I allow most things to roll off my shoulders…I can turn the other cheek and go on in with my life. But this time I cannot. I want to voice how I feel.
The nativity scene is sacred to me. It is a reminder of the hope I have in this sometimes ugly world. I have never felt anything but peace when I look at it, until last night.
Picture this: the nativity scene with these words printed on it, “Don’t forget to hate refugees as you set up your nativity scene. Celebrating a middle eastern couple desperately looking for shelter.” Oh people thought this Facebook post was hilarious. Me, not so much.
Hate. Christians hate the refugees? I do not know one single person (christian or non christian) who hates the refugees. The ones who do not want them in our country are feeling fear. Fear and hate are two very different things. The fear and wanting to protect their loved ones is not a product of their religion…but of all the scary things happening in this world. Sometimes fear clouds the larger picture.
When I first heard about the refugees coming here I felt immense fear. I didn’t want them here. It wasn’t until someone posted something on Facebook, something honest and tactful, that I saw the larger picture. I am a very sympathetic and sensitive person, but I too had a hard time seeing we should open our country to the them. It had nothing to do with hate.
I love my family and the thought of a terrorist sneaking into our country scared the you know what out of me. That was all I could see at first. I wanted to protect my home above all else. I now see we need to help others regardless of the fear we feel. It is all because someone pointed it out in a kind way. I am not Jesus and sometimes need to be reminded of what Jesus would do in a particular situation. I will always strive to be more like Him…and yet I will never fully get there. None of us will.
With all that is happening in the world, can’t people take the high road and show some respect for sacred things? Why is it okay to try to further separate people? That is all that post accomplishes. If you feel people are misinformed than there is a better way. We can voice our opinions, our hopes, our fears, and our beliefs respectfully. I would never ‘spit’ on something someone holds sacred. No one should.
It just makes me sad.
Through the Stillness 
2 responses to “All in a Facebook Post”
I wanted to come back and respond to this. First off thank you for doing it! (This is why I do not do Facebook, too many strange, strange people on it!) 🙂 I was on it for like five minutes once and I had over a 100 people wanting to be my friend. The hermit I am thought, “That is too many “friends” for anybody. Shut it down and never went back!
I wanted you to know though, when I first heard about the refugee’s I felt the same way you did at first. Fear, how many can the middle class carry on our backs as far as tax dollars etc… I even had anger issues with it also. My greatest anger was when France got hit and our President said, “This was an attack against all humanity.” My thoughts were, “Well what about the Boston Bombings, those in Oklahoma who had their throat’s slit, Fort Hood, where it was called a “work related incident.” All of this was called “radical Islam” not an “attack against all humanity.”
It took a few days, and I realized I am a child of God, and I had to let these thoughts and feelings go. I did my best to walk a mile in these people’s shoes, who are truly running for their lives. I would be the same way, getting myself, family, and most of all children to the safest place I could.
There are many changes taking place in the world today. I will admit, many changes I do not like nor care for at all, but…. As a child of God I have to see the face of Jesus in every human being. If I do not, then I can no longer call myself a “child of God,” can I? Good post and God Bless, SR
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I have learned to be very picky about who I add as a ‘friend’ on Facebook. Even still, I have always had a very diverse group of people in my life and many of them are not Christian. I love and respect them despite of their beliefs or lack thereof. It does seem in the last year people are more comfortable posting things against christians. It isn’t easy and I have deleted some people who have taken it too far. I have my moods where I take a break from Facebook and I think I am reaching that point now…
I appreciate your comments and honesty with how you too felt the same about the refugees at first.
God’s blessings!
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