Paula White, Florida pastor and one of President Trump's spiritual advisors, defended her support for zero tolerance border control, stating that Jesus might have been a refugee but did not break any laws, according to The Christian Post.
After praising a child detention center in Virginia, White responded to immigration advocates, saying, "I think so many people have taken biblical scriptures out of context on this, to say stuff like, 'Well, Jesus was a refugee.' Yes, He did live in Egypt for three-and-a-half years. But it was not illegal. If He had broken the law then He would have been sinful and He would not have been our Messiah."
Faith leaders quickly rebuked White's statement on Twitter:
Jesus was a refugee & did break the law. He was crucified as a felon under Roman law. Christian nationalists like @Paula_White are enabling injustice w/ biblical interpretations that echo #SlaveholderReligion. https://t.co/FhV8qgUn9u
— Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) July 11, 2018
Large portions of the New Testament were written FROM PRISON. The biblical illiteracy is stunning.
— Rachel Held Evans (@rachelheldevans) July 11, 2018
No. Jesus "broke the laws," both religious and civic, several times, which is one of the reasons he was crucified. He healed on the Sabbath, permitted his disciples to pluck grain, had contact with the unclean, and so on. Plus, he was indeed a refugee: https://t.co/sDMECI3IDj https://t.co/sRc4FgqClN
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) July 11, 2018
.@Paula_White - who commits theological malpractice with nearly every word - advises the president of the United States.
— Rev. Dr. Chuck Currie (@RevChuckCurrie) July 11, 2018
Where did she get her theological education? She didn’t. Her highest degree is a high school diploma. https://t.co/s31RO8Ciws
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