If a stranger on the street started talking to a kid about touching himself he would be arrested and labelled a sex offender.. yet bishops do it every day. Something's wrong with that.

"Are you obeying the law of chastity?"

Then again, who knows what they are "inspired" to ask.

God really cares about what people do with their genitals, right? Death, poverty, pain, hunger -- they all are just issues to deal with but "touching yourself" is something God is deeply, deeply concerned about.

Yeah...

It should be illegal!

I am still upset with my parents for putting me in this situation. Could they really be that brainwashed?

Mormon parents are the enablers of this heinous B.S.

I've always said that my parents would never in a million years defend me against the cult, but wouldn't hesitate a second to defend the cult against me.

F**ked-up is even too kind!

Timothy

But parents agree to put their children through this destructive church experience and no one outside the religion has the power to do much about it.

The bishop who asked me those same questions at TWELVE was a known pervert. I don't know how anybody ever felt the fricken "spirit" to call him as a bishop. He made everyone's skin, in the entire ward, crawl. Even my TBM mom and TBM older sister talk about how he said inappropriate things to the both of them in interviews... They were older...

Years later it was confirmed that he was having affairs in his office. What a sicko.

I won't be putting my children through that crap. It isn't a good sign, if nearly 20 years later, I can remember my 12yo interview as if it happened yesterday.

Oh, and the affairs were not in his bishop's office, that I know of. They were with staff at his medical office. He is a family physician.

I have not yet told my TBM wife that I will not allow our girls to be interviewed by anyone without me.

I did tell her that if they are in Primary and being taught by a male, the classroom door must remain open (she works in the Primary). I started pushing this after a man the bishop called to be a classroom helper was arrested for child porn. This pedophile is currently out of jail and serving in the Sunday School Presidency.

Someone should notify the police that he is working with children. What is wrong with your Bishop??

He's young and hasn't yet figured out how he was "inspired" to call a pedophile to work in the Primary.

FYI - the police do know, the pedo is registered. The State of IL requires him to stay away from parks and gatherings where children may gather, but the statutes do not/can not prevent him from attending worship services.

I don;t know why i used the word gather twice.

My office-manager works with children for her church (I think she's Assembly of God) they go through RIGOROUS background criminal checks.

The mormon "church" does nothing of the sort. And it's disgusting.

Ministering to children is different than attending a service. :P

I agree, but the police did come to the ward building shortly after his release to verify that he had no access to computers. As part of his parole they require access to any computer he may use.

The pedo was in the Sun School Pres at that time and I know they met with the Bishop privately and I presume they asked whether he was working with children. Possibly I presume too much.

Doesn't sound right. The church has a secret annotation that they put on memebers records that bishops, stake presidents, can access to let them know who has been arrested and what the reason was. The only way this guy is allowed to work with kids is if he was found not guilty, otherwise he has a secret note on his record that says keep him away from kids.

If you know for a fact that he was convicted and is still allowed around kids, you need to contact the police and the local press in your area and get a lawsuit filed.

He was convicted of having child porn on his work and home computers. He spent about 5 mos in jail. He is not allowed to use the church computer and the police (in the form of his parole officer) can access it upon request.

He should not be ministering to them.

They can however make sure he isnt working closely with children. Even at these services if there is proof that children are segrgated for a time and he's asked to lok after them. He isnt aloud to even volanteer for that kind of thing.

I don't believe he teaches any of the classes or sits in. I will follow-up and find out. I spend 2nd (and usually 3rd) hour at church in the clerk's office and do not attend any Sun School class. In the third hour the pedo is always in the Priesthood mtg.

The issue is mainly a leagal one. Basicly they arent redgesterd clergy they are colanteers which means theres alot less offishal paperwork. Second if anything does happen this lowly volanteer has a team of lawers from the church suddenly at thair srevice. No one stands a chance or has much of a leg to stand on.

I love this question. Could someone who hasn't been banned yet ask on MADB (FAIR Board) to see what hilarity ensues? I would love to see the logic twisting and inane defenses against a 40 yo guy being in a room with the door shut with a 12-14 on up year old little girl.

A very good question. And one I discussed with my children's bishop over a year ago. He became angry that I would upset his priesthood authority and tell him he had no right to interview my kids.

I wrote him a legalistic letter that stopped him from doubting my resolve. It is pasted below for the edification of some:

==============

Mr. Lastname (no titles or niceties because he was a jerk):

I received your letter stating that you do not believe there is an LDS church policy requiring both parents’ permission for interviews with the children. Regard this letter as notice that it is my policy, as the father with joint decision making authority, that you, your counselors and the stake presidency or any ecclesiastical leaders do not have permission to conduct interviews with my children. If an interview is requested, you will need to contact me well before proceeding whenever you or any LDS leaders intend to conduct an interview with one of my children.

