If you've registered your son or daughter for seminary this year using the online process you had to agree to the legally binding terms below... Did you read the obligations before pressing the button?


Permission to Participate in Seminary

Participating in seminary is a privilege, and we welcome you. You and your child (collectively “you”) agree and give permission to participate in seminary discussions, activities, and classes, including, if you enroll in released-time seminary, for one period during the school day. You agree to comply with seminary policies (including the requirement of regular on-time attendance at classes) and also agree that Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, a department of Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and its affiliated legal entities (collectively “we”) are not responsible for any harm that may result from your failure to comply with these policies.

Student Information Privacy Policy

You agree that we may collect and process your personal information from this form and from your membership record (if you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) for purposes related to your enrollment and participation in seminary and to respond to questions or issues that may arise while you are in seminary. You understand that your personal information may be transferred to Church headquarters in the United States, and you consent to this transfer, if applicable.Your personal information may be retained indefinitely as part of a permanent Church historical record. We will never sell your information. We use technical and organizational measures to protect the personal information we receive against loss, misuse, and unauthorized alteration and to protect its confidentiality.

Research studies and surveys: If you are asked to participate in a research study or survey, you understand that participation is entirely voluntary and that you may withdraw at any point. Any personal information you provide as part of a research study (for example, email address or mobile phone number) will be used only for the purpose of contacting you about participating in future studies or surveys. You may opt out of receiving such contacts.

Release to Use Image

You assign and irrevocably grant to us the right and permission to use and—without limit to time, number, language, geography, and/or medium (including now unknown and future media)— reproduce, distribute, display, perform, create derivative works from, or sub license any images or recordings made of you in connection with seminary. You authorize us to interview you and record your interview; to use or record your name, voice, image, likeness, and performance; and to copy, reproduce, adapt, edit, and summarize any recording for use at our sole discretion. You authorize the reproduction, sale, copyright, exhibition, broadcast, electronic storage, and/or distribution of images or recordings without limitation, at our sole discretion. You hereby release us from any and all liability from such use and publication, and you waive any right to compensation for any of the foregoing.

Internet and Online Use Policy

When you use our facilities, equipment, or technological resources to access content online, we may collect information from your web browser. This information may include your IP address, browser type, operating system, and language preference; any referring web page you were visiting before you came to our site; date and time of each visit; and information you search for on our sites. We also use cookies and clear GIFs to collect information online. You can change your web browser setting to stop accepting cookies or to prompt you before accepting a cookie from the sites you visit. If you configure your web browser setting to not accept cookies or clear GIFs, however, you may not be able to use some sections or functions of our sites.
Websites, software, content, servers, and other technologies and materials used to deliver seminary programs (“Seminary Tools”) are owned or licensed and operated by us. We may monitor all communications (email, text messages, social media, and so forth) that use or take place within Seminary Tools for inappropriate or illegal content and may forward them to ecclesiastical leaders or law enforcement officials as needed to protect students and Church interests. You consent to this monitoring and forwarding. Although we may monitor some communications, we cannot monitor all communications. Electronic communications are not secure. We do not guarantee that you will not be exposed to unwanted messages, material, viruses, or other malware. Messages containing inappropriate content may be deleted without notice and may not be sent to intended recipients. You agree that you will not send or resend any message that is obscene, defamatory, illegal, or hateful or that infringes or violates the rights of others. Seminary Tools may be used only for communicating with other students, teachers, and ecclesiastical leaders regarding gospel-related topics and events. You may not download, redistribute, or post (for example, on YouTube or Facebook) any text, image, sound, or video file from Seminary Tools.

We are not liable for any damages (including lost data) caused by your use of, or your inability to use, Seminary Tools or any materials or messages provided therein or by other users or linked sites. Seminary tools are provided “as is.” We disclaim all express or implied warranties, including warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. We do not warrant that the functionality of seminary tools will be uninterrupted or error free, that defects will be corrected, or that any website or server that makes seminary tools available is free of viruses or other harmful components.

