| What happens when one of the tenets of your religion | | | | way it is done, and we will worry about legalities later?" |
| is obeying the law and the people who are gravitating | | | | "Do unto others as you would have others do unto |
| to you are illegal immigrants? | | | | you"...a religious or moral issue? |
| That is the challenge facing the Mormon Church as | | | | To be clear, immigration is not a religious issue. |
| they are aggressively reaching out to Latino | | | | Demonstrating compassion is. And for any faith to |
| communities around the world. But just as Cathy Lee | | | | display compassion knows that there are no borders |
| Grossman of USAToday points out in her article on "Is | | | | there. While "Do unto others" is not just a catchphrase, |
| Immigration a Religious Issue?", this subject can bring up | | | | it creates a real challenge for many religious leaders |
| some pretty heated debate on either side of the | | | | who are typically very conservative and right wing |
| conversation. And the line definitely gets blurred over | | | | leaning. |
| the confusion between "immigrants" and "illegal | | | | Many churches have adopted a "Don't ask, don't tell" |
| immigrants". Many people unfortunately blend them | | | | approach. |
| together. | | | | Whether purposefully or not, most churches haven't |
| At some point, all churches (and in this case the | | | | taken a stand or created a policy on this issue. |
| Mormon Church) has to come to grips with being | | | | Whether they are LDS Missionaries or other churches |
| compassionate or lawful. Unfortunately, the two don't | | | | reaching out, they typically avoid the question about |
| always seem to coincide with each other. To be fair, | | | | immigration. |
| this is not just a challenge that the Mormons alone are | | | | How does this affect your marketing? |
| facing. Almost every denomination that you can think | | | | And perhaps those Missionaries may just have it right. |
| of is targeting and reaching out to Latino's. The | | | | There job is to deliver their church's message. It is not |
| increased scrutiny may be coming from the fact that | | | | to be an arbiter for immigration policies. From my point |
| the Church of Latter Day Saints is one of the fastest | | | | of view, it shouldn't. Marketing's job is to showcase |
| growing denominations, but almost all church | | | | your brand. To create interest and to promote |
| denominations from Baptists to Methodists are | | | | services that your church brand offers. If we see an |
| experiencing similar challenges on where they stand on | | | | opportunity, we should try to take advantage of that. |
| this issue. | | | | While I agree that we should try to do that within the |
| Is "This is the way it is done!" acceptable? | | | | law, it is not the marketing that is breaking the law. |
| So if your church tenets as it were are to be law | | | | If your marketing approach is law abiding, my opinion is |
| abiding, but many of the very people who you recruit | | | | that you shouldn't ask everyone if they are a citizen. I |
| are here illegally, what do you do? Do you take the | | | | don't think Jesus would do it. And I wouldn't expect |
| corporate stance and rationalize it by saying, "That is | | | | marketers to do it. I would love to hear your feedback |
| just how it has always been" or perhaps "This is the | | | | on this. I am fully aware that this is not cut and dried. |