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PDF versionDissent from Santorum
by Michael Sean Winters on Dec. 14, 2011
Rick Santorum has made it official: He dissents from the teaching of the Church on the issue of immigration. And, while Santorum mentions the U.S. bishops, the Church's unequivocal teaching on immigration has also been put forward, repeatedly, by Pope Benedict XVI.
And, to be clear, the reason the Church defends immigrants is the exact same reason the Church defends the unborn: They are human beings, children of God, who, as the GOP candidates like to remind us, receive their rights from God not from the government.
The problem with Santorum is
The problem with Santorum is that he has no Faith that treating all with dignity and providing opportunity will lead to good outcomes. Instead he seems to view providing opportunity as leading to an unmanageable situation. I suspect that the abortion issue is sufficiently abstract that many do not see it is one and the same with the immigration issue, and instead becomes a political tool.
Don't forget his statements
Don't forget his statements in support of torture.
I'm confused...what
I'm confused...what unequivocal teaching of the Church on immigration, specifically, did Santorum dissent to? Does the Church have an unequivocal teaching that the State should not distinguish between law abiding people and people who break the law?
I agree, and conflating
I agree, and conflating abortion with illegal immigration is just wrong.
People have a God given right to illegally cross a national border and illegally stay in a foreign country? I missed that one in the Scriptures and the CCC.
The problem in these discussions that people are continually confusing legal immigration (which is fine) with illegal immigration (which is, ironically, illegal)
I am in favor of legal immigration, even expanding it. I am not in favor of supporting illegal immigration. For those who are mentally impaired, this does not mean I am against immigration.
the dog of war writes:
the dog of war writes: "People have a God given right to illegally cross a national border and illegally stay in a foreign country? I missed that one in the Scriptures and the CCC."
Read the Scriptures. Again.
and do unto others, not before they do unto you, as you have been taught as a dog of war, but do unto others that which you want them to do unto you.
For I was a stranger and you received me . . .
or not . . .
Do unto others that which you
Do unto others that which you want them to do unto you.
Good enough.
I respect the national sovereignty of every nation, because I expect them to do the same for mine.
I respect the law, because I expect others to do the same and follow it.
I punish lawbreakers, because I expect them to do the same to me if I break the law.
Wardog, try Matthew 25 for
Wardog, try Matthew 25 for starters. By the way, Are you a former Navy SEAL? or pehaps a former Army Ranger? Or perhaps some guy who never served but who plays video war games?
Retired Navy, Masters Degree
Retired Navy, Masters Degree in Military Arts & Sciences. Wardog was a callsign that I used, and liked it. Don't like video games.
Are you named for a city in Texas?
I assume you mean the Sheep and the Goats and not the ten virgins.
There is nothing in Matthew 25 that says it is OK to break the law, nor does it say to be compassionate to lawbreakers. It says to be feed the poor, clothe the homeless, and visit the imprisoned. I do that for US citizens in the US. If the illegal aliens go home, I support foreign aid to their homeland. I welcome legal immigrants, as they add a lot to our society. I do not welcome lawbreakers.
Reagan granted amnesty to illegal aliens in the '80s, with the hope that this would end illegal immigration. Never happened, we have a bigger problem now than ever. Want to talk about granting citizenship to illegal aliens? I think it is inevitable, if and only if we can get a guarantee that our borders are secure and we won't be facing this problem again in another 20 years.
Rick Santorum: CINO
Rick Santorum: CINO
Christ said, "When I was
Christ said, "When I was hungry you did not give me to eat, when thirsty you did not give me to drink..." I have heard anti-immigrants say, "they just come here for free food, they are using up our water resources, don't give them medical assistance from my taxes, they are overfilling our sewers, this is our land so deport them, don't give them jobs, then they will be starved out of our Country ect... Such people are sealing their eternal destiny. Pope Benedict XVl said concerning immigration legal or illegal that no one is dispensed from Christ's commands. Scripture also says, "How can anyone say I love God, but I hate my brother?"
As opposed to the issue of
As opposed to the issue of abortion, there are many views WITHIN the church on immigration. This does not place Santorum outside the Church. His 2004 endorsement of Arlen Spector is problematic however.
does too! Read even the
does too! Read even the USCCB's timid documents on this need to receive the alien in our midst.
Liberal Catholics are always
Liberal Catholics are always pretending to be too stupid to understand simple distinctions. "Recieve the alien" means any enforcement of immigration laws is immoral? You don't even believe that.
"does too" this is what
"does too" this is what qualifies as a liberal argument nowadays. lol!
You guys will say anything.
You guys will say anything. It is the official teaching of the Catholic Church that everybody has the right to live in any country they choose, and to enforce an immigration law is exactly the same as performing an abortion? Is that in the Catechism of the Catholic Church? Do you have a citation? Why not tell us exactly where the Holy Father teaches (ex cathedra or not) that there can be no enforcement of immigration laws? Why do you bother to say things that even you don't believe?
You have very mildly criticized the Obama administration on the religious freedom issue. If you think writing things like this will make the rest of the Liberal Catholics forget your heresy, you're wrong.
Regarding: "Rick Santorum has
Regarding: "Rick Santorum has made it official: He dissents from the teaching of the Church on the issue of immigration."
- Mr. Santorum, as a citizen, is correct in saying that we are a nation of law and that is a very good thing. What Mr. Santorum elides over is that laws are mutable especially if there is a just and merciful need to change the law. Most ideas about immigrants who entered the US illegally are premised on the fact that there is a just and merciful way of dealing with their residency in the US and that the current laws are falling short of that.
- Mr. Santorum, as Republican, fails significantly when he ignores his party's machinations since the amnesty to effectively and efficiently prevent the justice department and the INS and its successor from enforcing the immigration laws during those years. This became especially apparent during the Presidency of Bush the younger. To whit, underfunding of the Justice Department, the purposeful sidestepping of employment obligations of employers in hiring which of course created the employment draw for illegal immigrants, and so forth. Mr. Santorum at the very least should apologize for his parties votes to disable the enforcement of laws by underfunding the very agencies responsible for their enforcement.
- Mr. Santorum, as a Catholic, legitimately dissents from the teaching of the bishops in union with the Archbishop of Rome as well as with that same Archbishop. Perhaps what he should think about is how a global institution, the church in union with the Archbishop of Rome, is in effect advocating open borders. Open borders of course can occur either by force, or by law. Presumbably the advocation is for opening all borders legally. If he wishes to dissent then he ought to call to task the Archbishop and those bishop in union with him for advocating a world vision which in the end will be the death of cultures, languages, and other world views.
- All in all, Mr. Santorum, might think more deeply about his position as a christian, catholic, and US citizen.
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