Is someone's stance on illegal immigration a key factor for eternal salvation?

Question

Proclaiming a sense of new energy and empowerment, the nation's Roman Catholic bishops on Wednesday issued instructions to Catholic voters that their eternal salvation could be at stake when they cast ballots.

Bishops emphasized that voters must consider the church's teachings on abortion and other moral issues when they select a candidate for the White House or any other office. If they don't, bishops said, it's not clergy who will judge them but God.
Voters are implored not to support abortion-rights political candidates but also advised that views on abortion should not be the sole factor. Catholics should also weigh church teaching on such moral issues as immigration, just war and poverty, bishops said.The Gospel mandate to “welcome the stranger” requires Catholics to care for and
stand with immigrants, both documented and undocumented, including immigrant children. Comprehensive reform is urgently necessary to fix a broken immigration system and should include a temporary work program with worker protections and a path to permanent residency; family reunification policies; a broad and fair legalization program; access to legal protections, including due process and essential public programs; refuge for those fleeing persecution and exploitation; and policies to address the root causes of migration. The right and responsibility of nations to control their borders and to maintain the rule of law should be recognized
This is nothing new, the Catholic Church in the US has been pushing for "comprehensive immigration reform" ever since illegal immigration became a major issue a year and a half ago. However, I don't think someone's stance on illegal immigration is a key factor for eternal salvation. I'm sure many Catholics disagree with the church's support of amnesty for illegal immigrants. Does that mean they're bad people? Of course not. I resent the Catholic Church for trying to portray those that oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants as being morally or religiously wrong. Since when did borders become morally wrong?

The last sentence of the paragraph on immigration and illegal immigration seems a bit laughable. "The right and responsibility of nations to control their borders and to maintain the rule of law should be recognized." That statement completely flies in the face of support for illegal immigrant amnesty. Giving legalization to people who illegally entered this country sets a precedent that nations should not be allowed to control their borders, and that it should allow anyone in who wants in. It's ludicrous, but I doubt the Catholic Church really cares.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/thursday/chi-bishops_15nov15,0,3699122.story

Answer 1

Maybe the Catholic Church needs to open their doors, take down fences and let the poor people live in the Bishop homes and grounds. The Vatican need to open it's doors as well. The Catholic Church always wants to take the shirt off our backs and give it away, while they dress in silk and gold

Answer 2

I am against illegal immigration, period! Whether they are illegals that just crossed the border or illegals that have been here for 20 years--THEY ARE STILL ILLEGAL and if they are ILLEGAL, they are CRIMINALS for breaking our laws. The only resolution is to arrest, deport, stop the benefits, and militarize our border from this senseless invasion. They came here illegally and decided to raise a family so they can jump into the free chow line? Come here legally and do it the right way OR deport the whole family. Sounds too heartless to the bleeding hearts out there? Not really when you stop to realize that illegals today are getting more free benefits paid by our taxpayers than millions of poor, disabled American citizens that will never get the same benefits from our government! There are many hard working American middle class and low income working taxpayers (many work 2 jobs) that go to bed hungry, don't have proper housing, have no health care, can't afford medications for their illnesses and have no hopes of affording a good education, but the illegals do! That to me is not only heartless, but despicable. America needs to STOP handing out incentives (freebies) and allowing employment for these criminals, by doing whatever deems necessary to: STOP employers from hiring illegals STOP the anchor baby BS STOP the subsidized housing STOP the welfare and food stamps STOP the free healthcare STOP the free education This illegal alien invasion is truly a form of "terrorism" that is bound and determined to deteriorate our country's infrastructure. How? It has resulted in consistently overburdening our schools, hospitals, welfare programs, unemployment programs, social security programs, our security & police forces due to the increase in crime (murders, assaults, drug trafficking, identity theft, drunk driving, uninsured motorists, unlicensed motorists, hit & run accidents), overcrowded our prison facilities, just to name a few. Arizona. I'm old enough to remember the quality of life in America before the illegal invasion; and young enough to fight this form of terrorism right here on America's soil!

Answer 3

So when is the government going to take away the Catholic Churches tax exempt status? That is part of the nature of having tax exempt status in the first place, that one can not do political advocacy. Yet the only time tax exempt status ever comes into question is when a church it's even slightly against Bushes policies.

Answer 4

Honestly what I find the most funny about this is how many wars have been fought in the name of religion? Also...look at the church's stand toward Muslims and also Israel. Do they abide by their own doctine they now preach concerning illegals? Or is their doctrine towards illegals mainly because most illegals are Catholic? Makes a person wonder if they mean ALL illegals.

Answer 5

I am quite sure the catholic church cares about the immigration issue. Let's not forget that the vast majority of Latinos are catholic.

But what annoys me about the churches, not just the catholic one, is their non-profit status when they keep getting involved in politics. I think it is high time that religion loses its non-profit status.

Answer 6

yes
Leviticus 19:33-34
"When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your G-d.

the FIRST FIVE books of the bible have NOTHING to do with the catholic church and was given to the scribes before Christ's birth by the mouth of G-d

saludos mexicanos



let me clarify.... the immigration issue in itself... does not determine salvation...BUT your thoughts, your motives....your Ideas...and I mean YOUR REAL MOTIVES (not just the ones you show in public) that is what will be judged

my conscious is clear -in so far as this- ....is yours?

Answer 7

No.

I can't recall a single passage in the Bible that mentions illegal immigration.

While illegal immigration is a serious problem, I don't think it has any religious ramifications at all.

Answer 8

I do think that by supporting candidates that promote ideas contrary to God's word you are agreeing that you would take those actions because those are the actions you are supporting, and you may actually be compromising your own salvation.

Answer 9

They want to keep Catholics Catholic. They don't want to lose anyone. Offset the scandals too. Using piety as an excuse. That church has no shame, but it should.

Answer 10

The same catholic church that protects child molestors has no right talking about eternal salvation, or anything else for that matter