I'm sure it will take a generation, maybe two before the "name removal" phrase falls out of use among rank and file members, but the Church Handbook now refers to "Requests to Resign Membership" (section 32.14.9, which is near the end of the Handbook)

I first heard about this last week on the Mormon News Update daily podcast. I don't normally listen to it, but the word resignation caught my eye. The relevant portion starts at the 13:27 time mark.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9zkoKCYC0s

If you want to read it straight from the horse's mouth, see:
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook?lang=eng

Section 32.14.9 is near the end of this very long document.


I'm kind of surprised they finally gave in and stopped calling it "name removal." Revelation 20:15 declares, "if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

There are a couple other scriptures with similar references to the Book of Life or the Book of the Living. I assume LDS Inc came up with the "Name Removal" trope to scare you into thinking that it was the Book of Life that your name was being removed from.

And of course "name removal" is a euphemism, and like all euphemisms, its purpose is to obscure, not clarify. In particular, they don't remove your name from the records of the church. Your name will be on their records as a former member for as long as they exist. Your name does get removed from the local ward roster, so I guess they are correct to that extent.


Besides trying to scare you about being yanked out of God's Book of Life", the LDS Church really really doesn't like taking orders from people - any people. I bet they especially hate taking orders from ex-Mormons. A resignation is not a request. It is a directive, and the church is obligated to make it happen if you send in a resignation.

Name removal, on the other hand, sounds like something you request, which makes it sound like the church has an option as to whether to grant your "request" or not. They have no such option. It is not a request.

The example I like to use is that when Richard Nixon resigned the office of the President, he did not send a request for name removal to the Secretary of State.


The LDS Church was finally able to give up the "name removal" wording, but they still couldn't give up calling it a "request." The heading of section 32.14.9 is still "Requests to Resign Membership."

So, they are still trying to make it sound like they, and not you, are in charge when you resign. But hey, Name Removal has been removed. Baby steps, but I'll take it. :)

Interesting. Thanks for that update.

They probably are tired of getting called liars for not actually removing names. Shuffling names in files is not a name removal.

I wonder if they thought people would start suing them for false claims.

They must have different file titles for Resigned and for Excommunicated. Name Removal didn't fit either.

The file should be called People Who Reject LDS BS.

I resigned from "the Church" in 2002. I learned about the process here on RFM.

I quit Mormonism in 1981.

I wanted to quit years earlier, but it wasn't easy. Took some time.

Yet, here I am, showing up at RFM now and then. "Resigning" is easy. Recovering might take a long, long time.

It's ok guys.

Phantom Shadow: good points, well put.

It's not a request.

They have authority

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KKJprZqU_oU

So. Still playing word games. That is all they got.

This sounds like the idea was hatched in the Media Relation Dept. by the same folks who brought you the beloved "Style Guide".....a bunch of low-level interns tasked with image repair and restoration in an era of diminishing credibility.

"Name Reclassification" would be more appropriate. All they do is put your name in a different bucket.

Are they removing your new name?

I'm guessing the new names just moves with the old name automatically :)

Makes me wonder, do they have a record of the new name for everyone that goes through the endowment the first time? I think they use the same name on any given day, so if they record when you got the endowmwnt, they could trace that to the new name.

Mines Ammon by the way.....but I haven't cut of any arms.

You never reached operating righteousness level 8.

No, I didn't.

But I did win a milk dud spitting contest by spitting one 31 feet when I lived in Provo attending BYU, so I have that going for me.

"Mines Ammon by the way"

Mine too. I wonder how many thousands of Ammons there are. It must be confusing to have so many in the CK. If God asks for Ammon, a big gaggle of Mormons shows up.

Abraham