Monday, November 28, 2011

Rodcast 82: 316

We got Peter in repeats (and some Matthew) and John live (but not regular John).

Also, an extremely ignorant discussion of illegal immigrants and church callings.

Be there!

Download here!

3 comments:

  1. Peter's comment about the rich was about 1/3 of the way through, so...about 17 minutes, maybe?

    There have been 2 branch presidents (Spanish branches) -- one down in Draper and one up in Cache County, in the past 7-8 months or so, who have been deported. That's where I got the idea.

    Cache County: http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_184b8374-97b2-11e0-b720-001cc4c03286.html

    Draper: http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/ICE-releases-reason-for-LDS-presidents/I9kIrv_SE02TxUjkYNYBzQ.cspx

    What bothered me is that they were called to be head of their Church units. It's one thing to have some other calling, it's another to be the 'face' of the branch...and I had some misgivings about those stake presidents calling them to those positions. Bishops and BPs are supposed to be the vanguard of the ward/branch...'worthy in every way', I've always thought, and so it kind of surprised me that undocumenteds were called to these positions to begin with. It's something I would assume the stake presidency knew about or were told when they interviewed these guys during the selection process...

    If callings are inspired, does that mean that when an undocumented brother is called to be a bishop/BP/whatever, is that a statement of the Lord's feeling about illegal status? What a thought that would be to all the "kick 'em out" Mormons in this state...

    I told you about the scripture I'd always read during the sacrament...3 Nephi 11:9-17...and thinking about when it will be my turn to have that experience...the gratitude, etc. that I should feel NOW instead of THEN. So...yeah.

    [End]

    [End]

    ReplyDelete
  2. Possible second topic idea:

    Isn't there anything more interesting to do in the great and spacious building than look out the window and make fun of the people on the straight and narrow path?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another great podcast. Great second topic.

    The "illegality" of the nationality is a rough one. On my mission I had heard that illegal immigrants living in South Africa could not be baptized. But by the time I was there, that was no longer an issue. My brother who served in Southern California Spanish Speaking said undocumented immigrants were the vast majority of the people he taught and baptized. It was explained to me that the church was not interested in their status.

    It may be too late to bring this up, but is this a sin? Is it a sin that should allow people to get baptized but not hold callings? How about the priesthood - should they be able to become deacons? Certainly there are different laws of the land and we view them differently - such as speeding vs drunk driving, parking in a disabled parking vs grand theft auto, insider trading vs selling drugs. Why can someone be a bishop if they use the HOV lane when they are alone, but should not if they don't have their green card?

    If it's a sin, is it a big one like adultery or a small one like uh... I dunno?

    Along those lines, would someone have been unworthy to hold church office if they helped runaway slaves on the underground railroad? Are there laws-of-the-land that are okay to break?

    It seems very difficult for me to side absolutely one way or the other since there are so many aspects to this that are not black and white, but I lean personally toward what I believe is the more charitable approach of allowing it to slide and focusing on issues that I think are more important to one's soul.

    Blah. I'm rambling.

    As far as people having a calling while they are working out their sins... I would say there is not anyone with a calling who is not working out some kind of sin.

    ReplyDelete