Sobremesa Stories

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Refugees, Batman, And Loving When We’re Afraid

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I’m about to break one of the biggest blogging rules I set for myself when I started blogging: Don’t post about anything political or controversial.

But can I be honest with you all? My heart has been breaking over all the states loudly claiming that they will no longer accept Syrian refugees in the wake of the horrific attacks in Paris.  And even though my platform on this blog is by no means huge, I want to use it to share about things I believe in, things that matter to me and to the world we live in.

Whatever faith tradition (or lack of faith tradition) you hold to be true, I can almost guarantee that somewhere in your belief system it emphasizes the value of human life: not just the value of people born here in the States who share our language and culture, but boys and girls and men and women everywhere.  And friends, the sweet brothers and sisters who share our humanity and our hearts are hurting.

They are starving, hurting, and being tortured and killed by the tens of thousands in the places that they once called home, the places where they watched their children take their first steps and worked to build lives for the people they love.  They are fleeing their homelands because they too are terrified – terrified to lose the ones they love, to see their families suffer and die before their eyes.  They are seeking refuge in our country because their own country is no longer safe.

I know that a lot of the responses saying we should close our doors, build walls, and protect ourselves first come from a place of fear, and that fear makes complete sense.  I’m afraid too, and I think if you aren’t afraid then you aren’t paying close enough attention to what’s going on in our world.

I see the events in Paris and it scares me to know that the people I love are walking around in this world where so many things could hurt them in a given moment.  It is terrifying to know that I am ultimately unable to control what happens to the people whose existence makes my world what it is.  I’m scared to bring our son into this world that I can’t control completely, a world where I can’t protect him from things that might threaten his tiny life I already love so much.

But I don’t know that the answer to that fear is to hide.  I don’t know that the answer to that fear is to shut the doors and say we need to do whatever we can to protect ourselves no matter the cost to other people.

Batman and Magic Buttons

I’m reminded of a scene from The Dark Knight, the Batman movie that shows the attempt of a villain called the Joker to create chaos and evil in the streets of a once bustling city.  The Joker has planted bombs in two large ferryboats crossing the city’s harbor, each boat full-to-bursting with people.  One boat holds “normal” citizens: everyday men, women, and children.  The other boat is full of convicts, former murderers, drug dealers, and people we might say are “evil” based on their choices and life decisions.

The Joker has given the passengers of each boat a button they could press to detonate the bomb on the other boat, killing everyone on the other boat and protecting themselves as a result.  They must make the choice: wait things out and both boats blow up, or press the button and kill everyone on the other boat but (supposedly) protect themselves.  And true to his nature, the Joker predicts that fear will win and the people will renounce their values and kill to protect themselves.

“You see, their morals, their code: it’s a bad joke.  Dropped at the first sign of trouble.  They’re only as good as the world allows them to be. I’ll show you.  When the chips are down these…these ‘civilized’ people, they’ll eat each other up. See, I’m not a monster.  I’m just ahead of the curve.” 

This meme is low quality but captures the idea of it all. (source)

This meme is low quality but captures the idea of it all. (source)

This scene has always haunted me because of the way it ends. As the clock ticks and each group moves closer to their own deaths, they just can’t bring themselves to press the button and blow up the other boat.  People are scared and some of them want to press the button, with many of the civilians voting to do so.  But ultimately,  they can’t bring themselves to knowingly kill all those other people, even though they have been told it’s the only thing they can do to protect themselves.  Something inside them says that they don’t have the authority to declare their own lives are more valuable than the lives of the people on the other boat, and both boats decide not to press that button.

I love this scene because it reminds me that ultimately, we share something fundamental to who we are: our desire to live full, safe, and meaningful lives.  And as much as we want to protect ourselves, we know that other people are worth protecting too.

When situations like the attacks in Paris and the rise of ISIS and are brought to our attention, we desperately want a guarantee that we will be okay, a magic button like the one on the boat that we can press to somehow protect ourselves in the way that so many of our brothers and sisters around the world cannot.  This human desire to protect ourselves and the ones we love is so understandable and I feel that desperate longing too.

Boat In Storm

But my sweet friends, stopping refugees from coming to the United States is not a magic button we can press that will protect us.  Closing our doors to the hurting many to protect us from the evil few will not shield us from the hurt, loss, and death that we fear.

I wish we could control the world and somehow stop the rising tide of evil and fear from crossing the ocean into our hearts and our homes, but in our world, there are no magic buttons. If people want to commit acts of evil and darkness, they will find a way to do it, and surrendering to fear ultimately won’t protect us from them.

There isn’t a magic button that we can press to protect us and the ones we love, and if there were, there would most certainly be a cost to pressing it.  If we do nothing, if we close our doors and hide in our houses and decide that our own supposed safety matters the most, then we know with certainty that many of these people will die.  Like the German, Jewish refugees we turned away in 1939 because our refugee quotas were already met and we feared those refugees might have had some traces of Nazi ideology that could hurt Americans (source), these Syrian (and other) refugees will head back to a world of starvation and death as a bitter winter rapidly approaches.

