CHRISTIANS ARE NOT AFRAID OF SYRIAN REFUGEES. At least most Christians, I’m guessing. I’m still waiting to see poll numbers on that.
So far the polls seem to gauge only Americans in general—more than half of whom seem terrified of Syrians. They are so terrified that they don’t want any of them resettling in the United States.
The fear is that some terrorists will probably slip in.
Of course, that’s probably right. Some terrorists will get here, one way or another, whether it’s the right way or the wrong way.
Here’s what I think some Christian students of history are thinking.
The United States with the rest of the planet stood by and watched while six million souls—mostly Jews—died in a Holocaust spawned by a sick dictator. We eventually stepped in.
Too darn late for the six million.
I suspect that some Christian students of history are making the connection, and realizing that we are doing it again.
We are watching while an estimated six million Syrians flee their bullet-ridden, barrel-bombed homes only to find a few who give a rat’s rear end.
The refugees come to us—to all of us living in peaceful zones throughout the world. They wait in huddled masses at the entrance to our walled cities, asking for shelter from the storm of bullets and blood.
Behold, they stand at the door and knock.
In Bible times, there were three groups of people that God seemed most concerned about. These were the people who were most at risk. They were the people God repeatedly pleaded with folks to help, to protect, and to fight for.
- Orphans
- Widows
- Immigrants
“Make sure that foreigners and orphans are treated fairly. And you must never take clothes from a widow as security” (Deuteronomy 24:17).
The hallmark of a good and godly soul isn’t fear.
The hallmark of a good and godly soul is compassionate love.
Jesus said it. “This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other” (John 13:35).
A head wrap for Lady Liberty
Beyond the matter of religion, I think there is a belief among many patriotic, tradition-minded American Christians that if we turn away the Syrian refugees we should place a huge bag over the head of the Statue of Liberty, turn off the torch, and close the monument.
To do otherwise would be hypocritical, it would seem to some.
The reason is engraved in bronze on the pedestal of the statue itself:
…A mighty woman with a torch…her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome…cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Then I turn it off.
Cause I don’t want no more.
For more about how to treat immigrants
Free books for Christmas
I’ve got some fresh, giveaway copies of A Quick Guided Tour Through the Bible.
They are not for you. They are for someone you know.
If you’re reading this, you probably know what kind of easy-reading Bible background books I write. If you know of someone who might find this book helpful, but who wouldn’t be able to afford it or who probably wouldn’t bother buying a book like this, shoot me an email with their name and a sentence about why you’d like me to send them a free copy.
Once I get the list together, I’ll get back to you and ask for a mailing address.
I’ll send out as many free copies as I can, in time for Christmas. I’ve already sent out many.
No fair asking for freebie copies for yourself this time. Today we’re thinking of the other guy. Or gal.
There are many Christians helping refugees off the island of Kos – one organization, “Samaritans Purse” which is directed by Franklin Graham, who has come under tremendous fire from the left and some views I am not in agreement with, has organized a fantastic team.
I do agree with the sentiments of our Country and the Statue of Liberty, but we are in another dispensation and a new enemy. During times of war and crisis of this magnitude the homeland needs to be protected – our government does not have a clue what they are doing! “No one has a right to shout fire in a crowded theatre” and our Country is now invaded with evil ideology. I am tired of being told how I should feel or think when I am uneasy and scared. I yearn for the past and happier times (which is not realistic, I know), but I liken this beginning of the cancer of terrorism as an asteroid that has hit the earth with just moments to enjoy the rest of the day!
Thank God I am a Christian with Heaven as my destination, because there is where my hope lies…
Hi, Wayne.
Let me suggest two counterpoints.
Regarding the idea that the government doesn’t know what it is doing:
There’s a feeling among some that until we take personal responsibility for electing our representatives…until we realize that we are the government…we’re probably not going to change the corrupt way in which we allow the elections to be funded. The argument there is that many politicians are bought and paid for, and that they do not represent the masses, but that they represent the few well-moneyed people who paid for their election campaigns.
Regarding the idea that you are tired of being told how you should feel when you’re scared:
Here’s one more: “God’s perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18 NCV).
There are lots of rational arguments for keeping the refugees out of our homeland. I have yet to to come across one that meets the test of compassionate love for others as opposed to love of one’s self.
The argument there is that Christians help hurting people. We don’t hide from them.
We certainly need to filter out the terrorists as best we can. We also need to make it hard for them to buy guns in our homeland that can shoot lots of bullets so quickly that a crowd of people can’t escape or that some few heroes can overrun them.
But shutting the door entirely to refugees at risk, to many Christians, does not feel godly or even American…which is not always close to godly.
Peace to you, Wayne.
i do not agree or disagree with Wayne’s comment or yours Stephen. It’s a debate that puts us in a moral sense and at the same time a smart and wise thinking before opening up a door to strangers unless they have the same idealogy that we have. I read this following link with 6 reasons why we should…and then i read the comments below it. It really has a lot of reasons for/against…..im in the middle. here’s what i read. https://niskanencenter.org/blog/six-reasons-to-welcome-syrian-refugees-after-paris/