LDS Church issues statement on immigration issue

[pam]

ksl.com - LDS Church issues statement on immigration

[Hemidakota]

Excellent point Change.

[falds]

not really much of a statement...

22,700 killed in Mexico drug war since 2006 - World news - Americas - msnbc.com

this is on the US border:

55 bodies recovered in old Mexican silver mine

What does that have to do with the LDS Church's statement?

[pam]

The statement was made before the the Governors meeting on illegal immigration. It was a statement meant only to remind law makers that they have to have the best interests of all involved in mind. Nothing more.

Adding anything more to their statement is taking it beyond the bounds of what was meant.

[falds]

Here's an interesting article with various viewpoints: Mormon Church Under Pressure on Immigration - New America Media

[pam]

Very interesting article.

[hordak]

Here's an interesting article with various viewpoints: Mormon Church Under Pressure on Immigration - New America Media

Sure are alot of typos. This article makes the same mistake that many do on this subject by referring to those against ILLEGAL aliens as "anti-immigrant "

Calling them "anti immigrant" activist is like calling those who oppose theft selfish because they will not share.

It is an appeal to emotion, to "soften the issue" and make those opposed seem more evil.

I have never met anyone who was opposed to immigration. It's the breaking of the laws, the ILLEGAL part they don't like.

[Wingnut]

Sure are alot of typos.

Where's the irony smiley?

[falds]

Very interesting article.

Yeah I learned a lot. For example, I didn't know Harry Reid was LDS.

This article makes the same mistake that many do on this subject by referring to those against ILLEGAL aliens as "anti-immigrant "

Calling them "anti immigrant" activist is like calling those who oppose theft selfish because they will not share.

It is an appeal to emotion, to "soften the issue" and make those opposed seem more evil.

The article actually used the term "illegal" more than it used the term anti-immigrant. And both sides are guilty of playing on emotions.

I thought the article was middle of the road... showed both sides of the issue. I have to admit that I don't like the idea of activists trying to influence the Church on way or another.

[MarginOfError]

Which question in the temple recommend interview asks us if we obey the law of the land?

[Wingnut]

Does it fall under being honest in our dealings with our fellow men?

[Just_A_Guy]

Which question in the temple recommend interview asks us if we obey the law of the land?

Aww, snap. A whole new world of possibilities is opening up, right before my eyes!

Edited July 21, 2010 by Just_A_Guy

[MarginOfError]

I also think we're missing a lot of the complexity that is felt by individuals who have emigrated illegally. The Proclamation to the Family declares that parents are responsible for providing the necessities of life to their children. So let's hypothesize that a father and mother are living in poverty in Mexico, and their best hope at providing the necessities of life is to illegally emigrate. What takes priority, your family or the laws of the land?

It isn't an easy question, and one I'm thankful I don't have to answer. But I think we should be careful not to unilaterally pass judgment on those who are in the tragic position of having to make such decisions.

[chasjohn]

Does anyone know how 2 Nephi 1:6 applies to today's immigration debate? " 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall anone come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord."

[hordak]

Does anyone know how 2 Nephi 1:6 applies to today's immigration debate? " 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall anone come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord."

Wouldn't apply if you buy the LGT theory presented by FAIR and FARMS. They should be going south, if their trying to get the BoM lands.

[chasjohn]

If we consider verses 7 & 8, it seems to be talking about the 'nation' of USA

[Wingnut]

If we consider verses 7 & 8, it seems to be talking about the 'nation' of USA

I can see how you would get that, but I think it's somewhat of a stretch, especially considering that it was 500-something B.C. at the time.

Does anyone know how 2 Nephi 1:6 applies to today's immigration debate? " 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall anone come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord."

That makes me think of something I shared in another thread:

I served stateside but in a heavily Hispanic populated area and I was a Spanish-speaking missionary. Another missionary in my mission once asked our mission president -- very vaguely -- about the immigration issue, since in my whole mission I think I could count on one hand the number of people I met and taught who came here legally. Our mission president said that he believed that the was still the promised land, and many of those who came here did so for the purpose of hearing the Gospel preached to them, whether they knew it or not.

