Some recent attorneys general are in the news for possible crimes.

Can anyone tell me: if a Mormon is convicted of a felony, does s/he lose any privileges, temple recommend, etc? Or does that stuff happen only to people who speak out or dare to think differently?

It depends on how much money they provide.

That will depend on so many factors.

The following will get you kicked automatically: Murder, Incest, Child Abuse (sexual/physical), Apostasy.

Do the following *and* be in a noticeable position will do it too:

Attempted murder, rape, sexual abuse, spousal abuse, assault, adultery, fornication, gay sex, abandoning your family, robbery, burglary, theft, embezzlement, drug dealing, fraud, perjury, false swearing.

Again, it's not enough to do those things, you also have to be a prominent church member (bishop or higher).

Oh, and stuff on that list will also get you excommunicated if everyone knew about it.

Oh, and while embezzlement will not get you excommunicated if you're not a bishop or if nobody knew about it, it's an instant excommunication if you steal the church's money rather than some gentile's.

A few years ago, not too far from where I live, a bishop ran a ponzi scheme within his ward. He got exed before the trial. My understanding was that he confessed to the SP after spending all the money - just before it came crashing down:

http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/sltrib/money/50292147-79/merriman-victims-court-fraud.html.csp

Backs up what you are saying, squeebee.

Child abuse won't. My father was abusive my entire childhood. He was never kicked out or even barred from the temple, and plenty of people saw bruises on me, my mother, and my siblings. The Bishop never even reported my father's abuse to the authorities because he didn't want to "break up our happy family".

My uncle, Jackie Peterson, was convicted twice of sexual abuse of a minor.
He was in the stake presidency at the time of the first conviction.
He was not ex'd nor disfellowshipped.
The second time, he was ex'd.

His son was Greg Peterson, who committed suicide after being charged with 11 counts of rape in SLC, Heber, and Utah counties.
Greg had not been ex'd after his charges, but it may be that the church didn't have time to call a court of love.

It's it really fair though to excommunicate on charges only without proof?

Fairness is not part of it because it's not based on reason and evidence like the legal system. You are judged by people who go by "faith and promptings of the spirit" and think they've been given power by god to judge you. This makes it a crapshoot, because those powers are imaginary.

to: Squeebee

<drily> So my conclusion is that theft and other behaviors laid out in the 10 suggestions are not regarded by the church as worthy of discipline....particularly if you are rich and/or powerful, and depending on how prominent you are, how high in the hierarchy, etc...

Guidelines here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disciplinary_council

Possible mandatory excommunication.

A friend has a relative on the sex offender registry. I don't think he was ex'ed or disciplined. His crime is this: 76-5-404 - FORCIBLE SEXUAL ABUSE/2ND DEGREE FELONY

Does anyone know what that means as far as what he might have done? This has been a while back but I think my friend said he was groping teenage girls at church. He died not all that long ago and the obit went on about his love for the church and how he was a high priest, etc.

The felony listed above is in the state of Utah. I should have specified that when I asked my question. He was convicted in 2004. Sorry.

qualified to be a mission president. :)

I do know that HTers and RSers are sometimes called to read their little Ensign articles to inmates.

not all states / jurisdictions are alike in their definition of a felony; example is the amount of $ value in a theft; this difference/distinction is a matter of a state statute.

he gets sent to BYU.

(see Rodney Lundberg)

Your aim is true, Dave. I looked it up. Gracias.

My uncle made and distributed drugs. He was sentenced to 7 years prison. While in prison he received notice that his TSCC membership was going to be revoked (aka excommunication). He got the decision reversed by writing a heartfelt letter to his SP and became a devout member. At the time it was a miracle.

I'll ask the next time my ex-husband gets phone privileges.

In Utah at least:
If a Mormon committed financial theft or financially takes the food out of the mouth of someone who is not a member especially. Depending on the amount determines how big of a promotion they get in Ward/Steak. First hand knowledge here.

If a Mormon has inappropriate relations (Pedafile) with a child then it depends on the amount of exposure the church got. Good or bad. Then the question becomes how much money does the person have. And at that point and only that point is any action taken.

Are you saying that if you can buy your repentance, you're ok? Really?

I know of at least one TBM, a former bishop who took the fall for a bunch of other Mormon crooks who bilked hundreds of thousands of dollars from their associates in a cattle feeding association. He spent a couple years in prison and faced no church discipline when he got out. His associates who were as guilty as him or moreso never faced anything.

RB

Telling people the truth about TSCC's history is more likely to get you ex-ed than a felony.

This is the best info I could find on Disciplinary Councils and their reasons for "starting over" to "save the souls" of the transgressor. Read: Qualifying Offenses re: felonies.
Because the LDS Church has made it clear that all church concerns are left to the local level, the reliance in the local leader's "inspiration" can run the gamut.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disciplinary_council

You mean like Mark Hofmann? They get cornholed in prison like everyone else. Prisoners don't frankly give a damn if someone is current on their tithing or not.

With all the crimes that Joseph Smith Jr and Brigham Young committed, why were they not Excommunicated?????????????

After the criminal stuff is over, (and depending on how long he'll be in jail), they will decide whether to hold a disciplinary council. They may, for actions that are require an evil intent --- theft, burglary, assault, rape etc. It used to cover all the felonies, but now that there are so many felonies that people can be found guilty of one without any actual intent to do wickedly, that is not true.

A disciplinary council may disfellowship them or excommunicate them --- neither of which will have consequences until or unless they are released from prison.

If the person's membership record is forwarded to the area the prison is in, it is common for them to hold a council and excommunicate, sometimes openly because they don't want to be responsible for HTing them.

My ex husband was convicted of "Continious Sexual Abuse of a Child Under the Age of 14" (my daughter) in 1994 and was never excommunicated.

After his sentencing I went to the Bishop and asked if they would "ex" him and he danced all around the subject then finally landed on "Well, we don't have his story if he did it not not; if he's guilty or not." I had given the Bishop the court transcript and a transcript of his recorded confession but the Bishop wouldn't budge.

I formally left TSCC in 2000 and would see the Bishop around town and he would never look at me but he would visit the ex in prision. Everyone in the ward and most of the Stake knew what happened. Several woman came up to me saying they had been abused by a father, brother, uncle, cousin and even with the confession by the abuser they rarely received any church descipline.

I will never understand nor care to, why some men stick together when such heinous crimes are committed.
I still cannot understand why men protect each other

I forgot to add the the DA was LDS and wanted him put away for a decade or more but he only received 4 1/2 years. This was in Southern California - not Utah.

don't women stick together?

(I'm NOT condoning that AWFUL crime!!)