Why does Susan take issue with racism yet find utter contempt of Christians acceptable? Christian groups are doing more than anyone to help refugees who get accepted to stay here.

As an atheist I do NOT appreciate your trying to pander to theological guilt to advance your cause, thankyou Susan.

In my opinion, "liberal" Christians feeling everyone in the country owes refugees a haven are little different to the right-wing ones that feel we don't deserve the right to control our own bodies (not that this is exclusive of the 'right wing').

Anyway, absolutely allow refugees in quickly (as you said, we can do it for plane arrivals) if their character checks out , they are deemed likely to integrate and their boat wasn't sabotaged. But on suspicion of the contrary or suspicions they may be a threat to the public I feel any country is justified deporting them.

I think this simple principal should be how our refugee system would work.

In short, I find a country accepting and denying who it wants in the interests of its own citizens well-being to be a basic fundamental right, and if we can't live up to an agreement signed arbitrarily on our behalf under a politician whose party barely scraped 40% of the vote, the right thing would be to remove our signature.

And our politicians can leave their faith at the door- they're supposed to work for their people, not their gods.

Actually it is a bit superfluous to use the old furphy Christian values in this argument. Christian values are subject to interpretation and variance as you can see with runner's views compared to those Christian groups who have assisted refugees for some time. Christians are not a homogenous group and like any group of human beings do not all think the same.

Some Christians may argue that it is un-Christian to allow illegitimate unverified asylum seekers into the country at the expense of genuine asylum seekers. It is all subjective and diverts from the real issues.

To honour this agreement while at the same time addressing population sustainability, some planning and forethought would go a long way in ensuring adequate skills training to obviate the need for skilled mirgration. Education and training for refugees who may otherwise find it difficult to find work could add to the skill-sets.

Governments don't like to lose control of their borders - it is electorally unpopular. It is expensive and difficult processing asylum seekers particularly where there is often lack of identification and where many are found later not to be genuine.

Asylum seeker fraud and fear of terrorism also adds to the problem for genuine refugees. Lawyers also profit from this trade, drawing out cases, governments copping the flak for the delays in processing.

Rhian,

As an agnostic, I do not believe anything that is in the Bible.

I can only repeat my belief that religion of any kind has no place in the laws and mores of any secular society.

So there is no point in telling me I'm wrong, any more than there is any point in me telling you that you are wrong. It's all a matter of opinion.

Dear Grim,
Jesus Said that your own words would justify or condenm you. I never said innocent people are condenmed what I said was if you break the law you are subject to the law.
Meander I never said that christians should not have compassion or that it is illegal to seek asylum. Read what I said again until the understanding comes. Obey Australia's immigration law and you are not subject to the penalty for trying to circumvent the law.

Too right Leigh- I think anyone trying to hit people over the head with variations of the "but Jesus wouldn't endorse your viewpoints" might have to focus their lame tactic on a very small audience indeed!