Miscellaneous

You are responsible for complying with all laws and regulations in your area, but this Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Utah, USA, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law. Any legal action brought to enforce this Agreement or relating to seminary shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Salt Lake County, Utah, USA, and you hereby consent and submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. If any provision of this Agreement is unlawful, void, or unenforceable in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall not be affected unless we determine that the invalid or unenforceable provision is an essential term to the Agreement, in which case we may, at our sole discretion, amend the Agreement.

We are cavemen and we will club you. G

All I can say is WOW. I believe the Church-Cult must have had some hefty trouble to need to come up with a seminary legal agreement such as this.

I hope that seeing this keeps some potential students far away.

They may have had trouble or the threat of trouble. Their lawyers may have advised them to do this because of the threat of possible lawsuits.

I would never sign this document. Damn communists. But think about it. If you swore to give everything to the church and had to sign this agreement before you entered the temple, would you have entered?

The part about using students' images/recordings troubles me. Sounds like a prime opportunity for them to publicize students' comments, etc. out of context for propaganda purposes, and it is an open invitation for unscrupulous types to turn the images into child porn.

in registration documents for girl scout camp and Utah public schools. The difference is that THEY allow the parent to CHOOSE to whether or not to allow the photos to be used, and whether the child's name can be used.

In other words, you don't have to give up those rights in order to register.

Why doesn't seminary give you the option?

Yes, that is that part that bothered me the most. It didn't say how they would use your child's name, photo, or quotes, etc. Thanks for the extra bit of clarification although its meaning is still cryptic to me.

I'm sorry, but no one takes photos of my kid and tells me that they can do what they want with them. My parent's aren't even allowed to put pix on facebook without my permission.

The frustrating thing is that it's only the disabled, minorities and disabled minorities they want photos of, but that doesn't translate well into legalese.

Wow- this should get some publicity. I bet other high school kids who get signed up for their own brand of religious education don't get treated to this kind of legal weirdness from their church. It's a very strange document. The fact that momo's don't think so just shows a pretty monumental lack of awareness of how weird they've become.

Its a typical church contract. They retain all rights and absolve themselves of any and all future damages to you.
Even if you can prove in a court of law the damages they knowingly did to you!
Can you imagine how they might exploit a Downs Syndrome student? Or Asian? or Pretty Blonde?


Anyone who works for the TSCC has to sign away their financial privacy. Their contract insists if a person makes over $20 at a yard sale, sells personally created art, caters a birthday party, or anything that brings in a dime (including a side job) outside their job, MUST be reported! This includes children living with you and your spouse. These financial reports are to be submitted quarterly. Or you can lose your job!

If your spouse gets a raise, that has to be reported in the next quarter. The TSCC wants to stay right on top of what money inflow you have from outside TSCC while working for them.

The TSCC is a paranoid and grasping organization. They are so full of greed and avarice they're quick to make sure no one else uses them; they want to make sure it's a one way street; their way.

It's always the corrupt who suspect everyone else of corruption.

Mormon Observer Wrote:
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> Can you imagine how they might exploit a Downs
> Syndrome student? Or Asian? or Pretty Blonde?

Exactly the kind of thing I am worried about. My daughter is Asian (adopted), with physical limitations. Exactly the kind of person the church would exploit to the hilt.

This is ridiculous. Why is it their business to know what other money you make or have. I don't see how this is even legal.

Will this affect if you receive a raise or will they say, well your spouse got a 20% raise so you can stay where you are.

The lds church never ceases to amaze me, in a bad way of course.

All church job holders are supposed to have current recommends and pay a full 10% tithe. Even the janitors at Deseret Gymn. When a janitor found out some things and lost his testimony but tried to keep his job, they took that legal case all the way to the Supreme Court of the US and won because religions get special rights to discriminate. But I digress.

How would they be able to make sure your household isn't cheating on your tithing if they don't know about every source of earnings? And in their view, if you cheat or lie to them, they would rather have someone else in working your position and taking their money. Rich irony when you realize church leaders pay no tithing on their "stipends" and have been lying to the members consistently for years. And as for financial openness on their part - forget it.

