Cultural critic Albert Mohler says conservatives are mishandling the immigration issue by fixating on internet rumors instead of addressing the real and urgent challenges that an influx of immigrants poses to cities.
“Frankly, conservatives are dealing with incompetence,” Mohler said on the podcast. Briefing “There's a lack of truth, openness and candor about what's going on here,” he said, referring to claims made Monday by Republican candidate Donald Trump and his allies that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating dogs, cats and pets.
He said Christians “have to develop an instinct to discern where things are coming from — the ability to ask yourself, 'Is this trustworthy? Is this true?' We don't want to make judgments based on things that aren't true.”
“There are no police reports to back this up, and no Springfield resident has said their pet suffered such a fate,” Mohler, president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, added.
Mohler said the national debate over stolen pets is distracting from a larger problem: Springfield had about 60,000 residents before the influx. Between 12,000 and 20,000 Haitian immigrants have settled in the city seeking jobs, but also putting a strain on city resources.
“Let me be very clear: There is no city in the United States that can proportionally handle this kind of influx without serious problems, especially when you consider the culture clash,” Mohler said. “Everybody should feel sorry for this town. Everybody should feel sorry for everyone involved.”
Mohler said the federal government “made decisions that will impact the state of Ohio and our local communities beyond what our communities are able to handle.”
“My goal is to help Christians understand how to think about these issues and distinguish between truth and utter nonsense, and frankly, everywhere you look there is utter nonsense,” he added.
Mohler reflected on his own childhood experiences growing up in Pompano Beach, Florida, in the 1970s, when his family and church were involved in helping Haitian refugees.
“What is the responsibility of Christians? I think Christians in my hometown responded appropriately by setting up missions and reaching out to people, but honestly, the culture clash was enormous,” he said.
Mohler said the majority of Haiti's population is “involved in syncretic practices of Roman Catholicism and the ancient practices of Voodoo.”
Mohler said the mainstream media is wrong to ignore the core of Springfield's problems, but he said Christians must base their debate on the truth.
“This cannot be based on anything that a reasonable person would take as authoritative,” he said of the pet meme.
“We're not just concerned about the impact of a large influx of Haitian refugees in our small town in Ohio,” he said, “we're also concerned about the Great Commission, how we use our influence to reach all those who can be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Mohler said Trump needed to stop making sensational claims and address the “immigration issue.”
“I would argue that Vice President Kamala Harris is extremely vulnerable on this issue. There is great room for debate,” Mueller said. “We need to address those debates. Voters need to know what those debates are.”
Photo credit: ©Facebook/Albert Mohler
Michael Faust He has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years, and his work has appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star and Knoxville News Sentinel.