If we close our doors out of fear, we condemn our brothers and sisters around the world to suffering and death, whether or not that is our intention.

Let’s Get Educated

I don’t pretend for a second to have all the answers, and if I’m honest, this whole situation confuses and scares the heck out of me. What I beg of you is this: let’s fight terrorism by refusing to give in to fear or spread more ignorance, hate, and distrust.  Let’s be wise and do what we can to protect ourselves and our country, but not at the expense of thousands of men, women, and children seeking hope and safety as their worlds are blown to pieces (especially when the majority of those people pose little to no security risk, as this article highlights).

I’m not saying we should let our compassion move us to create unwise policies that put us in danger and don’t consider security.  But I’d also hate for us to let our fear move us to create similarly harsh and unwise policies that put other people in danger when we have the space and capability to help.

Let’s educate ourselves about what the refugee process actually looks like in the United States and abroad (because it might not be what you think).  Let’s learn about ways to support refugees financially, spiritually, and physically and then go out there and DO those things.   Let’s sign the petitions, offer our money and our time and our prayers, use our social media platforms to raise awareness, or offer up our homes to folks from around the world if we’re feeling especially brave and brokenhearted for our displaced brothers and sisters.

In the words of Jeremy Courtney, the chief executive of an organization working in Iraq and Syria in the midst of this crisis, “Yes, the world is scary as hell.  Love anyway.” (source)

I’m scared and I have a feeling you are too.  But let’s stop looking for magic buttons to control and protect our world and instead start trying to love and break down walls, knowing that ultimately, that love is the only thing that matters in this crazy world full of evil and brokenness and pain.

If you’re looking for resources to learn about this conflict, the refugee crisis, and how to help, here are some of my favorite articles and resources from the last few weeks:

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, but keep in mind that this is a place of compassion.  Comments that are mean, hurtful, or meant to attack and wound people instead of discuss ideas will be deleted.  

For more updates and posts, make sure to like Sobremesa Stories on Facebook! I’d love to have you join our community.

Writing this post forced me to break one of the biggest blogging rules I set for myself. But you know what? Sometimes (and for some people), the rules are worth breaking. http://bit.ly/1lwnxYD

Posted by Sobremesa Stories on Thursday, November 19, 2015

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Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing your opinions on this horrific issue and shining light to the fact that we need to be more open during this time. I am all for allowing them into our country, but must admit that I am very ill-informed about much of how the process will work (although I plan on reading up on it soon).

    I believe that when we allow them into our country we should help them get back on their feet, but they should also be required to earn their stay (I am not sure how to put that…). I mainly just don’t want a whole bunch of illegal immigrants coming over, like Mexico, and we ultimately are forced to pay for the rest of their lives. I want to help, but I also don’t want our hospitality to be taken advantage of
    Amanda recently posted…BLOG BOSS: Why You Need to Blog and Be Your Own BossMy Profile

    • Thanks for reading, Amanda! That makes a lot of sense. We definitely need some systems in place to make sure that folks have a way to make a living and reeestablish their lives and jobs here eventually. I think a lot people fear that immigrants or refugees want to come here to just “cheat the system.” While I’m sure that does happen, it isn’t the norm and I would argue that most immigrants and refugees are folks just like us looking to find a safe place to work and build a life for the people they love. Being a Spanish teacher the immigration issue is a hot button one for me, and I definitely think our perspective and understanding of who these people are and where they come from is important!
      Lauren recently posted…Refugees, Batman, And Loving When We’re AfraidMy Profile

  2. Hey Lauren! It’s good to be brave and break the rules every now and then.

    I think that I am in such a minority with many of my sisters in Christ. I truly want to love these refugees and help them. I REALLY do. But I am much more on the side of us going to them. I only have two reasons for saying this: 1) we don’t help the people who are already here like we should, so I struggle with the idea of bring more people over when we haven’t even been helping those right in front of us (myself included).
    2) I equate it similarly to having a family and a homeless drunk with a gun stuffed in his pocket shows up at your door asking for a place to sleep. He may never use that gun, but most parents would (rightly) not let them in their home, especially if they have children. I think it is similar. I’m not saying that Syrians are somehow not worthy of love, I just think we have to be really careful.
    I have already been chastised for this belief, and I know it probably comes across as bad. But I plead with you to know that my heart is full of love for these people, I just see better ways to handle it then bringing them here.
    And ultimately, I think that there is more than one way to think about this and still be thinking Christianly.
    Kevin Deyoung says it well, if you are interested: http://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/kevindeyoung/2015/11/17/immigration-policy-must-be-based-on-more-than-an-appeal-to-compassion/
    And then these stats are why I am concerned:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7TAAw3oQvg

    I absolutely respect your beliefs and see your point. I don’t think you are wrong to believe that way. But I also don’t think that it’s wrong for a Christian to think differently about it, as long as they are thinking through it deeply, prayerfully, and in love for all people (the Syrians and Americans alike).

