# Foreigners in America Study ## Background #### 2026.07.19 - After doing more work on this background part of this study, I plan to redirect it as follows: - Change the title from "People Groups in America Study" to "Foreigners in America Study" - Move most of this study background to a separate stand-alone note #### 2026.07.03 ##### Thoughts on this study - It took me a week to even think of a title for this study, much less narrow the scope. I am sure this study will be like all the others and will morph over time. - As of 2026.07.19, the title changed again. ##### Multiculturalism - The USA is a "melting pot" of the world's people groups (PG). Most of the PGs have some representation here. - I am not opposed to multiculturalism. For example, we prefer a wide variety of food. Our favorites include Indian and Mediterranean. ##### Foreigners - My current thinking and the motivation behind this study is discussed below - For generations, various peoples would show up on our shores begging to come in. Their full intention was to assimilate as fully as possible and become Americans. However, for the last few generations, many / most that have entered our country whether legally or illegally have NO intention of assimilating. Some are even advocating the overthrow of our constitution. - My current thinking and the motivation behind this study is discussed below - Foreign visitors are generally welcome here with lots of restrictions - as temporary - must only come in through the "front door" - workers - tourists - Assimiliant - must only come in through the "front door" - fully assimilated - English speaking - naturalized citizens - On the other hand, any foreigner who: - Sneaks in through the "back door"should be treated as a military combatant / terrorist / spy (BTW, I don't care if such a person is a 5-year old) - Any foreigner who violates the terms of their visa such as a non-approved extension shall be immediately deported with prejudice. Any future application for a visa must be reviewed by an Assimiliant judge - Comes in legally through the "front door" - Have a limited amount of time to assimilate (~5 years) - For those failing to assimilate - They are not the type of person we want as an American - They should be deported - Commits a crime that COULD be sentenced to one or more years in state / federal prison should be deported immediately - Assimilation defined - Any foreigner who does not want to assimilate should self-deport otherwise if they fail to meet the criteria identified below they will be deported with prejudice with no chance of returning even as a tourist or diplomat - Any foreigner who wants to assimilate and remain in the USA must become a US citizen within 10 years of first visit (excluding tourist visas) - Permanent residency status eliminated. For those who have been in the US legally as a permanent resident prior to the start of this plan will be given 5-years from now to complete these requirements - The citizenship requirements need to be strengthened - English proficiency using standardized testing: at least ACTFL Advanced and / or CEFR B2 - Civics test - More emphasis on the US Constitution to include its history - US History - Include not only the good, but also the bad and ugly - Income vs Federal Benefits: tax returns for the previous 5-years must show that more taxes were paid than direct federal benefits received. "Federal Benefits" ral tax dollars whether distributed directly, via a state or an NGO.) ## Questions - What does the Bible say about these people groups: - Foreigners? - Illegal Aliens? - Invading army? - Muslims? - Some specific questions: - How does the Bible define / classify people into those groups? - How are we to treat those people groups? ## ToDo - ToDo Study - - ToDo Transfer - ## TL;DR - ## Chapter-by-Chapter Notes ### ### Genesis 15 ### Genesis 16 #### 2026.07.04 {[[Genesis_16_Notes|6-13]]} - After Hagar got pregnant, Sarai treated her so poorly, that she ran away and an angel of the Lord came to her to discuss the matter {6-8} - The angel commanded Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority {9} - Next, the angel made several promises to Hagar the first of which was clearly made in first person. In other words, it was the angel who promised to multiply her offspring so that they would be too numerous to count. It would be tempting to think that the "angel of the Lord" was actually an "angel of Satan." However, that would require twisting a lot of scripture. In particular: {9-13} - Twice he was identified by his title "the angel of the Lord ([[H3068]])" {9, 11} - The angel mentioned that the Lord ([[H3068]]) had heard her cry of affliction {11} - Hagar gave a new name to the Lord ([[H3068]]): "You are the God ([[H0410]]) who sees me" {13} - Based on these references to the true God of Israel, there is every reason to believe that the angel was a messenger / representative of the Creator, the God of Israel. - Assuming the