Refugees

Thanks for the information about Eritrea Eloethan. I wonder how many of the "fit young men" who are vilified for attempting to reach Europe are from Eritrea, it's an area that hasn't had the publicity needed to help us understand just how bad things are there.

If the priest knows it's a lie he should not extend forgiveness , but he has to know it 's a lie

Perhaps Blair is sorry but I have close friends who are priests and have discussed forgiveness many times over the years, the priest could ask Blair to express his regret to those who suffered , this would be asking him to say publicly he was wrong , the priest chooses the penance and the sinner has to act on it

Ian Birrell wrote a very moving article in The I yesterday - I can't find the link to post it.

Here are some extracts:

"Eritrea is known as "Africa's North Korea" for its repression, restrictions on daily life and routine use of torture to crush the slightest signs of defiance. The UN has condemned the country's all-pervasive control and systematic human rights violations. .......... The UN in a 500-page report concluded the population is kept in a "permanent state of anxiety and found even those outside the country were scared to testify for fear of repercussions"

"...Meanwhile we witness panicking politicians in Westminster getting ever-tougher towards those termed "economic migrants " or "illegals".

"To understand why their approach is so phoney, delve deeper into the migration statistics ...... Look at the data on Eritreans. This showed just one-third applying for asylum in Britain were given protection between April and June, compared with almost three-quarters in the previous three months. So, given the undiminished intensity of human rights abuses in their homeland, what had changed? Simple: the government moved the goalposts by redifining rules for Eritrean refugees.

"New guidelines issued to civil servants show the Home Office has accepted assurances from Eritrea's ruthless regime that any people returned home would be safe if they signed an apology and paid extra taxes imposed on exiles. [It seems Westminster was only too happy to accept these assurances despite this regime's terrible human rights record and without any way of verifying that those who are forced to return are safe]

"Remember this when politicians talk sanctimoniously about helping "genuine" refugees and defending human rights. Remember this too when they turn fire on "economic migrants" to appease an ugly public mood they have fanned. As the UN says, to use this term in most of these cases is "to ignore the dire situation of human rights in Eritrea and the very real suffering of its people. Eritreans are in need of international protection."

Is a priest allowed to say he doesn't believe him, in the case of Blair, for example?
"It might be better for you if you give all your millions to the poor."
Blair must know that by now. He probably knows there's no hope for him in the hereafter so he might as well build up his wealth here.
I wonder what his children think.

Well a Christian knows only God can forgive , a priest can say ' you are forgiven ' doesn't follow you are if you are telling porkies

I think that is so few for each council, if only they would all agree

bit.ly/ukmedcrisis

To write to your MP to ask Cameron to help more refugees.
From the Refugee Council.

Thank heavens for that.

Only true repentance can be forgiven

I saw that about Yvette Cooper, Iam, and it makes you think. Not many really if spread out among all concerned councils. I think Sheffield started that idea off, and many of the Northern Councils like Hull and Leeds have followed suit.

Indeed it would.

Yes, and that would apply to other religions too.

But then some believe that just believing is enough and your actions don't count.

There are quite a few people who call themselves practising Christians who make me shake my head in disbelief.

The idea of IDS being a practising Christian makes me shudder.
Mind, like Blair, all he has to do is repent and he will be forgiven.

Yes we shall see Ana, I find it rather unnerving at times

Neither do I, but I do think many believe he's going to be the saviour of the Labour Party. We shall see.

Nah Ana , I don't think he is the second coming

Doesn't bother me if Corbyn is an atheist, he is a humanitarian , IDS is a practising Christian , I think R C

Give this one time, Anniebach!

Not wrong, just only one J C managed it

The thread is called refugees, not Christianity, Ana, so I will put my oar in if I like.

I am quoting the bible to show that soon is not as Christian as she thinks. Just because I am an atheist does not mean I do not know anything about the bible. I used to have to sat the Beatitudes every assembly in my school and that was every day as it was a church school. They are seared into my brain.
I am also sure that Anniebach will tell me if she thinks I am using the wrong texts or in the wrong context.

I believe Corbyn is an atheist. Having said that, if I am wrong I am sure you will find out and put me right, Ana.

Is that wrong?

He can do wrong Ana , I doubt he walks on water

Yvette Cooper is suggesting that if each council area offered to take 10 refugees we could accommodate 10,000. That would be a start wouldn't it. I'm not suggesting that all should be welcome, no matter how many and I make a distinction (as does Yvette C) between economic migrants and those fleeing the war in Syria.

Figure of speech of course, Anniebach. It does seem that in some posters' eyes JC can do no wrong...