Ian Tuttle‘s latest column at National Review Online explores the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis on fundamental American principles.
Conservative Christians are sometimes inclined to believe that the dictates of their faith and of their politics perfectly align — or that they can, if the right leader is at the helm. It is, of course, not so. The Kingdom of Heaven and the various kingdoms of Earth do not always fit squarely together; religious and political commitments frequently duel, and are forced to negotiate messy compromises.
In the case of Syrian refugee resettlement, loyalty to the practice of Christian mercy may well require accepting more risk than is comfortable to a citizen not bound by the same commitments. But that is something non-Christians may have to accept in the interest of upholding a constitutional order in which religious exercise is protected. At the same time, welcoming the stranger cannot entail an open door; Christians seeking to fulfill their religious obligations may have to do so in a way that makes concessions to political realities.
These interests will be impossible to balance to everyone’s satisfaction. At some point, perhaps, faith-based organizations could be resettling enough refugees to provoke genuine concern. But Texas, which has taken in more Syrian refugees than any other state in the Union except California, has still settled just 250 over the last five years — a rate of four per month. Even if that rate were doubled or tripled, would it be enough to justify curbing millions of Americans’ First Amendment rights?
These are the situations we like to forget exist: Politics encountering problems that have no solutions. The best we can do is exercise humility and thoughtfulness, and manage. In Texas, managing should involve a little less strong-arming from government officials, a little less garment-rending from religious leaders, and a little more good faith on the part of everyday citizens — who, at the end of the day, can either welcome Syrian refugees and make it possible for them to become neighbors, or reject them out-of-hand and ensure that they don’t.
