Conservative Christian Leader Blasts Anti-Refugee Rhetoric, Calls For Compassion

[njtom]

A strong bravo to Russell Moore, Southern Baptist leader:
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Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that he was shocked by the "overheated" rhetoric being employed by high-profile politicians in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.

"Donald Trump is saber-rattling about shutting down mosques in this country, which, as somebody who works every day on religious liberty, I'm astounded that we could have a presidential candidate of either party speaking in such a way," Moore said. "Evangelicals should recognize that any president who would call for shutting down houses of worship ... is the sort of political power that can ultimately shut down evangelical churches."

Moore was also critical of candidates like Ted Cruz who are now arguing that the U.S. should only accept Christian refugees from Syria, not Muslims.

"I don't think we ought to have a religious test for our refugee policy," Moore said, adding that a rigorous vetting process could still make room for innocent Muslims. "We really don't want to penalize innocent women and children who are fleeing from murderous barbarians simply because they're not Christians," he said, though he added that persecuted Christians in the region haven't received enough attention from the U.S.

Moore is an influential figure in the evangelical community, and frequently goes to bat for religious social conservatives in the national media. His comments come as many Republicans are studding their campaign stump speeches with calls for a crackdown on Syrian refugees and arguing that the Paris attacks revealed how ISIS will take advantage of Western countries' generosity.

But while conservative voters generally agree that national security must come at the cost of aiding Syrian refugees, polls suggest evangelicals are split on the issue.

Moore suggests the divergent attitudes come from Christ-like compassion — and an evangelistic spirit.

"Our Muslim neighbors are not people we want to scream and rail at — we don't want to demonize our mission field," Moore said. "I think that the evangelistic missionary impulse of Christianity that sometimes seculars present as nefarious actually is what grounds evangelicals to see individuals not as issues but as persons."

"Every person may well be our future brother, sister in Christ."

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins...-c#.kikPx8aw74

[Femme*]

I certainly don't want to scream or rail at anyone.

But, I'd prefer to have neighbors who didn't want me dead merely because I refuse to adopt their religion.

[Pentecali]

He is shocked? In lue of what has happened in Paris, it is not shocking at all. In fact, I think people are finally acting rationally.
The extremist are not singing Kumbaya and they are out to kill us, rape our children, take people as slaves etc. THEY said this!
we have a right and a responsibility to keep this people out of our country.

Some of our leaders is acting like there's no problem

I think our leaders have been rather reckless with our security concerns

[Farm Truck]

they are out to kill us, rape our children, take people as slaves etc.

Well, they can't kill me... I've done all the dying I'm going to do!

[Pentecali]

Well, they can't kill me... I've done all the dying I'm going to do!

your soul, no. Your life, yes

[Farm Truck]

No, actually they cannot kill me.

I would share how, but I'm not sure folks are ready for that, so I'll keep it under my hat.

[Pentecali]

folks are not ready? .. mm ok

[Farm Truck]

It's hard to believe for most folks... they'd just want to argue and say I can't actually live the long life God promised me and they would say things like "you never know what God's gonna do", or things like "we aren't guaranteed another day on this earth, you could croak at any moment".... and other various and sundry lies from 'ol slewfoot.

[Pentecali]

It's hard to believe for most folks... they'd just want to argue and say I can't actually live the long life God promised me and they would say things like "you never know what God's gonna do", or things like "we aren't guaranteed another day on this earth, you could croak at any moment".... and other various and sundry lies from 'ol slewfoot.

You've never lived to see a Christian God fearing saint taken in their prime?

[Farm Truck]

You've never lived to see a Christian God fearing saint taken in their prime?

Yes, and I've spent a lot of time seeking the Lord's answer for WHY He promised the righteous a long life with satisfaction yet we see some die before their time.

The answer is in God's Book!

It was not God that "took" them since He's not out whackin His children... He's not the godfather like you see in the mob that whacks people He loves.