Posted on 07/29/2010 7:21:26 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Phoenix-based youth pastor is worried that his ministry could face legal troubles under Arizona’s new immigration law.
“We don’t ask people for their documents to come hear about Jesus,” said Ian Danley, youth pastor at Neighborhood Ministries, during a conference call with immigration reform advocates Wednesday afternoon.
The evangelical pastor said regular ministry work, such as driving teens to worship events, could be “criminalized” under the new Arizona law if a church worker knowingly transports youths who are illegally residing in the United States.
“The local community here feels under attack,” Danley said. “Recent high school graduates in my youth group are looking at what should be a bright future with little hope.”
Danley was among a group of Christian leaders, businessman, researcher, and policy experts that spoke during the Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform conference call. The leaders updated participants on how the Arizona immigration law has affected local residents and the national public opinion about comprehensive immigration reform, and how members of Congress feel about taking up the issue.
In April, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB1070 – an immigration bill seeking the toughest laws against illegal immigrants in the nation.
Under the legislation, immigrants in Arizona are required to carry their alien registration documents at all times or face possible arrest. State police are given the power to interrogate, arrest and charge people suspected of illegally entering the country. And people are prohibited from knowingly transporting illegal immigrants.
Christian groups and leaders across the political and theological spectrum have strongly denounced the new Arizona law.
Earlier in May, conservative evangelical leaders – including Southern Baptist leader Richard Land, National Association of Evangelicals president Leith Anderson, and Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver – endorsed an ad published in “Roll Call” urging Congress to pass immigration reform.
Faith communities throughout the nation – soon after Arizona passed its new immigration law – held prayer vigils to call on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Presently, as many as 17 states are considering to pass Arizona-type immigration law.
“We sympathize with so many who are frustrated in Arizona. But the solution is not piecemeal enforcement that targets Latino,” said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. “We need a better solution to make us all safe.”
To Republican lawmakers, Rodriguez said true conservatism is not preserving the white majority but propagating the ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
According to a recent national survey by Public Religion Research Institute, 56 percent of the American public oppose efforts to deport illegal immigrants back to their home countries. The survey also found that three-quarters of Americans agree that, given the opportunity, illegal immigrants would work hard to earn a chance at citizenship.
> A Phoenix-based youth pastor is worried that his ministry
> could face legal troubles under Arizona’s new immigration
> law.
Aiding and abetting a criminal, harboring a criminal, or hiding a criminal, are all against the law and make you an accessory to their crimes.
Churches do have “sanctuary” protection, but it’s very clearly and narrowly defined.
So, you have to tread carefully, anyway, pastor. This should be NOTHING new to you.
Be thankful you weren’t called to serve in NAMESTAN (North Africa - Middle East - and the Stans).
>> Rodriguez said true conservatism is not preserving the white majority
Through the prism...
Baloney. No one is ever going to be prosecuted for preaching to illegals. They might be prosecuted one day soon if they preach something this administration doesn’t like, under hate speech rules.
> To Republican lawmakers, Rodriguez said true conservatism
> is not preserving the white majority but propagating the
> ideas of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Somehow, the Rule of Law gets omitted from everything these liberals say.
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness within the confines of the United States is LIMITED TO U.S. CITIZENS.
If you’re NOT a U.S. Citizen, then you have to pursue Life, Liberty, and Happiness WHERE YOU ARE, not come here and TAKE IT AWAY FROM ALL OF US!
Hey pastor - I do not need middlemen like you to speak with God. Get a real job.
How infuriating that there is no outrage or defense of all this lawlessness against American citizens. In fact, there is no outrage over the human trafficing, and brutality towards the illegals by their own people!
It is never right to do wrong in order to do something right!
These religious leaders are frauds. Being religious does not make one a true Christian. For example, I can be religious about washing my car....
How awful.
Oh stop it!
Since when do YOU as an evangelical have the RIGHT to aid and abet a criminal? An ILLEGAL ALIEN? Why should you protect people that are here ILLEGALLY and then have the balls to claim YOU ARE a VICTIM!
You're hypocrisy is stunning and I am not impressed with your HUMANISM. This is NOT Christianity. This is pure HUMANISM parading around as “Christianity.
Next, he'll claim NOT to be a RACIST.
he'll accuse YOU of that for not wanting ILLEGAL ALIENS from ANY COUNTRY. I'm so tired of this hypocritical race baiting game. try pulling this ILLEGAL ALIEN stuff in Mexico! Mexico will throw you the hell out, if they don't cut your head off first.