Obviously they want to have the opportunity to hook all kids and families in case they ever want to do a feel good propaganda thing. So by going to seminary you now have to promise the LDS church they can do this to you? Did I understand this right? that's bullshit. who falls for this? Not at all like it was when you just chose to participate or not.

If a parent agrees to that for their minor child, is it binding upon the child when they reach the age of majority? Or can they sue for royalties on tithing from converts who saw them in morg ads?

Great point. A 17 year old boy today will be an 18 year old adult one year from now. Will my son be bound by the agreement I signed today?

"Anyone who works for the TSCC has to sign away their financial privacy. Their contract insists if a person makes over $20 at a yard sale, sells personally created art, caters a birthday party, or anything that brings in a dime (including a side job) outside their job, MUST be reported! This includes children living with you and your spouse. These financial reports are to be submitted quarterly. Or you can lose your job!"

Mormon observer - do you have any solid printed proof this is so?

Yes, Willie Boy, I do.
I was hired by the church at one time with a binding contract. They broke the contract and had to pay me for breaking it.
I kept my copy. I even insisted they give the full file they had on me of the contract. They did, and I had to wait a week while they copied, and mailed it from Salt Lake.

I'm glad that job didn't work out.

It's ironic, because the other job I got soon after exposed the TSCC's dirty business underbelly just like the church job would have in time.

In my alternate job I had to learn the ins and outs of legal contracts and why they were binding and how. In time, I knew how rotten the LDS business employee contract was.

And yes, the TSCC had a very cheap raise after a year of loyalty and it was open to being influenced by whether you had outside income.

It was the business deals of the TSCC that were the final straw for me to go inactive, then after leaving, know I'd never go back.

"We will never sell your information"......because we can simply transfer it freely to our church-owned businesses, who may then bombard you with spam.

Isn't that crazy?!

This CotPotCoJCoLDS disclaimer makes about as much sense as "Do Not Fend, Mold, Bindle or Sputilate" http://www.wap.org/disclaimer.html

What a racket. Tell your members they are the elect and select, valiant special spirits. Take their money without telling them how it's spent. But make sure they sign your corporate release form when agreeing to let you brainwash the kiddies during school hours. What's next - a legal release for parents to sign on behalf of their minor child at the time of baptism?

The very definition of obscene.

How can a parent sign away a child's rights in perpetuity?

Boilerplate shit that will never stand up in a court of law. If LDS inc violates privacy or established laws and justify it with this release they will be still be liable to the system. Releases or hold harmless agreements like this do not protect someone from the law.

I suppose having the cult use your child's photo to promote the hive is a sort of ego boost in the Mormon world.

Our church once had a company come in and do a directory. The directory was free but the company then had each family in to do a hard sell on family photo package. When our turn came they said they wanted us to sign a release and they'd give us the photos for free. The agreement was very much like the one above. It was also intimated that they could take our heads and put them on other bodies as well. We were appalled and nixed the whole thing. Can't imagine Mormons agree to this sort of thing.

Members must be crazy to "irrevocably" sign their legal right away.

In this or any other matters involving the Mormon church.

I firmly believe that any parent who would sign this agreement is certifiably insane.

Under no conditions that I am aware of would I sign this!!!!!

We've talked about the photo issue.
Did anyone read the part where they can read your email and forward it to your bishop?

Glad my grandchildren will never know about all the crazy mind fuck $hit they teach at seminary.

Ron Burr

Oh boy, just a bit longer until I get to experience true insanity firsthand!

*Shudder*

I once heard somewhere that children don't have rights because they're technically property of their parents. Oh, good for me. I'm going to at least pretend I have rights.

If I see any recording device when I go in those rooms, I'm walking right back home and sleeping as I should be.

"a department of Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and its affiliated legal entities (collectively “we”)"

Omg thy actually DO call it a corporation!!! I always thought that was an exmo joke. Holy shit.