Refugees

Question/Comment

Do you think Christians have a responsibility with refugees?

Response

It is worth remembering that Jesus was, Himself, a refugee as an infant. The simple answer is yes, we all have a responsibility for the welfare of those around us. But unfortunately, it’s not just a matter of carrying a sense of responsibility, the refugee question is way, way bigger than that! As an individual, I need to be able to provide adequately for those who I welcome into my home. It wouldn’t be good if I invited people to stay at my house but didn’t have enough food or shelter for them. As a nation, we have to face the same issue. How many refugees can Australia accommodate, feed and generally care for? Whatever answer we give, we must take into account our ability to first provide those fundamental things on an ongoing basis for those already living in our Country – if we can’t provide for our own household (nation), it would be crazy to invite others in. Governments have to make those decisions. They also need to consider the risk of “importing” people with evil intent, those who desire to destroy our Nation from within (terrorists etc); so the whole issue becomes very complex. It is an issue for Governments to consider in the light of our ability to cope with whatever number is set as our annual intake.