NOM

So we have a SP who was born and bred in Holland, but lived in the UK for 15 years.
He returned here, to become SP a year later.
He is Anglicized, and knows little of Dutch customs, laws etc.

So he hatched a plan to help "refugees" from Syria.
The bishops received an email on Fridaynight.
We got it on Saturday, with the request to donate old winterclothing on Sunday.

SP would bring it to Dunkirk/France on Monday while underway to the UK.

I wrote him a note, commending his good heart, and asking him several questions.

1. Are you aware that these are only so-called refugees, who illegally entered the EU, bypässed the ofiicial asylum-canals
2. Are you aware that the camp is unrecognised by the French Government, and only condoned by the weak-hearted mayor of Dunkirk
3. Are you aware of the fact tha the Church wants to follow the laws of the land.
4. Considering the conflict between points 1+2 and 3 do you think it´s wise to proceed
5. Do these people need winterclothes, 99% wants to go to England, why do we not provide them with dinghy´s, lifevests, swimwear etc. etc.

The mail did not go over well.

I sent it to all bishops, stakepresonnel and RSP´s in the stake.
I might have stepped on a few toes here, but I can not be bothered anymore.

We accept refugees in, try to help them, and how do we get thanked.
By attacking Christmasmarkets in Berlin, Mass-rapes in Cologne, Massacres in Nice, Paris and Brussels. All of this in the last 12 months.
And here we have an SP who says: Help them???

For the first time in 15 years we skipped our weekend in Germany in December because DW feared a Muslim-attack, and she was proved right 2 days ago.

I am angry

RANT /OFF

This is a really crazy period of time. We all hope the best for your family and have nothing but admiration for how you are shining a light on some practices that need to change. Good luck going forward.

Good job for speaking your mind, M.

The refugee crisis is a really tough situation. It's easy to sit here in Arizona and hear about these events and attacks. It's another matter when you live in the middle of it.

I think the SP has good intentions, but rather misguided. I don't fault you in the slightest for maintaining proper judgement.

It's really hard to see the suffering this has created, and it's really hard to deal with the aftermath.

I'm happy your safe and sound. Have a Merry Christmas and may God (whatever he is) sway the cosmos to return some peace to this earth.

It reminds me of the need to figure out how the best way to help is, before actually "helping."
IE: The church packs up and donates tons of used clothing to various poor countries.
It turns out that many small clothing shops in these poor countries have gone out of business because they couldn't compete with "free."

The combination of ideas of refugees and terrorists is sad for those genuine refugees in desperate need of a safe haven.
It's also sad that the majority of Muslims are getting a bad reputation because a few extreme people who call themselves Muslim are killing in the name of Islam. I've talked with several Muslims since 9-11 and all of them have said that those terrorists are not true Muslims because Islam doesn't teach them to do that. An Islamic lecturer told me that "Jihad" actually means to struggle (not with nonbelievers as is commonly believed) but to struggle with God - and with the negative side of us. He quoted that scripture where Jacob wrestled with God.

Meilingkie, I hope you and your family are fine and that you navigate your way through all of this well, with reason and intuition/spirit.