For me its the only subject in modern politics I can think of where a moral answer is'nt certain.
Without directly focusing on the precise economic figures Australia spends I am interested in more of a morality discussion on the subject. My previous stance was that we should help them where we can, but this is as vague as our current policy.

Obviously the major questions are how much can we spend on processing them? How many can we let in? How do we choose which ones to enter and what can we do to prevent them? etc.

But what I think should be the first question we have to ask is should we go out of our way to help them, when we still have our own problems locally with homlessness and equality etc. Are we ignoring our own suffering youth and poor to help people whose own countries should be helping them.

Yadda,

That's not my understanding of Islam. Muslims generally seem happy in Turkey, Malaysia and the world's largest Islamic nation, Indonesia. Please explain how you claim to know all that.

newtown_grafitti wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2012 at 10:54pm:


He knows because he read it on Jihad Watch. Yadda, here is another site you should visit occasionally. They are Baptists. They share similar religious ideals to yours, but they show a great deal more compassion than you do. While I don't agree with all articles on this site, they do attempt  to introduce more balance.
http://baptistsocialissues.com/

An older article on boat people. Much of it still applies today:

http://baptistsocialissues.com/boat-people-facts-fictions-and-faith/

Yadda wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2012 at 1:01pm:





Pure evil.

"The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) rejected or closed the applications of seven Afghan Christian families...."


"An Afghan Christian widow and three of her daughters were denied refugee status by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in New Delhi for the second time last month, and currently face imminent deportation to their home country where they could face imprisonment for apostasy and a potential death sentence."

Your friends ?



The United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the United Nations Human Rights Council are bodies that are essentially ISLAMIC 'forums' today, in the United Nations, and are being used to promote what are essentially ISLAMIC religious doctrines, within their areas of influence and authority within the United Nations.





muso,

Why are countries like Pakistan and Egypt NOT criticised within these United Nations bodies, when members [especially the children] of religious minorities resident in those two ISLAMIC countries are being routinely and incessantly persecuted, abducted, raped, and forcefully converted to ISLAM ?

muso,

Why are countries like , not speaking out in the United Nations and its forums, about the constant persecution of members of religious minorities in many ISLAMIC countries ???

I would have thought that that [i.e. speaking out about the human rights abuses, against minorities that is happening within the societies of United Nations member states] would have been a priority for a nation like ???







Google;
christians rejected as refugees

Google;
christians, in muslim countries rejected as refugees

Google;
religious minorities, in muslim countries



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Human_Rights_Council#Members




Hey muso,

I am not the only one who my God will judge.



Job 13:14
Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
15  Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
16  He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.

newtown_grafitti wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2012 at 10:08pm:



Of course not.

You are forgiven.

muso wrote on Dec 24^th, 2012 at 10:51pm:


muso,

I am like everyone else [on this journey].
I have a physical aspect [i must live in this physical world].
And i have a spirit aspect [i recognise that there is a spirit realm].
And i am influenced by each aspect.

And i have come to believe that my primary purpose in being here, is to learn to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong [as 'defined' by God].

And those things in the physical, which influence us, are not all bad.
And those things in the spirit, which can influence us, are not all good.

Q.
If a person could differentiate between right and wrong, would he/she seek to be influenced by the 'world' which man has made ???
Or, would that person seek a more 'worthy' influence, upon his character ?




muso,

'...I caught a glimpse of,  did have a marked tint of fiery orange as opposed to a pure white heavenly glow.'

Fire, a fiery orange ?

Sometimes after reading bible passages, a 'picture' or an insight will develop in my mind, and i begin to understand [or maybe imagine?] how things will play out.

I wish that i understood better, what is coming upon men.   [....in any case, i have no authority to reveal it.]

I believe that a true 'understanding'/knowledge will be revealed, eventually [and simultaneously], to all men.

Suddenly all men, all of mankind, will have knowledge of God.

Please believe me, my God is able to do that, to instantly impart that knowledge of himself, to all.

And when that moment comes, some will be joyous, and some of us will be very fearful.


Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

Hebrews 12:29
For our God is a consuming fire.



Quote:



Yes, anger.
Sometimes it is an anger directed inward, which turns into sorrow and repentance [in my heart].
And sometimes it is an anger i direct outwards, if i feel that is appropriate. [i.e. i make a choice]

But God is [and will be] the judge [of others], not me.

Yes, avarice.
I am, and i have been, a selfish person.



I am a spiritual 'creature', yet, i inhabit this physical form [this body, this clay 'temple'], and at this time i am 'imprisoned' in this world.
And yes, in every waking moment in this body, i am influenced by the things of this world, to some extent.

I told you previously, believe that i am going to be judged, by my God [my creator].



Hey muso,

Q.
Why would God choose to forgive me, for my mistakes ?




Psalms 78:37
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39  For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.


Psalms 32:2
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.


Psalms 25:8
Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10  All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11  For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
13  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Yadda wrote on Dec 22^nd, 2012 at 11:33pm:


Obviously they arent the minorities there.

SOB

Yadda wrote on Dec 27^th, 2012 at 2:01am:


Well that's cool. I wouldn't want you to lose your faith. From a selfish PoV, I enjoy talking with people who have different views from myself.

A lot of posters on OzPolitic would benefit from doing just that.

You know, I heard something quite funny on the radio on the way home. There was a Bangladeshi living in London. Some person unknown to him on the underground asked him "Why do you people all hate us so much?"

He replied "We don't". He explained that probably 20 years ago "you people" would have meant Pakistanis or Indians, but from 911 onwards, it meant Muslims.  He added "By the way, I'm an Atheist, but that wouldn't have meant anything to him (the guy who asked him the question".

It makes you think