A month or so ago, I posted (admittedly while P.W.I.) that my bishop came to my house while I was out on a walk with DW and the kids. When he found the door unlocked, he let himself in and left "critical documents" (home teaching assignments) in my home taped to the coat rack inside the house.

I ranted about how I thought this was inappropriate and several RfMers posted that I should call the police. Well, RfM you're right, except that it was my own fault. I left the door unlocked and I can't exactly charge him with, "entering." As it turns out, the "breaking" part is somewhat critical.

I'd like to tell you that I manned up and gave him the "what for" at church. That didn't happen.

I'd also like to tell you there was a direct conflict about this situation that resulted in something exciting. There wasn't.

All that really happened was a very civil dialogue at church in which I told Bishop to please, "not enter my house if no one is home." (In any case, it won't happen again, the door is padlocked and so are the gates, and my new dog, a shepherd, might or might not bite his balls off --I make no promises).

Anyway, the conclusion to this little dialogue resulted with a less-than-newsworthy, yet stupidly decicive statement from our bishopric, "You're not worthy to bless your newborn son."

Nice one bishopric.

I suppose, no I know, that the only true way to be, "worthy" is to bend over and take it as deep as they want to shove it, but you know...if this church were true it seems like they wouldn't wish harm on an infant to punish his father. Or at least they wouldn't use a child as a bargaining chip to make daddy wear a white shirt and say to them, "thanks, I like it like THAT!"

Oh, he'll get blessed anyway for the sake of the TBM relatives and what not. No one will be the wiser. You know why? Because the spirit is seriously asleep at the wheel.That or he's an idiot. Or perhaps he does not exist. I'm going with the latter.

I'll let you know how the blessing goes.

-MiB

Lay your hands on his head and give him a blessing by yourself. You don't need anyones permission to do that. If they want to do it again....what ever, if it keeps the family happy.

another thought would b to call SLC and complain. You may get what you want. Or you may get worse. i've seen it go both ways. I don't think you should let this end with the bishops say so if you can help it. I would pull out the unrighteous dominion card.

We all have trouble with authority that has run amok. that's why a lot of us are here!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/2011 02:10AM by mia.

I agree with mia on this one. Take it farther up the line. And emphasize that it is the innocent CHILD here who is the victim.

Go for it, and good luck!

I'd warn him that if he tried anything like that again, I'd give his face a blessing from my "quorum of five."

I could have used a warning so I could set my coffee down before reading that. :-)

I have been laughing about the "quorum of five" all day.
Best. Line. Ever.

I hate how they use the word "worthy". And for him to think he has the all-knowing power of god to tell you that you aren't "worthy" shows how much of an ass he is! It sounds as though he was also trying to say you're not good enough to be a father, too, which is even more of a dick move.

I agree with the posters above- give your child a blessing yourself. Is it even necessary to do it at church?

Who is going to bless your child if you are deemed not worthy to do it?

WTF?

Are you living under Stalin, where "authorities" simply walk into your home without permission?

Talk to the SP. If he upholds the bishop's insanity, tell them that their organization is no longer worthy of your family's presence and financial support.

Then, stop going.

Anyone who would put up with such treatment is as crazy as the morg.

So this creep trespassed inside your home while you were away, you objected, and he retaliated by calling you "unworthy??"

You are not at fault in any way. Theives, voyers, stalkers, fanatical church people are NEVER at liberty to peek in or enter homes just because someone forgets to pull a blind or lock every entryway. It's ALWAYS the perpetrator's fault!

I wish you could get out now.

as he already had it covered and the job had been done, so 'No need to fret aboot it laddie'.

Now, with hindsight, the grandfather and father non-mormon blessing (toasted with a drop of single malt) carries more meaning than the mormon mumblings of the bishop and his cronies that I agreed to the next time we were in church.

Just saying folks.

:-)

Briggy

I love it!!!

...if you told the bishop that you'd prefer to put off the blessing until you are "worthy" to do it? Seems like that would keep the baby off the ChurchCo records for awhile.

Did the police tell you that it was okay for people to enter your house at will, without your permission because you left the door unlocked?? That doesn't sound right to me.

The Mormon Church is all about 'their authority' to run our lives.

So he is right, you won't submit to his authority in your life.

As long as you are a member they will try to fix this problem and make you understand that to be a member means "submitting to their Authority".

That's why I could no longer be a member. I could not, would not submit to their authority in my life.

Why, because it‘s a lie, they do not represent God, they have no God given Priesthood authority and the fraud they perpetuate is inexcusable.

I could no longer be counted as a member of an organization the likes of this, and they needed to be notified that they could not longer count on me to ‘submit’ to their attempts at unrighteous dominion in my life.

That's exactly how I would have handled it. And now you have a problem with "authority?" How nice for them. I'm sorry that you have to put up with that.

I agree with those who say to do the blessing at home if you can.

Sounds like at least it should be trespassing. Do you need a sign for that?

The reasonable expectation in our society is that no one should enter a private residence without an invitation or a mutual agreement.

Nor should they enter private property if they know they are unwelcome.

