Would Jesus welcome weary war refugees?

I remember a compassionate, loving, “Let the children come to me,” “least of my brethren,” Jesus.

These are qualities conspicuously absent in the arguments of many wanting to bar refugees, many fleeing the same monsters we’re fighting. We’ve been here before, “Keep out the Catholics and Jews; round up the Russians and Japanese; I’m sure there’s a threat in there somewhere.”

There may be, or maybe, there’s another Albert Einstein, Anne Frank or kind neighbor. Of the multitude of potential dangers in life, are we keeping this one in perspective? The ugliness of the rhetoric implies that this is about more than just security concerns.

There is calloused indifference directed at families escaping war, terror and tyranny, judging of people by what they are instead of who they are, condemning the group for the acts of individuals. The more outrageous the anti-Islam remarks, the louder the cheers.

These messages alienate and marginalize. It’s behavior we’ve always looked back upon with embarrassment. The vast majority of American Muslims are loyal, hard-working, law-abiding citizens and allies against radicalization.

Sadly, we still live in a time when preying on peoples’ fears, anger and prejudice by attacking immigrants and religious minorities is politically advantageous. Not even orphans, really?

This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Would Jesus welcome weary war refugees?."