WP: Letter on Immigration Deepens Split Among Evangelicals

[DeepModem Mom]

Letter on Immigration Deepens Split Among Evangelicals
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 5, 2006; Page A04

More than 50 evangelical Christian leaders and organizations voiced their support yesterday for an immigration bill that would allow illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens without returning to their native countries.

The statement marks a deepening split among evangelicals over immigration. It was signed by a mixture of Hispanic and white church groups. But most of the nation's large, politically influential evangelical organizations either back rival legislation that focuses on border enforcement and the deportation of illegal immigrants, or have been silent on the issue.

Hispanic evangelical leaders said yesterday that they have received support from Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim groups, but have been bitterly disappointed by the response of most of their fellow evangelicals, both white and black.

"This is the watershed movement -- it's the moment where either we really forge relationships with the white evangelical church that will last for decades, or there is a possibility of a definitive schism here," said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which serves 10,700 Hispanic evangelical churches with 15 million members....

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"So down the road, when the white evangelical community calls us and says, 'We want to partner with you on marriage, we want to partner on family issues,' my first question will be: 'Where were you when 12 million of our brothers and sisters were about to be deported and 12 million families disenfranchised?'"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/04/AR2006040401606.html

[grytpype]

1. "there is a possibility of a definitive schism here." Music to my ears.

[Teaser]

2. WEDGE ISSUE!

split them open with it.

[Igel]

3. You must mean "people who call themselves Xian".

Because the split is probably between repubs and dems. Many evangelicals are not conservatives; but in the interests of evangelical harmony, some churches often cooperate at the local level, even if there are doctrinal differences. Some actually emphasize what they have in common.

Others seem to revel in differences and factionalism.

The split just reduces that loathsome bugaboo called "dialog". Not to worry: it's mostly gone, anyway, with the two sides having precious few clues about the other.

[Teaser]

5. nah, don't mean that

nt

[baby_mouse]

4. The chisel is in place. Raise the hammer.

STRIKE.

[Charlie Brown]

6. the So. Baptist Convention is pretty damned bigoted about this

and they're our "state church." ;)

http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=22903

The ERLC’s Land said he told the president Southern Baptists “are deeply offended at a very basic level when the government doesn’t enforce the law. And it’s clear that the government is not rigorously enforcing the law at the border or in the country when it comes to illegal immigration. As Southern Baptists, we believe that Romans 13 teaches the government is to punish those who break the law and reward those who obey the law.”

Land told Baptist Press he also said to Bush, “Second, if it is felt that there needs to be comprehensive immigration reform and the laws need to be changed, then change the laws but rigorously enforce the law, whatever it is.

“Third, the overwhelming majority of Southern Baptists want the government to secure the borders. That does not mean sealing the borders but having control over who goes in and who goes out and making sure that everyone is doing so legally.

“And finally,” Land said, “if the government can convince Southern Baptists it is serious about controlling the borders, then I think a consensus can be built for some kind of guest-worker program that does not involve amnesty and that does not allow people who have come here illegally to jump place in line over those who are attempting to come into the country by the normal, legal channels.”

[IndianaGreen]

7. Offended about law-breaking? How about censuring Bush for his?

What a bunch of bible thumping hypocrites! They are legalistic when it comes to sex, but when it comes to raping the Constitution and war crimes, they are nowhere to be found.

[Hekate]

9. I'd like to point out to the So.Baptists that the Crucifixion was legal

Jesus was crucified in accord with Roman law -- quite legal, and common for the time.

"As Southern Baptists, we believe that Romans 13 teaches the government is to punish those who break the law and reward those who obey the law.”

Talk about selective interpretation of the Bible! These would doubtless be descendents of white preachers who told slave owners and slaves that their respective places in life were fine with Jesus.

Where, in this reading of the Bible, are the Beatitudes?

Hekate

[superconnected]

8. Note to Condie and Blackwell - Republicans hate blacks too

They only have you there to garner the black vote and futher their agenda, but you're absolutely on their list for cleansing from America.

"Hispanic evangelical leaders said yesterday that they have received support from Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim groups, but have been bitterly disappointed by the response of most of their fellow evangelicals, both white and black.

"This is the watershed movement -- it's the moment where either we really forge relationships with the white evangelical church that will last for decades, or there is a possibility of a definitive schism here," said the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, which serves 10,700 Hispanic evangelical churches with 15 million members...."

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It just amazes me how minorities can think they're are safe when dealing with a group that HATES minorities.