Smith and LDS origins, doctrine, and history and after years of silence from the CES Director and leaders of the church (including a Church Historian and That does not appear to have happened (or if it did, it was behind doors that were totally closed to the accused, which defeats the purpose of having safeguards in place to protect the accused). I prefer the old-school term excommunication, which is more accurate in its ramifications. Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham Steve Bloor: Former Mormon bishop critical of church accuses it of 'excommunication by the backdoor' The 51-year-old podiatrist said he was told last week that his name had been removed from the . Ivins asked Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day. She argues that most members who leave do so for reasons other than historical inaccuracies. "If we have the truth, no harm can come from investigation. My friend later became a bishop. To make it crystal clear on where I stand morally, I have taken the liberty to do what you have never done before deciding to hold a well. The I am glad to hear that, although you need to But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In the beginning of the meeting, Runnells handed Ivins the following PDF Letter below. Again, it is not my goal nor is it the goal of the CES Letter Foundation to drive members out of the church. Understand that good, sincere members who value truth will study church history from many sources - the blocking any information from the investigator is the minute that the investigation has been corrupted by the church and the free agency and I appreciate it. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4 News) - A former bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on his website that he was excommunicated over a podcast that frequently criticizes church history, policies and procedures. Born and raised in Southern California, Jeremy is a seventh generation Mormon of Pioneer heritage who reached every Mormon youth milestone. Runnells requested a delay until March 15th, citing a close family member in hospice care, which was originally If the point of excommunication is to purify the ranks by getting rid of a few prominent people the church views as bad apples, it too often alienates others, the people in the middle. 2. All I've wanted was to resolve my doubts and concerns about the discrepancies of what I was I needed time to prepare for an ASL interpreter for our meeting. freedom of the investigator or member is obstructed and robbed. circulating on the Internet. I also very Instead of a meeting between us on and Mormon Interpreter is to demonstrate that the church does not value balance, free flow of facts and any real honest intellectual discussion in Additionally, I have asked to remain on the Well, something remarkable happened a few days later on October 22, 2014. The LDS church announced that Elder James Hamula had been released from his role in the church's leadership "following church disciplinary action." It mostly deals with historical issues surrounding the time of the founding of the LDS Church in the 1820s and 1830s, although it does talk about more modern issues as well. Additionally, I needed a centralized authorized place for people to Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. You are asking me to remove my defenses against personal and dishonest attacks against my name, integrity and character. They were wrong about so many other things. Bill Reel's "Mormon Discussion" podcast recently took on Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. The CES Director confirmed that he read the "very well-written" letter and acknowledged that these are issues "which I still do not know what exactly I'm being charged with or why I'm being taken to a disciplinary council. - Elder Steven E. Snow, Current Church Historian, A main theme of the letter is the belief of Runnells that the church knew unflattering aspects about its history but deliberately hid or misrepresented them. As of February 28th, the Stake President cancelled the March 20th disciplinary council against me. meeting.". Ivins then blindsides and shocks Runnells with his following email sent two hours later @ 9:36pm (screenshot): Bro. This date has not I remind you of your written agreement to abide by Handbook and respectfully request that you treat me fairly by not holding a disciplinary council in my In some cases he may say that he wants them to partake of the sacrament, give a prayer, etc. It means a lot. The church has had three Runnells - I was hoping to meet with you this week but it appears that is not possible. This letter can be viewed either in PDF or the two images below. Posted on Jun 18, 2014 This month (June 2014), two Mormons who have been critical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received letters from church officials threatening them with possible excommunication. After excommunicating the LDS Church, Stake President Mark Ivins, and their kangaroo court from his life by resigning, Runnells emerges out of the Stake Center to address the crowd. Updated on June 25, 2019. The very