The divine invective of Genesis 1:1-3 affirms the right and
responsibility of mankind to reproduce and fill the Earth. Thus, wherever
mankind goes and settles, he still operates under the Directives of God. After all,
Psalm 24 reaffirms that “The Earth is the Lord’s; the world and they that dwell
therein.” Thus, wherever mankind settles, those who are born of him belong to
that area in which his parents dwell. They are entitled to and bound by
whatever blessings and restrictions that God has placed upon that place. Home
then is wherever mankind has chosen to settle and to raise his family.
Life’s circumstances have caused families and nations to
transfer their dwelling place – their homes – from one place to another. Such
is the case of the children of Israel. Whether among the land of the Canaanites
or Babylon or Persia. Home for them really was wherever God was present with
them. Wherever other people and nations arose and settled, they declared that
to be their home, in spite of those previous “dwellers” who may have already
made that place “their” home. Even when people were enslaved and taken from
their original “homes,” their enslavers, and/or the dwellers of that region,
deemed them to be part of their “home.”
With that reality in mind, the framers of the U.S. Constitution
– who (1) themselves were citizens of former countries and nations, and (2)
declared this to be a nation “under God,” realized that “home” for them had
changed. And the reality of “home” had to be reaffirmed. They embedded that
truth within the Constitution with the phrase “We the people, in order to form
a more perfect union …” That declaration included persons of every religious
persuasion seeking to make this nation their home.
And later, to reaffirm the fact that others who had come to
these shores, by choice and/or by “force,” the duly appointed representatives
of this nation reaffirmed in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that those
who had been “forced – enslaved,” as integral living and reproducing “members”
of this nation, were also entitled to all of the “rights and privileges”
afforded to the other “citizens” of these United States.
Consequently, by birth in or by requested entry into this nation,
the reality of “all men being created equal by God” must be affirmed.
No baby/child could apply for citizenship to any nation. And
regardless of the reason for which their parents are within the shores and
jurisdiction of this nation, that baby/child is, and morally entitled to, “all
rights and privilege” as all members of this nation.
Those parents who, for whatever reason or under whatever
circumstances, are residing within this nation “under God” are duly entitled to
full citizenship privileges of this nation.
For those who might seek to “rational-lie” the rights of a
child born in this nation as some form of “invasion,” keep in mind the meaning
of “invasion” – “usually a hostile movement of an army into a region.” Therefore,
the birth of a child is and can in no way be viewed as any form of an “invasion.”
The entrance of a “soul” made “in the image and after the
likeness of God” into this world, wherever the location and however the process
that “entrance” might occur, it is God’s will that it occurs. And it is for
God’s purpose for which that birth occurs.
Who could know when that soul shall have reached that “for
such a time as this” moment! And when it does, nothing and nobody should have
prevented the fulfillment of God’s purpose for that soul. Be it by abortion,
alienation, disenfranchisement, imprisonment or even execution.
If exclusions and designated provisions can be made for
persons dwelling in and operating under the laws of this nation, who are not
deemed as citizens of this nation, then are they not being given a “higher”
status that those who are naturally born and official citizens of this nation.
To change or abrogate these privileges is not only illegal,
immoral, unjust and defiant of the laws of God, but are also detrimental to the
operational harmony of this nation.
All leaders or persons acting and/or operating and serving
in any official capacity of this nation are obligated to perform and uphold the
laws of this nation under God.
That phrase “so help me God …” is a direct appeal to God to
help that leader to guide him/her in making decisions which comply with God’s will
for that situation. It further obligates those persons to accept and comply
with the consequences of not seeking or complying with God’s will for
those situations involved.
After all, the leader of this “nation under God” is
obligated to God to lead God’s people in compliance with God’s will for his people and his nation.
Ask the many kings of Israel and Judah what happened when
“their will” became more important to “them” than God’s will for his people! From
the chief leader of this nation under God, to the “least of these” of God’s people,
God’s will for this Nation under God must be done. So help us
God!
Pastor Samuel W. Hale Jr. is the former pastor of Zion
Missionary Baptist Church and president of J.L. Powell Mission Ministries.
This article appears in The impossible task of providing child care.
