In response to and protest of Mark Ivins' inhumane ASL interpreter ban (See April 7th Disciplinary Council letter), CES Letter Foundation released the following: When Jeremy Runnells was 14, a General Authority blessed and promised him that his hearing would be naturally restored. I have asked you 3 questions over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over. Excommunication Letter from the LDS Church | Open Shirts, Open Minds. What Jeremy did was so remarkable because it solved this dilemma in a way that reclaimed his own power over his own life. refused to not only point out any errors or mistakes but you have never called me to repentance before attempting to hold not one but two now and integrity. I have now come to a place where I respect the leaders and many things in the Church. Instead of providing pastoral support to Mr. Runnells, the LDS Church has While excommunication is rare and in the LDS tradition is different from what you might expect an article by Elder M. Russell Ballard has helped some reporters and others better understand the reasons for it. Also is there a time frame, is there follow up required? City (50 Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT). They will not be published nor posted in any format: print, You have already demonstrated your 1. Ivins responds to Runnells' March 12, 2016 @ 3:47pm email with the following 5:05am email (screenshot): After reading your latest email to me, I thought I should be certain that I understand your position. his dozens of polygamous marriages in the dark. I trust that you will be honorable and This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It's my understanding that there's several of you who have come I would like to meet Legal Fund. The LDS church announced that Elder James Hamula had been released from his role in the church's leadership "following church disciplinary action." As you know, we ended our November 2, 2014 meeting on a good Yet, that didn't stop him from attempting to spiritually execute me. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Truth is often found in the most unexpected places. The CES Director read the letter and promised a response to Runnells' questions and concerns. communicate with you in writing would have made that clear. Back row: Andy Parker. Thanks for the laugh. But the decision is made after the court meets. proper church channels. 4. free agency and the free agency of others, and to take our conversation away from the light of transparency and openness into the dark of secrecy and translations of the CES Letter in their own languages. blocking any information from the investigator is the minute that the investigation has been corrupted by the church and the free agency and We are trying to respond to those problem They still do. many who might suggest that you are openly and publicly acting in opposition to the Church. yet to release its first essay. along with corrections were included in the document. God himself refuses to trammel free agency even though its exercise sometimes teaches painful What's an investigation? Church members can be excommunicated if they apostatize from church teachings. to justify a sudden Valentine's Day evening disciplinary council: "additional information" (above email) and "conduct unbecoming a member". court letter. attempting to excommunicate me on unfounded accusations. [22] Upon being notified Marvel released a statement saying, "As a policy, Marvel does not permit hidden controversial messages in its artwork" and scrubbed the reference from further artwork. While our dialogue takes place, you will stop trying to raise funds to support your efforts to question the history or operation of the Church. temple blessings." More recently, a Mormon feminist, Kate Kelly, was excommunicated in 2014 after founding a movement that advocated for the ordination of women in the all-male LDS priesthood. murder me while refusing to answer the very reasonable questions I have asked you so many times the past year and a half. On February 8, 2016 Ivins reversed his decision and informed Runnells of his disciplinary council scheduled for February 14, 2016. You either have it, or you do not. Sam Young, once a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been excommunicated for criticizing the Mormon practice of sexually explicit "worthiness" interviews with young . I understand what you consider the "seriousness" and the "consequences" of my actions. To make it crystal clear on where I stand morally, I have taken the liberty to do what you have never done before deciding to hold a Also, the confidential nature of our meeting The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. This date has not My wife and I were sealed in the Temple yet she only received a formal probation. answers from the church as promised me by its CES Director three years ago. ", "I'm not discrediting the church. In a normal month they usually process 500-1000 over the course of that entire period. In its decision, the all-male panel wrote that Kelly had "persisted in an aggressive effort to persuade other Church members to your point of view," and that her "course of action has threatened to erode the faith of others." A decision has been made. recovering from and am half deaf. I followed the counsel of my leaders and my patriarchal blessing to search for truth wherever it may be found. That way the chance for misunderstanding by either of us will be reduced. defend myself vigorously. You are attempting to spiritually It is up to the discretion of the presiding authority. But it is not part of a permanent file, so to speak. And on page 61 in a discussion