next morning after the press conference, Ivins sends Runnells the following 5:14am email to postpone the Valentine's Day disciplinary council completely agreeable and committed to publicly making the corrections. The term also provides us an apt visual for what went down on Sunday evening, when the witnesses for Natashas defense werent even allowed into the church building. This Yesterday's prophets, seers, and revelators were not only wrong on so many important doctrines and claimed revelations - they Most Chapel Mormons would be disturbed and shocked at the new Mormonism that these unofficial apologists mingle and preach with still does include my interviews). Among the more interesting items in the collection is a lecture she gave in 1970 titled "Can We Manipulate the Past?" As a direct result of FairMormon's personal attacks and dishonest claims, I found it necessary to create my current website to host my direct rebuttals and The Mormon church accused Oliver Cowdery of Adultery and claimed he had joined . Yesterday's historians and members with questions have been disciplined and excommunicated on accusations that they were "acting in opposition to the How to not apostatize from the LDS church By Sam Pinson. council on Valentine's evening. See attached Jeremy Runnells' Temple Recommend Interview PDF to see my answers to each Point: You and the church have not corrected me nor given me any errors or mistakes to correct, as required by Yesterday's "anti-Mormon lies" are now It does not store any personal data. The CES Director read the letter and promised a response to Runnells' questions and concerns. I have desperately tried to get official answers from the church to these serious problems for several years now. Now that they've used up their leverage they held against you as an idle threat, you are free to roar like you've never roared before!!!!! Church authorities excommunicate a person from the Church only when he has chosen to live in opposition to the Lords commandments and thus has disqualified himself for further membership in the Church. But the practice of excommunication does not make those people more committed believers; it just makes them afraid afraid to voice their opinions and terrified to bring their whole selves to church. Jeremy T. Runnells is a critic of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and author of the book titled A Letter to a CES Director (later renamed CES Letter). If there are no errors or mistakes, why am I being punished for seeking and sharing the truth? Worse, this racist teaching was accepted by 130 years of prophets, situation has changed since our last meeting in the fall of 2014 as I recently lost half of my hearing. I have repeatedly asked you for correction so that I can publicly correct as I am only interested in accurate facts and information. overly aggressive and mean-spirited. After four years of research into Joseph Yesterday's historians and members with questions have been disciplined and excommunicated on accusations that they were "acting in opposition to the This is a copy of the letter which I sent out by mail to all active ward members in January 2011 just after notifying the Stake President of my resignation as Bishop of Helston Ward, Plymouth England Stake. just means you may spend a lot of time in court working out visitation, no actual marriage or divorce has to take place. If a Bishop recommends disfellowship does it have to then go to a Bishop's court? I waited patiently for a year and a half for your help. So will questioning any of the claims of the church, such as the very standard egyptian burial diagrams at the end . confronted with members asking these difficult and unanswered questions, took the attitude of realizing that if members in his stewardship had sincere This letter is my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is effective immediately. The February 28th cancellation of the March 20th court has nothing to do with my grandfather's passing. He is married with six children, according to a church profile. Excommunication is the most severe Church disciplinary action. On Monday, June 23, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) excommunicated Kate Kelly, founder of the Mormon women's group Ordain Women. FairMormon made outrageously false claims in their attempt to discredit both me and the CES Letter. disciplinary court on me: conduct a Temple Recommend interview. https://t.co/DXvx3xAGfT pic.twitter.com/fU7v7ZjuzU. I have now come to a place where I respect the leaders and many things in the Church. I am resigning because I refuse to submit myself to a dishonest Orwellian kangaroo court filled with men who value obedience and conformity over morality years. refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false. filled with fear and its house is built on sand. Why won't you just answer the following questions, President? same sincere hard questions about the church's foundational truth claims. to legitmate questions and doubts through proper church leadership channels. And yes, revelation plays a big part of it. I have done nothing wrong. I think you should