My Thoughts on the Refugees

The reaction online to Syrian refugees is disheartening. Fear is palpable. What bothers me though, are the people who claim to follow Jesus out of one corner of their mouth and then oppose allowing any refugees into the states out of the other. The "Bible Belt" was quick to forbid any refugees from entering.

The scriptures that oppose this are legion.

Jesus said:

35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’        (Matthew 25:35-40)

If the online reaction is a measure, it's no stretch to say the Syrian refugees are considered "the least of these" by many people.

And if you counter with "but Muslims are the enemy!"

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? (Matthew 5:44-47)

Jesus made a point of reaching out to the people others would push away.

15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:15-17) 

The way the refugees are looked at may be similar to how many Jews looked at Samaritans. Even many non-Christians know the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus told.

Then there are the Christians online who say  "It's dangerous" or "Jesus wants us to have common sense."

To the dangerous:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.               (Matthew 5:10-12)

Jesus frequently said (if I can paraphrase) "It's not going to safe or easy."

And to the bit about common sense: Since when did Jesus follow the path of common sense? His own disciples were aghast when he told them he was going to die.

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many thingsand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. (Mark 8:31-32)

They all thought that he was going to come, kick butt, and rule with authority. Jesus had some choice words that followed.

33 But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”  (Mark 8:33-38)

There is very little "common sense" by this world's definitions in what Jesus said.  Jesus never has and never will be about personal safety. He's far more concerned with our character in trials than our comforts.

The idea of a "safe" Jesus appeals to many but (to go Old Testament):

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12) 

These are only the first arguments and scriptures that come to my mind and I'm no scholar.

From a secular standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me to forbid Syrian refugees either.

Most of what I read online feels like it could be contributed to fear ("If I gave you a bag of grapes, but told you a couple were poisoned, would you eat them?") or to misunderstandings.

Here's an example of both:

George Takei called out the mayor of a nearby city (Roanoke) for referring to Internment Camps as a 'sequester.' The mayor also compared the terrorist attack in Paris to Pearl Harbor. Now, the Paris attack is a tragedy. The 130 lives lost are worth mourning. However, I don't know why the mayor would consider it an apples-to-apples comparison with an attack made by the army of a sovereign nation that killed over 2,500 people and launched our nation into WW2. Some environmentalist will probably point out that the USS Arizona has leaked oil since the attack and probably made someone's fish taste bad, as well.

I have learned something from what I've read online, though. Only ~30% of the US wanted to allow Jewish refugees after WW2 in one poll. I'm not surprised, but it's still sad.

What chance do the Syrians have when they are being killed by terrorists and their own government, but have the same general look as the people killing them? We didn't want to let starved and tortured Jewish refugees in and they didn't look like the Aryans who wanted to exterminate them.

I'd write more, but I don't have all the facts I want on hand. I suspect ISIS has killed far more Muslims than any other group of people. I worry that if refugees are treated horribly and refused in place after place that could be used as a recruitment tool by ISIS ("See? Everyone hates you! The world is corrupt, blah blah"). I read a long post by a lawyer that said "Do you know how hard it is to be allowed refugee status?" He explained ad nauseam and while no process is perfect, he concluded "There are much easier ways to get into our country for a terrorist than as a refugee."

I think he's right, too. The refugees walk a dangerous and desperate path. One picture of a Turkish soldier holding a drowned five year old refugee I cannot forget comes to mind.

I do approve of my state governor's refusal to block refugees from entering. He recently made huge strides in ending veteran homelessness in VA, as well (poignant when one of the many memes I see chastises people for thinking about refugees when there are homeless veterans).

I don't know it all, but that's my two cents. I'd come up with a better ending, but it's late and I'm tired.