Let me start by saying that the U.S. is not a theocracy and this blog post is not a plea to make it one. I do not believe any of the three branches of government should follow God’s law — though I will say that there are some pretty good ideas in there about how to run a life and a country, but that’s just me talking so onward we go:)
On Thursday, the Supreme Court “decided,” 4-4, that Pres. Obama’s plan to shield some 4 million immigrants who are here without proper documentation could not stand. (A tie means the decision reverts to an earlier court’s. “Decided” because we’re missing a justice, after Antonin Scalia died in February, and the Senate Republicans decided they’d stonewall until after the election, when we’ll all be shoveling coal in Trumpocracy.)
From the Washington Post, the President’s plan would have:
deferred deportation for those who have been in the country since 2010, have not committed any serious crimes and have family ties to U.S. citizens or others lawfully in the country.
There was much exultation in the conservative press over this “decision” (do your job, Senators), but here’s where the Christian’s conundrum comes in:
As Christians, we don’t get to close our doors. We simply don’t. Both Hebrew and Christian scriptures are full of admonitions to accept the stranger in our midst, and to even make a place at the table for that stranger. Part of that comes from the notion that we are to live in love, but part of that is also an acknowledgement that we are, as it says in I Peter, strangers in a strange land, ourselves. We know what it’s like to live as a peculiar people — if we’re doing it right, that is — and how important it is to reach out for our own. That’s any one who’s disenfranchised, or lost, or alone — because those descriptions, given how we’ve chosen to live our lives, fit us, as well.
So we can’t applaud this lack of moral guts from the Supreme Court. We can, however, do our dead level best to fight against it. We are Christians. These are our people. All are our people.
End of sermon. Selah.
Dating Jesus 
Selah and Amen!
The issues raised in United States v. Texas aren’t so much about immigration as they are about about standing, (concrete and individualized injury of the plaintiff…questionable in this case), and the use of Presidential powers, in this case, to bypass Congressional gridlock, (also questionable).
United States v. Texas is a lesson about the ability of right-wing fanaticism to manipulate the courts when waging war against popular support for progressive reform. Despite enjoying majority support from all sectors of the electorate on this issue, (notice those unaffiliated numbers), a minority of fanatics have once again tactically blocked an attempt to reasonably and responsibly resolve issues related to undocumented migrants.
I don’t see Christians being all that out of whack on this particular issue. I suppose there might be more divergence from the ideals you mention when entering the Syrian/Middle East/Muslim arena, especially considering the level of commodification hate and discontent is enjoying this election cycle. But there is, after all, a war going on. Christian tendency is to move away from New Testament calls for compassion when there’s a war to be won. Too squishy.
And that is precisely the time Christians should move toward the New Testament, says this half-assed Christian. It would cut down on a lot of bloodshed. The Christians with whom I enjoy congress are, for the most part, following the scriptures on this one, but there’s been a bubbling up in the press of my tribe a reluctance to embrace this core teaching of the faith. Shame on us.
Hard to stay on course when the winds keep changing.
That’s the thing, though. I was actually thinking about this on a drive this morning: The hardest and easiest thing about Christianity is that you’re to be rule by one law: Love. It’s easy because it’s not complicated. It’s hard because, well, loving someone you don’t much like is really really hard.
I think one of the main ideas in New Testament teaching is that you don’t have to like someone to be compassionate. The idea being that compassion is contagious. You give it. It rubs off. You get it back. Then differences and disagreements are tempered and easier to work with.
I think politicalization, commodification, (especially of enmity), and inequality, (the loss of equity and trust), distract from that. Fear Itself.
Yeah. We agree on that.