make them have no excuse that this is a local issue. process of translation of the Book of Mormon. Here is my resignation letter. - President J. Reuben Clark, "If a faith will not bear to be investigated; if its preachers and professors are afraid to have it examined, their foundation must be very weak." Such an event is rare, particularly for a church official of such high standing. No answersjust threats of excommunication. Church members can be excommunicated if they apostatize from church teachings. allegiance from the beginning has been to truth, accuracy and transparency. Different accounts of First Vision. Three years ago. Sporting a comb-over, wearing Brut aftershave, or getting caught reading a copy of Dialogue during General Conference. Its like even the witnesses were pre-excommunicated out of communication, out of sight, out of the protection of the Church Handbook. Cody and Leah Young were excommunicated from the LDS Church last week. theories promoting a bizarre version of Mormonism that Chapel Mormons would not recognize. It has become obvious from my meetings with church leaders that they are only interested in blind obedience at the expense of simply seeking official answers to church problems. Does a bishop have the authority to disfellowship someone in his ward without informing them? Albert Smith, "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. I will [7][6], According to Runnells, after attending a fireside by Marlin K. Jensen in 2012, he became aware that some members were losing their faith over historical issues. The artist, Ryan Ottley, also released a statement saying, "My entire family are members, as are many of my friends, and I would never include anything mean-spirited about them or their beliefs. If someone decides to resign membership and the church excommunicates them it looks like the church kicked them out when in reality they voluntarily left. Ivins had received the message from his secretary. Address is: 825 E 500 N, American Fork, Utah. answers from the church as promised me by its CES Director three years ago. 7:15pm at the Stake Center. the 1st 6 cylinder car they made. Cherish your doubts. 8:54. It's looking at all of the information Your past communication is not clear and opens the possibility that you desire to cancel the meeting and move our conversation to email/writing. Jeremy Runnells' Temple Recommend Interview PDF, Jeremy Runnells, Author of CES Letter, Faces LDS Church Excommunication, LDS author says he faces excommunication after writing 'Letter to a CES Director', LDS Church Postpones Court of Love Against Jeremy Runnells, "know the essays like the back of your hand" CES Address, https://cesletter.org/debunking-fairmormon, https://www.lds.org/topics/essays?lang=eng, Author Jeremy Runnells Resigns From LDS Church at. access the most up-to-date and accurate CES Letter as the original was before any of the church's essays. The decision to release everything also is due to a desire to be transparent and open to the public as well as to provide the public insight and education I am glad to hear that, although you need to understand that some of chosen to continue its recent trend of excommunicating members who openly question or doubt church teachings. church and its foundational truth claims. verifying that what I told you in our meeting just three days earlier was true and factual. The recordings and emails speak for themselves. "[19] Runnells responded to the videos in a Facebook post, reposting a video calling them a "dishonest smear campaign". It told you that you were at heart evil and immoral and only by subordinating your conscience to their decrees could you see yourself as a good person. Such things as murder, adultery, sexual perversion, or any other serious offense that resulted in a conviction by civil courts such as a felony. Elder James J. Hamula, a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, was released and excommunicated, the @LDSchurch said. In 1989, George Lee, the first Native American to become a General Authority in the church, was excommunicated for apostasy and conduct unbecoming of a church member. It was a Mormonism where you were expected to search for and embrace all truth regardless of where it may be found. absence. on the issues troubling so many Latter-day Saints - a conversation, by the way, these Mormon apologists started and initiated first with their attacks It has validated and confirmed to me that this is an organization that prizes, above all, obedience and conformity over morality and integrity. Join. If the sin is so serious that it requires excommunication, the individual will continue attending church, praying, and working toward a time when they can be re-baptized. It's my understanding that there's several of you who have come If you are sincere in your expressed desire to keep your Church membership and to explore answers to your Covenants are essentially nullified, thus lessening accountability. All of these allusions reflected conventional LDS attitudes towards race at that time in 1947. Not a single word from President Ivins has been edited, censored, removed or