What is the Society's stand on illegal immigrants?

by cruzanheart 27 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  SixofNine

  Does "f***ing a**hole" ring any bells?

  He should be embarrassed, not you.

  Oy geez, I was embarrassed because I thought I'd come up with some clever name and then forgotten it! Nina, sweetheart, you're not supposed to share stuff like that with your kids, lol!

  Hemp and I were just talking the other day; she often has dreams that have said effingcornhole's ex-wife in them. Thinking about it, I was struck at how rare it is for me to even think of them, though I would love to find out what they (especially her) are thinking lately regarding our living so deep in the last days :P~

  I doubt I'd even recognize their kids. Kinda sad to think about.
  
  
• 

  M.J.

  *** w77 3/15 pp. 191-192 Questions From Readers ***
  
  Questions From Readers
  
  • A man I know is progressing toward Christian baptism, but his visa to be in this country has expired. What should I advise him?
  
  You certainly should commend him for desiring to know and follow God’s counsel. The Scriptures urge Christians to be law-abiding, to pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s. (Matt. 22:21) Hence, it would be good for you to urge this man to do what he can to rectify his status, which may at present be considered that of an illegal alien.
  
  Evidently he is not stealing, lying, living in immorality or otherwise violating God’s moral laws plainly stated in the Bible. We mention this because a person who is breaking God’s laws must repent and turn around before he will qualify for Christian baptism. (1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Acts 26:20; 2:38) But, this man wants to know, What about complying with the laws of the land, such as in his case?
  
  The Bible advises Christians to obey the laws of the land in all matters where there is no conflict with God’s law. (Rom. 13:1; Acts 5:29) The apostle explained that by doing this we will not need to fear punishment from the authorities who punish lawbreakers. Also, we can thus have a clear conscience.—Rom. 13:3-5.
  
  Still, God’s Word does not charge the Christian congregation, through its overseers, with the obligation to become acquainted with all the details of civil and criminal law so as to enforce these. We can see this in how Paul handled the case of Onesimus.
  
  Onesimus was a slave of a Colossian Christian named Philemon. For some selfish reason Onesimus fled to Rome so he could lose himself in the masses of people there; he may even have robbed his master before fleeing. In Rome as a runaway slave (Latin, fugitivus) Onesimus came in contact with Paul, became a Christian and ministered to Paul. In time the apostle urged Onesimus to return to his legal master, Paul even encouraging Philemon to receive Onesimus as a brother and to treat him kindly.—Philem. 8-22.
  
  Take note that while Onesimus was in Rome the apostle Paul did not hand him over to the Roman authorities for punishment as a fugitive slave and possibly a thief. We know from his writings that Paul believed that a Christian should obey the law of the land, but plainly he did not consider it the congregation’s duty to serve as an arm of the government in policing individuals’ lives. Also, we can observe that Onesimus’ situation was not treated as a barrier to his getting baptized. Eventually Onesimus, likely motivated by counsel such as had been written earlier in Romans 13:1-5 and by Paul’s personal urgings, chose to return to his legal master.
  
  The Christian congregation today follows a course harmonious with this Biblical pattern. It does not, before allowing a person to get baptized or continue in the congregation, check to see if someone’s home meets every detail of the building code, whether he has satisfied every detail as to his legal status in the country, and so forth.
  
  This by no means suggests that God’s people care little about Caesar’s laws. On the contrary, we are well known as a people who strive to be law-abiding; many governmental officials have praised Jehovah’s Witnesses for this. It is even as Paul wrote about obeying the government, “Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it.”—Rom. 13:3.
  
  In particular should men who take the lead in the congregation be exemplary in this respect. The Bible says about elders and ministerial servants that they should be “irreprehensible,” ‘having a fine testimony from people on the outside’ and being “free from accusation.” (1 Tim. 3:2, 7, 10) Thus a Christian who chooses to ignore well-known legal requirements of “Caesar” would hardly be in position to be recommended for such offices in the congregation. Men recommended for such privileges should be ones “holding firmly to the faithful word,” not only in what they say, but also in how they choose to live, including their applying the counsel to pay “Caesar’s things to Caesar.”—Titus 1:7-9.
  
