[net.religion] Sanctuary for Political Refugees from Central America

jefff@cadovax.UUCP (Jeffery H. Fields) (01/21/85)

A law that is unjust is law that is justly violated.  National leaders like
Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King violated unjust laws to call attention
to the fact that they were unjust.  Acts of civil disobedience instill public
awareness of the need for social change.

In the case of churches providing sanctuary for political refugees of brutal
regimes in Central America are violating the laws of immigration and
naturalization not merely to draw attention to the atrocities that are
committed daily.  They are breaking the law to safe lives.  Everything else is
secondary to this purpose.  The US government has much to learn from there
efforts.

Then there are the callous critics who condemn these noble acts.  The critics
deride the pastors and lay people involved with the Sanctuary movement as 
pridefully violating the law.  These critics are blind to the lethal conditions
that the political refugees are fleeing.  These critics are comfortable and
complacent in there warm homes and safe communities.  It is from this
comfortable positition that they feel threatened by the efforts of the
Sanctuary movement.  

Bringing undocumented aliens into the US for selfish reasons is good reason to
condemn those responsible.  Bringing undocumented aliens into the US to save
them from certain torture and death should be lauded by anyone with a
conscience.


-- 

				Jeff Fields
				{ucbvax,ihnp4,decvax}!trwrb!cadovax!jefff

Pax Vobiscum.

kenw@lcuxc.UUCP (K Wolman) (01/24/85)

My understanding has always been that one of the major purposes
of religion--any religion--can be summarized in one phrase:

	AFFLICT THE COMFORTABLE AND COMFORT THE AFFLICTED.

The government (i.e., The Comfortable) is behaving with predictable
foulness.  
-- 
Kenneth T. Wolman
Bell Communications Research @ Livingston, NJ
lcuxc!kenw
(201) 740-4565

("My doctorate's in Literature, but that seems like a
pretty good pulse to me. . . .")

mjk@tty3b.UUCP (Mike Kelly) (01/29/85)

"First one wants freedom, next thing you know the whole damn world
wants freedom."
		- Gil Scott-Heron