My experience along this line was undertaken against me by the apostle L.K. Packer. And were it not for special help I received from others, Packer would have achieved his goal and thereby--he hoped--ruin my good reputation (insomuch as he had power to do).

What he was intent on doing to me, others didn't want to have him do likewise to them (if they tried to interfere), so instead (for the most part) were just witnesses to his actions (being afraid to confront the man for his wrong-doings). In addition, Packer also used go-betweens to pave the way to achieve his goals (in effort to try and keep a distance between his dirty deeds, and himself).

Packer didn't mind what rules he broke as an apostle, just so long as he could get his way, and be vindictive towards persons such as I. He was perfectly capable of doing evil regardless of being an apostle of the church. One of his fellow apostle, Brother D. Oaks, said something to the effect (speaking regarding Packer), that "One can't control a grizzly bear".

Packer took pride in this. Quite a humble man---NOT. He was at his best when stuffing dead birds (his hobby), as they couldn't fight back.
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As you can see, I am not one of those who think we are required to forgive everyone who harms others, no matter what (even incest). However, one can't give the same reward to both the good and bad, for this would offend justice (render justice meaningless), and the God I worship is just. So there.

As you can see, I am not ready yet to forgive Packer the anguish he caused me, and many others. Let him first "show forth repentance" (which is kind of a problem for him now, not being on earth, but instead being where those he harmed--his accusers-- can witness against him). So be it.

That explains a few things. Maybe those were the only birds he was stuffing.

It's pretty obvious that Boyd had some serious hangups and megalomania problems. He was also a bully to his fellow GAs.

It's too bad that he didn't spend as much time caring and loving people as he did shaming and judging them. His writings outlived him, and they will haunt Mormonism forever.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2017 10:36PM by BYU Boner.

Having never been excommunicated, I can however say without reservation that I find the whole practice abhorrent.

Shaming members who step out of line for whatever reason, to then isolate them from their faith community while shunning them is cruel and inhumane treatment of 'brothers and sisters' in Christ.

The church policing, following the rules of the manual to the letter has stripped it of its heart, soul, or compassion for human weakness and frailty.

I've observed during my years in the church that it sets people up to fail. Literally. You can only be so good or so perfect for so long, before something starts to give. When people lose their standing in the church may be for an infraction or some bigger thing. What they share in common is the 'falling out.'

It depletes people of their time, energy, resources and talents. People tend not to just withdraw from LDS Inc. They oft times crash and burn before finding their happy medium on the other side. The church created that vacuum for us in the first place, I now believe. We had to leave it to find for ourselves what was missing.

Very well said!

Almost everyone who has been exed was wronged. Jesus would never do such a shameful practice. Satan and his Apostles would.

That was beautiful, amy! Thanks. :)

I was excommunicated without being informed of it.
Which doesn't really bother me that much, since I really don't care about TSCC's idiotic rules. It only bothers me because I left, they didn't kick me out.

They can keep their "we kicked him out" in their records. Even though it's a fiction that only gives them some kind of smug feeling. Otherwise it's irrelevant to me and my life.

Couldn't anyone show up at your church court and as the meeting starts, hand the Bishop or Stake President your resignation letter? Then announce to everyone present that you fully intend to sue the church if you are excommunicated, while reminding them that their authority over you just ended with delivery of your resignation letter to them. Then on your way out the door you call the church a cult, and Joseph Smith a child molester. Problem solved. No excommunication.

My thoughts exactly,Amyjo and azsteve. I haven't experienced excommunication, and I would add just one thought and that is that when you really think about it, it shouldn't really be an emotional distress to be excommunicated from what is really a business/cult. The only reason to have any fear would be because of possible repercussions that would affect someone in their workplace if they have TBM bosses that should get wind of it.

I wouldn't know or care if I were intercommunicated. I might be, I probably am not. The LDS church has pretty much no psychological hold on me. While I do recognize it as an evil organization, I'm really no more angry at it than at Scientology or Jehovah's Witnesses despite my past involvement in only the LDS. It didn't take me long to recover and I'm fully recovered.

The only thing I retain is a disdain for cults and a desire to understand why people join them. No particular amount of anger; I consider myself a scientist. I've actually been well avenged for the crimes the LDS church had committed against me anyway. This is odd indeed. It's not that I ever got true recompense but the Mormons that adversed me got repaid misfortune many times over in return for what they did to me via their mysteriously bad luck after the fact. It's almost enough to make one believe a God actually exists after all.

Back in the day one got excommunicated for asking to quit. This happened to me in 1979. I found the audacity amusing at the time .

I engineered my excommunication. I've explained why before. The results have been very satisfying.

:-)

Man, I TRIED to get ex'd. Figured it would be easier on my mother than having her know I resigned. But bishop was afraid that If I didn't come my son wouldn't either (he was right). So he'd ask my kid about the guy whose truck would be parked in my driveway all night but never confronted me about it. Even when I gave him my letter of resignation, he held a Bishop's court to tell me I was deemed a member in good standing.

Of course, now I'm glad it was me who made the decision and I can say that it was and I'm so happy I did it. They didn't kick me out, I kicked them out of MY life.

I was given the choice of a church court for apostasy or resigning. I didn't want the hassle so I just resigned. It saved my family a lot of unnecessary grief.

I've always felt excommunication was only a threat to believers. When I was approached about the subject I told the church person "Are you threatning to kick me out of a club that doesn't exist?". I was never approached again and I have no idea if I was excommunicated.

I would think that anyone who believes in a just God would expect God to be a better judge than any bishop or SP. I'm not supportive of churches of men doling out punishments.

If the deed is unlawful, let civil authorities handle it. If it's about sinning, let God deal with it.