What We Can Agree On

My Facebook feed is filled with arguments going back and forth on the debate of the United States accepting Syrian refugees following the terrorist attacks in Paris. It can be increasingly tempting to unfollow those who are taking the viewpoint opposite of your own or simply to tune it all out altogether. In times like this, I think it can be helpful to step back and consider if there are areas we can work together even as we may have to agree to disagree on certain important matters.

Here's the thing. Regardless of whether you think the US should accept refugees or not, the fact remains that there are millions of Syrian refugees who have been forced from their homes and neighborhoods as a result of conflict and violence.  For the moment, suspend the debate about whose fault it is and what the correct geopolitical response should be and simply respond respond at the personal human level. 

What are you going to do about it?

Perhaps it would be helpful to be reminded of this:

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?  He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii [worth two days wages] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?  The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him. 

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Want to go and do likewise?

Here are two 4-Star Charity Navigator rated charities working to help these refugees: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/ and  https://www.convoyofhope.org/. Send one of them a donation. If you don't like those organizations, choose another. Here's a list. And if by chance you agree with what I would consider to be a fallacious argument that we should not help foreign refugees because there are homeless vets in the US, then give to help them. Here is a list for that. 

(If you are more of a video person and have 15 minutes, watch this modern retelling of the parable.)