by Julia Sundstrom

How come the Bible is overlooked until the very moment, it can be used against its believers? Recently, you may have seen a newer debate going around social media or on news mediums tabling an idea; does pro-life really mean pro-refugee?

All of us hold highly valuable and intelligent opinions no matter an individual’s stance. These are a collection of stories from students and myself around Colorado Mesa University. All of us stand with different political opinions or hold different religious ideologies. Despite those differences we are all are cut from the same cloth: humans.

Ryan Schoephoerster is a CMU student. He belongs to the Republican Party and Christian faith. He stands pro-life and unsure about his qualifications for supporting refugees. Schoephoerster said, “I am kind of playing the devil’s advocate for the conservative side of things, the non humanistic, the people that are accused,” for devaluing the life of both babies and refugees.

“That’s a really tough thing because both lives matter equally. You can’t just disregard people, but to be fair a lot of those people are still alive whereas babies are literally being killed; to me, that’s a bigger deal,” Schoephoerster said.

“I think what Americans are not doing well is helping these people out like they should. For a blessed and prosperous nation. That’s our duty to help them out, but I don’t think that’s necessarily our government’s duty to help them out.”

For myself, I am a follower of Christ; to others, I am perceived as a goody-two-shoes, judgmental and a hypocrite. I am a Republican; I am labeled as a racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic and islamophobic. I am a friend to all people no matter their race, sexuality, gender or religious beliefs. I am pro-life and pro-refugee. Despite our differences, we can stand in solidarity.

I know and fully believe with my whole being that the Bible is true when saying, “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Maybe that’s what we, as Americans, need to do first. We all need to love our neighbors despite our differences because, in all reality, if we can’t love our neighbor then how we will love and welcome a refugee? If we can’t love the addict next door or the homeless down the street then how can we support a family of refugees who need a home and job? If we can’t adopt a kid in our community and country then how can we bring hope into lives of orphaned refugees?

Our change needs to start here between you and me. I want to fix that estranged relationship. I want every individual feeling valued. My American dream is different. I want to see the homeless, mentally ill and addicts off the streets and getting what they need.

You are right. People are correct. If an embryo matters then a refugee’s life matters just as much. I urge you to think about how many of our people in our country need some saving from poverty, hunger, unemployment or homelessness. When will we feed the hungry and thirsty people currently in our country? Where do you suggest they go?

If all lives matter from embryo to Syrian refugee then where and when will we prioritize the 564,708 (National Alliance to End Homelessness) homeless strangers living in our country that is hungry, thirsty, sick, imprisoned or whatever hell they are living in. Those lives matter too. All lives matter; yours, mine, the unwanted baby, the homeless population and refugees.