There's no reason you can't claim to be a good Christian and a racist too.

Take the KKK for example, or a century of black slavery in America or the notion that black skinned people are hereditary bearers of a curse.

That's the beauty of it being "all things to all people" - you can twist it to justify anything you like and still claim to be righteous.

As for it being a potential election issue, it should be one of the things that should NOT be. How can you argue the merits of compassion in a healthy society without it becoming a mere financial or philosophical matter?

Shadow Minister: << one of the most moronic "mother hood" statements I have heard in a long while >>

It's not a motherhood statement, it's a policy statement. Australia has moral and treaty obligations to accept genuine refugees, therefore we must honour them. The same doesn't apply to economic/skilled migrants.

Under recent governments we have allowed our education and training infrastructure to decline to the point that we apparently have 'skills shortages' that never used to exist. According to some, the preferred resolution to this problem is to import skilled workers, rather than training those who are already here.

I don't agree with that. I guess that makes me a moron too.

There are 2 paradigms at play here and one IS the high moral ground and the other is the usurper who convinced the world that he is the legal custodian of the high moral ground. You Never see life through the paradigm of good and evil. Where is the power source found, only in the life paradigm. Many years ago we passed a policeman on the road with a speed gun and he was writing out a ticket for a fellow motorist. My little son asked me why I never get pulled up by the police. My answer astounded me in its simplicity "Son if you don't break the law you are not subject to the law". If the asylum seakers follow Australian immigration law they would not be subject to the perils of lawbreakers. So it is not adhereing to christian values by being a lawbreaker.

Ah, so in the context of showing compassion to refugees (even treating them like 'neighbours') using quotes from the Bible is 'deceitful'.
What pray, would be an honest use of bible quotes?
So far on this thread I have counted at least 3 atheists in favour of treating refugees compassionately, and 2 Christians in favour of turning their backs on their 'brothers'.
Funny ol' world, innit.

Ritchie 10, when Jesus defended the adulterous woman, he didn't claim she was innocent of the crime she had been accused of; he simply said: "He who is without sin, cast the first stone".
When asked which is the most important Law, he said, love your God with all your heart soul and mind, and the second law is like it.
"Love your neighbour as yourself".
I don't have to believe in the first part to see the wisdom in the second part, Runner, so where is the deceit?
If you believe the first part but not the second, you deceive yourself.

Richie 10 it is not illegal to seek asylum. We have obligations under the refugee convention and to uphold international law. These people have not broken laws and they are not criminals, it is only crimnal to punish them or treat them badly. You are not going to be sent back to die if you get a speeding fine and your astounding simplicity is naive if you think that justice will always comes from the law anyway. What lengths people will go to find an argument to justify treating people badly. I hope you will not be treated so badly by others when you need help.