Another missionary dies, article posted on KSL

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=27192229&nid=148&title=lds-missionary-in-mexico-killed-by-live-electrical-wire&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-2

This is just so sad to see...

Wow.

And nary a mention in General Conference.

Kunz is the 11th LDS missionary to die this year, according to the church.

Why aren't these missionaries being protected? I bet he had unresolved sins...can't have unworthy Elders endangering "the hastening".

This kind of thing is just tragic and I empathize as much as possible for the parents, friends and family. This is about the only thing that makes my TBM wife think when she considers that within 3 years we will see our son leave for a mission. I wish the church and its members didn't make this a "rite of passage". These young men and women live in a world of shame, fear and guilt heaped upon them by the church and it's minions. We actually teach the youth that if they go on a mission that god will look over and protect them....and when something like this happens they spin it..."god needed them on the other side" or they were so valiant that the best time to go is while on a mission (I just puked on my keyboard). Needless. Hmmph

"MEXICO — A Mormon missionary from Idaho died Wednesday from injuries he received after coming in contact with a live electrical wire."
That sound like a very painful death.

Apparently Stan has control of electricity in addition to water.

What awful news, so sad.

If this live electrical wire was in the missionary's housing, could TSCC be liable?

My exact thoughts, no one tries to electrocute themselves, there is more to this story.

If it was anything like my mission, the wire was probably sticking out of their electrical shower-head.

We continue to warn people that there is no magic underwear protection and no protection for missionaries.

It's not only the deaths, but also the result of negligence and failure to protect the young. I'm thinking of the lifelong anguish of missionaries who come home with debilitating gastro intestinal problems which plague them the rest of their lives.

Magical thinking has no effect on parasites, bacteria, viruses or the reality of risks of violence in third world countries.


Anagrammy

LDS Inc should be forced to carry a minimum $1-million life insurance policy on every missionary it sends out in the field.

Let them put their money where their mouth is about the sacredness of these "callings" and that they're doing the "lord's" work...with the implication that these kids will be super-naturally protected from harm.

Yeah right...anymore all these kids are becoming are guinea pigs for LDS Inc's money motives.

Or so it seems to me...

Having worked for a life insurance company, I doubt any company will write a policy for someone living and working in a 2nd-3rd world country. LDS_Inc. can self insure. They have enough tithing money income to be able to pay $1 M to the family of a deceased missionary. That would be the least they can do. TBMs should wise up and stop sending their young people on missions until the Church sets up the payment in case a missionary dies while serving.

As the mother of a teenage boy, I want to say two things. First, this is so horribly tragic that my eyes are filled with tears for total strangers who should never have lost their child. Second, I'd like to thank each and every ex-Mormon who shared their stories and findings online. If I hadn't wandered onto a site like this 5 years ago, I'd be prepping my baby boy to go out in a couple of years into the false security of being a so-called missionary, protected by God in his righteous endeavors. Thank you all for shaking me awake so I could protect my children from being used and abused. I realize he could still join the Navy and place himself in a far more dangerous position but he wouldn't be alone, far from home, dependent on a whims of a church that doesn't care about him, unable to make contact with his loved ones and wrapped in the false security of the notion God will bless him because he is serving. He can at least have his eyes open and be doing something worthwhile.

I'm losing track, but I think this makes 12. Can we list them all by name so that we have someplace that remembers them all, even if they won't mention them in GC.

I'm going to start a new thread. Feel free to add names if you find them.

I agree. I think they aren't counting the suicide in Mexico.

I don't care if the death rate among missionaries is 1/100 of the national average. That isn't the point, you Mormon apologist assholes. The point is, many of these young men are "forced" to go on missions by their families, or they believe so strongly in a false religion that they serve two years of their lives, trusting that their magic underwear will save them. Don't compare these young men to kids who are driving drunk, drinking too much at frat parties, committing crimes, or just having freak accidents living their normal lives. This is not the same AT ALL! I'm so heartsick about these needless deaths of young kids who are too young, too untrained for life in developing countries and not supervised well enough. They are put into horrific living conditions and they trust that their leaders wouldn't put them in harm's way. LDS, Inc., stand up and take responsibility. The LDS Church and its leaders are directly responsible for these deaths. They need to accept responsibility and make changes in their policies so these things don't happen. It is not okay!

And the party line is:

"Data that provide an exact comparison are difficult to identify, but relevant data from the World Health Organization* indicate that the annual mortality rate for young people worldwide in this age range is approximately 205 deaths per 100,000 population. For missionaries, that figure is less than 1/20th of that number. Nevertheless, no statistics can lessen the pain of a missionary’s passing.

Barf

http://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/usa-cause-of-death-by-age-and-gender tell a diff story

The top 5 death rates are due to
1) heart disease
2) cancer
3) stroke
4) lung disease
5) accident

Since the first 4 don't really apply to WoW-lovin' mormons, let's look at the accident rate for the both cohorts which include missionaries 15-24 and 25-34.