    Love you girl. Good for you in standing up for your conviction!
    Kristin C recently posted…Identifying the Lies of MarriageMy Profile

  3. Kristin, thanks for the thoughtful response! My heart in writing this was definitely not to make people feel “Unchristian” for having questions, fears, or different perspectives, which is a big part of why I didn’t quote verses or say that it’s wrong to have your objections to this whole issue. It seems like you’ve thought through your perspective a lot and I respect that!

    I’ve heard people say that first point a lot, and to me it sounds like a “straw man” argument, or presenting another argument that seems to be connected to what we’re talking about but really isn’t. I don’t think it’s an either/or scenario. We absolutely must help folks here! But our success our failures in doing that isn’t connected to these questions of immigration. It’s such an important question, but choosing to help refugees doesn’t mean we are choosing to not support folks here. Does that make sense?

    I totally hear you on the second point and love that article you shared! I agree that immigration policy is complex and we shouldn’t just have an “open door” policy because we love people and feel compassion for them. I think more than anything, my fear is that we’ll do the opposite. I see so many people acting out of FEAR, instead of compassion, and arguing we should close the doors to thousands of refugees because there is a tiny risk that they might have some connections to terror (although that risk is SO so small). Creating policy out of fear is on the same page as creating policy out of pure compassion without really thinking through consequences. My hope would be that we would start from a place of compassion and humility and then move to create intelligent, prudent, and safe decisions from there instead of rushing to conclusions. Which pretty much seems to be what you’re saying too. 🙂

    Thanks for the thoughtful comment! You got me thinking so I couldn’t resist a novel response. Grateful for your responding so respectfully and considerately!
    Lauren recently posted…Refugees, Batman, And Loving When We’re AfraidMy Profile

    • Thanks! I appreciate your response.
      And yes, that does make sense. I would just add that the second link I shared makes me think that maybe the dangers are not so small?
      And as far as the first argument, I don’t mean to say that bringing in refugees is saying we don’t support the homeless. Rather, I think it shows that if we don’t have the means to help the homeless and needy here, how will we have the means to help those we bring in? I’m not sure if I was clear enough on that.

      But the great thing is, even with slightly different approaches, we are still people seeking to honor God, and He holds all His children together in the end 🙂
      And you didn’t make me feel un-Christian, but some other people have, so I was just addressing it 🙂
      Kristin C recently posted…Identifying the Lies of MarriageMy Profile

  6. Thank you so much for sharing this! Situations that instill fear are always difficult ones. We fear change and we fear the violence that’s going on in the world, and we allow that fear to make all of our decisions for us. I don’t know what the right answer is when it comes to the refugee issue, but I’m happy you opened a dialogue about it!
    Erin @ Very Erin recently posted…How to Split Holidays: A Newlywed’s GuideMy Profile

  7. This situation is so heartbreaking and I am glad you’re bringing light to it all when others are afraid to talk about it.
    I think everyone’s just scared but there’s no reason for them to be acting like they are even if out of fear.

    xoxo, Jenny
    Jenny recently posted…Link Love Vol. 2My Profile

  8. I’m so glad you broke your biggest blogging rule and wrote this post. Here are my thoughts: You could not be more correct. I get angry and I’m so sick of people being uneducated about the fact that “ALL Muslims” and “ALL Syrians” are terrorists. No. They simply want to escape the Hell they currently are in. The world isn’t fair. Our governor here in Wisconsin is an idiot and just signed off that they can’t come to WI.

    I’m so glad you took the leap and wrote this post. I’d love to see more posts like this in the future 🙂
    Chelsea recently posted…10 Must-See Sights in Washington D.C.My Profile

  9. I came across your blog through the Friday Favourites Link up, and then clicked over to this post, such a thoughtful and articulate post about a difficult topic. I too am having a hard time listening to all of these arguments opposing letting immigrants in. Canada has pledged to bring 25,000 in before the end of the year and the fear mongering that this position has been met with is astounding. In Ontario this week, a mosque was burned down and Muslim women have been attacked on the subway and while dropping their kids off at school. But for all the hate, it has been met with an overwhelming response of love and compassion, including posts like yours. Thank you for adding your voice to that.
    Sarah recently posted…Friday FavouritesMy Profile

    • Wow, thanks Sarah! It really is so hard to read about all the ways fear is impacting us to make scary, hateful choices. It’s scary to enter into that controversial conversation but I’m so glad you share some of my perspectives! Thanks for reading and commenting!
      Lauren recently posted…Mocha Pecan Pie RecipeMy Profile

  10. Wow, Lauren. I’m definitely with you on this. My post on hospitality this week was directed in part towards this issue… and while I can’t tell the United States to do the right thing, I can certainly exhort the Church to rise up. It’s time for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus.