Does Anything Grow Between a Rock and a Hard Spot?

An entry to my personal journal written on 1 November, 2015.

I see on the news that the world is deep in an immigration/refugee crisis. Now don’t make the mistake of assuming that I am not compassionate towards the plight of these people and their circumstances. I am very aware of their tribulations and I am compassionate toward their care and fate. But I can’t help but think of those receiving nations and the troubles that are just beginning; being overburdened by the needs of these immigrants/refugees. You see, there is a difference in my mind between that of an immigrant versus a refugee. Immigrants choose to leave their native country and refugees are forced out due to war or other tragedy.

There is a lot of talk throughout the world about these receiving countries opening their borders and allowing “uncontrolled immigration”. They are being called racist if they don’t just open their borders and allow free or “uncontrolled” entrance. So many are cowering to this demand to allow them in without being able to care for them. I am really surprised that those people condemning a controlled immigration or entrance can’t, don’t or won’t see the obvious problems of uncontrolled immigration or entrance. No I am not really surprised, just astonished more precisely.

These immigrants and/or refugees come with nothing generally, but the clothes on their back. This is not to say that I am unfeeling toward their plight and what they are escaping from and what they are leaving behind. I recognize their harrowing experiences. I have witnessed many of mankind’s struggles first hand in my own world travels. And their plight has made a profound impact upon me and my love for my brother’s and sister’s and their sometimes horrifying struggles.

As an avowed, converted, and baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I feel I am stuck between a rock and a hard spot.

So here is the rock. There are some thoughts in my mind and feelings in my heart that are creating a moral dilemma within me that I believe many like me may also be experiencing. I want to help and support the needs of these, our brother’s and sister’s. But I struggle when I see on the news of the ingratitude of many of these immigrants/refugees towards their hosts in the European countries or refugee camps they are flocking to. Many of them are single men or traveling without wives and children. Why? Where are their families? Who are they really? What is their motives for leaving their homeland? What is their motive for entering this country? All legitimate questions I believe. Questions that can better be answered through controlled access into the country they are trying to enter. Not to keep them out as much as it is to protect the country they want to enter, its citizens and it's resources.

So how does controlled entrance or immigration protect a country and its citizens? First in my mind is the security of my nation’s citizens and the innocent citizens of the world. Sadly, the world is a place where extremists will do anything to bring harm to those whom they consider to be their enemy. There is no doubt in my mind that these extremists are using the mass exodus of the refugees to plant the seed of their brand of extremism wherever they can land to cultivate it. For those who overlook this very real possibility or refuse to believe it by their own complacency are sure to suffer the consequences. Secondly, it seems obvious to me that the country accepting them will suffer tremendous financial burden in feeding them, clothing them, housing them, caring for their medical needs, and finding employment for them. (Or at least something productive for them to do). All these things I believe an accepting government should do for them in their dire circumstances. But these things are all funded in my country by the taxpayers. It is not free money! However, I believe that those who can, should. So, those who can I feel have a responsibility to help in these tragic situations according to their available resources. So allowing an uncontrolled entrance could completely deplete the resources available to provide for these refugees/immigrants. Then it makes sense to me that a controlled entrance will enable these resources to be planned for and used properly. Not simply thrown at a problem and hope it solves itself.

Now I recognize that most refugees or immigrants are not potentially dangerous to the safety of anyone. I understand they too are the enemies and innocent victims, of those who consider my countrymen and women to be their enemies. Perhaps my years of service in the military, training and preparing to fight a less than obvious enemy, has caused my mind to be jaded. Perhaps my experiences have hardened my heart a bit toward assumed motives of perceived extremists. However, I have been trained to stay alive and I did that during my time of service by being ever vigilant and not letting my guard down. Like Ephesians 6 teaches us about putting on the whole armor of God. I have done my best to do just that, and to remain ever vigilant in the cause to protect myself, my family and my friends from the fiery darts of the adversary. Even from whomever the adversary convinces to fling them for him. It seems, possibly, that I have not yet been able to figure out how to take the armor of the infantry soldier off or tear down the walls I built in order to do my job as a soldier.

So this all leads me to my hard spot. The First Presidency of the Church has released a letter encouraging members that we may contribute to the Church Humanitarian Fund. These funds are used to aid our brothers and sisters throughout the world who are suffering. This letter was released by the First Presidency relating specifically to the refugee crises throughout the world due to “civil conflict and other hardship”. They also encouraged the members to participate in local refugee relief efforts. I was also reminded by an article contributed by the Church News on the LDS.org website, that several hundred early saints in Nauvoo were forced to flee their homes in the dead of winter. They too were refugees fleeing oppression, finding refuge in temporary camps across the frozen Mississippi River in Iowa. I have ancestors who endured this oppression, including the extermination order given by the hand of the Governor of Missouri. These are my ancestors who endured incomprehensible hardships so that I wouldn’t have to.

My hard spot, it seems then is to trust in The Lord. Trust in Him that those who contribute to the relief of our refugee brothers and sisters, if there be those undeserving of this contribution, for their relief, it will be to the blessing of those who willingly gave and to the condemnation of the undeserving receiving it. But that is not for me to decide. Nor for me to worry about. That is the Lord’s work. His responsibility. Not mine. And so to that, I support and sustain The First Presidency in their efforts to serve all the children of our Father in Heaven. I support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in its efforts to provide humanitarian relief to those who suffer. I support the First Presidency in their encouragement of the members of the church to participate in local efforts to provide relief.

I do have a few questions though. These same folks throughout the world demanding open borders, are they also demanding that conditions change or improve within the native lands of these refugees/immigrants? What are these loud voices doing themselves to provide relief? Why is it unreasonable to establish a refugee camp(s) within their own regions, where relief and protection can be provided by and through multinational forces and agencies?