Can an “illegal” member in America successfully pass a temple recommend interview?

[I Have Questions]

As the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration presses on, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is reminding its bishops and other lay leaders that they are not to ask members about their immigration status in temple interviews.

That position was reaffirmed in a letter this week from the faith’s governing First Presidency to all general officers and local male authorities who conduct “worthiness interviews” with members desiring to participate in temple rituals.

“With enhanced enforcement of immigration laws in various jurisdictions, we have received inquiries from priesthood leaders about temple recommend interview questions,” states the April 24 letter signed by church President Russell M. Nelson and his two counselors. “We remind those conducting temple recommend interviews that under established policy, local leaders are to ask only the temple recommend questions as currently constituted.”

Which got me thinking. How does an illegal answer the question “Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?”

I note that for a couple of questions the wording has been amended to “Do you strive…”. Which lowers the bar for entrants. For instance, you don’t have to keep the sabbath day holy, you just have to strive to keep the sabbath day holy. It’s looser.

But that’s an aside. Can you be an illegal alien, living in America without proper authorisation and accreditation, and class yourself as striving to be honest in all that you do?

[sock puppet]

How many temple recommend holders are truthful in the interviews?

[I Have Questions]

How many temple recommend holders are truthful in the interviews?

Probably less than 100%! But I’m asking a question about a principle rather than what happens in practice.

Can you be an illegal alien, living in America without proper authorisation and accreditation, and class yourself as striving to be honest in all that you do? My assumption is that if you are living in America as an illegal alien then you are de facto being dishonest (regardless of the rights or moral arguments behind why you are living in America as an illegal).

The Church’s statement is basically telling Bishops to not ask, and therefore maintain plausible deniability for themselves and for the Church. Is this a Kirton McConkie drafted letter to Bishops?

If you are an illegal living in America, are your earnings legitimate? Or if illegals pay tithing on their non legal earnings, is the Church accepting the proceeds of illegal activity?

FTR I’m not having a go at illegals. My point is to highlight how little the Church is doing and saying with regards to the moral issue of illegals being forcibly deported.

[Doctor Steuss]

Doctrinally, I'm guessing they're fine since according to Mormon scripture, they were led here by God and this is the land of their inheritance.

Members of the Church who support deportation of people in America seem to be those at odds with God's word, as given in the most correct book, as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

[I Have Questions]

Doctrinally, I'm guessing they're fine since according to Mormon scripture, they were led here by God and this is the land of their inheritance.

Members of the Church who support deportation of people in America seem to be those at odds with God's word, as given in the most correct book, as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

The fact the Church felt the need to send this letter suggests some Bishops were enquiring about their members' immigration status.

[Chap]

How does an illegal answer the question “Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?”

To say that you 'strive' (i.e. try hard) to do something is not to assert that you always succeed in doing the thing in question.

For instance, you may strive to be able to obey US immigration law by self-deporting, but fail to do some because of the terrible weakness in your character that leads you to pity the elderly mother in Mexico whose cancer treatment depends on the earnings you remit to her. You are trying hard to achieve your goal, but as yet you just can't find enough ruthlessness in yourself to let your mother die and to obey the law.

Meanwhile, you can answer "yes" with a clear conscience. Why, it's almost as if the question was actually designed to enable the CoJCoLDS to continue profiting from the tithing contributions of members whose earnings might seem to some to be, shall we say, a little on the shady side.

[huckelberry]

Illegal earnings, well might be seen that way but the Irs accepts tax paid by undocumented workers. Oops I believe legally you are to pay tax on profit from crime.

[yellowstone123]

How does an illegal answer the question “Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?”

To say that you 'strive' (i.e. try hard) to do something is not to assert that you always succeed in doing the thing in question.

For instance, you may strive to be able to obey US immigration law by self-deporting, but fail to do some because of the terrible weakness in your character that leads you to pity the elderly mother in Mexico whose cancer treatment depends on the earnings you remit to her. You are trying hard to achieve your goal, but as yet you just can't find enough ruthlessness in yourself to let your mother die and to obey the law.

Meanwhile, you can answer "yes" with a clear conscience. Why, it's almost as if the question was actually designed to enable the CoJCoLDS to continue profiting from the tithing contributions of members whose earnings might seem to some to be, shall we say, a little on the shady side.

I would say the person who is working in the USA illegally is telling the church a lie out of fear that arises in that persons mind about potential adversity that might appear when telling the truth.

But this in a way is interesting when discussing Mormons because the local church leaders conduct interviews and make a call (judging) the persons moral character using criteria the leaders give them as to what is right and wrong. And given the church’s history of what the citizens of the USA would call immoral behavior, they shouldn’t be placing people in that situation.

Writers of the New Testament wrote that Jesus said something like, judge not that you be not judged, or first removing the beam in your own eye … the church should consider those thoughts.

[canpakes]

But that’s an aside. Can you be an illegal alien, living in America without proper authorisation and accreditation, and class yourself as striving to be honest in all that you do?

I suppose that if your employer knew that you were not a legal citizen, then you have been honest with your status.

And things that are illegal aren’t always dishonest, so there’s that small distinction, perhaps?

[sock puppet]

Doctrinally, I'm guessing they're fine since according to Mormon scripture, they were led here by God and this is the land of their inheritance.

Members of the Church who support deportation of people in America seem to be those at odds with God's word, as given in the most correct book, as revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Well, sure. Killing in the name of. God supposedly commanded Nephi to behead Laban. Could Nephi have passed a temple recommend interview after that?