...;0)
Posted on 05/08/2009 4:20:48 PM PDT by Colofornian
A few years ago, my mom was called to be the Relief Society president in our tri-lingual ward.
I remember watching as she painstakingly translated every e-mail, note and newsletter into Spanish and Portuguese. She became friends with women who didn't speak her language. She made sure every lesson was translated.
One time, a cranky, English-speaking sister complained about the volunteer interpreters who sat in the back of the Relief Society room and offered hushed translations of the lessons. The sister said they made it hard to concentrate.
Without flinching, my mom defended the interpreters and kindly explained that it was important that ALL the sisters understood the lesson -- not just the English-speakers.
Six years and one Spanish-speaking stateside mission later, I have a profound respect for the efforts my mom made in that calling.
Unfortunately, not everyone in our church shares the same respect.
The arrest of an illegal immigrant coming home from his LDS mission in Ohio last month has sparked a fierce immigration debate in the Mormon community. No matter how much each side tries to simplify the issue, the questions aren't easy.
Are undocumented immigrants violating the 12th Article of Faith by disobeying the law of the land? Is the church encouraging illegal immigrants by allowing them to serve missions?
As Brigham Young University history professor Ignacio Garcia told the Daily Universe this week, "We can all open the scriptures and justify our side."
Many members, including Garcia, are calling for church authorities to pick a side on this divisive issue. To me, it seems like they already have.
"The church does not have an official position on immigration policy, but encourages compassion in dealing with the complexities of immigration issues," said Michael Purdy, a church spokesman. "The blessings of the church are available to anyone who qualifies for membership and accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ."
The church isn't a government agency, and it's not meant to be the deciding body for every difficult political question. Its purpose is to perfect the Saints, proclaim the gospel and redeem the dead. Should it really matter where these Saints are living, or what documentation they have?
Immigration issues are, indeed, complex, and I won't attempt in this article to make a political argument. But as long as there are immigrants living in our ward boundaries, we should be bound by our conscience, our religion and our covenants to treat them with the utmost respect and compassion.
"I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ," President Hinckley once said.
So this Mother's Day, I'm grateful for a mom who has her priorities in place. I only wish more members were like her.
(Ummm...I think Mr. Columnist, you already have!)
[Note, this publication is owned by the Lds church]
From the column: The arrest of an illegal immigrant coming home from his LDS mission in Ohio last month has sparked a fierce immigration debate in the Mormon community...Are undocumented immigrants violating the 12th Article of Faith by disobeying the law of the land? Is the church encouraging illegal immigrants by allowing them to serve missions?
Well, the very fact that he has put these comments in question form -- as if he didn't know the answer to them -- shows where he & the newspaper he represents stands. It's kind of like pro-abortion writers who say, "Whether or not to have an abortion is a tough decision." (Well, only those with a pre-disposition to kill are going to raise the dismembering of our offspring as a "choice").
From the column: Many members, including Garcia, are calling for church authorities to pick a side on this divisive issue. To me, it seems like they already have.
(I agree. They already have...and guess which side the Lds church has picked?)
said Michael Purdy, a church spokesman. “The blessings of the church are available to anyone who qualifies for membership and accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
___________________________________________
But how would an illegal alien “qualify for membership” when he has brokem the law and is still living in an unlawful situation ???
(I thought Mormons were supposedly big about obeying the law? Or is this just another say one thing publicly, but take a second or third wife undercover kind of deal?)
What a load. Send them all to Utah, as long as the LDS agrees to provide them with all the support and benefits the taxpayers are now providing, and get us off the hook. And send Senor Ohio back to Mexico. There is a thriving LDS community there.
The good news is that this should help in preventing Mitt Romney from winning the ‘12 GOP Primary race for POTUS. Being a “fake conservative” should always be unacceptable to the majority of conservative voters.
“The church”
Its purpose is to perfect the Saints, proclaim the gospel and redeem the dead.
_____________________________________________
“redeem the dead”
Yeah, we notice...
Mormons have “perfected” that part...
OTOH...
Christians have a commission from Jesus who came to redeem the living, by sheding His blood, and dying on the cross in our place, to preach the Gospel to the living so that they may believe and be saved or not believe and be damned..
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:15, 16
I don't think it's just the RINO that do us in, it's also the CINO's. We are dealing with individual human souls that have mouths to feed and are needy. Too many CINO's get ugly and hostile and it makes us all look bad. Especially to God.
But how would an illegal alien “qualify for membership” when he has brokem the law and is still living in an unlawful situation ???
- - - - - - - - - - -
I have asked that question as well on these threads. Can’t seem to get an answer.
If a potential missionary were breaking ANY other law, he/she would not be considered “worthy” to serve.
If any other member were breaking ANY other law, he/she would not be “worthy” for a Temple Recommend.
When I was LDS, illegal aliens were not allowed to be baptized since they were breaking the law. Not sure when this changed.