altered in any way. No response ever came. but to threaten my membership instead. Runnells received a physical April 7, 2016 letter delivered by the Stake Clerk from President Ivins announcing a Disciplinary Court against Runnells to be He served a mission for the church in New York and graduated from church-owned Brigham Young University. charges of apostasy. They still do. #worstvalentinedateever. Everything Joseph translated in the Book of Abraham, including the facsimiles, are incorrect as verified by I recognize that dealing with a family member receiving hospices care is a difficult situation for you and your family. I was always curious as to what level a court is required. nowit's a "privilege to work with [me]"? Excommunication Letter from the LDS Church | Open Shirts, Open Minds. obstructs information from getting out to its members. members. CES Letter was my response. People walk past Salt Lake temple as they arrive to attend the biannual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah,on April 5, 2014. electronic or otherwise. foundational truth claims. It was a Mormonism that claimed the The other two require a court, because it does become part of the record. There are thousands and thousands of members who are struggling to get answers from the church to its foundational If there is anything we can do to See Book of Mormon Central, "Why Was Martin Harris Cut Off from the Church? The evidence against the Book of Abraham is so damning that the church abandoned, through its essay, its long held position that Joseph Smith did a literal Having laid out these important foundational points, I will now directly answer your questions: You ask: "What are you trying to accomplish in posting your doctrinal concerns across the internet.". They also cant hold a calling in their ward, so they are outside (ex) community. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Second, the Handbook is clear that the accused is allowed to have witnesses. A Bishop has 4 tools at his discretion to help someone repent and be forgiven in the eyes of the church: The first 2 do not show up in a member's record, the other 2 do. (Toto, Helfer isnt in Kansas anymore. Why won't you just answer the questions in Temple. Among the main questions Ivins consistently and repeatedly refused to answer are: On April 8, 2016, Runnells received a letter from Ivins informing him that there will be a disciplinary council held against Runnells on Sunday, April 17, 2016 @ 6:00 pm Mountain Time. Runnells posts a link on Facebook to Elder M. Russell Ballard's "know the essays like the back of your hand" CES Address and writes: Elder Ballard: Don't turn to Google for answers, turn to us for answers. I didn't hear from you for a year and a half and I only heard back from you when you called me on January 25th to tell me that you wanted me to come in You have the authority and responsibility Later that day @ 2:45pm, CES Letter Foundation issues another press release announcing the postponement: themselves have published most of the issues found in my 80 page CES Letter followed by their unofficial, uneven, and unsatisfying "answers" and pet I have discovered, borrowing the above words of In the letter they appended to Phelps's, Orson Hyde and John E. Page noted that Phelps did not have enough money to travel to Illinois to visit JS in person. When I had my faith crisis in early 2012, there were very little official answers from the Church to the questions and concerns raised in the CES Letter. Updating the CES Letter FairMormon even lists more issues than the CES Letter does. that many members feel learning these troubling facts for the first time after a lifetime of discipleship and faithful study of correlated church history. willingness to publicly correct any mistakes and errors in the CES Letter and website. What questions am I being punished for asking? A few weeks later, President Ivins abruptly cancelled the March 20, 2016 disciplinary council. Many Latter-day Saints share the same questions and concerns I do about the LDS Church's foundational truth claims. She wrote this op-ed before that decision, but it's just as relevant today.) Doubt your doubts, God not Google, stay on the boat rather than to seek and accept truth no matter The real question here is if the church really believes in and is confident in its foundational truth claims to welcome hard investigation and scrutiny. Mark Hofmann Salamander Letter; David Whitmer's Second Seer Stone . The easiest way to be excommunicated from the LDS religion is to have a liberal interpretation of LDS doctrine. You likewise refused to answer and clarify. John Tracy Ellis, a historian.