What About the Refugees Anyway? – PART 1 - A Beginning and A Parable

This is a big issue right now with a lot being said about it.  I wasn’t sure if I should address it at first, but it is getting to be such a “big deal”, and I’ve seen so many things that disturbed me that I finally decided to do so.  As it turned out there’s a lot more to it from a biblical standpoint than I would have thought.  Here is PART 1 of a series.

What About the Refugees Anyway? PART 1 - A Beginning and A Parable

James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy,
that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

There has been a lot of emotion, animosity and heated opinions about the refugee situation.  Sadly, there has been a lot that, from my perspective, doesn't seem to reflect the mind of Christ - and I'm speaking about the Christian context here.  (I don't expect that from the world.)  Quite a lot of this is probably because modern right-wing and conservative politics have been made "the norm" and essential among Evangelicals and Fundamentalists.  But, what do you do when some, or the majority of them, take a position on a significant issue that is contrary to scripture and the example of Jesus Christ?

Conservative politics and many conservative Christians say that Syrian refugees are very dangerous and must be refused.  There are cries for our safety, accusations that most of them are "young men", and a fairly broad disregard of all the other refugees from other countries that need help.  We've heard similar claims about the Mexican situation, except that the "loss of jobs" has been a major complaint on that.

First of all, I want to say that I am in no way trying to "solve the problem" here.  I don't have a perfect answer for a situation as complicated as this.  I actually doubt that anyone really does.  Messy situations usually require multi-faceted answers.

Continue Reading.