There was quite the commotion a few days ago when a large group of people interrupted a church
service to protest the fact that a pastor of that church allegedly works for the U S Immigrations and
Customs Enforcement (ICE). One protester, who said she was ordained clergy, said that if the people of
that church were more worried about the protesters “than they are about the atrocities that we are
experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and they need to check their
hearts.” Interesting thought, isn’t it? Well, is she right or is she wrong? It depends.
It depends on who you believe. One side claims that ICE agents are nothing more than a modern day
Gestapo, kidnapping people off the streets (even American citizens) and harassing people of color who
they routinely detain and take into custody. The other side says that ICE agents are government officers
simply attempting to do the job they were hired to do: enforce immigration law by arresting people who
are in the nation illegally.
One protest organizer said this: “If you got a head — a leader in a church — that is leading and
orchestrating ICE raids, my God, what has the world come to?” I wonder if she would have the same
attitude toward any other church leader who was a public safety officer, such as police or sheriff’s
deputies, if they organized and conducted drug raids? Or Sex trafficking raids? Probably not…because,
as my friend Richard used to say, “in my humble but correct opinion” this is purely politically driven. The
folks don’t care so much for the illegal immigrants as they care about opposing our current
administration. They got much more coverage by interrupting a church service than they would have
gotten by simply holding signs at a downtown intersection.
At Church on the Bluff we have had several families over the years who have immigrated to the U.S.
Some moved here and became citizens, others had work visas and were here for a limited amount of
time, and we loved them, fellowshipped with them, preached the Gospel to them. Never once did we
ask about immigration status because I just assumed they were here legally…plus I’m not in the habit of
doing ICE work.
But…are we, as a church, being un-Biblical if we support law enforcement arresting illegal immigrants?
Are we not following Christ if we support the law? If I thought for a minute that ICE was kidnapping
innocent people, sending them to filthy prisons where they are underfed, or abused in any way I’d be
the first to speak out. But that’s not what is happening and supporting legal arrest of illegal aliens does
not make me a hypocrite. God bless America.
service to protest the fact that a pastor of that church allegedly works for the U S Immigrations and
Customs Enforcement (ICE). One protester, who said she was ordained clergy, said that if the people of
that church were more worried about the protesters “than they are about the atrocities that we are
experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and they need to check their
hearts.” Interesting thought, isn’t it? Well, is she right or is she wrong? It depends.
It depends on who you believe. One side claims that ICE agents are nothing more than a modern day
Gestapo, kidnapping people off the streets (even American citizens) and harassing people of color who
they routinely detain and take into custody. The other side says that ICE agents are government officers
simply attempting to do the job they were hired to do: enforce immigration law by arresting people who
are in the nation illegally.
One protest organizer said this: “If you got a head — a leader in a church — that is leading and
orchestrating ICE raids, my God, what has the world come to?” I wonder if she would have the same
attitude toward any other church leader who was a public safety officer, such as police or sheriff’s
deputies, if they organized and conducted drug raids? Or Sex trafficking raids? Probably not…because,
as my friend Richard used to say, “in my humble but correct opinion” this is purely politically driven. The
folks don’t care so much for the illegal immigrants as they care about opposing our current
administration. They got much more coverage by interrupting a church service than they would have
gotten by simply holding signs at a downtown intersection.
At Church on the Bluff we have had several families over the years who have immigrated to the U.S.
Some moved here and became citizens, others had work visas and were here for a limited amount of
time, and we loved them, fellowshipped with them, preached the Gospel to them. Never once did we
ask about immigration status because I just assumed they were here legally…plus I’m not in the habit of
doing ICE work.
But…are we, as a church, being un-Biblical if we support law enforcement arresting illegal immigrants?
Are we not following Christ if we support the law? If I thought for a minute that ICE was kidnapping
innocent people, sending them to filthy prisons where they are underfed, or abused in any way I’d be
the first to speak out. But that’s not what is happening and supporting legal arrest of illegal aliens does
not make me a hypocrite. God bless America.