Blogger Exed

Yes, an LDS blogger was exed this week. While using labels is sometimes controversial, this was clearly a DAMU blog, not a Bloggernacle blog. It started with a short post last month here, an update followed here, then it ended with a touching narration of the final events here. Having read the recent posts of said blog, I think it's a good illustration of just how obnoxious a person has to become before formal discipline enters the picture.

The LDS Church is not the only church that uses some sort of formal disciplinary system. In fact, practically all churches do something similar — churches and congregations do of necessity regulate their membership. I've posted on LDS excommunication in some detail in a previous post. I'm not really inclined to repeat that discussion in this post.

I hope reports of this or similar episodes don't start circulating through the local leadership grapevine and give LDS blogging a bad name. Blogs, like books, are content-neutral and can be pro-LDS, neutral, or anti-LDS depending on who is posting and what they are trying to accomplish. I think this is now appreciated by at least some of the folks at the COB, given that the LDS CIO now has a blog, as does the LDS director of media relations.

Comments

[Seth R.]

Well Dave, to return more to your bigger point...

As a threshold matter, I would at least think that the LDS blogosphere will attract negative attention from Church leaders once there is a "scandal" or controversy on the blogosphere of sufficient note or magnitude to get the attention of traditional media outlets.

And no, a passing reference from Peggy Fletcher Stack doesn't count.

[Steve EM]

Well I'm believing and active but a free thinker and fully aware I'd likely be ex'ed if some AH outed me.

What we're seeing here is the church of BKP and his minions, certainly not the church of JC. For example, my wife mentioned to some friends at church that I established a relationship with a grown son last Fall who I only learned about in 2005. To my surprise, my Bishop spoke to me about it. And even after I assured him I had repented of my youthful indiscretions long ago and how it was over two decades ago that the man's mom had concealed her condition from me, abruptly dumped me and married some sap to raise my kid, etc, I've now learn my Bishop and the SP have stirred the waters further with local California church leaders (I'm on the East Coast) raising the matter the man's mom, inquiring if there's an ongoing sexual relationship, etc. This is utter BS! It's been tough for me to keep going to church lately.

This poor blogger should have been left alone, even after his wife outed him. How local volunteer leaders even have time to deal with nonsense like this is beyond me, as is why the wife didn't do the honorable thing and end the marriage, rather than destroy it this way using the local church leaders as pawns (yes, the marriage is over, it's only a matter of time.). Train wrecks like this are completely avoidable by intelligent parties. In this sad case, the sorry blogger is the smartest moron of the bunch.

[Dave]

Steve EM, sorry to hear all that. Seems like most "youthful indiscretions" have a half-life measured in months or years, not decades. If you lay low, maybe the storm will blow over. If not ... well, EM could stand for Ex-Mormon as well as Evangelical Mormon, so at least you can keep your handle.

[Seth R.]

Steve, I don't think you have much basis to declare Simeon's marriage "over." He himself still speaks quite highly of her and I can't see that he's really blaming her.

I will agree with you that your Bishop was probably overreaching.

Maybe if you'd told him while wearing a white short sleeve shirt with a red tie, things might have unfolded differently...

[Matt Thurston]

Thanks for your response in #48, Simeon. You make some good points. I have a few other thoughts but don't have time right now to express them. If I find the time later I'll probably just write them on your blog.

[Steve EM]

Dave,
It's funny that a lot of people think that's what EM stands for, especially given I rarely visit DAMU sites and never post on them; they're all just too sad and stupid. Generally the DAMU were blind faithers who hang on every word, couldn't handle that the GA's are flawed people like the rest of us, etc. Had they questioned from the get-go, used the sprit for discernment and learned to ignore some of the false prophets in our ranks, they'd have been ok.

Seth,
Funny about the shirt. How did you know I only change into white shirts for performing baptism or temple activity?

And yeah, I read that stuff too, and I'm sure he still loves his wife. Sure, the fat lady hasn't sung, but she's already on the stage. Trust me, that marriage is over. It may even drag on a few years, but it's over. I know plenty of guys who still love their ex-wives.

[Mary Siever]

I suppose I am naive, but I don't see why he was excommunicated, just because he doesn't believe in the Church and says so. I have several siblings who have the same opinion and they haven't been excommunicated. Usually excommunication (which isn't supposed to happen lightly and it looks like it has there)takes a whole heck of a lot more than that. I didn't read his whole blog, but still, it doesn't matter if he is anti, he was expressing his opinion, not trying to start his own church. Or maybe he was?

I wish that non believers and believers could have a little more understanding between each other as well. One of the most important parts of the whole plan of salvation is our right to Choose for ourselves. And Jesus suffered for those who don't believe in HIm as much as He did for those who did. One thing I have learned in all my many years of watching siblings and other family members take the road of non-belief (I really don't like to say apostasy, it's not our call to say who is an apostate or not)is that too much time is wasted worrying about what they think instead of focussing on perfecting ourselves. I have enough to work on in my own life to not worry about someone else who justy happens to not believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is their prerogative and not my business to try and fix. Truly, it is not. The only business I have, is to love.

The only thing I see about losing one's testimony and faith is that it is a huge waste of time. One day they will know, and just all that time wasted...but anyway, that's about it.

Simeon, you are right. I agree wholeheartedly, we can mock many things about religion (any of them) but not about Jesus Christ, He is our Saviour.

I truly don't know exactly what this man said, altogether, but I really don't understand why he was ex'd.

[HP]

Mary,
He revealed something from the temple on his blog site that he had specifically covenanted to not reveal, except at a certain place. I would think that was the clincher.

[Steve EM]

HP,

So? Many members do all sorts of things contrary to their covenents, in many cases far more harmful things than you're citing, w/o going the excommunication route. The fact that local leaders even had time to read the guy's rant tells me they have too much time on thier hands. It's kind of hard to be simpathetic about "overwhelmed" local leaders in cases like this when they bring it upon themselves to go on these witch hunts.

[HP]

Steve, don't be facetious. Don't use other cases to minimize what this guy did. This doesn't appear to have been a witch hunt and portrayals to the contrary have minimal evidence.

[Steve EM]

Whoa! I’m completely serious as a present victim of such a witch hunt. Under my present circumstances, if some SOB outed my nacle participation, I'm pretty sure they'd ex me, just because I’m under the magnifying glass for something completely unrelated (and without substance). The system sucks and it’s wrong! Smart leaders would have let this guy cool off a few years in his self excommunication before formally considering the paperwork (Which is all a church court is doing, paperwork.). IMHO, the odds of him eventually finding his way back would have been higher had they left him alone. They’re no better than he is with thier railroading church justice in the heat of the moment.

[Jack Fuller]

This is an interesting story not unlike the darkness many people enter when they loose sight of who they are and how they fit in the world. Often time will heal these feelings. Maybe that is what your SP was hoping for. If he really has a special calling to minister to your needs then just maybe the Holy Spirit said to hold off a bit. I trust that is what happened. But, nonetheless, when your inner peace goes away so follows your faith. Or is the other way around? Peace brother. Don't do anything rash. Just remember your baby bride needs an anchor and your kids need a dad. BTW, you know you probably married way above your station anyway.