What a jerk!

Time to send in your resignation letter now! State no contact. Period. Keep a copy to show the police if any further harrassment happens. Legal threats are the only thing that can stop these creeps.

...you don't need authority to bless your son. You'll just do it at home. There is no doctrinal stricture against this at all, and it's your privilege. Besides, even church leaders recognize that there is nothing to the whole "children of record" thing. It's just an easy way to get more numbers. Take his authority away from him.

After you are done, simply submit the information to the Stake Membership Clerk.

If the Stake Prez calls, let him know that your bishop forbade you simply because you did not like him wandering around inside your house while nobody was home, and that you are willing to go to the Seventy for your area unless this is cleared up.

Your Bishop is clearly out of order...and a d*ck.

there is no reason not to have a baby blessing at home. Make it a family gathering with relatives and friends, food, etc.

and reality just beats it. They are their own satirists.

And how is it possible to have a "problem" with false authority ?

That bishop needs a swift kick in the ass with my steel toed boot !

o above his head complain to his boss, then complain to the his bosses' boss until it is resolved. Embarass the prick as much as possible. I also like the idea of saying, "Ok, when YOU decided I'm worthy enough, then the blessing will be done." Or do it at home like the other posters suggested.

IMNSHO, this seems like it could be one of those moments you might might regret if you don't stand up for your rights as a father. He's jerk and he is the one that stepped on YOUR toes, not the other way around.

Here are a couple of signs that you may want to fasten to your house.

http://neatplates.com/SIGN_WARNING_SALESMEN_WILL_BE_PERSECUTED.jpg

http://neatplates.com/SIGN_WARNING_TRESPASSERS_WILL_BE_SHOT.jpg

My dad did it, in a furtive ceremony on a Tuesday in the bishop's office. DH was not allowed to even stand in the circle, which didn't really bother him. Instead, one grandpa and few uncles and the bishop stood in. The bishop was really good about it though, and did not make a big deal over DH not being worthy. We had the baby blessed to keep the family at bay for a little while longer and it allowed me to keep sitting on the fence. I was okay with it because a baby blessing isn't important to mormon salvation; in my view, it is a substitute for the pomp of a Catholic christening, since mormons baptize their children at eight.

Interestingly, my oldest son approaching "the age of accountability" (what a crock!!) was a catalyst in my apostasy. It was one thing to bless a baby who would have no memory of the event and another to baptize a child who would remember, when I wasn't sure if mormonism was true. I could not use him as a pawn in my ploy to passively avoid upsetting my mom, but not baptizing him would be making a loud announcement of my disbelief to not just my family, but my friends as well. And at the time, I was still in a bit of a fog as to what I DID believe.

It was an ultimatum: "Get your crap figured out Queen. You've got to start studying and choose your path because you have boys to raise." So, in the year before he turned 8, I finally opened that door I'd been avoiding. I had to know if Joseph Smith was a fraud. I loathed so much of the doctrine that my biggest fear was not that it was all a lie, but that it was actually true. I cracked my first book, one recommended by a very devout mormon and written by another devout mormon, Rough Stone Rolling, and I knew my son would not be baptized. I knew which path to take. I was relieved and at the same time, stressed.

It was an anxious time for me. I dreaded the conversations that would sprout up, and they did come up. How could I tell people that I loved that I no longer believed what they KNEW to be true? My disbelief is offensive to them personally. I disagree with them on a level that is so precious to them, that to not agree with them, in their mind, is like shouting all up in their face, "I think your an ignorant git!" These are people I love! It was a dilemma.

However, I could no longer avoid those conversations. I thought through possible questions and confrontations, composed loosely formed responses and then waited. The month of his birth rolled around and the inquiries started popping up. Then, after months passed and he was still unbaptized a few of my more forward family members confronted me about my beliefs. I was prepared, but it didn't make the conversations easy.

Best of luck to you MiB. I'm curious to hear what happens and if there's any fallout. I'm sorry you have to deal with a&^holes.

at home many times--and our kids were confirmed right after the baptism rather than in SM (we were on our way out at the time and were just going through the motions).

Just for your info--somewhere here in Colorado they are looking for a guy who entered 4 houses--3 women and 1 man. He came in through unlocked doors. I seem to remember he tried to assault one person--but he is being looked for because of 4 enterings through UNLOCKED doors. It doesn't matter if you didn't lock your door. It is still illegal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/2011 02:21PM by cl2.

when my husband i went to be sealed our sp made some ridiculous demands in order for us to get our permission slip. When i confronted him about it, his next question was do you support your leaders?

My answer: if you are going to be a condescending,power addicted,spiritual abuser. NO i do not support that.

That's when we knew we would never be back. We could never answer that question with a yes. That is their number one goal. Without everyones support they have no power.

Do you support your leader?

accarding to the mormon culture has nothing to do with being a decent human being, a good father, mother, husband, wife, sister, brother, etc. The church's definition of worthy is all about checking off the commandment checklist and giving money to the organization.

Sounds like a good story for Fast and Testimony meeting.