previous thoughts are correct, it as our Creator who meted out the multi-generational consequences for Abram's failure to lead his household {9-13} - The specific promises / consequences include {10-12} - God would greatly multiply her offspring so that they will be too numerous to count {10} - She would successfully give birth to a son and she was to name him Ishmael {11} - Then the angel prophesied several things about Ismael {12} - He would be a wild donkey of a man - His hand will be against everyone - Everyone's hand will be against him - He will live in hostility toward all his brothers - tl;dr - Because Adam failed to lead his family, all of us are born "dead" into sin. But Jesus ... - Because Abram failed to lead his family, all of us must deal with the descendants of Ismael. According to the Bible, his descendants will - be too numerous to count - be a jack-ass - be against everyone - everyone will be against them - not only "everyone" but also his brothers ### Genesis 17 #### Date {20} ### Genesis 25 #### Date {12-16} ### Deuteronomy 24 #### 2026.06.27 [[Deuteronomy_24_Notes|{6, 10-13, 17, 19-22}]] - In verses 6-22, Moses writes about various additional laws that mostly have to do with the relationship between the more fortunate and the less so. - Three of the paragraphs discuss security for a debt - Don't take a person's means of livelihood (millstones) as security for a debt {6} - Don't go into a neighbor's house to collect the security, let him bring it out to you. If the borrower is poor and his "**only**" coat (cloak) was taken as security, it must be returned before sunset so he can sleep in his own cloak. Moses promised this act of kindness will be "credited to you as righteousness before the Lord your God." {10-13} - A widow's coat (cloak) shall not be taken as security {17} - In each of the last four paragraphs, Moses mentions three subgroups within those potentially less fortunate: foreigner, fatherless and widow - Moses said he was commanding the Israelites to make the applicable sacrifices - Because they were once slaves in Egypt and the Lord redeemed them {18, 22} - God may bless them {19} - Specific actions - Don't deny [[justice]] {17} - Three examples directed at farmers when harvesting their crops. They are to leave some of the crops behind for "the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow." {19-21} ### Luke 19 {26-27} ### John 8 #### Date {[[John_08_Notes|37]]} ### Romans 8 #### Date {15, 21} ### Romans 12 #### 2026.07.10 {9b, 14 - 21} - In **verse 9**, Paul commanded us to "Detest ([[G0655]]) what is evil ([[G4190]])" and "cling ([[G2853]]) to what is good ([[G0018]])." {9b} - Then a few verses later, he discussed how we are to relate to those: {14, 17} - who persecute ([[G1377]]) us {14} - who do evil ([[G2556]]) to us {17} - Paul went on to command actions which are NOT to take {14b, 17, 19, 21} - Don't curse ([[G2672]]) those who persecute us {14b} - Don't repay ([[G0591]]) evil for evil {17} - Don't avenge ([[G1556]]) ourselves {19} - Do not be overcome by evil {21} - On the contrary, Paul gave us some specific things to DO for those we would consider our enemies {14, 19-20} - We are to bless those who persecute us {14a} - Leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” {19b} - Feed if he is hungry {20} - Give him a drink {20} - Paul also added some general things to do for everyone {15-18} - Rejoice with those who rejoice {15a} - Weep with those who weep {15b} - Live in harmony with one another. {16a} - Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited. {16b} - Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody. {17b} - If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone. {18} ### Galatians 4 #### 2026.07.08 {21-31} - Paul addressed the book of Galatians as well this chapter to the churches of Galatia. His specific message had to do with those who were deserting the gospel of freedom and returning to the law. - In **verses 21-31**, Paul compares and contrasts two people groups from several points of view - Sons - Isaac - born to the free woman - born through the promise - Ismael - born to the slave woman - born according to the flesh - Women - Two covenants - Hagar: - covenant is from Mount Sinai - bears children into slavery - Covenant / Promise - Under law - Venue / Location - Mount Sinai in Arabia - present day Jerusalem - in slavery with her children - Jerusalem above - free - she is our mother - Paul's brothers are like Isaac, they / we are children of the promise {28} - Back in the day - the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit - It is the same now - Action according to Scripture {30} - Expel the slave woman and her son - for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son ### Hebrews 13 #### Date {2} ## Multi-Chapter Notes #### 2026.07.05 {Genesis 11, Genesis 12, Genesis 13, [[Genesis_15_Notes|Genesis 15]],} - Abram had several encounters with the Lord about an offspring - After the tower of