NATIONAL EVANGELICALS PRESIDENT SAYS PRO-AMNESTY SUPPORT WAS UNANIMOUS

The action of churches who support illegal aliens is inexcusable. Their position is nonsense. This further points out that the biggest danger to this country is not from Iran, Afghanistan, or Iraq but from within. Anyone promoting amnesty is against the best interest of this country.

Instead, we need to deport the illegal aliens. President Eisenhower did it. And yes, it can be done and should be done. No country can survive if it does not protect its own borders.

http://www.wesleyan.org/gc/blog/positional_letters/?cat=5

It’s kinda hard to tell what our EXACT position is...

I think it spreads across all denominations.

Here’s a story on how the Catholic Church is contributing to the problem:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2361228/posts

I asked our headquarters about this; and received this back:

Apparently you have read our position statement, so you can see that we are not advocating a "pro-amnesty" position nor calling for "open borders." The NAE resolution called for “an equitable process toward earned [emphasis added] legal status for currently undocumented immigrants,” while urging the government to “develop structures and mechanisms that safeguard and monitor national borders with efficiency and respect for human dignity.”

I hope this clarifies the WESLEYAN postition on the matter.

This story is bogus. I checked with someone who attended the actual meeting as a representative of one of the denominations listed. No vote was ever taken. All that happened is that member organizations representatives all got together and discussed a variety of issues.

Moreover, the representatives did not have the authority to speak for their denominations on an official basis. In most, if not all cases for the denominations listed, their Board of Directors (or equivalent) would have had to vote and pass an official resolution in order to make the "pro-amnesty" position the official position of their denomination. That never happened.

Finally, contacting several of the denominations listed produced an almost unanimous reply of "We did not agree to the statement. It is not our position. And the story is in error."

It looks like this story is a replay of the false story put out a while back that NAE member churches had declared global warming to be an urgent concern and that the member churches supported immediate actions to solve the crisis--something that was totally untrue.

Thank you very much. It sounds like the Board of the NAE should have a LOT to talk about...

A clue that this story might be iffy: they misspelled Schumer’s name in the lead.

The only time anything is unanimous is if the organization doing the voting is totally owned by liberals. It didn’t pass the smell test. Thanks for checking.

That sounds exactly like NAE’s MO. More BS.

I sent a note, got a response, and wanted to make it available to others who are interested.

I intend to respond, but thought FReeper perspectives would be interesting to consider.

========================================

My note to them:

Subject: "Pro Amnest Support Unanimous" - NOT IN MY NAME"

Text:
"You are the reason good people are deserting the church."

[sig. et al]

========================================

Their response:
Dear [plsjr],

Thank you for your email regarding immigration reform and the National Association of Evangelicals. I want to be sure that you have a copy of our actual statement because there have been some misrepresentations distributed by others (for example, that NAE and I call for blanket amnesty and open borders--that is just not true; we oppose both). You can find the statement on our website at http://www.nae.net/resolutions/347-immigration-2009.

As you read the statement you will quickly notice that much of it is from the Bible. We have attempted to be faithful to the entire word of God from Leviticus 19 to Romans 13. Our sincere desire is to do what is biblically encouraged in a difficult and challenging situation.

For further information about the National Association of Evangelicals please see our website at NAE.net.

God's blessings on you,

Leith Anderson
President

========================================

Here's an edited copy of the HTML "View > Source" or their referenced page for review.

Immigration 2009

The significant increase in immigration and the growing stridency of the national debate on immigration compel the National Association of Evangelicals to speak boldly and biblically to this challenging topic. The complexity of immigration issues provides an opportunity to mine Scripture for guidance. A biblically informed position provides a strong platform for the NAE to make a contribution in the public square that will be explicitly Christian. Out of commitment to Scripture and knowledge of national immigration realities comes a distinct call to action.

Biblical Foundations

Discussion of immigration and government immigration policy must begin with the truth that every human being is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). Immigrants are made in the image of God and have supreme value with the potential to contribute greatly to society. Jesus exemplifies respect toward others who are different in his treatment of the Samaritans (Luke 10:30-37; John 4:1-42).