I suspect a reason “why” it changed. The decline in membership of the LDS over the past 10 years or so hurts tithing revenue, and these illegal members bring in more money here than they would back home.
My non LDS church has a Spanish language ministry and outreach. We encourage those members who are/maybe illegal to either return home or get their immigration status corrected (since it is dishonest) and help them do so.
I’ve always said that this is the Achilles heal of the Republican Party. We can not pretend to be conservative, God fearing people, and turn around and show nothing but contempt for those who do desperate things to come here.
- - - - - - - - -
I agree. But there is LEGAL immigration.
My father was an immigrant
My step-father was an immigrant
My aunt was an immigrant
My step-uncle was an immigrant
almost my entire sphere of influence growing up were immigrants.
They ALL came here legally. My stepfather spent 18 months in a refugee camp in Italy working 18 hours a day for a bowl of pasta and a CHANCE to come to this country. He was that desperate to get to America.
I don’t like people who cut in line. There is NO excuse for not obeying the law.
Well, this is a mighty interesting "take" by an Lds spokesman -- and one that seemingly goes against Mormon scripture -- and surprisingly in a chapter which ironically slaps Mormons on the hand -- at least those who are taking pro-illegal immigration stances.
Which section of Lds "scripture" you may ask? (Doctrine & Covenants 134).
Setting: Summer, 1835: Joseph Smith felt behooved to address slavery amongst the bigger umbrella of obeying laws, rulers, etc. Now D&C 134:1,3,5,8 all tell Mormons to obey laws, rulers & their government. But then we get to verse 12...note the highlighted words:
We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do NOT believe it right to...
...interfere with bond-servants,
...neither preach the gospel to,
...nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters,
...nor to meddle with or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life,
...thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.
Questions:
Is this "scripture" still on the record as standing canonized authority for the Mormon church? (Yes)
Has any scripture statement superceded, trumped or "manifesto-ed" it out of authority? (No)
Well how does the Mormon church then reconcile the above statement made by its spokesman, Michael Purdy -- “The blessings of the church are available to anyone who qualifies for membership and accepts the gospel of Jesus Christ” -- with D&C 134:12?
How can lds "scripture" say that it's not "right to...preach the gospel to...bond-servants [slaves] ...nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters?" -- while simultaneously claiming the gospel can be accepted by anyone and that anyone can become a member?
Well, can slaves be baptized and become an LDS member if their master says "no?" (Not according to D&C 134:12)
What about a girl who is being "trafficked" as a slave...can she be baptized & become a Mormon even if her "pimp" says no? (Not according to D&C 134:12)
Does Joseph Smith have authority in the Mormon church or not?
And then, how can Lds agree with these pro-illegal immigration Mormon policies when their own "scripture" (D&C 134:8) says: all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment??? Illegal immigration laws qualify as "good laws" do they not?
Why aren't Lds leaders & grassroots lds stepping forward to use their ability in bringing offenders to justice according to their own good book?
What? Are lds only for selective "continuing revelation?"
I was an immigrant...
Although my family had been here for generations until my g-g-grandfather left...
I applied and jumped through every hoop neccessary to come back to our “old country”
My mother taught me that it was wrong to break into the sovereign country of the USA
She was appalled at the practice of women in labor trespassing on American Embassy grounds to have their babies in “America”
Obey every ordinance of man?
The most compassionate thing would be to secure our borders, and keep these people from breaking the law and sinning.
I’d rather send money into Mexico than have them come here illegally where they are sucking us for everything we’ve got.
So this Mother’s Day, I’m grateful for a mom who has her priorities in place.
~~~
And my Mom and Dad taught me to Obey the Law!!!
;)
With all of my faults, and they are numerous - kinda like the stars - I don't want anyone subject to the fires of hell. Every poll takes shows the vast overwhelming numbers of immigrants vote for abortion loving Democrats, thus risking their souls.
In my previous occupation, I was the 'go see guy' when the illegals were cheated from their wages. I could have shined them on to the Labor Board, but I fear the Old Man Upstairs, cause I knew the LB was a year behind in working their complaint file.
You don’t need to send them all to Utah, they’re already here.
For Utah, I think it boils down to a numbers game, both for the church and the economy.
Utah’s economy is fueled by population growth and little else. It feeds the developers, homebuilders, bankers, utilities - all the ‘movers and shakers’ - they’ll take their money wherever they can find it.
For the church, well... what’s the difference between a cult and a mainstream religion? Numbers.
And there are a lot of hoops. But you are glad you did jump through those hoops, right?
Another thing I see is my family members who were immigrants all sought to become citizens, learn English, all were proud to become Americans, all of them voted and loved this country and were conservative.
What I see with the illegals (and I live in a high illegal immigrant area), is that they DO NOT want to become Americans, they hate this country except for what they can get out of it, they fly their Mexico flags, refuse to learn English and some openly talk about taking back California through Revolution. And we are supposed to reward them?
...;0)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.