Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Mormon missionaries from U.S. to be kicked out of Switzerland
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700091651/No-more-US-Mormon-missionaries-to-be-allowed
My first reaction to this was, "It's got to be a joke, right?" Sadly, no joke.
The crux of the matter is this:
Gainfully employed?? Yeah, I got up at 5:30 am for 5 years to work as a paper-boy (with help from parents, thanks Mom & Dad!), worked full-time for three summers, saved 95% of all the money I made... so that I could be "employed" for 2 years as a missionary? Last time I checked, "employed" means that they pay you, not you pay them! I guess that's why I spent about $350/month to support myself while on a mission in Germany from 1989-1991.
Memo to the Swiss court: that's a pathetic interpretation of the LDS missionary program.
My first reaction to this was, "It's got to be a joke, right?" Sadly, no joke.
The crux of the matter is this:
Earlier this year, a Swiss court ruled missionaries are subject to the foreigner-employment quotas, deeming them as "gainfully employed" and falling under worker quotas regarding individuals with particular work skills.
Gainfully employed?? Yeah, I got up at 5:30 am for 5 years to work as a paper-boy (with help from parents, thanks Mom & Dad!), worked full-time for three summers, saved 95% of all the money I made... so that I could be "employed" for 2 years as a missionary? Last time I checked, "employed" means that they pay you, not you pay them! I guess that's why I spent about $350/month to support myself while on a mission in Germany from 1989-1991.
Memo to the Swiss court: that's a pathetic interpretation of the LDS missionary program.
# posted by John Colton @ 8:22 AM 
Comments:
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I don’t know that “pathetic” is the right word. After all, the church is providing payment in the form of subsidies for room and board—i’d have to think that it costs more for a missionary to live there than the $450/month they (or someone on their behalf) is paying.
Given that, it makes sense to call it paid employment, just paid partially in kind rather than fully in cash.
Now, do i think the decision is right? Not really. But depending on the wording of Swiss law, i can see how the decision was made (particularly given Swiss politics at the moment).
Given that, it makes sense to call it paid employment, just paid partially in kind rather than fully in cash.
Now, do i think the decision is right? Not really. But depending on the wording of Swiss law, i can see how the decision was made (particularly given Swiss politics at the moment).
Hi David! Thanks for the comment.
I still think it's pathetic, though. What about university students who receive some support from back home? Are they also referred to as "gainfully employed" by the Swiss government? I don't see much difference between their situation and that of missionaries.
Also, what about missionary couples? As far as I could tell from the article, U.S. couple missionaries will also not be allowed. Yet couple missionaries bear the entire cost of their missions themselves, as far as I know. (Side note: my in-laws just returned from a mission to Switzerland about a year and a half ago.) How by any stretch of the imagination could such couples be considered as employed?
I still think it's pathetic, though. What about university students who receive some support from back home? Are they also referred to as "gainfully employed" by the Swiss government? I don't see much difference between their situation and that of missionaries.
Also, what about missionary couples? As far as I could tell from the article, U.S. couple missionaries will also not be allowed. Yet couple missionaries bear the entire cost of their missions themselves, as far as I know. (Side note: my in-laws just returned from a mission to Switzerland about a year and a half ago.) How by any stretch of the imagination could such couples be considered as employed?
P.S. It's hard to tell from your Blogger profile, but if you're the David B. I think you are: Jeanne's laws of chocolate are still alive and well in this household. :-) I've even spread the gospel to many other friends, giving Jeanne proper credit every time.
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