With all the talk about refugees going on, it's important to bring up a few things. One-people use scripture for their own political advancement. That's partially why the left quotes scripture like this but ignores or decries scripture that preaches about adultery, abortion, gay marriage or other things they don't like. In other words, it's rare to find people who follow scripture 100%.
This passage is often used as a justification to bring in refugees and forget about everything that divides us. Do I see it that way? Partially, but there are differences. When you bring in people who are desperate for freedom, that's one thing. When you bring in people who want to blow up buildings and kill innocent people, that's completely different. Don't let scripture blind you.
I don't know. I've been really conflicted about the refugee thing. Because on the one hand, my logic sides with a conservative viewpoint; I see the attacks we and other countries suffer, both terrorist and rapes and whatnot from overabundance of unassimilated refugees. Then there's the sneaky way some Islamic sects try to instate Sharia Law into not only other country governments but our own state governments(they keep getting shut down as far as I can tell). As someone who believes this country was founded on providence and inspired by the Lord, I feel like this is what the Lord talks about in parts of 2 Nephi, using the wicked to punish the wicked and how we do not get to partake in the covenant of the promised land(the nephites/lamanites getting freedom in the Americas) if we do not keep our covenants with God. Our country although with a majority of Christians has not put God first in a long time and we are immersed in a culture that glorifies sin and the natural man. So, I worry that we are like old testimant lands getting "humbled."
ReplyDeleteThen on the other hand...I've been learning a lot about service and about the love of God and Christ. It reminds me of parts of 2 Nephi where "wickedness" and wicked cities were defined by their arrogance and their neglect of the poor. They did not share their riches and wealth and let their people die. So, in that way, I wonder if the answer IS actually love, to show a kind heart, a willingness to open our arms to those in need. Would Heavenly Father deliver us from our enemies if we could take in people who do not have our freedoms in their own country? I haven't gotten that far in the BoM yet so, it's not a fully formed idea but that's why I kind of bounce back and forth between defensiveness and "what would christ do if he were the president of this country?"
I also wonder what Christ would do if He were president. I've always thought of Him as apolitical, His reign is outside what we understand as modern political terms.
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