I suspect that my mission president's thoughts stemmed somewhat from that verse.

[Moksha]

Do any of you see this statement as an admonition for the Utah State Legislators to dial down the rhetoric used by their Arizona brethren?

[Suzie]

One of the issues I have concerning illegal immigration and the Church is leadership. We have Bishops and even Stake Presidents who are illegal immigrants who have the authority to interview others on matters of worthiness, including honesty.

[Matthew0059]

Do any of you see this statement as an admonition for the Utah State Legislators to dial down the rhetoric used by their Arizona brethren?

For someone who so loudly proclaims that the Church and politics should be separated, you're surprisingly often the first one to make ties between the two- or at least to assume the Church is acting partisan or (politically) ideologically. Edited July 26, 2010 by Matthew0059

[Matthew0059]

One of the issues I have concerning illegal immigration and the Church is leadership. We have Bishops and even Stake Presidents who are illegal immigrants who have the authority to interview others on matters of worthiness, including honesty.

I'm curious to find out where you get this information- that some Bishops and Stake Presidents are illegal immigrants.

I know that 'the Church' was in the habit of sending illegal immigrants on missions, but I was unaware of illegal immigrants being ordained to leadership positions.

[Wingnut]

I'm curious to find out where you get this information- that some Bishops and Stake Presidents are illegal immigrants.

I know that 'the Church' was in the habit of sending illegal immigrants on missions, but I was unaware of illegal immigrants being ordained to leadership positions.

I don't know about bishops and stake presidents, as Suzie said, but I've personally known branch presidency members and elders' quorums presidents who were illegal immigrants.

[Matthew0059]

I guess the question is, then, whether these men called as leaders were A) honest about their immigration status, and B.) were doing what they could to fix said status.

If the man called to be a leader was an illegal immigrant, and was doing everything he could to "fix" that (I have no idea how he would do so), I could see that not being an issue with the Lord. I think I've said before that I have almost zero understanding of the naturalization process- only that it seems to have gotten very complicated (especially for Latin American immigrants).

Edited July 26, 2010 by Matthew0059
Removed the smiley...

[Wingnut]

I think I've said before that I have almost zero understanding of the naturalization process- only that it seems to have gotten very complicated (especially for Latin American immigrants).

It's complicated. It's intricate. It's expensive. It takes a really long time. Here's one person's own experience with it: Feminist Mormon Housewives What it takes to be 'legal'.

(I don't read FMH -- I found the link from another site and thought it was really great.)

[falds]

Do any of you see this statement as an admonition for the Utah State Legislators to dial down the rhetoric used by their Arizona brethren?

The rhetoric in Arizona is interesting - and I don't believe it reflects the attitudes of most Arizonans.

The results from a comprehensive poll were released today. 55% of Arizonans support the new law, with 36% opposing it.

What's interesting is that 62% of Arizonans favor allowing illegal immigrants with no criminal records to stay here (amnesty), with 31% in favor of requiring them to return to their country.

It looks to me like most Arizonans that support the bill aren't necessarily racist.

For those of you that don't know, one of the reasons that so many people consider the bill racist is that Russell Pearce sponsored it. Forwarding emails from a white supremacist organization's website and associating with Neo-Nazis will color any bill he writes that affects any minority group (no pun intended).

One of the issues I have concerning illegal immigration and the Church is leadership. We have Bishops and even Stake Presidents who are illegal immigrants who have the authority to interview others on matters of worthiness, including honesty.

I read an article that stated the LDS Church doesn't questions it's members on their immigration status, which makes sense to me as they are not a Government organization. I don't have a deep understand of callings, but I thought members were called of God, or from God. So, if illegal immigrants are being called to serve, wouldn't that suggest that God doesn't necessarily believe that their illegal status is immoral? Some things that are immoral aren't illegal (abortion), so isn't it possible that some things that are illegal aren't immoral?