The Bible contains many accounts of God’s people who were forced to migrate due to hunger, war, or personal circumstances. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the families of his sons turned to Egypt in search of food. Joseph, Naomi, Ruth, Daniel and his friends, Ezekiel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all lived in foreign lands. In the New Testament, Joseph and Mary fled with Jesus to escape Herod’s anger and became refugees in Egypt. Peter referred to the recipients of his first letter as “aliens” and “strangers,” perhaps suggesting that they were exiles within the Roman Empire. These examples from the Old and New Testaments reveal God’s hand in the movement of people and are illustrations of faith in God in difficult circumstances.

Migration was common in the ancient world. Outsiders were particularly vulnerable. They stood outside the kinship system that regulated the inheritance of property. They did not have extended family to care for them in case of need. The Law recognized their helplessness and stipulated measures that served as a safety net. The motivations behind this generous spirit were that the people of God were not to forget that they had been strangers in Egypt (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:33-34) and that God loved the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18-19). The New Testament adds that all believers are spiritual sojourners on earth (Phil. 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11). Christians should show compassion and hospitality to outsiders (Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2).

The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God. An appreciation of the pervasiveness of migration in the Bible must temper the tendency to limit discussions on immigration to Romans 13 and a simplistic defense of “the rule of law.” God has established the nations (Deut. 32:8; Acts 17:26), and their laws should be respected. Nevertheless, policies must be evaluated to reflect that immigrants are made in the image of God and demonstrate biblical grace to the foreigner.

National Realities

Immigration is a worldwide phenomenon. People migrate due to economic globalization, armed conflicts, and a desire to provide for their families. The United States of America is a country founded by immigrants, and its history has been characterized by waves of immigrants from different parts of the world. Immigrants will continue to be an essential part of who we are as a country. Our response to immigration must include an understanding of this immigrant history and an awareness of the positive impact of multiple cultures on national life over the last 250 years. The challenge today is to determine how to maintain the integrity of national borders, address the situation with millions of undocumented immigrants, devise a realistic program to respond to labor needs, and manifest the humanitarian spirit that has characterized this country since its founding.

The problems related to immigration are many and complicated. In many instances the arrival of a large number of immigrants has compromised the border. Some communities now struggle with significant stress on infrastructures in education, health care, social services, and the legal system. At the same time, many jobs and industries rely on immigrant workers. Current quotas do not grant enough visas to meet these needs, nor does federal immigration law provide sufficient opportunities to others who also come seeking gainful employment. Many immigrants who obtain legal entry yearn to be reunited with families, but backlogs under family-based immigration law result in excessive periods of family separation.

Due to the limited number of visas, millions have entered the United States without proper documentation or have overstayed temporary visas. While these actions violate existing laws, socioeconomic, political, and legal realities contribute to the problematic nature of immigration. Society has ignored the existence of an unauthorized work force due to the economic benefits of cheap immigrant labor. Without legal status and wary of reporting abuses, immigrants can be mistreated and underpaid by employers. Deportation of wage-earners has separated families and complicated the situation for many. Most undocumented immigrants desire to regularize their legal status, but avenues to assimilation and citizenship are blocked by local, state, and federal laws. This has generated an underground industry for false documentation and human smuggling.

These quandaries offer fresh opportunities for the church. Immigrant communities offer a new, vibrant field for evangelism, church planting, and ministry. Denominations have launched efforts to bring the gospel to these newcomers, establish churches, and train leaders for immigrant believers. Millions of immigrants also come from Christian backgrounds. These brothers and sisters in Christ are revitalizing churches across the country and are planting churches and evangelizing. Their presence is a blessing of God. These spiritual realities remind evangelicals that an evaluation of recent immigration cannot be reduced to economics and national security issues.

