Tony asked to interpret for Jesus:
Asked what Jesus would do on the issue of asylum-seekers, [Tony Abbott] replied: “Don’t forget, Jesus drove the traders from the temple as well. This idea that Jesus would say to every person who wanted to come to Australia ‘fine, the door’s open’, I just don’t think is necessarily right.”
That’s a fascinating comparison – those profiting from others by indulging in usury and money-changing in “the house of God” are comparable with the desperate seeking refuge.
Blessed are they who have privileges and refuse to share them with those who have nothing.
But what would I know. Perhaps some Christians might enlighten me – is that really your interpretation of Jesus and his reported message?
Moved On 
And having tartly responded with such confidence on what Jesus would do with asylum seekers to australia, he then told Tony JOnes he didn’t feel comfortable answering questions about religion when the discussion turned to the priests abusing kids.
Abbott’s just a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ kind of religious person. In other words, a rolled gold hypocrite.
Abbott’s political aspirations are obviously more important to him than his faith.
yeh i agree, the comparison to money lenders seems totally nonsensical.
theres hundreds of verses in the bible about helping the poor and needy… how are asylum seekers not in this category?
Some simple questions on this issue:
In your view do we make the decision to accept any claimant on pure compassion or are we permitted to be at all discerning about the veracity of their claims?
If we find that their claims do not meet our criteria for entry what then?
Do you think that any should be sent back?
We accept any claimant who is a genuine refugee. Almost all the asylum seekers over the last few years have been found to be genuine refugees.
And we don’t imprison them in the desert in the meantime.
You all love Refo’s but you dont want them living next door to you.
Speak for yourself. I have no problem with refugees next door at all.
In your view do we make the decision to accept any claimant on pure compassion or are we permitted to be at all discerning about the veracity of their claims?
No asylum seeker is deemed a genuine refugee based purely on compassion.
If we find that their claims do not meet our criteria for entry what then?
Applicants who do not meet the criteria for refugee status are not approved and are returned from where they came.
I’ve noticed you peddling such ignorant questions at PP. Do you actually know anything about this issue at all? No wonder you are so afraid of asylum seekers: ignorance breeds fear.
Jeremy
do any refugees actually live next door to you?
Confessions
If you would send any failed claimants back I would be surprised, But glad to see that you at least realise that there has to be some limits.
“do any refugees actually live next door to you?”
No. I bet none live next door to you, either.
Isn’t that odd, since apparently we’re being “swamped” with them?
Maybe the fear campaign has exaggerated their numbers, hmm?
If no refugees actually live next door to you then how on earth can you be so sure that you would have no problem with them?
Many pieces that I have seen and the ones that I have written myself have been focused upon the bullshit line sung By Rudd that his changes to the policy would not make any difference to the numbers taking to the sea in leaky boats, more than a hundred leaky boats prove what a crock those claims were.
Actually, I have no idea of the heritage of the people who live next door at the moment, but in one of my previous dwellings the family who lived next door were refugees from a country in Africa – I forget which, and don’t want to get it wrong – and we got along fine.
Fuck that NIMBY shit.
Iain, you might want to check which Prime Minister of recent years had the largest number of actual people arriving on boats. If increased numbers= direct result of policy, what have you to say on that?
Hint: it starts with H and ends in Oward.
And again, statistics for dummies: Correlation does not equal Causation.
If you would send any failed claimants back I would be surprised
Why?
Keri
There is no need to get your knickers in a knot, I was just pointing out that Jeremy’s claim that I have no problem with refugees next door at all. was just a bit of rhetorical nonsense.
As for boat arrivals during the Howard years do you have a citation for that?
How on Earth is it “rhetorical nonsense”, you patronising buffoon? I’m quite serious – I have no issue with living next door to refugees.
You don’t live next to any refugees, either, so by your logic how could you have a problem with the idea?
according to Abbott, the “parable of the mustard seed” also justifies the British monarchy and budgie smugglers.
what do you mean you dont see the connection? its a true story, bro…
Iain, your argument with Jeremy is not my concern. The fact that you cannot look at figures without distorting them is my problem with you. You do not understand what the numbers you’re throwing around mean.
The 300,000 figure you’re quoting? Is wrong. Scott Morrison’s figures include Long term visitor arrivals, which include foreign students, who ARE NOT migrants. That figure, if you take the last year we have public data for (2005), is almost 50% of total arrivals described as migration arrivals. Morrison probably knew he was being deceptive when he used an incorrect figure. You, on the other hand, just haven’t looked at the data behind that figure, have you?
If you want a more in-depth look into it, I recommend you read this post, which looks at the data from the ABS over a longer period, and explains the different types of arrivals, and which are actually immigration arrivals.
There’s also the fact that although the number of boats has increased, the number of people ON those boats is far less than the peak during the Howard era.
If you’re arguing against higher numbers of refugees, and not “leaky boats”, then if you’re trying to correlate the “increase”, you’re looking at the wrong year. Try 2005.
Seriously, Iain. You might want to have a look at the numbers you’re tossing around. And the data behind them.
The 300,000 figure you’re quoting? Is wrong. Scott Morrison’s figures include Long term visitor arrivals, which include foreign students, who ARE NOT migrants.
And Iian’s already said he doesn’t have a problem with them because they “do not actually end up staying permanently anyway”, so naturally we would expect Iain wouldn’t want these people included in the Liberals dodgy counting.
I lived next door to some Sudanese refugees for a few years. Very quiet people, never had a problem with them. The can’t be said of some of the Australian-born yobbos I’ve lived near over the years.
How on earth do I know if people who live near me are refugees or not? They come from all over the world.
When I lived in melbourne in the 80s, not only did we live next door to refos, we used to go up to the migrant hostel (now its a detention centre I think) in Maribyrnong and round them up to come play cricket.
I live next door to a well to do Australian couple who insist on complaining about absolutely everything. They also have a dog that never shuts up.
On the other hand i have a few friends who are refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan who we have dinner and watch the footy with etc and are really great people. I wish they were my neighbors instead of those other assholes.