Cross-posted from Faultline USA
Note: This is part of a continuing series of articles concerning the epidemic leftist takeover of many venerable old Christian denominations – especially those denominations under the sway of the National Council of Churches. Links to previous articles are provided at the end of this article.
In the coming weeks and months your church may ask you to sign a pledge that you will take “a public, moral stand for immigrant’s rights.” If you oppose illegal immigration, are you ready for this faith challenge? Isn’t it possible to stand for human rights for immigrants while at the same time insisting that illegal immigration must end? Not so if your church has gone over to the left!
According to the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2001, 77% of America’s population can be classified as Christian. Although church attendance has slowly but steadily declined each decade, a vast number of Americans still attend church every Sunday.
For well over a decade America has been in the post denominational age. Religious denominational affiliation is not as important to American Christians as it once was. What has become evident, however, is that Christian denominations have become highly politicized and have been forming networks with other religions that share similar political philosophies.
A rose by any other name may smell just as sweet but a sweet sounding old denominational name isn’t necessarily a rose!
Most church attendees have no idea of what’s actually going on behind the scenes in their particular denominations. There’s a certain comfort in knowing that you are worshiping in the same faith tradition as your parents and grandparents. Unfortunately, the only intact part of that traditional faith may be the denominational name. Few Christian parishioners have any idea where the money they donate actually ends up. Here’s a clue:
The money sent to ministries sponsored by the NCC go to support a variety of Social Justice values – many of which are clearly Marxist/socialistic values: communal salvation (as opposed to individual salvation), open borders, sanctuary for illegal aliens, an immediate end to the war in Iraq, and eradicating America’s Whiteness (White Privilege) once and for all. Warfare conducted by a nation (bad) is not viewed in the same light as a revolution (good). Social Justice, born of Marxist Liberation Theology, promotes the view that Jesus was a revolutionary leader and any revolution by an oppressed people against the established order is considered a Christian duty. Need I go on?
Yes perhaps I do need to go on. You may seriously doubt everything I’ve written so far. So let me issue this challenge. Go to the far left Disciples of Christ and other left-leaning denominational web pages listed at the end of this article and see it for yourself. Then search your own denominational web pages to find similar sentiments, cunningly placed weasel words, similar ministries, and shared networks and links.
If you are a member of any denominational church in America there’s a good chance that in the coming weeks and months you may be asked to sign a pledge that you will take “a public, moral stand for immigrant’s rights.” Many of the United Methodist, United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist and the Disciples of Christ churches actively support The New Sanctuary Movement. Other mainline denominations and some Evangelical churches support other pro immigrant movements. Often you can find links to the New Sanctuary Movement and similar pro immigration links on your denominations’ World, Global, or immigrant ministries web pages.
Here’s part of The New Sanctuary Pledge:
. . .We stand together in our faith that everyone, regardless of national origin, has basic common rights,including but not limited to: 1) livelihood; 2) family unity; and 3) physical and emotional safety. Wewitness the violation of these rights under current immigration policy, particularly in the separation ofchildren from their parents due to unjust deportations, and in the exploitation of immigrant workers. Weare deeply grieved by the violence done to families through immigration raids. We cannot in goodconscience ignore such suffering and injustice.
Isn’t it interesting that the left always stresses immigrant rights but never immigrant responsibilities, and conversely, the left always stresses American citizen’s responsibilities to immigrants but never mentions American citizen’s rights?
Among other open border sentiments the pledge states that you will “Protect immigrants against hate, workplace discrimination, and unjust deportation.”
The Sanctuary folks are big on pounding home Biblical quotations about how Christians must appropriately deal with the stranger. According to their socialistic view there is no other option for a Christian. The notion that any Christian who opposes illegal immigration could actually act with Christian charity toward an illegal immigrant is totally foreign to the left. It is impossible for the left to understand this because the Marxist left does not recognize individual actions apart from community action. This is why Marxist theology dismisses the possibility of individual salvation apart from community salvation. As a matter of fact, when a Marxist Christian talks about salvation it doesn’t have anything to do with the great beyond. Salvation has to do with the earthly here and now. Here’s the Liberation Theology formula: Faith= Community Action=Works=Revolution=Salvation=NOW.
Christians who oppose illegal immigration are painted as racists, nativists, xenophobes, or worse, Nationalists! Here’s one of their favorite quotes:
“You shall neither mistreat a stranger nor oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” [Exodus 22: 21]
Naturally the leftists have chosen to ignore those Biblical passages dealing with the requirements of following the law of the land, immigrant assimilation, and immigrant responsibility. When any opposing Biblical quote is tossed back at a Sanctuary type, the usual response is that “Hilter used that quote!”
The Contender pointed out:
Assimilation was rewarded by God in the Scriptures as He gave the laws for governing Israel.
