One of the things that opened my eyes about the church and made me question things was how openly private information (given to a Bishop or SP) was shared with others, including wives. I was once shared something very personal with a Bishop (very sensitive information) that I had never shared with anyone else. Well, a week later, I found out others knew about this, including the Bishop's wife. I was pissed.

When I served as a Bishop, the SP shared stuff with me from other units and very private information. It was information that should have never been shared with me.

In Ward Council meetings I have heard people discussed and information about those people that (I thought) was private. The Bishop and RS President shared this.

There is no excuse for this!! I can only imagine what has been said about me in these meetings--LOL.

Growing up, I learned things about members of my family from friends in the ward. The ONLY way these things could have been known was if the bishop was sharing "confidential" information with others. It is complete bullshit. "Men of god" my ass.

Confidential, to a mormon, means tell others with confidence.

even as a TBM I was appalled at the confidences broken in Ward Council meetings.

I agree, it is despicable.

is Standard Operating Procedure in most wards. Appalling, but there it is.

"Lay Leadership: Volunteer Ministry of the Church" comes to mind. Volunteer sounds great. Untrained, unprofessional, uncredentialled, sounds less great.

In programs in pastoral care, e.g.:

http://www.seminarygradschool.com/article/Preparing-for-Pastoral-Care

http://www.ptsem.edu/Academic_Affairs/Academic_Departments/pt/default.aspx?id=4634

http://asburyseminary.edu/academics/degrees/certificates/pastoral-care

one of the things taught is confidentiality. But of course this is not required for leadership in TSSC. It is not a surprise that confidentiality is breached, and probably routinely.

Bingo. The church gets what it pays for. And since it doesn't pay volunteers, it doesn't get much in the way of competence or accountability.

akin to "military intelligence"

Loose lips sink ships

all the bishops I knew told their wives the dirty and it spread like wildfire through relief society..I t ruins families.

goes like this..

" I'm not supposed to tell you and keep it confidential.. My husband the bishop shared with me that brother Phil latio was having an affair"

Telling your neighborhood insurance salesman or small business owner, anything that you want kept private, is naive.