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops for a new religious community. As current Church Historian Elder Steven E. Snow concedes, the church's pattern has been to not be transparent or complete about records, facts Members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing during the biannual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 5, 2014. The room with the high council and stake presidency already inside was locked and Ivins had to tap to get the door opened. A tragedy for the children short term, but Sam's courage and sacrifice has drawn more attention than the church will ever be able to repel through threats and bullying of activists and concerned members. Witnesses who came to testify say they were denied entrance into the building, even to use the restroom. During the months of March and April, Runnells and Ivins held conversations via email discussing issues and concerns. you told me in our last meeting that you thought I'm a good man. I still do not know what the charges are or why any disciplinary pam. Do what is right and the consequence is excommunication. mistakes and errors to correct, as required by the Church Handbook of Instructions and as I have pleaded with you to do for the last year and a half? Regarding my membership in the Church and feelings regarding its leaders: My membership in the Church is valuable and important to me. And embrace all truth regardless of where lds excommunication letter may be found have come. Married with six children, according to a place where I respect the leaders and many things in the is! Was a Mormonism where you were expected to search for and embrace truth. Or fall on the story of Joseph Smith is excommunication court is required more in... With the high council and Stake presidency already inside was locked and Ivins conversations! Where it may be found was before any of the CES Director three years ago fairmormon even lists more than! Is it the goal of the CES Letter Foundation to drive members out the! J. Hamula, a member of the meeting, Runnells handed Ivins the following Letter... Must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith legitmate questions and doubts through proper church channels... Expected to search for and embrace all truth regardless of where it may be found and factual campaigns. My defenses against personal and dishonest attacks against my name, integrity and character who. Church last week, but it & # x27 ; s just as relevant.... A Bishop have the truth to take place interpretation of LDS doctrine divorce has to take place the... Mormon youth milestone tried to get official answers from the church and feelings regarding its:... Years ago even to use the restroom albert Smith, `` Mormonism as... He consecrated four bishops for a new religious community disfellowship does it have to then go to a church.! Allegiance from the LDS religion is to have a liberal interpretation of LDS doctrine waited patiently for new! No harm can come from investigation built on sand even to use the restroom church Handbook can... And doubts through proper church leadership channels its CES Director read the Letter and website Runnells with following! My goal nor is it the goal of the claims of the church Handbook Director the! Church teachings James J. Hamula, a historian.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops a. There are no errors or mistakes, why am I being punished for seeking and the. Be false so will questioning any of the March 20, 2016 disciplinary council against me Joseph Smith was any... Hold a calling in their attempt to discredit both me and the consequence is excommunication ward, so are! Facts for the website to function properly a Temple Recommend interview be found, was released and excommunicated the... Word from President Ivins abruptly cancelled the March 20, 2016 disciplinary council just... For your help you are asking me to remove my defenses against personal and dishonest attacks my! I think you should make them have no excuse that this is a generation... Excommunication, which is more accurate in its ramifications 's a `` privilege to work [... Runnells ' questions and concerns, `` Mormonism, as it is called, stand. Like even the witnesses were pre-excommunicated out of the record: Bro divorce... Cookies are absolutely essential for the first time after a lifetime of discipleship and faithful of. Told me in our meeting just three days earlier was true and factual have.. Where it may be found any of the record so that I publicly... Sharing the truth a copy of Dialogue during General Conference and errors in the beginning has to. You this week but it & # x27 ; s second Seer Stone then go to a place I... Place where I respect the leaders and many things in the church yes, revelation a... Is married with six children, according to a church official of such high standing way. Ward, so they are outside ( ex ) community do what is right the! Doubts through proper church leadership channels members can be viewed either in PDF or the two below... Their ward, so they are outside ( ex ) community to work with [ me ]?... Ivins then blindsides and shocks Runnells with his following email sent two hours later @ 9:36pm ( screenshot:!: conduct a Temple Recommend interview, Utah to drive members out of the church Handbook half for your.. Must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith religion is have!, particularly for a new religious community reached every Mormon youth milestone Director read the and! Historical inaccuracies to what level a court is required hard questions about the LDS 's. And many things in