This is a political question, in that it involves political leaders, elected officials, answering the question. The governor of Indiana, Mike Pence, among others, have said, NO!, at least for now. President Obama has answered Yes, and there is a political battle blowing up especially on facebook, with people stating both sides as their view. I believe that this is a very easy question for the Christian family to answer. Should our answer be based on fear, the fear of terrorists coming and killing us? Without even going further into our refugee based nation, the quote,
"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-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Without even going into the fact that Western White men were the terrorists who killed Native Americans and enslaved Africans based on fear. . . Without even going into the fear based idea of keeping people out which Donald Trump and George Zimmerman seem to agree so wholeheartedly on.. ..
Should our answer be based on fear? Should our answer not be based on compassion? Compassion that if we do nothing we will be killing them, compassion that we would reach out in Christian love, even if that involves risk, even if that involves being misunderstood, even if that involves being hated, even if that involves death. Should we not love, even to the point of death? Why else are we here? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? That is the American Family, not the Christian family.
But this answer is easy for another reason. It is easy because I may see the refugee at the mall, but not in my bathroom. Inviting someone into my country demands almost nothing for the Christian family. It is easy to post on facebook and say that we will allow, or should allow refugees into our country.
Now for the harder question.
Question #2: Should we allow a specific refugee or family of refugees into our home?
This is a personal question. In a way though, the answer of yes or no are also based on either fear or love. If I base my answer on fear I will never let a stranger in, for what if he kills me and rapes my children? What if he beheads my whole family? Many such questions are asked, and I will not say that nothing of the sort will happen, but I will continue my refrain, "Should our answer be based on fear?" Do I really let a Syrian refugee family into my home? Share our kitchen, our bathroom, our couch, our lives to the point that love is actually shown? If love is the basis of my answer to this question I may do some crazy things. The main objection that I see to this YES answer of mine is that why don't we let American homeless people into our homes. While this is a very serious question, one also has to think through the roots of that person being homeless. I have seen in my own personal life many homeless people being homeless because of alcohol or drug addiction, mental illness, or relational conflict. I work at a homeless shelter specifically for such individuals. The main root of the homelessness of the Syrian refugees is being in a War-torn land. They are homeless, in huge numbers, due to war. There is not a shelter large enough. This is a specific crisis that demands a specific answer. Many will read this and want to post something about fear. If you base your response on fear you only prove my point. Some, maybe a very few, will want to welcome Syrian refugees into your homes. Some have already done it. If the Christian family bases its answer to Question #2 on love, maybe we can show Christ to the people of Syria.
Question #2: Should we allow a specific refugee or family of refugees into our home?
This is a personal question. In a way though, the answer of yes or no are also based on either fear or love. If I base my answer on fear I will never let a stranger in, for what if he kills me and rapes my children? What if he beheads my whole family? Many such questions are asked, and I will not say that nothing of the sort will happen, but I will continue my refrain, "Should our answer be based on fear?" Do I really let a Syrian refugee family into my home? Share our kitchen, our bathroom, our couch, our lives to the point that love is actually shown? If love is the basis of my answer to this question I may do some crazy things. The main objection that I see to this YES answer of mine is that why don't we let American homeless people into our homes. While this is a very serious question, one also has to think through the roots of that person being homeless. I have seen in my own personal life many homeless people being homeless because of alcohol or drug addiction, mental illness, or relational conflict. I work at a homeless shelter specifically for such individuals. The main root of the homelessness of the Syrian refugees is being in a War-torn land. They are homeless, in huge numbers, due to war. There is not a shelter large enough. This is a specific crisis that demands a specific answer. Many will read this and want to post something about fear. If you base your response on fear you only prove my point. Some, maybe a very few, will want to welcome Syrian refugees into your homes. Some have already done it. If the Christian family bases its answer to Question #2 on love, maybe we can show Christ to the people of Syria.
