Posted on 04/25/2009 6:05:34 AM PDT by frankenMonkey
The arrest of an undocumented immigrant returning last week from his LDS mission has sparked discussion at the highest levels of the church about how to limit such exposure in the future.
"With the known realization that those risks exist, then we want to do better, or at least learn more," LDS apostle Jeffrey R. Holland, said Friday during an interview with The Salt Lake Tribune . "We want to be more precise, if we can, about how to help, how to make [a mission] the calmest, most spiritually rewarding experience for everybody." Early last week, a missionary was detained at the Cincinnati airport for "lacking necessary documentation to board his flight home," according to Michael Purdy, LDS Church spokesman. That triggered fears in the undocumented LDS community in Utah, and already prompted a change in how one Utah missionary returned home.
The young man, a Salt Lake Valley resident, completed a mission in Oklahoma and was scheduled to return home two days after church leaders heard of the unrelated arrest in Ohio. The mission president contacted local Utah church leaders, and it was decided the missionary's uncle would drive out to Oklahoma to bring the missionary home, which he did.
(Excerpt) Read more at sltrib.com ...
They even had Sen. Bennett of Utah sneak into law a provision that "volunteer" work by illegals is... not illegal.
And the concern from church leaders is not about illegals and missions, but how to avoid publicity about the practice.
Aiding and abetting.
Ping
As a member of the LDS Church, this article is most perplexing to me. I know the Church to be one which is law abiding. Indeed, we have an Article of Faith that even tells us to do just that: “honor and sustain the law”. We do not bring in new members, for instance, who are living together and are not married. I can only think that illegals who go on missions must have been “called” to do so by local leaders who simply are not in tune with the law. I would think that every effort should be made to make an illegal, legal, before being called on a mission.
The way that education is failing in our country could mean that reading a news story like that one is more trouble than it's worth for some people.
Meanwhile arriving at a solution or consensus (or even attempting to improve social problems) is impossible.
I do delve into matters of faith and religion and I sense chaotic -- and often evil -- forces behind much of the nonsense in our country these days. Its been said before by freepers but black is white, up is down, etc. What a mess!
Another recent example of our so-called representatives failure to address illegal immigration is the remark (Pelosi?) about it being a civil matter, not a criminal one. BS meter got pegged on that one. Gotta stop now.
Ping to read later
Blatantly admitting to circumventing the law?
What happened to the 12th "Article of Faith", the creed of the LDS church: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."
One really has to read the whole article to get the big picture.
How is it “honor and sustain the law” when the lds knowing are sending illegals on these mission trips?
The law is for the little people.
The scum don't care about your, they only care about themselves and what they believe, same as the catholics.
This is why I have no part in organized religion. Every large religious organization is riddled with corruption. What a way to get away with immoral behavior if you are doing it under the color of authority from God.
Actually, a more truthful version of the 12th Article of Faith reads:
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law, unless the law of the land violates the law of God as dictated by the President of the Church, such as in prohibiting the marrying of more than one woman.The events listed in this article are in perfect harmony with this revised cannon.
As an active Mormon, this bothers me tremendously. We Mormons are supposed to uphold the law of the land and be honest in all our dealings. For my church to condone this is outrageous!
I know all about the “for the greater good” arguments and this won’t work - they should’ve insisted that the young man get his immigration status LEGALIZED before letting him go on a mission within the US. Otherwise, they should’ve told him he should go back to his own country and serve from there.
Well, for once I agree with you.
And to rob the estates of little old ladies!!!
Marking my calendar. ;)
This is a real quandary for Christians: We are called to help our brothers -without asking WHO that is!
I want people here as legal citizens to be helped FIRST - that’s my human part. Anyone here illegally HAS broken the law.
I really do hope the illegals “boycott” the census - then the skewing of voting disticts won’t happen.
There you go again - just can’t help bashing the Mormons.
Just open your eyes and see what’s going on in the world, especially in the United States. Our 12th Article of Faith isn’t a blind statement - German Mormons didn’t use it as an excuse to exterminate the Jews despite Hitler’s extermination order was the “law of the land.”
Gay marriage is now legal in many jurisdictions - as the attacks on my church due to its involvement in Proposition 8 shows - we’re definitely on the unpopolar side.
It’s been legal in Canada for many years - have you ever heard of a gay marriage being performed in an LDS temple or chapel? Of course not.
Exactly.
The article also said: ...already prompted a change in how one Utah missionary returned home.
Since Marion G. Romney's running of the LDS missionary enterprise as a member of the First Presidency, usually LDS missionary level is governed at the highest levels. So do we have the highest hierarchical levels coordinating very lower-level travel decisions merely to circumvent being caught by law enforcement officials?
If the LDS Church sees something wrong with immigration policies and is advocating massive change, I supposed it could declare itself a "sanctuary church" and openly seek such change. But to claim "we honor and sustain the law" while dishonoring and objecting to the law is deceitful and hypocritical.
The key question is: Will grassroots LDS speak up and let their voices be heard? (Or will they think, "Well, I don't want to jeopardize my standing in the church..." or "I don't want to be seen as not sustaining my prophet and general authorities..."
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