Immigration is necessary for western countries that need more workers for their industries and businesses, more entrepreneurs to start businesses to create jobs, more consumers to strengthen national economies, and more federal, provincial, and municipal taxpayers.
Written by: Jeffrey Ram, Toronto, Canada, October 20, 2020
Churches are the conscience of the Christian majority societies of the western world. The Biblical teachings direct Christians to help newcomers settle in their new homeland.
Immigrants and refugees come to western countries to settle permanently for their betterment and that of their children. The host western nations also invite the incomers to immigrate to boost their national economies and expand their tax base. In this way, immigration is a win-win situation for the new settlers and the host western nations.
Reasons Why Christians and Churches Should Welcome, Value, and Love Immigrants and Refugees
1. Christians should help immigrants and refugees because the Bible's prophets instructed the people to be kind to aliens who lived among them and care for them.
2. Jesus Christ taught his followers to love one another and to love their neighbour as themselves. Immigrants and refugees are the new neighbours who should be welcomed and loved by Christians.
3. The Bible lays great stress on being compassionate and helping the less fortunate. Christians generously support charities all over the world. Most immigrants and refugees are the poorest of the poor and the neediest of the needy. Christians and churches should help the new members of the national family in their settlement.
4. When today's children grow up, they will pay for today's adults' old-age pension and healthcare. Therefore, all adults, especially Christians, should advance all children's well-being, including newcomers' children.
5. Immigrants face hostility, prejudice, and racism from some sections of the host community. Bible says that God created everyone in his image and emphasizes that all humans are equal. Christians and churches should take a firm stand everywhere against inequality and racism.
6. Many people do not understand why their country needs more population. Immigration is necessary for western countries that need more workers for their industries and businesses, more entrepreneurs to start businesses to create jobs, more consumers to strengthen national economies, and more federal, provincial, and municipal taxpayers. Churches should create a friendly environment for immigrants, refugees, and their children by educating people about their contribution.
7. People in their teens or pre-teens who immigrate to a new country with their parents are second-generation immigrants. Children who are born in the new nation are not immigrants. They are natives because they did not immigrate from any country.
8. Bible teachings demand people to take care of widows and fatherless children. Many immigrant women become single parents, like widows, when their husbands leave them and make their children fatherless. Such women desperately need help, guidance, and support. Christian ladies should help them individually or through their churches.
9. Many immigrant women and girls come from cultures where they are tamed and kept under male authority from birth till death. Even in western countries, many of them live in subjugation. Christians should empower these girls and women and enable them to cut their chains and break their cages.
10. One major problem in western society is loneliness. Immigrants and refugees, who are far away from their family and friends, suffer from extreme loneliness. Christians should be friendly with their newcomer colleagues at work and encourage their children to mingle with the newcomer children in schools to make them feel welcome and comfortable. Many churches already run food banks. They should also operate friendship banks and offer friendship to all the lonely people through some friendship activities.
11. The Great Commission also demands that Christians befriend immigrants and refugees and share with them the message of God's mercy, loving-kindness, eternal love, and amazing grace.
The current transmigration of the population from Africa, Asia, and Latin America to western countries is an opportunity for Christians and churches to demonstrate their compassion, caring, and love for immigrants and refugees by welcoming, valuing, and loving them.
Blessing: May God Bless You, Your Family and Friends, and Make You A Blessing to Others.
(Reform Advocate's World Christians blog is published on the third Tuesday of the month)
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