No feelings were intended to be harmed in the making of this post.
I generally avoid discussing politics, because in my limited experience, there is no faster way to alienate a portion of one's readership than to bring politics into the fray. While the same cannot always be said for religion, it's along those lines. (Although, when it comes to talking about my faith on this blog, I'm not one to tiptoe. I stomp around here as I please.) Today, I'm breaking my self-imposed rules.
If you're friends with me on Facebook, you'll note that I recently changed the Political Views and Religious Views of the Basic Information section on my profile. I'd like to explain and defend my changes.
Until now, I've left Political Views blank. Mostly because I'm young, and green, and inexperienced, and still "sorting myself out," as my British/Canadian flatmate would say. No use defining myself with labels I find insufficient. I'll choose my own labels, thankyouverymuch.
In the past, I've listed my Religious Views as everything from "Christian" and "Evangelical" to "Micah 6:8" and "I'm in love with this Guy" (that one lasted about 5 minutes).
If we're friends on Facebook (and if we're not, click here), see that my Info tab now reads:
Political Views: Arizona's SB 1070 is wrong.
Religious Views: Faith without works is dead.
(I did tell you to have your steel-toed boots at the ready, yes? Good.)
You see, dear readership which may or may not drop after today, I am convinced that even more than the United States needs health care reform, the Church needs reform, too.
Because here's the problem: My generation--the Millenials--is really really good at pointing out things wrong with society, or government, or Church leadership. What we're not really really good at is expressing how to make those wrong things right. It's like this: "I don't like [fill in the blank]. The whole system sucks. We need a change. [End of discussion.]"
See how nothing was resolved there? It was just a complaint, an open letter to the gods of democracy and big business and nongovernmental organizations to fix what we deem is dysfunctional without offering any suggestions for making [fill in the blank] functional again.
AND I AM PREACHING TO THE CHOIR. See, watch this:
I'm not a big fan of Arizona's SB 1070. Mostly because this bill just made it illegal to drive an undocumented immigrant family to church on Sunday mornings in the state of Arizona. Being caught doing so is met with the risk of being arrested for "transporting or harboring" undocumented immigrants.
I recoil from this with the command of Christ to welcome the stranger. I recall the word of the Lord in Jeremiah 22:3 to the people Israel:
"Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place."
As convinced as I am that SB 1070 is wrong, I have no suggestion to change it. So maybe I ought to just keep my trap shut. But I want you to understand why I think it is wrong, even if I lack the brain power sufficient to make it right. (Hi, Dad.)
In regards to the Religious Views, I find James 2:26 to be a perfect summation of my struggle between faith and works. It's not that I think I can earn my salvation: I'm a terrible person. I am wretched. I am mean-spirited. There is no hope that I can earn my way into heaven. Thus, I am eternally grateful (pun intended) for grace that is bigger than my mistakes.
But I also have a problem with the "once a Christian, always a Christian" doctrine. If
Don't get me wrong: I'm as sola fide as the next evangelical. It's just that James says that kind of faith (the kind without works) accomplishes nothing, and ultimately, it cannot save you. The idea here is that my works exist not outside of or instead of faith, but because of and alongside my faith.
So you'll forgive me if I have a problem with claiming to "welcome the stranger" and yet making it illegal to drive said stranger to church on Sunday morning.
If your toes are broken, I've got a great Pakistani doctor here in Abuja I can recommend.
I'm on the fence (no pun intended) with SB1070. I do believe this country has become too lenient with illegal immigrants coming here, however I think a better solution could've come out of SB 1070. There are many immigrants that come here the legal way, and it's a slap in the face to them how we just let the illegal ones pass through and look the other way.
ReplyDeleteWe need to FINISH, secure, and tighten the borders first, see how that improves things before we take measures like SB1070.
My 2 cents :)
Hi Sweetie, It's dad. Don't believe everything you read. For some reason, the press is lying about what this law allows and doesn't.
ReplyDeleteOnly when a person interacts with the police for some other reason; traffic stop, arrest or questioning about another incident, are the police allowed to ask for documentation of legal residence. Then they must satisfy "reasonable suspicion." I don't know what that is but they are well versed in it.
Pulling someone over for driving while Mexican is not legal nor as I understand it will not be tolerated under this law.
This law came from frustration by AZ law enforcement born from the feds choosing to ignore immigration laws. They have some 500,000 illegal’s to deal with and it's hard to blame them for this reaction.
Controlling access our country and our borders -- as every sovereign nation does is the only fair system. Ask any Nigerian if they think waiting up to 10 years and filing the necessary papers to come here is fair when they learn one can just pay a coyote $500 to lead them across the border.
Maggie I am absolutely with you. Thank you for speaking out. You do have a voice and we must be more vocal with laws like these. The problem is that too many people in power do not what empathy is all about. As a christian we are called to empathize all the time- putting OTHERS before OURSELVES. The people who passed this law did not do this. If their skin color could have them or one of their children pulled over, they would have been appalled. Flip it around and it then becomes more real.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying what needs to be said. Yes we need to continue to solve border security issues, but creating a law that creates an open license for racial profiling is not the right answer. And I read that the police union said this law was not only unnecessary but would also pull their time away from the more pressing issues of violent crimes etc.
Thank you for stepping on toes. Keep your steel toe boots on.