I was thinking about the terms that I’ve been reading in Deuteronomy, and what comes to mind for foreigners residing with Israel as strangers and sojourners.
The terms legal and illegal or not specifically used, but there are places where the strangers are expected to follow the law. They are expected to be circumcised if they are going to stay. I think at one point they are allowed to participate in the Passover, but again, they must be circumcised.
So, yes, there is a certain amount of acceptance of immigrants, however, there is a clear classification of legal and illegal. The standards may be different, but the concept is there.
We should be able to transfer those concepts and standards to our society. Treat people fairly and with dignity. Expect them to abide by your standards of behavior. If they don’t like it they can leave. We would be better off if we looked at foreign visitors that way.
homo unius libri
Pages
▼
Yes!
ReplyDelete