Has The Pope Got It Right?

[Khandro]

Pope Francis has likened Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem to the migrations of millions of people today who are forced to leave their homelands for a better life.
Is this a fair comparison?

[Khandro]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/pope-francis-christmas-eve-mass-a8127816.html

[jim360]

The scales of the two are, perhaps, somewhat different.

[Old_Geezer]

Up to a point a movement of folk is much the same as another. But didn't Mary & Joseph return home after filling in the census ? I don't think they stayed for a better life in someone else's homeland.

[Khandro]

OG; They were actually returning to their family birthplace(s) for the purpose of the census, I fail to see any analogy, or understanding of reality.
The main reason so many Africans are living in poverty is through the explosion of the population, and yet he is opposed to birth control; another contradiction, like opposing Trump's wall while living cloistered inside the Vatican.

[Peter Pedant]

he also mentioned herod
who chased them all over Egypt as I remember
so yes

PS I think the Pope may have re3ad th3e Bible more recently than you

[Old_Geezer]

As I understand it, they were returning temporarily having already settled elsewhere, so had they stayed after the census they would have migrated a second time. Then they had to flee Herod's soldiers so hurried back home again.

[Old_Geezer]

It's his conclusions one questions. But as he's infallible ...

[Gromit]

// The main reason so many Africans are living in poverty is through the explosion of the population //

Nah.

[Zacs-Master]

Yes, a profound misunderstanding of African politics. Now, if the word had been ‘exploiting’........

Anyway what’s that bloke in the pointy hat pontificating for anyhow?

[Khandro]

PP //he also mentioned herod
who chased them all over Egypt as I remember//

All that stuff was made up by Matthew, there is not one single report of any mass infanticide, written by any contemporary historian. If true it would surely be something worthy of comment. So perhaps he should read some history, as well as the bible.

[benhilton]

The Independent report isn't a great summary of what the Pope said . This is the text from the Vatican website :
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/urbi/documents/papa-francesco_20171225_urbi-et-orbi-natale.html
I think Mary and Joseph's fleeing to Egypt with Jesus is a better comparison to today's refugees that the journey to Bethlehem .