Misunderstanding of Scripture

You gotta love it when politicians attempt to connect with religious folk by referencing Biblical imagery. My cynical side imagines that every politician, regardless of personal conviction, has a some "religious talk" up their sleeve, ready to be used at a moment's notice. Just drop God into your speeches now and then and you'll appear religious! Ugh…

The latest offender is Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. And, God bless her, it was more than a little amusing. She had a press conference to denounce tougher legislation against illegal aliens, specifically the part where helping illegal aliens would be criminalized. She said, "It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

What? Um, what exactly is your understanding of scripture, Senator? The helper in the story was actually the foreigner, not the citizen, and illegal immigration wasn't an issue. And does the Senator think that Jesus violated civil laws or perhaps sanctioned law breaking? I'm not seeing the Biblical connection here. This looks like a shallow appeal to the many devout Catholics who also oppose this bill.

In fact, if Hillary would look a little closer, there is quite a bit in the Bible about helping the foreigners among us. But you're still not going to find support for breaking a law and that is probably the key issue here.

But the biggest misunderstanding of scripture here is actually the position that President Bush champions and I cringe everytime I hear it. He says that we should allow illegals to work here because they'll do jobs Americans won't do. Actually, one study said that 20% of illegals work in construction while only 4% are believed to work in agriculture. Nevertheless, cheap (slave?) labor is very good for business owners and brings low prices to American consumers. But is that just ok? Maybe the President should read scriptures like the following:

James 5:4 "For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty."

Micah 3:5 "At that time I will put you on trial. I will be a ready witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty."

Mr. President, one question please; is it moral to profit from the labor of people whom you admit we as a nation are underpaying?