Next, where the Sirens dwell, you plough the seas; their song is death, and makes destruction please. – The Odyssey of Homer Book 12, Translated by Alexander Pope
According to ancient Greek mythology, the Sirens were enchantresses who, by virtue of the sweetness of their songs, lured unsuspecting sailors to their death.
But it is not from the Greeks that we fist lean the lesson that appearances can be deceiving. In Genesis, the Bible tells us that Eve brought the curse of God upon her by eating the forbidden fruit, which fruit she took from the tree in the midst of the garden. Scripture tells us the tree appeared to her “pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise.” Likewise, Proverbs teaches “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” In the New Testament, Jesus warned his disciples “Take heed that you not be deceived.”
Clearly, deception was a serious problem for the human race in times past. And a cursory glance at the daily news confirms it’s still very much a problem in times present. I say all this by way of introduction to the topic of this short post, refugees. Specifically the Roman Church-State’s teaching about the supposed rights of refugees and the obligations these rights imply for the citizens of the host societies.
I was prompted to revisit this topic by a headline in today’s local paper, which blared “Pastor: ‘Jesus Was A Refugee.’ ” Later in the article, the pastor is quoted as saying “The main reason I’m here [at a rally held at the Cincinnati airport on behalf of refugees and Muslims] is because Jesus was a refugee.”