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E v a n g e l i c a l s for B i b l i c a l   I m m i g r a t i o n

Justice for citizens and kindness to guests

Short version of EBI Letter

June 22, 2013

Esteemed Members of the United States House and Senate ~

Warm summer greetings from Evangelicals for Biblical Immigration — a growing ad hoc movement of citizens who see the need for wise, sustainable immigration reform and who, therefore, oppose the ‘Gang of Eight’ immigration bill for its lack of wisdom and kindness to American citizens and to the great story and future of America. We honor American first principles and the Judeao-Christian essence and values that made America a nation our own sojourning ancestors believed in, loved and served for their children — for us — to appreciate and to further steward.

Our concern is that the ‘Gang of Eight’ immigration bill will increase debt and danger in America for both citizens and guests, thus further precipitating the decline of the America we love and steward. In Scripture we are taught to make wise distinctions between the well-meaning sojourner (the “ger” in Hebrew who comes lawfully as blessing) and the foreigner who does not advance a nation’s faith, values and story (the “nekhar,” “zar,” and the “goyim”).

Open border and open society profiteers, most notably Mr. George Soros, have hugely funded the National Immigration Forum (NIF*) which quietly and cleverly created an “evangelical” campaign to advance the bill, but the fact is that nowhere in Scripture do we find blanket, undiscerning immigration, asylum and amnesty. Such globalists have used similar strategies of rhetoric manipulation, border weakness and debt-escalation in Europe to profit from ensuing chaos. They and their Islamist geopolitical allies have weakened indigenous democratic and Christian cultures. We, citizens of America, will not stand for this quietly — nor should you, our elected representatives. Manipulation and profiteering from America’s decline both grieves and awakens us. (*Evidence includes NIF’s IRS 990 with Soros’ Open Society Institute as the largest donor, followed by Tides and other globalist, Progressive foundations. Note that OSI has funded Sojourners and other “evangelical” and “Catholic” organizations for similar messaging and immigration projects).

We urge faith, prayer and Bible study for wisdom in every important decision. We ask you to consider the whole of Scripture, and the rights of all people whose lives matter to God, including Americans. The whole counsel of Scripture calls for both justice to citizens as well as kindness to guests. Given the fact that more than twenty million Americans are unemployed, and thousands of small businesses have died under this administration, the majority of American citizens (70% on average of polls) do not desire an influx of foreign labor. We feel, once again, that we are being overlooked by our elected officials.

The bill is unkind to Americans who deserve to live in safety. Scripture teaches cautious welcome, but various sections of this bill (eg.s 3401, 3502, 3504) make asylum easier for our enemies such as the Boston Marathon bombers and others like them. How many Boston Marathon, Fort Hood and 9-11 atrocities shall we enable? In this bill, discretionary power regarding asylum is given to our Attorney General, and border security to President Obama’s DHS which has not shown real interest in protecting Americans and thus will likely not enforce borders in the future. American tax-payers paid for a fence in 2006. Where is the fence?

The bill is unkind to our children who are already facing an unconscionable seventeen trillion dollar national debt ($17,000,000,000,000) which the ‘Gang of Eight’ bill will escalate. Various net cost projections, calculating twenty and thirty years out, are in the trillions of dollars. Please consider the debt burden to children (America’s future) also in relation to the Affordable Healthcare Act (a.k.a. ‘Obamacare’) which appears neither affordable nor conducive to healthcare, as many economists and health professionals are now warning us.

The bill is unfair to twenty million unemployed Americans including lower-skilled workers, college graduates, veterans and the elderly with disappearing savings thus still needing work.

The bill is unfair and unkind to our elders who have spent decades paying into social safety nets including their already-burdened healthcare system.

The bill likely hastens the end of our freedom as a political democracy. With an influx of perhaps 30 million new voters (the equivalent of 30 major cities) given access to social welfare programs within ten years, this bill will very likely weight future elections to the party of entitlements, welfare and debt-escalation. We believe you know this.  Please, default to wisdom and freedom.

The bill is unkind to our representative democracy and Republic. You realize that very few Americans, including elected officials, have read the 1,200-page bill. Yet another massive tome imposed on us is far from what disheartened citizens need. This tactic only further erodes our trust in Congress and the White House. After an unprecedented series of abuses by the Obama IRS, DOJ, DHS, NSA and State Department, the burden is squarely on you, the President and Congress, to rebuild our trust. Ours is a sacred trust that has been tragically abused. We pray for you. We encourage you to re-read and honor our essential guidebooks of the Bible as well as the Declaration and Constitution shaping our unique experiment in freedom and human dignity.

Together, let’s discuss both justice to citizens and kindness to guests. Let’s look at Scripture for its balanced wisdom and whole counsel. The inflow of illegal immigrants must be stopped. The President and Congress have the means but have not shown the will to do so. Existing laws should be enforced. Citizen rights must be respected, as well as the dignity of guests as persons. Then, together as citizens and elected officials, let us start afresh on immigration reform and culture-making from a place of mutual listening, problem-solving and re-establishing America’s future on a firm foundation.

Our entire Letter is here for your earnest consideration: EvangelicalsForBiblicalImmigration.com

1,200 early signers include, as private citizens with affiliations for identification only ~

Earnestly and prayerfully,

• Kelly Monroe Kullberg
•   President, Christians for a Sustainable Economy (CASE4America.org)
•   Author, Finding God Beyond Harvard: the Quest for Veritas

• Timothy Adams, CREED

• Jennifer E. Dyer, CDR, USN (Ret.)
• Becky Gerritson, President, Wetumpka TEA Party (AL)
• Milton Gutierrez, Pastor
• Fr. Johannes Jacobse, President, American Orthodox Institute
• John Killian, President Alabama State Convention (So. Baptist); Pastor, Maytown Baptist Church
• Eric Metaxas, Author, Bonhoeffer and Amazing Grace
• Kris Mineau, President, Massachusetts Family Institute
• Jay Richards, Scholar and Author, Indivisible
• Sandy Rios, American Family Radio
• Tom Shields, Chairman, Coalition for Marriage and Family (Massachusetts)
• Carol Swain, Professor of Law, Vanderbilt Univ.; Author, Be The People
• Mark Tooley President, Institute on Religion and Democracy
• Todd Wagner, Senior Pastor, Watermark Church, Dallas, TX
• Tim Wildmon President, American Family Association

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