This can be seen in this passage:
Exodus 12:48,49"But if a stranger sojourns with you, and celebrates the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near to celebrate it; and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person may eat of it.”
Many thanks to THE BIBLE AND THE BORDER: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FROM A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE By Robert Klein Engler (11/07/05) for these vital insights.
. . .In chapter 13 of the apostle Paul's Letter to the Romans, the English translation reads, "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed..." (Romans 13:1-2). Clearly, this is advice to Christians to follow the laws of their nation and to respect the laws of other nations. . .
Although Christianity encourages acts of charity, we cannot be both charitable and law breakers. We cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. The Archbishop of Mexico City should be encouraged to prevent Mexicans from coming illegally to the U. S. He should encourage Mexicans to work for Christian social change in Mexico instead of criticizing U. S. immigration policies. Unless the Mexican state changes, many Mexican citizens will never be able to have a fulfilled life. Nor can they find fulfillment by breaking U. S. immigration laws. To push the poor from your door to your neighbor's door is not an example of Christian charity.
On October 8th you will be asked to join with many other left leaning Christian denominations in a day of prayer and fasting because “This morally abhorrent, and disastrous war . . .must end!" If you support our war efforts in Iraq, are you ready for this faith challenge?
This is from the NCC news release of September 12, 2007:
"This war must end!" say the religious leaders in their statement about the interfaith fast. "We must end the shattering of Iraqi and American lives by offering American generosity and support - but not control - for international and nongovernmental efforts to assist Iraqis in making peace and rebuilding their country, while swiftly and safely bringing home all American troops." . . .
The leaders of these many faith communities are inviting millions of Americans to organize joint interfaith events in local communities on October 8 to fast and break the fast together. Groups may register their events at http://www.globalministries.org/administrator/www.interfaithfast.org where groups may also find an organizing toolkit to assist in putting together such gatherings. A church bulletin insert on fasting for Christians may also be found at the website. . .
"American culture, society, and policy are addicted to violence at home and overseas," says the organizing statement. "In our time, the hope of a decent future is endangered by an unnecessary, morally abhorrent, and disastrous war. Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world." (Emphasis added by me)
Among those religious leaders organizing or endorsing this event are: Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Shalom Center, Philadelphia; Dr. Sayyid M. Sayeed, Islamic Society of North America, Plainfield, Ill.; Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana, NCC Associate General Secretary for Interfaith Relations and Rev. Michael Livingston, NCC President; Jean Stoken, Pax Christi Roman Catholic peace ministry; Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Moderator of Religions for Peace USA; Jim Winkler, United Methodist Board for Church and Society; Rick Ufford-Chase, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and Christian Peace Witness, and Bishop Christopher Epting, The Episcopal Church.
Some of those organizers will participate at a news conference in Washington, D.C., Wednesday morning, Sept. 26, to stand in prophetic witness for a policy that invites peace and nonviolence instead of death and destruction.
Disciples of Christ denominational web pages:
The New Sanctuary Movement Launched
Global Ministries statement regarding immigration issues (Be sure to check out their right side bar for the link to “stand in solidarity to call on the US government to end the war in Iraq.”)
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Conscientious Objector Packet
“Can Whiteness and White Privilege be Given Up?” Note the assumption that Whiteness should be given up. Be sure to read more about the racism behind the White Privilege conferences.
Other Pro Immigration Denomination Web Pages
Justice for Immigrants (Roman Catholic)
Immigration and Refugee Program (IRP) of the Church World Service (CWS). Members include: Roman Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal, B'hai, Hindu, as well as Protestant, Anglican and Orthodox
Faultline USA articles concerning the growth of Leftist Christianity:
Is Your Church a Secret Sanctuary?
The Battle for American Unity
National Council of Churches Supports the U.N.
United Nations Entrenched Within Most Christian Denominations
Keeping Racism Alive by Eradicating White Privilege
Obama’s Marxist Liberation Theology Church
Your Mainline Christmas Sermon: Immigration and Social Justice
Now that you have been convinced of the growing leftist heresy confronting all of Christianity, ask yourself the following questions and please choose at least one where you can honestly respond “Yes.”
Are you ready to stand up and fight against the leftist heresy that is overtaking the Christian church?
Are you willing to demand open accountability from your denomination?
Are you willing to demand equal time for the transmission of traditional theological viewpoints concerning, for example, immigration and just warfare?
Are you willing to follow the money on every church ministry and to uncover and expose hidden leftist links?
Are you willing to examine and expose all hymn revisions and training materials for the presence of hidden leftist assumptions and cleverly disguised weasel words?
Are you willing to close tight your purse strings and refuse to support any NCC sponsored ministry?
Are you willing to share widely what you’ve learned about the growth of leftist heresy confronting all Christian denominations?
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email stiknstein-at-gmail-dot-com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.
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