My concerns stem from troubling incidences among my peers when I was a teenager in a Utah ward, in which a young men’s leader in an adjacent ward molested several boys. And events with a friend whose bishop required graphic detail of her confession to sexual activity, even requiring her to discuss how she felt engaging in it and methods used. These are not isolated events.

In recent years it's come to light that there is a growing problem among clergy (Catholic, Protestant and Mormonism) with inappropriate behavior, even molestation, when interacting with children. I do not know you personally, and while I have no evidence that you have any problem with this, I have general concerns. It would be troubling were you to go against a parent's wishes to interview and especially ask a child or teen about personal behaviors regarding sex, morality or controversial topics, (often disguised under the term "chastity"). I find it unnerving that clergy in the LDS church routinely ask the youth to discuss sex, masturbation, pornography or other subjects that would be considered highly off limits for anyone other than parents or licensed professionals, all behind closed doors. Very troubling.

Let me put this into perspective: A non-related adult male more than twice the age of the child being interviewed, asking my teenage child about his/her sexual activities in a closed office is inappropriate on many levels. This is not an acceptable community standard any where I know of, and even state-run schools are required to get permission for group discussions on these same topics. Discussing individually, behind closed doors, these topics with a child or teen is deplorable behavior.

Even when or if I were to give permission for interviews, and in order to protect my children, I insist that the following measures be put in place.

1. In order to avoid potentially compromising situations, at least two adults are required in attendance while supervising and/or accompanying my children at all times.

2. That the door not be closed, ever, when clergy interact with my children.

3. All non-related adults in contact with my children have a Police Record Check (PRC).

In fact, PRCs should be mandatory for all primary teachers and youth leaders in contact with my children. I know that this is the case with leaders within the scouting program within the Mormon Church. I cannot understand why this is not the standard for all your primary and youth leaders.

I will be sure to continue asking my children if they are interviewed without my permission, or if these kinds of topics are brought up even in casual conversations. At the simplest level, I have a right to know everything that my children are involved in within the Mormon Church. At this time, I am not informed about my children’s activities at church such as speaking in church, performing musical numbers or engaging in other aspects I may or may not agree with.

This is to inform once again, that you and any ecclesiastical official in the Mormon Church do not have permission to ask confidential questions of my children pertaining to personal topics including masturbation, homosexuality, impure thoughts, sex, guilt, etc. No interviews are to take place without prior permission. Even if my children consent to private closed door interviews, I prohibit and forbid the practice without giving my permission on a case-by-case basis. Permission for one case never automatically permits another (meaning each and every interview and interaction with any of my children dealing with confidential topics of a “guilt” nature are to be cleared with both parents first).

If I learn of inappropriate activities, interviews or discussions of topics not permitted, I will immediately contact my lawyer, the media, and Child Protective Services. Regard this as a recurring policy for all my children for you and all leaders called in the future in the ward or stake they reside in.


Sincerely



Jesus Smith
Father

CC lawyers and others

I remember the embarrassment and shame of telling a strange man about my masturbatory habits. I don't even talk to my family or friends about that, why do I need to tell someone I don't know outside of church?
The fact that Mormon worthiness interviews are religious in nature makes it hard for the Government to do anything about it. Scientology is a destructive religion, but it's a religion, so they get away with a lot of bad stuff. If enough Mormons and ex-Mormons spoke out about it, the image-conscious LDS leaders might have no other choice but to change their policies.

The mormon church hates bad publicity. We need to speak out about all of the church's weird practices, dead dunking, forced tithing, and intrusive interview to name a few.

When I was first married I had to tell myself "It's ok he's your husband" during sex because it had been drilled into me how wrong sex was. I still occasionally have to take a break and collect myself during sex ( with a loving and tender husband) because it makes me feel a little shamefull.....the same kind of shamefull I felt when I was asked numerous times throughout my life to describe any sexual sin I had committed....hmmm I'm glad I left and that my childrens sex lives wont be in danger of being permanantly damaged.

Maybe they've toned down the language today...I don't know. But when I was a youth and asked about masturbation (later by several other bishops and branch presidents as well), I didn't know what the heck he was talking about. I was young and female. He then proceeded to explain it to me, and it even made him blush. I was mortified to be alone with a man my father's age talking to me like that.

When I was grown with daughters of my own, our bishop would call youth in randomly (pulling them from class) and ream them like they were dirtbags if they were male, and talk about not showing too much leg or cleavage if female. Parents were never informed until AFTER the meetings--by their children, of course. This bishop later had criminal charges brought against him (that were hushed up by the stake leadership) and had a restraining order not to be within (can't remember the distance) of children, especially males.

This was an adequate kick in the butt to get me (and my daughters) out of the damned church.

This right here, stands on its own as a solid reason for choosing to not raise my boys in TSCC.