Mormons initiated protection on aliens

The Washington Times ^ | 11-28-05 | Stephen Dinan

[JZelle]

The Mormon church arranged for a Utah senator to write a law to shield churches from prosecution for knowingly allowing illegal aliens to be ministers or do volunteer missionary work for them. Kim Farah, a spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released a statement saying the church asked Sen. Robert F. Bennett, Utah Republican, to sponsor the provision, which she called a "narrow exception to the immigration act." "The law permits churches to use the volunteer services of their undocumented members by insulating the churches from criminal sanctions for doing so," she said. She said she would not answer any further questions, including why the church needs access to illegal alien volunteers. But now the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says it wants to revisit the provision and Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, has introduced a bill to repeal the exception. "It removes an important legal tool for law enforcement and at the same time allows groups that would do us harm to legally conceal and transport people whom they know are in the United States illegally," Mr. Tancredo said in a letter asking Mr. Bennett to undo the measure.

[Phantom Lord]

Being smart, smart, smart, smart, smart, I am in that 3.7%

[GovernmentShrinker]

Because he's already here, and is volunteering to serve as a missionary. And most likely they wouldn't have really known if he was illegal when he joined the Church. And assuming they found out in the course of processing him into the missionary program, the reality is that sending him elsewhere would potentially separate him from his family permanently (his parents/siblings -- he was almost certainly not married when he served a mission), since he'd have trouble getting back in -- he wouldn't want to do it, and the Church does NOT want the publicity of having a returning missionary caught sneaking into the US illegally.

I'm not saying it's right for the Church to do this, but very practical, and no doubt quite common. If you know much about the LDS Church, you'd know that the idea that the Church would engage in undercover trafficking of illegal aliens into the US for the purpose of having them serve as missionaries here is simply preposterous.

[Grig]

"The point is... He was sponsored by the Church to serve a mission in Pennsylvania. This granted him access to the United States. "

He would have entered the USA legally and the Church would have arranged for his return as well. (same as for me when I served a missioin in the UK) He either fled before he was to be sent back, or he snuck back in later on.

"He recieved no help from the Church (as he assumed he would.) "

What the article says is that he hardly goes to church and makes no mention of his asking for help from the Church. He put his faith in Labor Commission and THEY let him down. Even still it's no excuse for murder.

LDS Bishops do their best to see that members aren't left to face trials like his alone, but the onus is on people needing help to ask for it. The church is not at fault here, some church members seem to be, but not the church.

[GovernmentShrinker]

With the exception of certain acts involving children (who are deemed legally unable to consent) that's pretty much where current constitutional law stands. Otherwise illegal drugs have been approved for use when part of an organized religion's rituals. The Amish have been exempted on religious grounds from paying into Social Security, and from sending children to school past 8th grade.

[Jeff Head]

There are RINOs and some liberals in the LDS church...some of them in prominent political positions. But I was not speaking to them, I was speaking to the membership as a whole and to their conservatism as referenced by the laws and life styles in those areas where they are predominent as I indicated above. There are also a lot of other Republicans who are not what I would deam conservative.

Irrepsective of differences you may have with particulars of their Christian tennants, you, I, and everyone else who supports and defends conservatism as it relates to the constitution should recognize ourselves as allies in that fight.

[Jeff Head]

Amen to the Porper Role of Government! E.T. Benson was a great man, a great Christian leader, and a great, patriotic American. God continue to rest his immortal soul.

[GovernmentShrinker]

LDS apostle J. Reuben Clark (after whom BYU's law school is named) was also clear on basic conservative principles. He uttered one of the most concise summaries of the dangers of socialism that I've ever heard, and I have it framed and displayed in my home (and I'm not connected in any way to the LDS Church): "No man is politically free, who relies upon the state for his sustenance."

[colorcountry]

The article appeared in the LDS Church-owned Deseret News.

I would not expect to see allegations that his Church bishopric let him down. I would also not expect to see a slant that would show the Church in any negative light.

Perhaps I am being naive.

[Grig]

"Why would the LDS allow an illegal immigrant to serve an LDS mission here in the US?"

A) because serving a mission will be a great blessing to the missionary and many others

B) because the immigrant has a testemony of Christ and a desire to serve

C) because the immigrant was brought into the USA as a child and is not resonsible for his illegal status

Would you rather have an illegal working as a volunteer for a church, or taking a paying job? I though most of you would rather they didn't take jobs away from Americans.