If we exclude the recent probable suicide, and scale up by 12/10 to get to annual figures for the Mormons, the numbers are

Mormons: 10/77,000*(12/10) or 16 per 100,000
USA 15-24: 7,111/43,626,342 or 16 per 100,000
USA 25-34: 5,668/41,063,948 or 14 per 100,000

I know this ignores gender weights in the sub groups, and missionaries ages are not accurately captured, but you get the general idea. You JUST AS LIKELY to have a fatal accident while being a missionary as when you are not.

Missions are not, in fact, significantly safer than staying at home, and certainly not by a factor of 20.

Gawdamn innumerates.

Do these age groups include people serving in the military and prison populations?

It is not clear CA girl

I think these are for the whole USA. True comparisons are tough, but accidental deaths for missionaries should not be compared to all types of deaths for non-missionaries (which is what the LDS blow-hard was doing)



CA girl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do these age groups include people serving in the
> military and prison populations?

The best comparison for missionaries would be against college students, since they are the same age, and that's where they'd be if they weren't out doing TSCC's bidding.

Doesn't matter. Getting killed in action, or murdered, does not get reported as an accidental death, and neither is in the top 5 causes of death for that age group.

I'm kind of surprised suicide is not listed. I'm pretty sure it would fall in the top 5 causes of death, especially for that age group. I seem to recall a figure of 30/100,000 for white male Utahns.

But yeah, saying there are too many missionary deaths only makes sense if you have something to compare it to. Doesn't look like the numbers are much different than the accidental death rate for the same age group not on a mission.

Thanks - that makes sense.

This is heartbreaking. I know this family. : (

And the only reason we are aware of the young guy from Issaquah, WA who, apparently, felt his only option was to tie his own life was the fact that it was in the news in Mexico.

How many mishies kill themselves each year?

TSCC is evil. Any organization that has the power to make an individual feel that poorly about themselves is evil in my book.

Again, you need a suicide rate compared to something. It may well be that there are fewer suicides among missionaries than among the general population of the same age group.

One of the interesting statistics of the First Gulf War (1991) was that US troops in the Middle East during the war had a lower death rate than troops in the US. Alcohol was not allowed for troops stationed in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and alcohol related deaths in the US exceeded combat deaths per capita.

And if the claim is that "one suicide is too many", well, you know, that is true for suicides among kids who don't go on missions, so you really haven't said anything useful. The real question is, does the stress of a mission raise the suicide rate? The answer may be no, and it may even lower the suicide rate. That is probably very hard to pin down, since to my knowledge, LDS Inc doesn't release missionary suicide rates, or much of anything about the missionaries, except the gross number called.

Is there anyone out there who is utterly outraged by this DAMNABLE CULT? I just gave a 15 minute profanity-filled rant to a family member. I don't talk like that. I'm fuming.

I know HATE is a strong word - but there is nothing to describe how I feel towards the top 15.

Damn them. They send out a spokesperson to say how sorry the Church feels for someone's death. Get up you cowards.

Not one of the big 15 white A$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ES could say anything from the pulpit at General Conference regarding the ultimate sacrifice of some missionaries. These kids are just numbers, any one is expendable. I know that sounds hard but those imposters can't utter a word.

Go to hell. And take your iconic golden calf with you.

I'm supposed to "let my conscience be my guide?" At least that is the meaning of my moniker. But, in this instance, I dare one of the 15 to step onto my front porch alone? You'll loose every major body part that's severable. And yes, I'm pissed!

Hmmmmmm.....my sister is married to a Kunz who has lots of family in that part of idaho. Wonder if he is related to her hubby? I'll have to ask them next time we talk.

Too bad another one is dead.

12 missionary deaths this year that made the news. How many have there been that did not make the news that we did not hear about.
3, 12, 25, 50 or more ?....

The young men and women in this church are shamed by family, friends and leaders if they don't go on a mission. It is preached from pulpits everywhere. It is expected by parents and grandparents. It is considered a "rite of passage". If they don't serve for two years they are considered "damaged goods" or "less than". The guilt of not serving will follow them their entire lives...it could impact who they marry. Spencer W. Kimball basically said that it wasn't a decision...the decision was made for them. This thinking has been absorbed into the mormon culture and is very much a part of the mindset and it is really, really f*cked up. This is where I take a stand and say get the f*ck out of the culture for good. I do not understand NOMs when it comes to situations like this. All of us who have taken off the glasses and have stopped "drinking the Kool-aid" need to become more vocal...as have the posters above.

"Kunz is the 11th LDS missionary to die this year, according to the church."

I thought by our count this made number 14 - does the church not count suicides or something.

All these poor kids!! They have no idea what they're getting themselves into...