Trump spiritual adviser: Jesus wouldn't have been Messiah if he broke immigration law
A spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump said that Jesus would have been "sinful" and not "our Messiah" if he had broken immigration law when fleeing persecution as a baby with his family.
Televangelist Paula White made the comments to the Christian Broadcasting Network when asked about what biblical scriptures came to mind as she visited a migrant detention center in Bristow, Virginia.
"I think so many people have taken biblical scriptures out of context on this, to say stuff like, 'Well, Jesus was a refugee,'" White told the news outlet in an interview published Monday. "And yes, he did live in Egypt for three and a half years. But it was not illegal. If he had broke the law, then he would have been sinful and he would not have been our Messiah."
White also praised the care for the children at the center, saying they received "three square meals" as well as medical and psychiatric care, among other amenities.
14 comments
it was not illegal
Right! It's a well known fact that after Epiphany Mary went to the local passport office in Bethlehem and had Jesus added to her passport as a dependent minor. When the clerk asked if Joseph was the father, it got a little tense. It got worse when it turned out they didn't have a marriage certificate and no local address, not even an inn. After a lot of rolled eyes and bitchy comments about angels, shepards, and stables, Jesus was added to Mary's passport as "presumed legitimate".
In Egypt they got a 3 month tourist visa, which was extended to 3.5 years after they claimed that 3 months wasn't enough to visit the pyramids and see everything in the Cairo Museum.
All legal.
I'm pretty sure immigration law didn't exist back then. If they didn't want foreigners living on their land, they'd drive you off. If Jesus did exist, and existed today, that would have been illegal. That said, apologists have always argued that God, and Jesus by extent, gets to do whatever he feels like and it's automatically not a sin, so they could just apply that here.
> "If he had broken the law, he would have been sinful and he would not have been our Messiah."
Jesus was crucified for breaking the law of the Roman Empire. I'm sure that this guy would say that was an unjust law, of course, but then so is any policy that tears children from their parents for trying to find a better life.
Even leaving aside all the other problems with this, note the implicit claim that a little child is morally to blame for actions the child's parents do. This is the horseshit behind the attitudes they have about the kids at the border. "Well, they're breaking the law so it's their problem".
Yeah, right. So what's a child who's not adult age and therefore can't own property, can't have a job, etc, supposed to do when Mom & Dad decide to leave home and go to the US? Stay home and make a new life for himself? Go hold down a job at some factory in Neuvo Laredo at age 4 to support himself while Mom & Dad cross the border into Laredo? They're kids - they didn't have a choice but to go wherever Mom & Dad went.
"The nearness of Egypt had always made it a natural asylum for refugees from Palestine. So Jeroboam had found shelter there (1Kings 11:40), and at a later date, Johanan the son of Kareah and his companions had fled thither from the face of Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 43:7). The number of Jews who were settled in Alexandria and other cities of Egypt had probably made the step still more common during the tyranny of Herod's later years." -- Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
A spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump said that Jesus would have been "sinful" and not "our Messiah" if he had broken immigration law when fleeing persecution as a baby with his family.
Hey Paula, the keyword her is "baby". He didn't have a choice in the matter. By today's standards, Jesus would have been separated from Mary and Joseph and put into a detention center with not even the minimal care required for him.
Wow, now they are REALLY going of the rails. This is just getting fucking ridiculous now. There is NO part in the bible saying anything about immigration being a sin (or mentioning it as an issue at all) and considering all the times people move to other countries in it while still being considered holy and just, I can't even see any literalistic read that would let you come to that conclusion.
But saying that Jesus wouldn't be the son of god if he had been an immigrant doesn't even make sense in the context of your own religion! Just shows that fundies see their religion less as a spiritual journey and more of a political means to an end.
@Dunbaratu
Oh man, nearly missed that implication. But you are absolutely right! The depths to which these people will lower themselves just to excuse their racist and assholish behaviour are unbelievable.
Another 'King' - Elvis Presley - had a manager who was an illegal immigrant.
And try to enter Egypt without a passport today , Paula Shite.
Romans 13:1-5 agrees, don't bother your 'God' about it: the fact Josh Buggar & Roy Less destroy the whole concept of 'Sin' being the least of your problems. Nonexistent morals, nonexistent 'God'.
Because of agreements made way before your 'Emprah' was elected, I can enter your country for up to 90 days without a visa.
But your law still requires me to have a passport to do so.
So yes: your J-boy is a sinner. Thus your entire 'argument' doesn't have the right to exist.
@Dunbaratu
Go hold down a job at some factory in Neuvo Laredo at age 4 to support himself
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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