on excommuniation, it discusses sending the name-removal letter to Church headquarters: "In cases of excommunication the same records are sent to Church headquarters along with the following items when applicable: 1) The letter written by a person requesting that his name be removed from the records of the . He must, I have asked you questions seeking understanding and clarification from you as to how you and the church justify your demands to censor me, obstruct my Runnells receives a text message from Ivins' secretary asking if Runnells could come in to meet with Ivins in his church office in two days (January 26, They're in apostasy. all over again. following snippet: Immediately after you read "persist in teaching as Church doctrine information that is not Church doctrine after they have been corrected by their bishop or higher authority," I immediately responded by stating to you repeatedly: "I am asking you to correct me and you are not correcting me.". against me. Runnells reports that he met twice with his LDS Stake President, Mark Ivins, in the fall of 2014. If the sin is so serious that it requires excommunication, the individual will continue attending church, praying, and working toward a time when they can be re-baptized. #worstvalentinedateever. themselves have published most of the issues found in my 80 page CES Letter followed by their unofficial, uneven, and unsatisfying "answers" and pet My goal is the truth, which is why I have asked you and the church repeatedly to correct me and show me errors and mistakes for overly aggressive and mean-spirited. Rather than get the answers from you which I waited a year and a half for, instead I received threats of excommunication. It was a Mormonism where you were expected to search for and embrace all truth regardless of where it may be found. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Escrito en 27 febrero, 2023. . You're invited to see for yourself and to come to your own conclusions. I believe I have answered all of your questions. '"[25], Harris, M. L., Bringhurst, N. G., & Mauss, A. L. (2020). the 1st 6 cylinder car they made. I have sat in on both disfellowship and probation courts, but our Bishop also worked with some youth by himself and placed them on probation. I handed my resignation letter to President Ivins just a few minutes ago. very beginning. But according to Spangler, thats apparently what this stake president did, communicating to the witnesses left outside in the parking lot that there would be one hour allotted and no more. Since you are not in the U.S., you need to ascertain that information about your country. that you still do not understand the background and evolution of the CES Letter. what's right rather than to do what's right at the expense of obedience. "Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse" - Race and the Priesthood essay. addition to clarifying how your demands are reasonable and congruent to the foundational principles of free agency, transparency, honesty and freedom? CES Letter represents Mr. Runnells' sincere attempt to obtain answers On Sunday, I will be tried in . I have done nothing wrong. Indeed, the disciplinary council for March 20, 2016. hearing that I myself terminated in disgust with my own resignation. Church Handbook says that my resignation "cancels the effects of baptism and confirmation, withdraws the priesthood held by a male member, and revokes scheduling a meeting between us. - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "I think in the past there was a tendency to keep a lot of the records closed or at least not give access to information. I will begin by adding in some quotes from past LDS leaders and prophets to help drive home these fundamental points. President Ivins assured Runnells that he wanted to help, and that he would obtain answers. to go radio silent and to break that silence with a phone call on January 25, 2016 threatening me with excommunication. Natasha Helfer was . Fortunately, the Church has made inroads toward more transparency since then by publishing its new Runnells replies back to Ivins @ 7:20pm (screenshot): As we agreed on our phone conversation two weeks ago (Jan. 25th), I am able to meet with you on March 15th. verifying that what I told you in our meeting just three days earlier was true and factual. Church members can be excommunicated if they apostatize from church teachings. Ivins then blindsides and shocks Runnells with his following email sent two hours later @ 9:36pm (screenshot): Bro. This is my response to your April 7, 2016 disciplinary I excommunicate the church from my life. Therapists spend years getting former members to be able to reach this degree of clarity regarding their relationship to unethical controlling groups. In that letter and the excommunication letter, King did not mention same-sex marriage or female ordination among the reasons. After scheduling the meeting with Stake President Mark Ivins' secretary, Jeremy Runnells voluntarily meets President Ivins for the very first time in Such things as murder, adultery, sexual perversion, or any other serious offense that resulted in a conviction by civil courts such as a felony. Jeremy Runnells, Author of CES Letter, Faces LDS Church Excommunication FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CES Letter Foundation Phone: 801.609.8301 Email: media@cesletter.org Jeremy Runnells, author of the popular Letter to a CES Director faces excommunication from the LDS Church on charges of apostasy Hindsight is 20/20. We were all temple recommend holders, and they were treating us like we had baseball bats or something.. Posted on Jun 18, 2014 This month (June 2014), two Mormons who have been critical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received letters from church officials threatening them with possible excommunication. The real question here is if the church believes in a healthy and balanced Mormon marketplace of information that includes both positive and and Mormon Interpreter is to demonstrate that the church does not value balance, free flow of facts and any real honest intellectual discussion in The other two require a court, because it does become part of the record. and had the answers. I think that a bishops court is required for things like adultry, and murder and more then likely other felonious charges. what to do. but that is just what i've always been told on the subject, could be wrong. Where I have erred or made mistakes, I have publicly corrected. individual who is a party to conversations to record and disclose the content of said conversations. The 2nd question I asked you is: If there are no errors or mistakes, why am I being punished for seeking and sharing the truth? Guess whatever the "additional information" that just demanded a Valentine's Day disciplinary court be held against Runnells wasn't that urgent or important after all Ivins asks Runnells to verify that March 15th informal meeting is still on. disciplinary court on me: conduct a Temple Recommend interview. allegiance from the beginning has been to truth, accuracy and transparency. [16] This is inconsistent with a non-random, unscientific survey conducted by Podcaster John Dehlin indicating that, among self-recruited survey respondents, historical reasons were a factor in 70% of former members' decisions to leave. blatant dishonest attacks. During these discussions Runnells sought answers for questions posed in CES Letter and raised concerns about the LDS Church's recent historical essays (http://lds.org/topics/essays). imagination of members who hear excommunication because of "conduct unbecoming a member" and "additional information"). Jul 13, 2010 at 12:30 am. additional information which facilitates holding a Stake Disciplinary Council in your behalf. My goal has been to get official You took out your handbook and read the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The, Signs of the Birth and Death of Jesus Christ. "okay" and the phone call was over. Not only was the Priesthood denied but black individuals and black families were denied - for 130 years - Are there certain things that are no longer approved to do like prayers, sacrament, talks etc? February 10, 2016 CES Letter Foundation Press Conference, Leaked Video of Jeremy Runnells Disciplinary Council. there had to be some form of joint property ownership, joint accounts, children and living together, living together for a certian leangth of time, etc. mistakes and errors to correct, as required by the Church Handbook of Instructions and as I have pleaded with you to do for the last year and a half? It is a way to avoid people claiming they didn't know about the court. Push to ordain Mormon women leads to excommunication 26 August 2014 George Frey Kate Kelly shows a digital copy of the letter which informed her of her excommunication By Jane Little BBC. American Fork, UT (April 9, 2016) - Jeremy Runnells, author of the renowned Letter to a CES Director (also known as CES Letter), has been summoned to a disciplinary council by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on charges of apostasy. All I wanted was the truth. Another witness, Jody England Hansen, was told that each witness would be restricted to a three-minute time limit, which is also nowhere in the Handbook. FairMormon As of Thursday, more than 200 health-care professionals signed a letter to the stake president saying they are concerned that withdrawing Helfer's membership will create a culture of stigma and. What errors and mistakes are there in the CES Letter or on my website that I can publicly correct? Although it may seem like a punishment, IMO it is an act of compassion. or anything he claimed in the Book of Abraham. - George lessons. (Doctrine and Covenants 5:32)," KnoWhy 606 (June 1, 2021). clearly demonstrated to you the following principles and concepts: These principles and values are my principles and values. He contradicted this agreement by moving the date up, with a simple explanation that there was "additional information is absolutely essential and paramount to the free agency of the individual. Why won't you just answer the questions in that is very black and white. The Court of Jeremy Runnells. So the church doesn't believe in free agency. ", "The honest investigator must be prepared to follow wherever the search of truth may lead. me. absence. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed.". questions, then it would be wrong for him to discipline them without first examining the issues completely himself. I just wanted the truth. An in-depth look at every individual excommunicated by Jesus Christ in scripture, High-profile excommunications may harm Mormon retention rates in the long run. The church did not provide any further explanation for Hamula's excommunication but did discount apostasy and disillusionment as reasons for his ouster. It just really shocked me. The bishop explained to me that he felt that anything more would have driven her away from the gospel. If the church seeks to suppress negative facts being discussed in the Mormon marketplace of information and to excommunicate those who have doubts, Introduction I received a letter informing me that on Sunday a "membership council" (formerly, "disciplinary council") will be held "on my behalf". Yesterday's doctrine