Religion in the news

[trottigy]

When it comes to "illegal" immigrants a good principle from the Bible to keep in mind is the one found in Philemon about O·nesʹi·mus.

 

Recall he was a run-away slave (:15 & :16) - basically an "illegal", but Paul baptized him in that state and allowed him to help. It was Paul that sent him back, but said:

 

Quote

 

13 I would like to keep him here for myself so that he might take your place in ministering to me during my imprisonment for the sake of the good news.+ 14 But I do not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed may be done, not under compulsion, but of your own free will

 

So, he could have stayed where he wasn't legally allowed to stay and continued to assist Paul, but Paul didn't want to make that decision without consent of his "owner" (BUT he could have).

 

So, yes - there is a scriptural precedent to baptize someone who is in an "illegal" situation AND allow them to assist, BUT we just don't consider them as exemplary.

 

Interesting how one of those little books you don't think much about packs powerful lessons. Jehovah is AMAZING!

[Old]

We have an illegal JW immigrant living in our house. She fled Russia this last year, the only way to get into the US was to cross the border and turn herself in to USBP, claiming asylum.  She is applying for legal status. She is 21, her husband has not fared so well and is being detained. Others in her family came here a few months prior and they have a degree of legal status having received green cards so they can work above the table. We have a local Russian congregation that looks out for them.

One of our elders is married to a sister that had no legal status, if they were to leave us soil she could not return. Consequently they vacation a lot in Hawaii.

 

[minister159]

6 hours ago, chuck83 said:

LA/OC/SD is a melting pot. You'll likely know more foreign language than English here.

 

Yes, and you forgot to mention the IE. In many cities in Southern California now, the so-called minorities are actually the greater majority. For example, the city adjacent  to ours has a Hispanic demographic of a little less than 70% and a city about five miles from where we live, as a Hispanic demographic of just over 70%. This is also reflected in the makeup of the congregations and circuits, as you said. 

[chuck83]

5 hours ago, minister159 said:

 

Yes, and you forgot to mention the IE. In many cities in Southern California now, the so-called minorities are actually the greater majority. For example, the city adjacent  to ours has a Hispanic demographic of a little less than 70% and a city about five miles from where we live, as a Hispanic demographic of just over 70%. This is also reflected in the makeup of the congregations and circuits, as you said. 

 

My choice was for brevity...

[Michał]

I have no idea of legal status but when we were on a trip to the US two years ago we stayer in town called West New York in New Jersey. I was surprised that 80% of inhabitants were using Spanish as the primary language. City officials had Spanish last names. In the hall there was one English speaking congregation and 3 Spanish speaking. What i learned a lot of people from Dominican Republic have immigrated into that area. I knew than in southern part of the US there are regions whete Spanish speakers are the majority but didn’t realize it to be so close to Manhattan. I look forward to having culture diverse communities all over the world in the new system.


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[Witness1970]

On 2/14/2025 at 6:47 AM, Witness1970 said:

I don't know any "illegals" that are Jehovah's Witnesses.  There is a Spanish congregation here, but I don't know them very well.

 

20 hours ago, chuck83 said:

Interesting but makes sense given NC.

I can't speak for all of North Carolina.  I moved here from Georgia a few years back.  And I am mostly only familiar with the small town I live in.  I used to meet other Witnesses at assemblies or conventions, but their legal status never came up in conversation.

 

I am unable to attend meetings or go to assemblies or conventions anymore.  I do not do any travelling at all.  I try not to have any medical appointments outside of the town where I live.  I don't expect to learn about any "illegals" in the near future.  When I get to know more people, they will no longer be "illegals" because the arbitrary lines (borders) will be gone at that time.

[Dark King]

Looks like the Pope is looking for a fight with this political leader. 

 

Francis clearly wants this fight. He called Trump’s focus on deportations a major crisis in his letter to the bishops. Then he directly addressed the Trump administration in his letter by saying “what is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”

 

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/pope-francis-jd-vance-immigration-tom-homan-rcna192291

[SteveAus]

more unrest among US Catholic bishops over Trump's immigration orders

 

"Catholic bishops sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over its abrupt halt to funding of refugee resettlement, calling the action unlawful and harmful to newly arrived refugees and to the nation’s largest private resettlement program.

 

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says the administration, by withholding millions even for reimbursements of costs incurred before the sudden cut-off of funding, violates various laws as well as the constitutional provision giving the power of the purse to Congress, which already approved the funding."

 

Source

[BLEmom]

On 2/15/2025 at 11:31 AM, Dark King said:

Looks like the Pope is looking for a fight with this political leader. 

 

Francis clearly wants this fight. He called Trump’s focus on deportations a major crisis in his letter to the bishops. Then he directly addressed the Trump administration in his letter by saying “what is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”

 

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/pope-francis-jd-vance-immigration-tom-homan-rcna192291

Sounds like he’s too sick for a fight right now though….

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/vatican-cancels-popes-weekend-engagements-he-battles-complex-infection-2025-02-18/