  True, each individual, Christian or not, is personally responsible as to whether he complies with civil laws. Yet, it will be kind on your part to share with your acquaintance these Scriptural thoughts. Indeed, the Bible’s counsel to be obedient to governmental laws is wise and for our good. By applying it Christians can avoid troublesome problems and enjoy a clear conscience in serving God.
• 

  Terry

  You should work that question, Terry. The answers, using logic, lead in a very different direction than you are taking. Alcohol is responsible for a heck of a lot of tragedy in this country, but that doesn't mean the population was wrong to resist prohibition.

  Prohibition failed for a reason which had little to do with the demand side of things. Corruption. That is the reason. The very people hired to enforce the law were corrupt. They took bribes, payoffs and turned a blind eye making it damned near impossible for honest officials to carry out their arrests and convictions.

  The Untouchables were called that because they were above venal inducement to bribe. They got Capone. They started a snowball which would have grown considerably had not Prohibition been repealed so soon after the victory over Capone.

  Anarchy is the state animals live in where the wild things grow. Believe me, you better think twice before you start down that road!

  I'd be interested to hear what you think of Rutherford's illegal purchases of alcohol from Canada. Was he heroic?
• 

  Terry

  I also think it is a double standard when they preach that we should be law abiding and pay our taxes yadda yadda yadda and every year at the meeting they would "remind" from the platform the young brothers to register for selective services since it was the law but knowingly harbour those who are not law abiding themselves.

  Oh, you don't know the half of it!

  In private the presiding elders advised young draft age brothers to report for their physical and take their Armed Forces exams right up to the act of being inducted and THEN refuse service.

  I was personally told what to do under the caution: "Never tell anybody that WE or any of the brothers advised you to refuse induction. Tell them it is entirely your OWN conscience."

  That is the untold story.

  There is more!

  Under the Universal Military Service and Training Act a Conscientious Objector does not have to serve as a combatant. He can do ALTERNATE SERVICE. I was personally advised by my Overseer and his assistant to REFUSE ALTERNATE SERVICE as well!! I was supposed to serve as a public example to unbelievers!

  My two years in Federal Prison was because I had to refuse NON-COMBATANT service!
• 

  icyestrm

  I don't know how to quote here but: 'Despite a federal law that requires local governments to cooperate with Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agency, many large urban cities (and some small) have adopted so-called "sanctuary policies." Generally, sanctuary policies instruct city employees not to notify the federal government of the presence of illegal aliens living in their communities. The policies also end the distinction between legal and illegal immigration -- so illegal aliens often benefit from city services too.' Caesar's Law is convoluted in the US when local governments circumvent federal laws for their own gain. Nobody knows where the US government stands on those that come to the country illegally. Are they securing the borders or are they granting amnesty? They are sending mix signals especially President George Bush. Its not just JWs who harbor illegals, other religious organizations do the same.
• 

  Room 215

  Their blantantly unprincipled ``don't ask-don't tell'' policy on this issue is about the only thing that enables them to show at least a meager numerical increase in the United States. Without the illegals populating the Hispanic congregations, I'll bet the U.S. numbers would show declines comparable to those of Western Europe.
• 

  tijkmo

  They are not allowed to hold positions of responsibility without the correct documentation.

  unless of course they are missionaries sent to a land that wont recognize them where they will serve as pioneers elders cos dos branch overseers etc.

  always puzzled me that
• 

  Justahuman24

  Minimus, no. Illegal immigrants are not prospective Bethelites because everyone who works at Bethel have to have their green cards, be citizens, or have a visa of some kind. justahuman - but super nonetheless