The words in the title of this article were a constant reminder to Israel of their slavery in Egypt. Later, Israel was reminded that they were still aliens in the land of Canaan in which they lived. There were various peoples who were displaced by Israel before Israel could settle in the land. Americans, too, were once aliens in the land in which they now live. They are still aliens. No, this is not a call for reparations or to leave the land. Those calls may sound good and play well, but they are hardly an authentic moral call to do the right thing and right the wrong. The starting point for such a supposedly high moral call would be to go back to the beginning of the immorality of sin. That is a point and a term which some who cry for reparations or for aliens are not about to give the time of day or expend their breath.
two-fold crisis
The recent ongoing flood of immigrants across America's borders has brought with it a two-fold crisis. What is for Americans a moral crisis is a survival crisis for immigrants. Americans are not alone in this crisis. Christians in America are just as much in crisis concerning their response to immigrants both in terms of a principle formed and shaped by the scriptures and as much as a matter of law. Ostensibly, it would appear in the most superficial sense that one or both responses would solve the matter, namely, care for the immigrant or deport them. So, what's the problem, right? The problem is the unresolved moral bankruptcy crisis in the minds and hearts of Americans. This article attempts to identify at least two reasons for the moral bankruptcy crisis that plagues Americans. I suspect this moral tension with which Americans struggle may be just as true, with some minor word changes, of the struggles in Europe concerning immigrants, and, yes, nations of the world who are faced with aliens in their midst.
Preamble and Constitution
A person may or may not view or consider themselves as being a person of faith, that is, as one who thinks and acts in accordance with the tenets of their faith. However this is not the sole determining factor concerning a response to immigrants or aliens in America. The terms immigrant and alien are used interchangeably in this article to refer to the same group of people. Americans have the precedent and background of two dominant sources of influence and authority. These are the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America and the Bible. The scriptures, that is, the Bible is commonly referred to as the Old Testament (Tanakh) and the New Testament. The former of these, the Tanakh, (or as it is known by Christians, the Old Testament only) being the oldest source of authority among the Jewish people. The latter, the New Testament, being the authority for Christians with the Old Testament being for Christians, as the apostle Paul wrote, "for our learning." This raises the question how true Americans and Christians are being to those sources of authority. Does what we were given to saying and what we heard, at least in times past, reflect the convictions of our hearts as humans on this same earth with the those who may be less fortunate of lesser means?
Briefly, it is in the Preamble of our Constitution that these words were penned by our Founding Fathers:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
The scriptures speak to the Jews, but to Christians as well, directly and by way of example:
18 "He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.
19 "So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
There is the example of Jesus responding to plea for help from a Canaanite woman. Ironically, the Canaanites were one of the peoples who were displaced by Israel from the land which God promised Abraham that He would give to the Israel, the children of Abraham in Matthew 15:21-28.
25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, "Lord, help me!"
26 And He answered and said, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."
The apostle Peter refers to Christians who were scattered throughout Asia as aliens, but he also quotes the same words of Moses to Israel and applies those words to Christians.
obligation and law
This is the point where the discussion usually runs like quicksilver to any one of different hot spots either to diffuse or dilute the obligation towards the alien. There is the cry concerning disease, economics, terrorism, and human trafficking to name just a few. Although this is the cry heard about aliens it is really not one which is pinned on the alien. The truth is that to pin these on aliens may be as awkward and discomforting as to have the words of the Preamble and the scriptures pinned on those who cry out against aliens. Instead, there is a the safe harbor of the law. (Safe harbor: a provision of a statute or a regulation that specifies that certain conduct will be deemed not to violate a given rule [wikipedia]). The implementation, at least at the personal conscious level is that _ it's the law. It brings the relief: Wish there was something I could do, but even if I wanted to, well, it's the law.
The single greatest difference concerning aliens between the Preamble and the scriptures and modern law is that the former two do not categorize or classify the alien as a criminal simply because he is an alien. Modern law makes the alien a criminal simply by entering the country.
conclusion
The point of this article is not to suggest that we dismiss or abolish the law. It is the law. If it is to be changed it is by Congress. Americans are certainly able to call for our elected officials to change or create any law. There is no argument about the law. This is not a call (like that preposterous favorite cry) to blindly allow or accept the criminal actions by aliens. The point is that law does not absolve the individual of being true to the words of, either the Preamble or the scriptures. Furthermore, to rail and rant against individuals or organizations, agencies or government does not equate with and is not synonymous with either the care for the alien or the work of the righteousness of God. Such behavior plays well for the media and selfies and a good-feeling sense of superior moral righteousness, but it's mostly a carnival spectacle.
The unexpected, and perhaps still unseen or unacknowledged effect of aliens, is that it has exposed even as we might not like to look at what some Americans and some Christians have forgotten about what they profess to believe and uphold.