Babel incident in **Genesis 11**, Abram's father Terah decided to move from Ur of the Chaldeans to Canaan, but settled in Haran. Among others, Terah took with him Abram and Abram's wife Sarai. The author, Moses noted that Sarai had no children ([[H2056]]). {Genesis 11.1-9, 30-31} - The Lord told Abram to leave his father's household and wander / sojourn to the land God would show him. Furthermore, the Lord promised him that He would make Abram into a great nation thus implying that Abram would have some sort of offspring. Note, there is nothing in Scripture to indicate the means in which the Lord spoke to Abram. Additionally, there is nothing there about whether Sarai was present and heard directly from the Lord. {Genesis 12.1-2} - After travelling to and through the land of Canaan as the Lord had directed, the Lord appeared to Abram and promised, “I will give this land to your offspring {[[H2233]]}." {Genesis 12.4, 7} - Apparently, Abram didn't trust God enough about a future offspring since he crafted the lie about Sarai due to his fear he would be killed by the Egyptians. {Genesis 12.11-13} - After Abram and lot parted ways the Lord spoke to Abram again and again, there is no indication Sarai was present and heard what the Lord said. In this encounter, the Lord mentioned "offspring" ([[H2233]]) three times: {Genesis 13.15-16} - for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever {15} - I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth {16} - so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted {16} - After Abram's successful battle to rescue Lot and his encounter with Melchizedek, God appeared to him in a vision that he would have a child from which countless offspring would come. The Lord wen on to challenge Abram to count the stars and told him, "So shall your offspring be." {Genesis 14.18-20, Genesis 15.4-5} - Although Abram "believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness," he wanted a "sign" that he would possess the land. So, in addition to providing a fancy new means of cooking meat the Lord prophesied about Abram's descendants. {Genesis 15.6-8, 13, 16, 18} - Know for certain that your descendants ([[H2233]]) will be strangers in a land that is not their own ... {13} - In the fourth generation ([[H1755]]) your descendants will return here {16} - To your descendants I have given this land {18} **CONTINUE AT GENESIS 17.1-8** #### 2026.07.03 {[[Genesis_02_Notes|Genesis 2]], [[Genesis_03_Notes|Genesis 3]], [[Genesis_16_Notes|Genesis 16]]} - There are some interesting and sad parallels between Genesis 2 & 3 and Genesis 15 & 16 ##### Genesis 2 {1-18, 21-23} - After God created the universe in Genesis 1 there is another account of the creation story in Genesis 2 that focuses on the human part of the story, specifically our ancestors. This version starts off by describing the Garden of Eden {Genesis 2.1-14} - Verse 15 says that God placed Adam in the garden to cultivate and keep it {Genesis 2.15} - Next, God set some boundaries for Adam - First - he could "eat freely" from every tree, including the tree of life, except ... {Genesis 2.16} Second - Adam must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or really bad stuff would happen, he would die {Genesis 2.17} - Next, God creates Eve {Genesis 2.18, 21-23} - It must be acknowledged that Eve was not present when God gave Adam the instructions about eating and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil {Genesis 2.16-17} ##### Genesis 3 {1-6} - Although it seems from Eve's response to the serpent that Adam must have said something to her about God's instructions it's clear she didn't communicate the truth to the serpent. To the best of my knowledge, there is nothing in scripture to indicate how well Adam instructed Eve on the rules or if Eve chose to mischaracterize things. Regardless, it seems that Adam was present when Eve took the bite and he failed to be a man and take action. {1-6} ##### Genesis 16 - Sarai, Abram's wife came to him with a "solution" to her childlessness caused by God, and as the saying goes ... the rest is history ... and the primary motivation and subject of this study. ##### Summary - Much like Adam, Abram received his communication one-on-one with God. In neither case was the spouse present - In both cases, the men followed their wives and failed to be the leaders as created by God - Much like Eve, it seems Sarai's view of God was skewed toward an evil, selfish authoritarian figure. We are seeing similar things among the "Karen's" of this generation. - And just like Adam and Abram, too many of the men of today are listening to and following the Karen's rather than lead ## Other Notes ### Foreigner and Illegal Alien Defined #### 2026.06.27 - There are 92 occurrences of "ger" ([[H1616]]) in the OT which are translated variously: - Alien - Stranger - Sojourner - Foreigner - Immigrant - I consider Illegal Aliens a subset of foreigners since they are in fact foreigners