Gully Foyle explores what ancient fables and Christian teachings can still teach us about the dangers of blind compassion in modern migration policy.
When I think about the complexities of the migration crisis currently affecting the Western world, I am often conflicted, reflecting on two tales from my childhood that still resonate with me today: the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) and the fable of The Scorpion and the Frog.
As a Christian nation, many of us were brought up on the teachings of the Bible, even if only indirectly.
The morals and lessons it teaches have permeated the Western education system for centuries. So even when our children attend non-religious schools, the teachings still come through in other forms. It should come as no surprise, then, that although I doubt many of my generation can cite the chapter and verse of the parable, few are unfamiliar with its lesson: show mercy to your fellow man, if you wish to enter Heaven.
But I was also taught, as a child, to be wary of strangers, and from stories such as The Scorpion and the Frog (a modern retelling of an Aesop fable, predating the Bible), I took the lesson that showing kindness to someone who wishes you harm can ultimately lead to your downfall.
I strongly believe that we are all born equal – that each one of us is uniquely designed, gifted in some way, and born a blank slate. Outside of any genetic limitations, we all have the potential to become whatever we want to be. But that is only true at birth and in early childhood.
We are all products of the societies and communities in which we are raised. It is no coincidence that belief in a particular religion is more common in nations that practise it, and more likely among the children of those who teach it. We all know this. There is nothing new in that observation. So it should not surprise us, for example, when those who claim asylum from nations with very poor women’s rights themselves exhibit a low regard for women. It should not surprise us that those from places where what we consider child abuse is common may go on to commit child abuse.
So, what is the modern-day Samaritan to do? If you take the words of Jesus as laid out by Luke, you should show mercy to those who seek it, even if they may wish you harm. To do otherwise could imperil your place in the afterlife. But many of us in today’s secular Britain are not practising Christians, and might barely be considered Christian-adjacent, so what should we do?
If we were to take the best parts of the teachings, perhaps we could find a middle ground. Maybe the solution is to verify that those seeking help genuinely need it, and to tailor the help offered so it both meets their needs and protects ourselves and our families from harm.
There is another telling of The Scorpion and the Frog, called The Scorpion and the Turtle. In this version, the scorpion commits the same betrayal, but the turtle is protected by his shell and quickly ejects the scorpion. Perhaps the UK should aim to be more like the turtle, and less like the frog.
By Gully Foyle.
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