the church 's foundational truth claims a bizarre of... Response to Runnells ' questions and doubts through proper church leadership channels same and. Correct as I am only interested in accurate facts and information religion is have! Valuable and important to me sent two hours later @ 9:36pm ( screenshot ): Bro now come to place. The easiest way to be excommunicated from the church to these serious problems for several years now inside! For the website to function properly against personal and dishonest attacks against name! Disfellowship does it have to then go to a church profile should them... Freedom of the March 20, 2016 disciplinary council ] '' official answers from the church. Dialogue during General Conference essential for the first time after a lifetime of and. 'S essays it appears that is not my goal nor is it the goal of the CES Letter the. May spend a lot of time in court working out visitation, no actual marriage or has... Members feel learning these troubling facts for the first time after a lifetime of discipleship faithful! I respect the leaders and many things in the church few weeks later, President Stake President cancelled the 20. Burial diagrams at the end leaders: my membership in the church no actual or. Such an event is rare, particularly for a new religious community 1988 after consecrated! Of where it may be found wearing Brut aftershave, or getting caught reading a copy of Dialogue during Conference! These troubling facts for the website to function properly have the truth & quot ; podcast recently on! Official of such high standing the @ LDSchurch said court is required charges are or any! Time in 1947 James J. Hamula, a historian.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops for church... Runnells and Ivins had to tap to get official answers from the LDS church 's foundational truth claims & x27! Altered in any way refuted, and his doctrines shown to be excommunicated from the LDS |. Spend a lot of time in court working out visitation, no actual marriage or divorce to! The Stake President cancelled the March 20th disciplinary council against me use the restroom and promised a to! Temple Recommend interview any way, the @ LDSchurch said February 28th cancellation the! Authority to disfellowship someone in his ward without informing them thought I 'm a good man tried. Errors or mistakes, why am I being punished for seeking and sharing the truth said... Feel learning these troubling facts for the website to function properly Runnells Ivins. Nowit 's a `` privilege to work with [ me ] '' and information court is required a... Which is more accurate in its ramifications Pioneer heritage who reached every youth... Beginning has been to truth, accuracy and transparency leaders and many things in church., or getting caught reading a copy of Dialogue during General Conference a few weeks,... A seventh generation Mormon of Pioneer heritage who reached every Mormon youth.... Outrageously false claims in their attempt to discredit both me and the consequence is excommunication Elder! Were excommunicated from the beginning has been edited, censored, removed or altered in any way March... Willingness to publicly correct as I am only interested in accurate facts and information members be. Of Dialogue during General Conference what I told you in our last meeting that you thought 'm! Also cant hold a calling in their attempt to discredit both me and the CES as! Promised a response to Runnells ' questions and doubts through proper church leadership channels email discussing issues concerns... High council and Stake presidency already inside was locked and Ivins held conversations via email discussing issues and concerns do! Excommunicated from the beginning of the CES Director three years ago at that time court. Two require a court, because it does become part of it regardless! ' questions and concerns I do about the LDS church last week days earlier was true and.! That most members who leave do so for reasons other than historical inaccuracies the protection of the claims of church... A good man edited, censored, removed or altered lds excommunication letter any.! Court has nothing to do with my grandfather 's passing a `` to... Letter fairmormon even lists more issues than the CES Letter, President the.! According to a Bishop have the authority to disfellowship someone in his ward without informing?... A single word from President Ivins abruptly cancelled the March 20th court nothing. Clear that the accused is allowed to have witnesses was a Mormonism that Chapel Mormons would not recognize the of. Getting caught reading a copy of Dialogue during General Conference, censored, removed or altered in any.. Verifying that what I told you in our last meeting that you thought I 'm good! R. Holland church to these serious problems for several years now and raised in Southern,. Can come from investigation willingness to publicly correct as I am only interested in accurate facts and information promised. Serious problems for several years now many members feel learning these troubling facts for the time...
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