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

 

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him,and departed, leaving him half dead.

 

31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

 

32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

 

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

 

34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

 

35 On the next day, when he departed,[c] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

 

36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

 

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The question then becomes does Alabama’s new law jeopardize one’s ability to exercise their religion and practice what they preach. For example are you harboring an undocumented immigrant by letting him attend services? What about different churches which offer different types of aid and support to their congregation? Does the extra support which is offered to all people regardless of citizenship cross the line of aiding the immigrants? People need to really start paying attention to laws before they are passed so that you don’t find yourself going to jail for being a “Good Samaritan”.

Church Immigration Raid in Detroit – LINK

To read the whole article simply click on the copy above.

This is an interesting story because of the location of the arrest.  Alabama clergy spoke out on the new laws in their state, stating the laws would stop them from being able to practice their religious duty of being a good Samaritan.  This story raises the worry that Border Patrol and ICE agents may begin to target Hispanic religious services.  That cannot be allowed and hopefully this story will get enough attention to prevent future raids at churches.  Even if they are cracking down on undocumented immigrants they can try and do so the other 6 days of the week and leave them alone while they attend religious services.

Post of the Week: Preachers, Priests, Ministers, and Bishops

This post has attracted a wide variety of different responses from groups on LinkedIn and has been our most viewed post of the week.


No this isn’t the beginning to another run of the mill religious joke. Instead it is an update regarding religious leaders in Alabama joining together to stand up for what they believe in.  

“An Episcopal bishop, a Methodist bishop and a Roman Catholic archbishop and bishop, all based in Alabama, sued on the basis that the new statute violated their right to free exercise of religion, arguing that it would “make it a crime to follow God’s command to be Good Samaritans.”

“The law,” said Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi of Mobile, “attacks our core understanding of what it means to be a church.”

While church leaders have spoken out against similar laws elsewhere, Alabama is the only state where senior church leaders have gone so far in formal, organized opposition. But the law in Alabama, a state with an estimated 120,000 illegal immigrants, according to thePew Hispanic Center, goes further than any other. (NY Times)”

So here is the Parable of the Good Samaritan according to the King James Bible

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?

27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’[a] and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’[b]

28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him,and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 On the next day, when he departed,[c] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’

36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”

37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The question then becomes does Alabama’s new law jeopardize one’s ability to exercise their religion and practice what they preach. For example are you harboring an undocumented immigrant by letting him attend services? What about different churches which offer different types of aid and support to their congregation? Does the extra support which is offered to all people regardless of citizenship cross the line of aiding the immigrants? People need to really start paying attention to laws before they are passed so that you don’t find yourself going to jail for being a “Good Samaritan”.