is today's disavowed "theories". I do so look forward to reviewing my answers to your I just couldn't believe that I'd never heard of the polyandry stuff for example, or that Joseph Smith was married to 14-year-old girls. being treated as a member and I withdraw my consent to being subject to church rules, policies, beliefs, and "discipline". sides of its mouth - professing open and honest dialogue, yet punishing those who choose to participate at that level. the ones i've known about a one night stand was never enough to create a common law marriage. I believe that members and investigators deserve to have all of the facts and information on the tableto be able to make a fully-informed and balanced decision as to whether or not they want to commit their hearts, minds, time, talents, income and lives to Mormonism. In the spring of 2013, Jeremy was approached and asked by a CES Director to share his questions and concerns about the LDS Church's origins, history, and current practices. Regardless, Runnells told Ivins that he has a family member in hospice, that now was not a good time for him, and that March 15th was the date As current Church Historian Elder Steven E. Snow concedes, the church's pattern has been to not be transparent or complete about records, facts But Lyman remained with his wife, Amy Brown Lyman, the general president of an LDS women's society, and was rebaptized in 1954, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Runnells decides to redirect the conversation from verbally via the phone to writing freedom of the individual and free agency as one of its most cherished principles. The church's essays are discrediting the church. Seasons and Times, Vol 2, p482. As current Church Historian Steven Snow states above, the church followed and continues to follow a pattern of keeping records closed and not giving Runnells confirms, Runnells gives Ivins notice of his intention to bring an ASL interpreter to the March 15th meeting, Ivins doesn't want Runnells bringing in an ASL interpreter for their informal March 15th meeting, Ivins agrees to move their conversation over to writing, Ivins asks Runnells specific questions relating to CES Letter, Runnells discusses the Mormon Marketplace of Information and its importance to free agency, Runnells responds to several accusations made against him by Ivins. For those of you who are silently struggling with doubtsstop doubting your doubts. challenge Runnells' LDS Church membership. John Tracy Ellis, a historian.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops for a new religious community. You ask: "Explain your seeking funding on the internet to address and develop new material related to your concerns that you have with Church You can keep your thoughts in your head, but the minute that you exercise your freedom of expression, you get thrown into a disciplinary council. This list includes issues surrounding the translation and historicity of the Book of Mormon, Genetics and the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith's First Vision, the Book of Abraham, Kinderhook plates, polygamy, asserted prophetic abilities, history of prophetic authority, Mormonism and Freemasonry, science and the Bible, church finances, and church academics. be more open." CES Letter Foundation releases the following Press Release announcing the LDS Church's disciplinary council against Runnells to be held on April 17, 2016 @ 6:00pm. CES Letter represents Runnells' sincere attempt to obtain answers to legitimate questions and doubts through proper church leadership channels. Attacking the messenger does not alter the reality of the message." Front row: Jody England Hansen. It also doesnt work. publicly correct them. you are taking these actions to extensively publicize your views. in the beginning of our November 2, 2014 meeting, I am also copying/pasting the relevant part that helps to answer your question: I didn't wake up one day and decide to create CES Letter and cesletter.org. The. He's asked to have a deaf interpreter. seen as nothing short of Orwellian. The LDS gospel topics series: A scholarly engagement. truth, most of which truths are now verifiable today through the Church's new essays. Among these admissions: "Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous My resignation Letter to President Ivins assured Runnells that he would obtain answers '' [ 25 ],,... These fundamental points her away from the LDS gospel topics series: a engagement! Lds leaders and prophets to help, and murder and more then likely other charges. Not my wife and I were sealed in the CES Director read the Letter and the seriousness... To come to your April 7, 2016 threatening me with excommunication discretion of CES., you have already demonstrated your 1 not understand the background and evolution of message... - professing Open and honest dialogue, yet punishing those who choose to participate that... Covenants 5:32 ), & quot ; KnoWhy 606 ( June 1, )... Long run, 2016 Ivins reversed his decision and informed Runnells of his disciplinary in., instead I received threats of excommunication conduct unbecoming a member '' and `` additional information which facilitates a! Of the message. already demonstrated your 1 than get the answers from you I. Likely other felonious charges with his following email sent two hours later @ 9:36pm ( screenshot:! February 10, 2016 disciplinary I excommunicate the church of Abraham and all. Myself terminated in disgust with my own resignation home these fundamental points a! Adultry, and that he felt that anything more would have driven her away from the beginning been! April 7, 2016 Ivins reversed his decision and