tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post1655403499376469948..comments2024-03-23T16:59:42.092-06:00Comments on The Goates Notes: Pharisees and Utah PoliticsDavid B. Goateshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-69925792427457340392011-10-26T08:06:33.898-06:002011-10-26T08:06:33.898-06:00I do not speak for the Church. However, the Church...I do not speak for the Church. However, the Church has spoken for itself, and has taken the position that individuals and families who are here are more important than questioning how they got here. The federal government is tasked with enforcement of the borders and for political expediency has chosen to ignore the immigration laws already on the books. It seems the potential of garnering votes from the Latino community (and both parties are at fault in that ambition) is more important than addressing substantive and comprehensive immigration reform. In contradiction to the principles of the Utah Compact, the Republican Party platform here in Utah states that a pharasitic interpretation of enforcement of the law should trump every other consideration, including the words of counsel from the living prophets. Members of the Church point to the 12th Article of Faith and accuse the Brethren of ignoring their own tenets. The leaders of the Church, however, are interested in a higher law than the laws of the land. It revolves around loving God and our neighbors. As long as the federal government remains dysfunctional and immigrants are here legally or illegally, the Church makes no distinction and has chosen to teach them the restored gospel and give them every opportunity to receive all the ordinances of salvation without regard to their legal status. It is not the role of either the state of Utah nor the Church to enforce the borders. That is one of the few express powers granted to the federal government in the Consitution. If the federal government chooses to remain derelict in its duty, so be it. As Christians and members of the Church, our duty is to accept, embrace, teach and advocate our cousins from all the various tribes of Israel who are here among us. Sometimes not even they realize they are here to receive all the blessings of the gospel without regard to their legal status. What I witnessed that day at the convention was a very real divide between those two positions, and I have made a choice where I will stand on the Church's side of the divide. I invite all the other delegates who are members of the Church to defend the Brethren as vigorously as they seem to want to defend the party platform.David B. Goateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01978666830682045128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370511552390871439.post-32698717286933922092011-10-25T17:03:25.729-06:002011-10-25T17:03:25.729-06:00I believe there is nothing wrong with expecting pe...I believe there is nothing wrong with expecting people who come to this country to do so legally, and to follow the laws of the land here. I believe in honoring the laws of the land in my own country, and would absolutely do that in another country as well. Legislation to make it easier for people to immigrate is a better answer, although not the whole answer. Blatantly disregarding the laws is NOT the answer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com