It’s been a while since I last
posted. Now that I’ve finished complaining about my adventures through the
bowels of the NHS, I find that I have little to say that I’ve not already said.
I’ve also had other things going on in my life that have left little time or
energy for pontificating on the internet.
Unfortunately for you, however, there
is now something I want to say.
I’ve spoken before on the subject
of immigration,
but I’d like to touch on it again. It’s still very much a subject in the news
and the public consciousness, whether it be with regards to Brexit and the EU,
or Donald Trump’s rhetoric, the ‘caravan of migrants’ heading through Central
America or the tear-gassing of women and children at the US border.
Last time I discussed this, I
mentioned that some people use their Christianity to justify the exclusion or
rejection of immigrants. This is something that I think bears further
examination, since it strikes me as so very wrong-headed.
“It is not my intention that this
become a political blog”. I’ve said it so often now that I think we must assume
that the lady doth protest too much. It is intended to be a blog of theology
and writing, but any theology that doesn’t impinge on one’s political beliefs
is not worthy of the name. If you think a person should keep their religion out
of their politics, I would suggest that you understand neither. Immigration is,
or has become, a political subject, and where you stand on it dictates and is
dictated by your political affiliations.
I’d also like to touch on the
distinction made between asylum seekers and economic migrants. It’s a legal
distinction, but it’s also a label people use to determine whether a person
deserves to be allowed into a country. There’s very much a sense that we’ll
help asylum seekers because it’s the right thing to do (although often we seem
to do so only very reluctantly), but economic migrants are just free-loaders
coming to take advantage of our economy and culture, rather than staying at home
and trying to make something of their own country. Even in the case of asylum
seekers, you sometimes see comments to the effect that they should stay in
their own lands and fight against whatever horrors they’re fleeing, rather than
turn tail and head for safety. I think in this latter case at least, we can
dismiss it as the unrealistic and inhumane nonsense that it usually is.
Within the discussions on
immigration, the concept of some sort of points system is often mooted, like
the one currently in place in Australia. ‘Migration isn’t bad as such,’ the
thinking goes, ‘but we only want people who can be of use to us, who can
contribute to us and our society’. This makes sense from a purely practical,
economic point of view. What it has in pragmatism though, I can’t help but feel
it lacks in simple compassion. It also feels rather short-termist. The person
who lacks ‘useful’ skills now might very well have them before long, if given
the chance to acquire them.
Throughout Christian history and
Christian culture, the analogy of travel has been used to describe the
individual’s journey through life. “One more step along the world I go”, “A
Pilgrim’s Progress” etc.
However, it is not a pointless
journey. It is not an aimless wandering in the wilderness. It is a journey with
a destination in mind. It is, one might say, a migration. It has a goal, and
that goal is a place and a Person. We are, all of us, travelling towards the
Kingdom of God. Some more slowly than others, it is true, some unknowingly or unwillingly,
but we’re all on the path, and we’re all facing in the same direction, with no
ability to turn back.
The questions is; are we asylum
seekers or economic migrants? On what basis do we expect to be accepted into
our destination?
I cannot truly claim to be an asylum
seeker. True the world is dark and full of terrors, bad enough to wish to flee
from (although I’m well aware that I have been personally exposed to very few
of them indeed). However, asylum implies some legal framework that identifies
genuine refugees and imposes an obligation to take them in. I don’t believe
that God is under any such obligation.
Why do I wish to enter the Kingdom of
God? Why am I travelling there? Do I have any useful skills that the Kingdom
lacks? Can I contribute in any meaningful way to God? Is there anything that He
needs that I can provide? Of course not. On what basis then, do I expect to be
allowed to enter the Kingdom? I am a freeloader, an economic migrant, expecting
unearned rewards. I have nothing to give and Everything to gain. Why on Earth
(or, rather, in Heaven) should I be given it, instead of being turned back at
the border, if not tear-gassed or shot for my temerity?
Despite all this, I am instead taught
that I will be granted a place, if I want it. I have not and cannot earn it. I
do not deserve it. It is not in exchange for anything I can do or give.
Nonetheless I will have it. I am currently stateless, a wanderer, but I have
been promised a citizenship that cannot be revoked, only rejected. The way may
be narrow, but I believe that Heaven has few walls and many bridges. The toll
has already been paid, the entry fee covered. My papers are in order, but the
handwriting isn’t mine.
I am a single member of a vast
caravan of migrants travelling slowly but
surely towards the border, with more joining all the time. Do I dare hope that
I’ll be given admittance when I arrive? Barely, but I am told that nonetheless
it’s true.
Knowing this then, how can I as a
Christian ever consider turning away the traveller to my country? I discussed
in that previous post the specific commandments regarding feeding the hungry,
sheltering the homeless, welcoming the stranger, and doing to the least of
these. That’s all true and well and good, but even if we had not been given
those commands, how can we, knowing what we know and being what we are, turn
our backs on the migrants of this world, regardless of their origins or reasons
for coming?
Some time ago, I concluded that I was not
Charlie. Now,
I have to conclude that I am in fact a migrant. These are my people. I am one
of them and so, whether you believe it or not, are you.
