I sent my resignation in via email, using the form letter from this site and got a letter back from MORG HQ via snail mail within a month. That was followed by a call from a bishop a week or so later and that was it.
who didn't seem to know what he was doing. I got the initial letter from the church and a call from Mr. Mustard in the first 10 days, but after that Mr. Mustard got mixed up and it took twice as long as it was supposed to.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2014 10:05PM by munchybotaz.
Once they receive your resignation by email (instantly) you are no longer a member. So it is instant by email and may take a day or two by snail mail.
The rest of the 'process' is their nonsense requirements which have no legal impact on you, as you are no longer a member from the moment they receive your resignation.
Practical effect? They still keep you on their records (assigned to a different computer coded unit) and include you in their total membership numbers of 15 million. You eventually receive their standard condescending letter with its implicit warning of eternal damnation.
They can shove their letter and permission to allow me an 'administrative action'. I have never formally resigned and never been excommunicated. According to their rules and statistics I am a member. According to my view, the law and reality I am not a member. Have not been to a Mormon church or paid tithing in over 9 years.
Resigning would not even get me the satisfaction of getting out of their statistics. They will still count me until I am 110 years old.
Actually, according to the law, you are still a member. If they decided to excommunicate you, you could not go after them in court for treating you as a member. If the law considered you not a member, you could go after them for excommunicating you.
In your particular case, there is a delicious irony in not resigning, because it leaves them with the dilemma of wanting to excommunicate someone whose calling and election had been "made sure". Either they demonstrate that the calling and election was not so sure after all, or they demonstrate that they are helpless to throw out someone who has clearly turned on LDS Inc.
So far, they have demonstrated their helplessness. Works for me. Your's is one case where I hope you don't resign, and leave them with a Hobson's choice.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2014 09:06AM by Brother Of Jerry.
When I quoted the law, it was UK law, not US law as I joined the church in the UK.
So Brother ofJerry, I am sure you are right regarding US law. However, it could be interesting to test the US law. Do you ever sign a membership agreement that specifies how you terminate your membership etc.? Surely by not attending and not making any financial contributions, nor buying manuals etc. could be held as prima facie evidence you have resigned or, at the very least, allowed your membership to expire or lapse?
Love to see/read this US law, do you have a reference? Would have to be a federal statute for obvious reasons
Plus a legal contract should be enforceable by the cult - and I would owe several hundred thousands in tithes from years missing "tithing settlement." So that has me greatly concerned.
Anointedone has an excellent point.
1. I have never signed any contract.
2. If I had it would be invalid - as I was a minor and heavily pressured nay forced to the baptismal font.
3. I actually would relish taking court action on this cult in just the manner suggested - have the means and will do so, if provoked in the least.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2014 12:04PM by zenjamin.
I did things via e-mail... As state above it was almost instant for the part that I cared about, the moment I hit send in fact... Their administrative portion and busy work took about a month.
I did take the extra step of looking up my local bishop's e-mail address via the website since I knew that headquarters would turn it over to them to keep them busy. Even though I've never met the guy, I forwarded him a copy of my e-mail and asked that my paperwork be expedited, didn't need to visit and would really appreciate things being handled confidentially and quickly. This seemed to help move things along.
I sent an email on 01/21/11 and knew when it was opened, so that was when I was out. The official paper arrived two weeks later. I had also sent a snail mail to the bishop stating no contact, and I have never had any. At the time I was living with TBM BIC grandmother and never heard a peep out of her about it, so apparently the bishop never blabbed. This was in the south end of the Salt Lake valley as well.
I have since moved to Nevada and have only seen missionaries from a distance twice in almost 3 years :)