Saturday, January 21, 2017

On the building of walls and Making America Great Again

One of the promises of our new President that most troubles me is the promise of building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. I oppose the building of a wall, in part because of my orthodox Christianity.
The concept of a wall between us and Mexico is problematic on a number of counts. The idea grows out of the broader notion that we should put America first in all things and that the building of this wall to secure our border will somehow make us better off. Though I am opposed on religious grounds, let’s also look at some historical and economic ones as well.
For me talk of a wall conjures up the images of the Berlin Wall, the wall between North and South Korea, and the wall that the Israelis built to keep out the Palestinians. Are the relationships that were and are represented by these walls the kind of relationship that we want to have with Mexico? Do we believe that Mexico is our enemy and that we should have armed guards along the border wall that shoot first and ask questions later? I have not personally been to any of these walls, but I have known many who have. They describe a palpable tension and sense of animosity attached to those walls.
Walls do not, in fact, seem to make good neighbors. What would make for good neighbors? I suggest that reasonable, fair immigration and foreign worker policies would help. I suggest that good relationships with our neighbors will make us far safer than any wall. Why do I think this?  Think about Canada.
As far as I know, no one is suggesting a wall along our border with Canada. Why don’t we need a Canadian wall as well as a Mexican wall? Perhaps because we have good relationships with Canada. I know some will argue that Canadians don’t come to the U.S. in large numbers such as those we see from Mexico and that is true. Immigrants from Canada tend to be wealthier and better educated than those from Mexico. But if anything, we might should build a wall with Canada to keep our citizens in. Canada is quite welcoming to folks from the U. S. who have specialized skills or who are entrepreneurs willing to invest in their country.[i] Are we “putting America first” when we allow our valuable citizens to leave the country?
From a further economic standpoint, Mexican immigrants, legal and otherwise, are actually good for our economy. According to the Economic Policy Institute:[ii]
Unauthorized immigrants are a net positive for public budgets because they contribute more to the system than they take out.16 Unauthorized immigrants generally cannot receive benefits from government programs, except in some cases, such as when unauthorized immigrant children receive public education, and in some states that allow unauthorized immigrants to attend state colleges at in-state tuition rates. Nevertheless, most of these unauthorized immigrants will still pay taxes. The vast majority pay sales taxes in states with sales taxes, and property taxes through properties that they own or rent. Additionally, most unauthorized immigrant workers also pay payroll and income taxes. The Social Security Administration estimates that 75 percent of unauthorized immigrants are actually on formal payrolls, either using fraudulent Social Security numbers or Social Security numbers of the deceased.17 Unauthorized immigrants pay into Social Security via automatic payroll deductions, but they can never claim Social Security benefits. In 2005, it was estimated that unauthorized immigrants paid about $7 billion per year in Social Security taxes that they will never be able to reclaim.18
I would expect that money spent on a wall and the resources to guard it are going to eat into the net positive effect of immigrants.
The historical, political, and economic reasons that I oppose the wall are important, but what is most important to me is the religious/theological aspect. Rev. Jeffress used Nehemiah as an example of a “builder” that God called.[iii] From reading the book of Nehemiah his takeaway is that “You see, God is NOT against building walls!” But let’s look at Nehemiah in some detail and see if the comparison to Donald Trump is warranted.
Nehemiah was not a builder by profession. In fact, he was cupbearer to the King of Persia. When he heard of the disrepair of Jerusalem -  not only the walls but the city and the temple as well – he wept and prayed. Here is his prayer:
4 When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.  5 I said, "O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments;  6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned.  7 We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses.  8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples;  9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.'  10 They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand.  11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!" At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.
 (Neh 1:4-11 NRS)
Several things to note: Nehemiah’s first act in his prayer was to confess his own sins and the sins of his family and his people. Have we heard such confession from President Trump? We might say that President Trump has more in common with the King of Persia than with Nehemiah, but that was not the comparison made by Rev. Jeffress.  Rev. Jeffress also asserts that President Trump has been “called by God” and because of that he has no need to “stop and answer [his] critics.”
However, this is not how God set up the monarchy in Israel. As it happens, the monarchy was always subject to the “critics” that we call prophets. In Deuteronomy, God makes it clear that the King of Israel was obligated to listen to prophets: “I myself will hold accountable anyone who doesn't listen to my words, which that prophet will speak in my name. (Deu 18:19 CEB)” The King was not to listen to “prophets” who led him and the people away from the Lord, but a true prophet was one who called the King to account. In the book of Jeremiah, one of the great themes is false versus true prophecy. At one point Jeremiah faces another prophet, Hananiah. Hananiah promises peace for Jerusalem; in effect, he promises that the king will “make Israel great again.” Jeremiah’s response is this:
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD;  6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD fulfill the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and all the exiles.  7 But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.  8 The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms.  9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet."
 (Jer 28:5-9 NRS)
Jeremiah also prophesied the death of Hananiah. That prophesy was fulfilled, despite the fact that Jeremiah was the one who was thrown into the pit by the King.
Does Donald Trump listen seriously to Godly men and women who oppose him? Or does he, in essence, throw them into the pit when they speak words that he does not want to hear?
Rev. Jeffress tells the President that “the true measure of a leader is what it takes to stop him.” This may be true if what we call effective leadership is someone who got done what he/she wanted to get done. However, there have been many “effective” leaders who have not been on the side of God – at least from my perspective. Herod was an effective leader. Hitler, Stalin, Osama bin Laden – all effective leaders who were difficult to stop. According to Deuteronomy, the ideal king is one who does not seek riches or exalt himself over others in the community but studies diligently in order to teach the people the righteous ways of God.
16 Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself, or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the LORD has said to you, "You must never return that way again."  17 And he must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself.  18 When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall have a copy of this law written for him in the presence of the levitical priests.  19 It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes,  20 neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.
 (Deu 17:16-20 NRS)
Well, President Trump is not a king (though he seems to think he is one at times) so perhaps this should not apply.
In the New Testament, Jesus says this:
Whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave;  28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."
 (Mat 20:27-28 NRS)
This would have been a good scripture to use for President Trump as a reminder.
Finally, Rev. Jeffress does remind the President that he only has to call on God for God to give help. However, when President Trump chants, “Make America great again!” I don’t have the impression that he understands great in the way that Jesus would.
If you want to know what Jesus would consider great, re-read the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7. He says things like, “Pray for those who persecute you.” (I am not mentioning the teaching on divorce!)
So how does all of this relate to being against the building of a wall? From a Christian point of view, building a wall is simply not consistent with being the kind of neighbor exemplified by the Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). It is not consistent with shining our light for all to see. It is not consistent with an attitude of welcoming the stranger, one of the most consistent commands in the Old Testament. I acknowledge that we are not all Christian in this country, and, in fact, would argue that this is not a “Christian” nation and shouldn’t be seen as such. However, that said, I do believe that Christians in this country have the responsibility to live out our faith in the public arena. Even if that gets us in trouble.
So, if you are a Christian who places him/herself under the authority of scripture, even if you don’t agree with the historical, political, and economic reasons for opposing a wall and think that building a wall will contribute to making America great again, I would argue that you have to oppose it on religious grounds.
If you choose to comment on this, I respectfully ask that you please keep comments civil and debate me on my reasoning, not on my character.
Blessings,
Martha




[i] http://www.cicnews.com/2016/03/increasing-number-citizens-analyzing-options-immigration-canada-037502.html
[ii] http://www.epi.org/publication/immigration-facts/
[iii] http://time.com/4641208/donald-trump-robert-jeffress-st-john-episcopal-inauguration/