This week, as part of my critique of Israel’s behaviour towards its Palestinian neighbours, I made use of the biblical command that teaches us that, unlike the attitudes that we are currently witnessing in the Middle East, we should love our neighbour as ourselves.
But this appeal, found in both the Old and New Testament, to act with compassion to those who are outside our own in group, is not meant to be heard just by those who embrace the Judaeo-Christian belief system, because it is, of course, a version of the so called ‘Golden Rule’ that is found in many of the world’s religions and which is generally accepted as a valuable guiding principle by those outside of any faith community.
And so, before we adopt an air of complacent self righteousness and congratulate ourselves for not, on the one hand, being involved in terrorist activities against Israel or, on the other, complicit in war crimes against Palestine, we need to consider our attitude to those from overseas who are seeking, in our country, shelter from the oppression that they are experiencing in theirs.
That their arrival brings challenges that will need to be addressed is, of course, without doubt, but just as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue endlessly on despite all the talk of peace, so too do we still hear from those who speak disparagingly of refugees and asylum seekers in a way that, even if isn’t overtly racist, is almost always ‘refugee-ist’.
By which I mean that they are speaking negatively of those in need, not as a result of having any personal knowledge of them, or indeed their situation, but simply because of the genuine pressing needs that they undeniably have and inevitably, and not unreasonably, bring with them.
And that simply isn’t good enough.
For whilst it might be convenient to fall for the illusory correlation, that results in acts that occur rarely being perceived, because of their salience, as more common than they really are when carried out by members of a minority group, the truth is that ignorance of out groups too often results in them being disliked and mistrusted more than is in any way justified.
Or put more simply: to tar a whole people group with one brush because of the actions of just one individual is wrong.
And since to do so is unjustified, it is, because it’s also hypocritical, unworthy of those who are quick to condemn the unjust acts being carried out currently by those on either side of the conflict in the Middle East.
But it’s more than just unfair – it’s unloving too.
And as such it’s a behaviour that is similarly unworthy of any who call themselves a Christian, a Jew, or a Muslim, any who call themselves a Hindu, a Buddhist, or a Sikh, any who call themselves a Shintoist, a Zoroastrian, or a Confucian.
And it’s also unworthy of any of us who, considering ourselves to be part of the human race, like to be considered in any way humane.
Related posts:
To read ‘On the crises in the Middle East’, click here
To read ‘On not being heard’, click here
To read’Deal or no deal’, click here
Some musings 