Didn't that new guy effectively throw out texts like Leviticus? Something like he's the new Covenant.
Not sure which guy, but the book of Leviticus is a book that outlines a civil and religious law that was given to Israel something like 3000 years ago. It was never applied to anyone other than Israel. Just because there are commonalities with the teachings that came about under the gospel, and just because Jesus taught those principles as universal, that doesn't mean we're obligated to follow the whole law.
(Example: Just because Mexican law says I can't kill someone, that doesn't mean I'm under Mexican law. Christians believe adultery is sinful because it is a fundamental moral principle which God instituted in the beginning, and was then reiterated by Jesus and the apostles - not because it's in the 10 Commandments.)
But leaving that aside, there are a couple of issues. First, the passage is not referencing immigration. This is NOT talking about people who decide one day that "I want to be an Israelite." The law is VERY clear that you don't get to decide whether you are a citizen of Israel or not. It was a birthright, and it completely excluded non-Jews.
(NOTE: apologies - I would add scripture but I'm on my work laptop. If you don't believe me on these, I'm glad to provide book chapter and verse when I get home.)
A gentile could not own property in Israel under the law. All of that was given to the 12 tribes. A gentile would also be put to death for worshiping foreign gods. (Or they were supposed to be put to death.) A gentile was excluded from the rights and benefits of being a Hebrew. Even if they converted, they were still not a Jew, and still could not go into the temple or participate in the nation as a Jew.
Second problem is, even if the law says what they claim it says, why do they ignore all the other parts of the law? For those who want to use the Hebrew model of "immigration" - are they also OK with the following:
- No "foreign gods - in other words, you worship Jehovah, or you are put to death.
- No working on the sabbath - even if you're a gentile, if you lived in Israel, and you worked on the sabbath, you could/would be executed.
- The poor have to harvest their own food - which is left by the farmers specifically for them to gather.
- The law is specifically to be applied to rich and poor equally, meaning that there is no special treatment for someone who is poor. Their circumstances are irrelevant to whether they have to abide by the law.
Also:
- Adulterers are stoned.
- Homosexuals are stoned.
- No eating shellfish, pork, or other unclean foods.
- Animal sacrifice
- No permanent transfer of property
- If someone kills your relative, you get to kill them in retaliation unless they escape to a "city of refuge."
Weird that the left becomes big fans of the law of Moses when it's convenient and then leaves out all the things about it that they hate. But you can't have it both ways.
I wish we practiced the beatitudes. I'm just a lefty though [insert kermit sipping tea gif]
Great. Head on down there and help one of those families. But the beatitudes aren't about you appointing someone in the government to go do your good works for you. In addition, the Bible makes no requirements on a person being responsible for the welfare of people in other countries. We are called to care for our neighbors and take opportunities to do good. If you have a chance to help someone overseas, that's great. But the call is consistently related to helping our neighbors, those we meet who are in need. And no, that doesn't mean seeing a poor person, tweeting self-righteously about it and then voting for someone who claims they will "do something."
The Bible says nothing about governmentally supporting a practice where anyone in any country can simply show up with a child and force their way into the country and automatically receive the benefits of citizenship.
