General News Australian government to prioritise Christian refugees

Tony Abbot exemplifies just how dangerous religion is.

 

You'd think Christians would want Muslims brought in so we can try to win them over to Christ. (Hopefully, the motivation would be love and caring, plain and simple.)

Actually, ISIS attacks and atrocities, even on foreign soil, are no doubt causing many people to resist the idea of bringing in Muslims. I think it's understandable in that sense,
no?

As for the USA, they are the prime target of Muslim extremists, so I can see why Americans might hesitate opening their arms to Muslims. It's the fear factor, though some would say it's logic.

 

What bothers me most about this sort of aversion is that ultimately, it's not logic. Not unless you totally abandon any pretense of value on equality and religious freedom. There could be a hundred overtly Muslim terrorist attacks a day. Sanctions against all of the faithful might be a government-styled bandaid reaction to say they're working on it, and it might even help. But it wouldn't be the complete right answer.

Maybe the solution is pulling back and looking at the kinds of people and upbringings that create extremists. What happens between the innocence of early childhood and ultimate commitment to violence apparently done for their god? Supposing Islam truly is a bad religion, harmful and violent at its core, how can there be largely Muslim countries like Turkey and Indonesia not engulfed in perpetual holy oppression and bloodshed? Despite that signs are pointing to its... density of extremists compared to any other religion, it doesn't add up enough to persecute adherents for that alone.

 

I know what you're saying. However, if you live in a democracy where the people rule, so to speak, and the majority of your people are afraid of being hurt or killed by a few bad apples among those refugees... do you still go ahead and bring in the perceived threat?

Turkey is a secularized country, yet even there Christians and gays have been attacked and even killed by extreme Muslims. Indonesia has huge issues with discriminating against Christians and other minority groups, though they say they have freedom of religion there. It's not on a wide scale though, I agree.

I think it's a fact that many Muslims hate the US, even if they aren't extremists. They've been brainwashed to hate Americans. So, that is the only country I think morally could be excused somewhat for not welcoming in thousands of Muslim refugees.

I guess I see both sides, but still feel we need to embrace them.

As for Christians, there really is no excuse. We need to love and help people of all colours, religions and orientations. If we get persecuted or killed in the process, so be it.

 

Unfortunately it seems Abbot has taken everything he could learn from the Canadian conservative party(which sent advisors to get him elected) and has added his own special dose of crazy.

Thankfully we are potentially on our way to booting them here and ending our military operations in Iraq. Or at least reduce them to a minority government. Hopefully Australia can follow suit soon.

---------- Post added 9th Sep 2015 at 06:38 AM ----------

And to add to a point about our duty to refugees we also have a duty to our allies in Europe and in Canada and the Americans case a formal alliance being NATO we dont want to see them destabilize. The amount of refugees can surely do that. I dont believe Italy and Greece can handle it financially alone and its already shaken the ideals of the EU with Austria setting up border check points again.

 

Muslims won't integrate in an environment where the people are distrustful of them though. Also, let's not forget that not too long ago Europe was a very violent place full of extremism and war. Furthermore, Christianity's past is far from peaceful and includes acts of genocide.

I don't think countries should be forced to take in Muslims if the majority of the people are against it because that will only create more problems. It is a shame that some politicians are exploiting the situation for their own ends though.

 

It's a very, very difficult problem. There are no easy answers. I do wonder why the rich Muslim countries in the United Emirates are not taking in refugees. Could it be because tribal-like animosities would erupt? It doesn't look good on them, nor does it reflect well on their religion, that's for sure.

Question... IF the shoe were on the other foot, would Muslim countries welcome thousands and thousands of Christian refugee immigrants? Answer: Not a snowball's chance in hell!!

Here's the other problem I see. People in the Middle East do not necessarily share our Western values. This includes freedom of religion, gay rights, women's rights.

In Canada, we generally welcome immigrants, but I know there are people from one (small) country we regret letting in. This is because they have known only violence and have brought their tribal grudges and terrible attitudes towards women with them. The result is gangs have formed and there has been a lot of violence in their communities and neighbourhoods, especially in Toronto.

My point? We owe it to our citizens to screen immigrants carefully.

 

It's important to remember that many of the Syrian refugees - more specifically the Kurds - are very secular, and in many ways go directly against the type of life states such as Saudi Arabia try to promote - so I'm not surprised they don't want them - for more reasons than one. Still, that's no reason for us to do nothing - and if the West does a lot to help refugees, that would also improve its image in the region.

Lebanon and Jordan have done a lot though - we need to realise that.

 

Most of the Syrian refugees end up in neighbouring countries. Turkey for instance has taken in over 2 million Syrian refugees and that includes Christians.

Western values have evolved for the better but let's not forget that anti gay laws were introduced by the West nor can we deny the influence of U.S conservative evangelicals in brainwashing people to hate gay people and mistreat women. Christianity has had a very negative impact in many parts of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

I totally agree with you Aussie when you say:
The hypothetical possibility that Christians (implied to be Western, unless I'm very much mistaken) might be rejected by majority-Muslim countries is not a justification to show that same cruelty and indifference.

I'm giving you the common reaction of people in general when they consider bringing in huge numbers of Muslims... hesitation and fear.

I'm afraid an American's definition of a Christian is the right-wing fundamentalist wingnuts which you seem to have more than your share of.