It is quite comical that how verses from the same book of the Bible is used on either side of the divide in America on the issue of immigration. Quoting the book of Romans, one side claim that leaders are ordained by God. Hence, their decree is equivalent to God's command on Earth, and the people are dutybound to follow. Paradoxically, detractors argue that it is taken out of context. Texts that were preceding and after that verse that were omitted. The Good Book reminded the followers of the times when the people were themselves slaves in Egypt and how they were ill-treated. Everyone is a sojourner on Earth, just passing through. Words like 'feed your enemies if they are hungry, give them a drink if they are thirsty', 'do not reap to the very edges of your field, leave them for the poor and the foreigner', and 'love your enemy as yourself' may denote that one should for the unfortunate.
But life is not so simple. Scholars have decided that the passages clearly defines foreigners and strangers. Strangers deserve justice and mercy while law-restricted foreigners do not.
That is the danger when one decides to opt to follow scriptures literally and not use the mental faculties to determine what is best is for mankind, taking into consideration the perspectives of time and context. One would resort to cherrypicking and indiscriminative rationalisation by invoking the name of God.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Romans 13:1).
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