The argument that “Jesus was a refugee” in support of allowing refugees into this country with no regard to proper vetting, or as an argument against a temporary immigration order, is spurious at best. As a line of reasoning, it might appear as though there is some legitimacy to the argument, but the argument is truly not valid at all. Some points to consider as you try to make the comparison:
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were warned to flee because Jesus’ life was in danger, yes, but also to fulfill prophecy. God was perfectly capable of protecting Jesus and his family in Judaea, but He sent them to Egypt, to soon return, and to fulfill prophecy.
Joseph was told by the angel that they would only be in Egypt temporarily. This was not intended to be a permanent situation from the outset. They had absolutely no intention of staying in Egypt. None.
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were a family of three; not part of thousands and thousands who were fleeing. Pretty easy to properly vet three.
Through the wise men from the east, God provided for Joseph and his family the means by which they would be sustained. They wouldn’t be living off the Egyptian government while they were there. They wouldn’t be living off of anyone or anything else, other than what God had provided them.
Joseph and Mary and Jesus were not from a country known to be producing terrorists who had declared war against the people of their foreign host country. They weren’t friends with their neighboring country but there hadn’t been any jihads declared either.
Throughout the entire “refugee” experience of Jesus and Mary and Joseph, God was leading them, providing for them, and protecting them. It is truly not an equal comparison with the situation we face today.
What we CAN learn from Jesus is wisdom and compassion; for example, what he taught his disciples – be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. With respect to the refugee crisis, we need wisdom out of our leaders, while we as individuals seek ways to show our compassion for these people. The two are not mutually exclusive. Wisdom regarding national security is the primary responsibility of the federal government. Let the federal government do its job. Compassion is one of the primary responsibilities of the individual. Let’s not assign one the responsibilities of the other. It doesn’t work well.–By Elder Matt Jordan–Feb. 13, 2017
