Refugees and Immigration: What does good look like?

[mike]

I would like to influence the narrative around immigration.

How would you like to do this?

Talking with people, treating immigrants around me with respect so others can see it in operation, pointing out (in a calm way) the beneficial history of immigration, work on learning a language spoken by immigrants...

I like all of that. I don’t see that as trying to influence government policy or exert any sort of control over the issue.

[barnhart]

How would you like to do this?

Talking with people, treating immigrants around me with respect so others can see it in operation, pointing out (in a calm way) the beneficial history of immigration, work on learning a language spoken by immigrants...

I like all of that. I don’t see that as trying to influence government policy or exert any sort of control over the issue.

If you change the way people think, you won't need to do the other stuff.

[JohnH]

If you change the way people think, you won't need to do the other stuff.

Why would you want to change the way people think to make them think that immigration is necessarily good?

[JimFoxvog]

Why would you want to change the way people think to make them think that immigration is necessarily good?

Why would a Christian want to reduce hate and prejudice?

[JohnH]

Why would you want to change the way people think to make them think that immigration is necessarily good?

Why would a Christian want to reduce hate and prejudice?

Someone not wanting more immigration does not mean they engage in hate and prejudice.

[Soloist]

Why would you want to change the way people think to make them think that immigration is necessarily good?

Why would a Christian want to reduce hate and prejudice?

Someone not wanting more immigration does not mean they engage in hate and prejudice.

No, but it seems fairly clear that certain opinions often come in clusters.
The other obvious problem is that people don’t agree on what hate and prejudice even is.

[JohnH]

No, but it seems fairly clear that certain opinions often come in clusters.

Isn't that a bit prejudicial on its own?

For example, perhaps someone has an opinion there should be less total immigration, but that the immigrants who do come in should generally be treated better (fair wages, more certainty about their future visa status, lawful employment instead of paid under the table, and so on).

[Bootstrap]

Hate and prejudice do exist.

Spreading hate and prejudice is bad. We should work against that. Sometimes people want to say we cannot even name the problem. That's a red flag.

Hate is something people do. Spreading ugly stereotypes about other people is something people do. It's the kind of thing that goes viral on the Internet. The Algorithm loves it. It's very corrosive to society and to the church. "Fight the World Christianity" often relies on this.

And it hurts refugees, immigrants, and other vulnerable people.

"Love Your Neighbor" Christianity focuses on ministering to people and protecting the vulnerable.

[JohnH]

Hate and prejudice do exist.

Nobody has said they don't, as far as I can tell.

Spreading hate and prejudice is bad. We should work against that.

I think we would all agree on that.

Sometimes people want to say we cannot even name the problem. That's a red flag.

Are any of these people here with us in the forum now?

Hate is something people do. Spreading ugly stereotypes about other people is something people do. It's the kind of thing that goes viral on the Internet.

Okay, but is that happening here on MennoNet? Is anyone here engaging in it?

Drinking to excess and driving drunk is also something people do, but we don't talk about it much on MN because it's not something that people here do (so far).

The Algorithm loves it.

The algorithm isn't here, though. If you want to campaign against social media, Internet news sites, and so on, you would find good company with plain Anabaptists who ban those things.

And it hurts refugees, immigrants, and other vulnerable people.

Or perhaps you could just say that it "hurts all kinds of people". I don't think it is somehow superior if it only hurt citizens, residents, and wealthy, powerful people.

"Love Your Neighbor" Christianity focuses on ministering to people and protecting the vulnerable.

But Love Your Neighbour Christianity isn't the same thing as adopting the platform and policies of political parties which aren't even Christian and take up lots of anti-Christian, anti-Love Your Neighbour stances.

[Bootstrap]

But Love Your Neighbour Christianity isn't the same thing as adopting the platform and policies of political parties which aren't even Christian and take up lots of anti-Christian, anti-Love Your Neighbour stances.

On that, we agree completely.