Call to Action

Motivated by the desire to offer a constructive word for the country’s complicated immigration situation and guided by the Scripture, the National Association of Evangelicals calls for the reform of the immigration system. We believe that national immigration policy should be considerate of immigrants who are already here and who may arrive in the future and that its measures should promote national security and the general welfare in appropriate ways. Building upon biblical revelation concerning the migration of people and the values of justice and compassion championed in For the Health of the Nation: An Evangelical Call to Civic Responsibility, we urge:

That immigrants be treated with respect and mercy by churches. Exemplary treatment of immigrants by Christians can serve as the moral basis to call for government attitudes and legislation to reflect the same virtues.
That the government develop structures and mechanisms that safeguard and monitor the national borders with efficiency and respect for human dignity.
That the government establish more functional legal mechanisms for the annual entry of a reasonable number of immigrant workers and families.
That the government recognize the central importance of the family in society by reconsidering the number and categories of visas available for family reunification, by dedicating more resources to reducing the backlog of cases in process, and by reevaluating the impact of deportation on families.
That the government establish a sound, equitable process toward earned legal status for currently undocumented immigrants, who desire to embrace the responsibilities and privileges that accompany citizenship.
That the government legislate fair labor and civil laws for all residing within the United States that reflect the best of this country’s heritage.
That immigration enforcement be conducted in ways that recognize the importance of due process of law, the sanctity of the human person, and the incomparable value of family.

Resources

“Blessed are the Courageous.” Christianity Today, April 3, 2006. http://www.christianitytoday.
com/ct/2006/aprilweb-only/114-12.0.html. Vol. 50, April (Web-only) 2006.

Carroll R., M. Daniel. Christians at the Border: Immigration, the Bible and the Church. Baker Academic, 2008.

Galli, Mark. “Blessed is the Law - Up to a Point.” Christianity Today, April 7, 2006.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/aprilweb-only/114-53.0.html?start=1. Vol. 50, April (Web-only) 2006.

Soerens, Matthew and Jenny Hwang. Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion & Truth in the Immigration Debate. InterVarsity, 2009.

NAE Resolutions on Immigration:
Compassion for Immigrants and Refugees 1995
Immigration 2006

National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

World Relief

Resolutions on immigration by NAE member denominations:
Evangelical Free Church of America
Vineyard Church
Wesleyan Church

Endorsements

A list of denominational, organizational and individual endorsements can be found here.

Ya know how the ijits who are ignorant of what God actually says in the Blble and are counting on you and me being even more ignorant etc ???

And how about the fact that they claim illegal aliens only want ant take the seasonal, fruit picking, farm work, and dont aspirew to anything else ???

And the illegal aliens “only want the American dream for their children” and a “better life (including better jobs) for their children” ???

And after shoving the Bible down our throats, they then scream DONT call them aliens ???

Well I have a Bible verse for that lot...

This sorts out all four of those types...

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers...Isaiah 61:5

Doesnt mention illegal aliens being equal to the children of the citizens of the country...

Doesnt say the children of the illegal aliens can rule over the children of the country by getting themselves elected or appointed to high office...

Oh me...

“Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the NAE, was invited by Sen. Shumer
(D-N.Y.) to testify in favor of the Senate immigration chairman’s
push to create amnesty legislation this fall.”

Funny how that “Separation of Church and State” thang goes out the
window when liberal nutburgers like Sen. Shumer and Co. need to
find assistance for their bankrupt policies.

“This is why America is going to Hell in a handbasket.
The Sheep are without a Sherpard!”

The people can perish when leaders have a lack of vision.

AND...

The people can perish when leaders have a “vision” that the people
should have DESTROYED with the loudest of shouts, cat-calls and ridicule.

Thank you for checking into this and updating me w/the good news! Deception knows no bounds but it does get exposed. Thanks again.

The Bible says that the Antichrist will be able to deceive even the very elect of God....Satan comes as “an angel of light”, which means the man of satan will come pretending to be “a christian”....

We will see ‘the great falling away’, as it is now happening, which will usher in the return of Christ...for God will defend Israel at the battle of Armageddon; as “all” nations draw up against God’s chosen people. It’s all unfolding before our very eyes, yet many refuse to believe.

Noone knows the day nor the hour, but the Word says we will know the seasons....and Jesus is coming soon for the christians, because we have to go to ‘the Bride’s Supper of the Lamb’ prior to Armegeddon, in order to return with Christ for the final battle.

“Rev. Anderson answered that there was no dissent in adopting the pro-amnesty resolution on the 75-member NAE board of directors.”

There was no dissent because it appears there was no vote.

See post 45