[Utah Binger]

A) because serving a mission will be a great blessing to the missionary and many others B) because the immigrant has a testemony of Christ and a desire to serve

Barf Alert!

[don asmussen]

I'm not a religious man, and Ezra Taft Benson knew that many Americans are not. -- So he addressed that problem in his essay:



" --- Since God created man with certain unalienable rights, and man, in turn, created government to help secure and safeguard those rights, it follows that man is superior to the creature which he created.
Man is superior to government and should remain master over it, not the other way around.

Even the non-believer can appreciate the logic of this relationship.

The Source Of Governmental Power

Leaving aside, for a moment, the question of the divine origin of rights, it is obvious that a government is nothing more or less than a relatively small group of citizens who have been hired, in a sense, by the rest of us to perform certain functions and discharge certain responsibilities which have been authorized.

It stands to reason that the government itself has no innate power or privilege to do anything. Its only source of authority and power is from the people who have created it.

This is made clear in the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, which reads:
"WE THE PEOPLE... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

--- The important thing to keep in mind is that the people who have created their government can give to that government only such powers as they, themselves, have in the first place. Obviously, they cannot give that which they do not possess.

So, the question boils down to this.
What powers properly belong to each and every person in the absence of and prior to the establishment of any organized governmental form? A hypothetical question? Yes, indeed!
But, it is a question which is vital to an understanding of the principles which underlie the proper function of government. ---- snip ----

The Proper Function Of Government

This means, then, that the proper function of government is limited only to those spheres of activity within which the individual citizen has the right to act.
By deriving its just powers from the governed, government becomes primarily a mechanism for defense against bodily harm, theft and involuntary servitude.
It cannot claim the power to redistribute the wealth or force reluctant citizens to perform acts of charity against their will.
Government is created by man. No man possesses such power to delegate. The creature cannot exceed the creator.

[calrighty]

I see de Momons done gots thisselves some new unpaid slaves!

[Jeff Head]

Why would you have a barf alert for that? The LDS church teaches strong family values, community service, service and duty to God, Jesus Christ as the Savior of mankind and the author of slavation and the moral code that leads to clean linging, happiness, and life eternal. A commitment to these things, in any case, is not something to barf about.

I joined the LDS church in my teens, served a mission, taught those things, have seen and see people accept these principles all the time, thereby improving their lives and the lives of their families...and that leads to better, stronger communities and nations.

No...nothing to barf about in the least. You may certainly disagree with some of the particulars of the Christian theology...and that is fine and your right...but the end product is a good thing for society just as I believe a devout Catholic, Baptist or any other Christian, or any person of any stripe who sincerely and seriously adopts the moral code it represents and lives it, is a decidedly good thing for society.

[Jeff Head]

Yes...he was a great American and understood the orgins and foundations of this Republic like few others IMHO.

[HungarianGypsy]

Why would the LDS allow an illegal immigrant to serve an LDS mission here in the US?
This is what is confusing me also. I know that when illegals want to join the LDS church, they are often told they need to follow the law of the land, go home and come in legally.

[HungarianGypsy]

They're not asking that the law be changed so as to make it legal for these people to be here. Just to be exempt from certain aspects of the law. Now if they're just talking about exemption from liability for UNKNOWINGLY using illegal aliens in volunteer work, on the grounds that it isn't customary for any religious organization in the US to conduct that sort of scrutiny on casual volunteers, that's reasonable.
This would probably make sense, since screening every volunteer would probably be a pain. Especially considering all the projects that the Church does.

[highball]

No...nothing to barf about in the least. You may certainly disagree with some of the particulars of the Christian theology...and that is fine and your right...but the end product is a good thing for society just as I believe a devout Catholic, Baptist or any other Christian, or any person of any stripe who sincerely and seriously adopts the moral code it represents and lives it, is a decidedly good thing for society.

If they're coming into this country illegally, then they haven't "seriously adopts the moral code it represents," have they?

Giving illegals a pass because you share or like their religion does indeed rate a barf alert.

[bonfire]

LOLOL!!!! (my favorite episode)

[c-b 1]

I too have great respect for many Mormans, the ones who have earned it. I don't have any respect for the greedy infiltrators with an adjenda, who have crept into the major denominations.

[TChris]

Perhaps he was referring to LDS leaders ignoring the laws against polygamy, even after issuing their "proclamation".

Which is, of course, a true historical fact just because you said so, right?