I’m interrupting the heartwarming choir tour stories to get to one of the reasons I started this blog: to talk about how important it is to wrestle with the hard questions, because quick and simple answers can be wrong. I want to address a story in the news before it gets cold.
A Collin County commissioner introduced a resolution saying that Collin County should not use any of its resources to deal with all the children coming over the border. The Commissioners Court passed The Proper Role of County Government in Providing Temporary Housing and Care for Migrant Children, which says it is not the function of county government to provide aid beyond what are considered core functions of county government: law enforcement, health care services, and child protective services. They applaud the work churches and charities do in caring for these children. Please take some time to click on the link and read the resolution. (I had a little trouble with the link; hit the refresh button if the document doesn’t appear.) Part of the point of wrestling with hard questions is working from primary sources.
There are many important points on both sides of this situation. The children are in this country in violation of US immigration law. On the other hand, these children are fleeing political unrest and lawlessness in their home countries. Our immigration system couldn’t handle all the people who would enter the country if we dropped all immigration restrictions. On the other hand, we have an obligation to protect defenseless children. We have an obligation to uphold the rule of law. On the other hand, we could be sending these children back to their deaths. As citizens, we’re obligated to wrestle with the questions this situation raises.
The commissioners start each meeting with a prayer. Most Commissioners Courts do. There is usually a lot of outrage when they don’t. The argument usually runs that the country was founded on Christian principles and blocking a public prayer is contrary to our founders’ intentions. They should do the Christian thing and open their meetings with prayer. But those who opposed this resolution think accepting and sheltering these children is also the Christian thing to do. The Commissioners Court acknowledged it is a Christian duty, but the county is also responsible to state and federal law. However, we also remember Judge Roy Moore, who erected a monument of the Ten Commandments as an act of civil disobedience.
What makes a country (or a county) “Christian”? Is it measured by works of piety or works of mercy? This is not about separation of church and state in the First Amendment sense, but it is about drawing some kind of boundary between the two. Where does county stop and church start? When we open a meeting by asking God to guide us, are we prepared for what God might do?
I would love to hear your thoughts. This is controversial, so please remember your manners. I will delete hateful or profane comments.
I promise my next post will be a heartwarming story.
The Feral Deacon 