As Christians can we support immigration control?

Upvote:2

The state (as a secular entity) and its inhabitants have interests that they hope to further by establishing immigration controls. Some of these interests are supportable by Biblical principles and some are contradicted.

  • Exclusion based on race.
  • Exclusion based on religion.
  • Exclusion based on insufficient wealth.
  • Exclusion based on espousing unpopular political views.
  • Exclusion based on low educational and skill level.
  • Exclusion based on physical defect.
  • Exclusion based on lack of family connection or sponsorship.
  • Exclusion based on loyalty to a hostile foreign power.
  • Exclusion based on past criminal conduct.
  • Exclusion to prevent smuggling of contraband, like unsafe food, illegal or subpar counterfeit drugs, weapons, etc.
  • Exclusion based on suspicion or being a terrorist or being related to a terrorist.
  • Exclusion based on communicable disease.
  • Exclusion based on fear of retaliation by a superior foreign power for harboring a fugitive.
  • Exclusion in the midst of an active war.

Almost everyone looking at this list will see some reasons that they find abhorrent but also some which they applaud and can justify Biblically. If even one of the above reasons is supportable, you need immigration laws, controls, defended borders and procedures for immigration, fines, punishments, deportation processes and the like. Then once you have the system, as fashions change, you will see some of the others reasons smuggled in as well. Then it comes down to Christians deciding whether to submit to the governing authories or practice non-violent civil disobedience.

Also, somewhere along the continuum, a few sojourners becomes an invading force, whether military or cultural. Immigration policy decides how many is too many mouths to feed, bodies to house, wounds to treat, and minds to educate. In a welfare state, mass immigration eventually rises to the level of theft.

More post

Search Posts

Related post