This is such major BS, slumming for congregation and monies; this is really about selling out America to those that are not willing to stand up for their own freedoms and bringing the same society norms and standards which they themselves ran away from. This is like a Muslim running away from an Islamic country, yet demanding that America apply Islamic standards in their neighborhood. At no time in the past has any major immigrant group demanded that America submit until diversity and multicultural arrived on the scene to supplanting the American Constitution; previously they all came here to enjoy America’s borders, language and culture and combining the best of what they could contribute, then jettisoning the rest; leaving behind the trash.
Isn’t that the truth!
He desn’t even adhere to the Bible with statements like that.
He’s a HUMANIST.
He’s NO CHRISTIAN.
This guy is stupid. He is worried about this law, but seems completely unaware of what will happen to our freedoms (religion, speech, et...) if Obama gets his way.
RE: The evangelical pastor said regular ministry work, such as driving teens to worship events, could be “criminalized” under the new Arizona law if a church worker knowingly transports youths who are illegally residing in the United States.
This pastor does not understand the Arizona law at all.
The Arizona law gives policemen the authority to question your immigration status ONLY WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY CAUGHT DOING SOMETHING WRONG/CRIMINAL.
Transporting teens to a worship service won’t cause police officers to stop you and question you ( unless you are driving drunk or speeding ).
This pastor ought to read up on Arizona’s law. Unlike the monstrous 2,500 healthcare bill, this law is only 16 pages, Not much longer than a quarter of the Book of Genesis.
They are showing their own bigotry and cowardice by not speaking out
You assume this “pastor” is intelligent.
He is another HUMANIST, that REACTS EMOTIONALLY. He does’t want to READ or COMPREHEND anything. He KNOWS he’s carrying ILLEGALS around, of course in the name of “saving” them. He’s paranoid. We should deport him too.
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness within the confines of the United States is LIMITED TO U.S. CITIZENS.”
Perhaps, but the Constitution and Bill of Rights covers all persons in the United States.
Can someone persuade this “pastor” to go to Mexico?
Then he won’t have to worry about shuttling ILLEGALS around under any cirmcumstances and just think of all those “lost souls” he could “save” over there. Don’t tell him that HE has to go to Mexico LEGALLY or else.
I hope this is not your preacher :)
No, true conservatism is preserving the rule of law. If you want to help the Mexican people, God bless you, head on down there and help them pull themselves out of poverty down there. They have a rich country, God has blessed them with bountiful natural resources, if you really wanted to help them, go and help them. Don't help them to break laws, you destroy souls when you encourage people to break laws.
Nobody's saying you should. But if you were any kind of a pastor worth his salt, you would be showing these people the parts of the Bible that say stealing and coveting are sins, and how we should be in submission to the authorities over us. You should be urging illegals to go back to their home countries and apply to come here legally. But maybe that would mean less money in your collection plate?
Here's a quote:
Sider presents a thorough, lucid explanation of theological concepts dealing with the poor, economic justice, wealth and social evil.
What denomination is this guy? My guess is that he is either ELCA or PC(USA). Glenn Beck pointed out that the so-called “Social Justice” types say very little about Christ.
Well said, nmh. This pastor does not have a logical argument. The broader view of this whole illegal immigration issue is that Mexico needs to be drastically altered from an armpit country to one that citizens actually want to STAY in! Has everyone in that country given up? I’ve only been to Tijuana (long time ago), but I understand that Mexico is full of natural beauty and scenery. Its leaders need to work for its people and progress rather than coming to OUR country and lecturing US.
I hadn’t read your post before I posted my almost identical comments. Your thoughts remind me of the New Testament story (in book of Philemon) of Onesimus, a runaway slave whom Paul urged to return to his master even though the man had become a Christian. I’ve had the privilege to live in two countries abroad for over four years—one in the Middle East and one in Asia. All I know is that my family and I bent over backwards to obey ALL restrictions and laws and not to act as anything but a GUEST. Yet THIS country has become an open dumping ground. Everything from Islamic terrorists to common Mexican laborers may be pouring across each day, with absolutely no impediment. I don’t know of any other country with more lax standards.
Ping.
Ping!
a LOT of christians are politically spineless because they think that upholding the law is not compassionate,loving,etc.,ergo unchristian
Don’t harbor or help illegal aliens and you won’t go to prison, real simple!
” You’re hypocrisy is stunning and I am not impressed with your HUMANISM. This is NOT Christianity. This is pure HUMANISM parading around as “Christianity. “
W I N N E R
My minister considers Obama a traitor, and is adamantly anti illegal immigration.
Why of course it isn't silly. White genocide is perfectly acceptable. Now preserving and promoting Hispanics is a different story altogether!
Add catholics to that bunch - they are huge into social justice. As is any liberal “mainstream” church
After the illegals are gone, the outlook for AMERICAN recent graduates will improve, as employers won't be filling jobs with illegals.
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