Few things make my eye twitch like people using the Bible to justify a political agenda. They’ll pick and choose verses that make it seem like their way is the way that God wants it to be, usually after laughing at Christians for following God’s commandments in the first place. It’s bad when a leftist tries it, it’s worse when a Christian does.

This is usually the same crowd that likes to say Jesus is a big government socialist. He’s not. He’s really, really not. They also like to say that taxation is somehow in line with Christian charity, and they couldn’t be more wrong.

Last night, someone attempted to get me to fall in line with a cause using biblical arguments again, on a subject I’ve been more than vocal about in the past, and I want to put this to bed once and for all.

The charity du jour in question is the hotly contested situation surrounding the Syrian refugees, and whether we Americans should be so inclined to take them in. When the question first arose, Christian blogs and leftist sites everywhere were on the subject in the blink of an eye, talking about how the Bible is very clear on the answer. They all seemed to agree on the question of accepting the refugees. It was an emphatic, and no questions asked, “yes.”

Verses were thrown around left and right. Deuteronomy 10:19, Leviticus 19:33-34, Matthew 25:35-40, and Hebrews 13:2 are all pretty clear on how you treat people seeking shelter. So case closed, right? Christians should just sit down, lean back, and feel good that they’re doing God’s work by letting the refugees march on in?

Maybe it’s the filthy protestant in me, but I’m feeling a little Martin Luther on the subject here. Seems to me the Bible isn’t as gung-ho on the subject as leftists, and some Christians, might believe. To me, I’m seeing something of a “Choose Your Own Adventure: Bible Edition” in the arguments. Thing is, welcoming these refugees into the country isn’t charity. It’s not even wise.

Firstly, I’m not sure that bringing in refugees constitutes charity. You’re not funding the refugees personally, you’re relying on taxpayer dollars to fund their aid, food, housing, etc. Since this is our taxpayer dollars, and not charity out of your own pocket, you lose the Biblical ground about charitable giving.

Secondly, I find the proclamation that bringing these refugees in is the Christian thing to do, is said by people who have zero intention, or wish, to bring these refugees into their own homes. They’re fine with the problem being relegated to areas they’ll likely never be in, but I hardly see anyone falling over themselves to care for the refugees personally. Again, we’re not seeing charity, we’re seeing people offering up someone else’s money, to house people they’ll never meet, in a place they’ll never see. This is “charity” that asks nothing of the person, but their vocal approval.

I’m sorry, but forcing others to pay so you can virtue signal isn’t going to please Jesus, and by the way, Jesus had some words about that kind of “charitableness.” It doesn’t look at all good when you’re essentially grandstanding about charity you didn’t even give. If you’re going to help these people in any Biblical sense, then by all means, invite one into your home to live. Feed them, clothe them, pay for their medical bills, etc. Something tells me a vast majority of people would suddenly stop feeling so charitable.

And this is for a good reason. These refugees are dangerous. I’ve highlighted just how dangerous they are multiple times in the past, so I’m not going to go into detail here. You can just click on the links in this paragraph.

Not that I need to point a lot of this out anyway, reports of rapes, riots, and unprecedented levels of crime caused by the refugees are consistently coming out of Europe. Just looking at the Cologne New Years Eve footage makes these refugees seem more like an occupying force than victims of terrorism.

These refugees are likely to be a serious threat to the safety of the American people, and I don’t just mean the ISIS operatives posing as refugees. Many muslims fleeing their countries overwhelmingly support Sharia law, which is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity and western values. The problem is bad enough, that certain countries have ceased accepting migrants.

That said, there’s a 3 tier system given to us in the Bible when it comes to charity. I detail it here in this article, in the “Tax is not charity” section. 1st Timothy 5:8 says that “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” These are pretty harsh words, Biblically speaking, but “family first” is the message you’re to come away with. Second is charity toward the church, and coming in third is others.

With the dangers of these refugees being so apparent, how does the Christian square bringing them in with the safety of his family? The migrants are raping people from women to little boys, and yet, we’re still okay with the idea of putting our families in that kind of danger in order to feel Christian? I don’t see anything about that looking Christian at all. Taking in refugees, in full knowledge of this danger, looks to me like charity at the expense of your family.

The fact that many Christians want to help these refugees is admirable, and there’s not fault in withholding charitable giving if you know said charity will only lead to trouble. Philippians 1:9-10 says…

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ Jesus.

Get that? We’re to be discerning in what we do, and how we utilize our love. If it means opening the door to danger toward your family or neighbor, then you’re not being very insightful. Matthew 10:16 says we are sheep among wolves, and we’re to be as wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. If our decisions bring about the wolves, then I think we’ve completely thrown that verse into the dirt.

There are better ways to help. Sending food and water on your own dime is one. Looking into alternative plans other than aid, is even on the table. Putting pressure on nearby Muslim states to accept them is also a great idea. If you wish to host a refugee in your home, and use your own dime to prop him or her up, that’s fine, but that’s on you. I hope you’re wise about who you give the key to your house to.

Point is, jumping up and proclaiming immediate willingness to give these refugees whatever they need, no questions asked, is a foolish move on any Christian’s part. It may look like you’re being charitable, and you may look like a caring soul in front of your social media audience, but all you’re doing is okaying a burden for someone else, and inviting a very real danger to sidle up next to innocents. It’s fake virtue that could get others hurt.