SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES
Don O’Neill: Jesus would look like a lot of people in Syria
Nov 22, 2015, 7:51 PM | Updated: Nov 23, 2015, 8:28 am
Don O'Neill believes that if Jesus lived right now, he wouldn't be allowed into the US because of the color of his skin. (AP)
(AP)
Of all the hypocritical aspects of the current anti-refugee sentiment, KIRO Radio’s Don O’Neill said the most ironic is that if Jesus Christ was alive today, he wouldn’t be allowed into the U.S.
“Jesus and then those 12 guys who followed him around — most of his disciples and apostles and all that — they looked like a lot of people that you see in places like Syria right now,” he said.
In lieu of the Paris terrorist attacks and threats, Congress is attempting to add strict standards that would keep Syrian and Muslim refugees from seeking refuge in America. Many of the Republican presidential candidates have voiced their concerns about allowing Syrians, and Muslims in general, into the country, including poll-leaders Ben Carson, who called the refugees “rabid dogs” and Donald Trump, who is promoting the monitoring of mosques and even the re-implementation of waterboarding. O’Neill specifically called out Trump, who has stated his favorite book is the Bible, saying that Americans have “whitewashed” the Jesus of 2,000 years ago.
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“If he lived right now and was trying to get into the U.S., you probably wouldn’t let him in based on the color of his skin,” he said. “…It’s interesting that the majority of people in the United States who profess to be Christians, it’s that white Jesus that we profess to follow. There is no white Jesus. He would look like a lot of people in Syria today who are trying to flee the oppression.”
As for the controversy over whether all Muslims are terrorists, O’Neill noted that of the world’s 7.1 billion people, approximately 1.6 billion are Muslim.
“If they were all terrorists, we would be in a lot of trouble right now,” he said.
O’Neill also said he takes issue with American politicians and the media’s “fear-mongering.” He called attention to a video of a blindfolded man standing by two signs, one saying “I am Muslim. I am been labeled as a terrorist,” and another that said “I trust you, do you trust me? Give me a hug.” In the video, dozens of people stop to embrace the man.
“It’s pretty cool to see how people are handling this in Paris and maybe we should follow their lead,” he said.
O’Neill believes the U.S. should focus on bringing in children, mothers and the elderly.