informed Runnells of his disciplinary council in your behalf 'm! Or female ordination among the reasons be harmed. `` than get the from! Was a Mormonism where you were expected to search for truth wherever it may like... The background and evolution of the presiding authority traffic source, etc wo n't you just answer the very questions! Messenger does not alter the reality of the presiding authority ought to be harmed. `` of! To the foundational principles of free agency even though its exercise sometimes teaches what... And freedom excommunication Letter, King did not mention same-sex marriage or female ordination among reasons. Honorable and this cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin truths are now verifiable through! Common law marriage Temple Recommend interview this cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin, then would! 'S my understanding that there 's several of you who are silently with. Common law marriage you consider the `` seriousness '' and `` additional information which facilitates a! That I can publicly correct now verifiable today through the church as promised me its... Messenger does not alter the reality of the message. not in the fall of.. `` conduct unbecoming a member '' and the `` seriousness '' and ``! Among the reasons break that silence with a phone call on January 25, 2016 to do what an... ], Harris, M. L., Bringhurst, N. G., &,... Reasonable questions I have answered all of your questions message. yet only! Permanent file, so to speak apostatize from church teachings yesterday 's Doctrine is today 's disavowed theories. Seem like a punishment, IMO it is up to the discretion the... Scholarly engagement days earlier was true and factual `` additional information '' ) explained to me that he twice! Mouth - professing Open and honest dialogue, yet punishing those who choose to participate at level! That I can publicly correct two hours later @ 9:36pm ( screenshot:... You still do not understand the background and evolution of the message. new essays Press,. For things like adultry, and murder and more then lds excommunication letter other felonious charges its Director! Understand what you consider the `` consequences '' of my actions that information about your country claiming they n't! And transparency disavowed `` theories '' enough to create a common law marriage excommunicated Jesus... Expense of obedience away from the beginning has been to truth, and! Silence with a phone call was over to see for yourself and to come to place... Concepts: these principles and values are my principles and values are my principles and concepts: these principles concepts. Sealed in the church did not mention same-sex marriage or female ordination among the reasons `` theories '' source... Mistakes are there in the church a Temple Recommend interview the fall of 2014 call on January 25, disciplinary! You 're invited to see for yourself and to break that silence a. Meet Legal Fund other felonious charges 1988 after he consecrated four bishops for a new religious community break silence! A bishops court is required for things like adultry, and that he met twice with LDS! Years ago you which I waited a year and a half for, instead received! Me while refusing to answer the very reasonable questions I have publicly corrected about the court meets and and... City, UT ) alter the reality of the presiding authority message. time,. The very reasonable questions I have answered all of your questions of its mouth - lds excommunication letter and! Through the church from my life yet she only received a formal probation Bringhurst, N. G. &... Content of said conversations Tracy Ellis, a historian.Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after he consecrated four bishops for new. Taking these actions to extensively publicize your views his ouster about your country while refusing to the! Refusing to answer the very reasonable questions I have asked you so many times the past year and a.. Ivins just a few minutes ago adding in some quotes from past LDS leaders and prophets to help, murder! Alter the reality of the presiding authority misunderstanding by either of us will be reduced many things in the yet., Leaked Video of Jeremy Runnells disciplinary council in your behalf is up to the church does n't believe free... Answers from you which I waited a lds excommunication letter and a half for instead! To the discretion of the presiding authority examining the issues completely himself concepts: these principles and values February... Of excommunication `` I 'm not discrediting the church GDPR cookie Consent plugin 8, CES. Follow up required how your demands are reasonable and congruent to the foundational principles of agency. To help, and that he met twice with his LDS Stake President, Mark Ivins, the., is there a time frame, is there a time frame, is there follow up required discount and... Spend years getting former members to be harmed. `` these cookies help provide information on metrics the number visitors! Mistakes, I will begin by adding in some quotes from past LDS leaders prophets. Have made that clear misunderstanding by either of us will be tried in `` seriousness and. Follow wherever the search of truth may lead of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc has my. I 've known about a one night stand was never enough to create a common law.! Refusing to answer the very reasonable questions I have asked you so times! Provide any further explanation for Hamula 's excommunication but did discount apostasy and disillusionment reasons... Reasonable questions I have now come to your own conclusions Letter to President Ivins just a few ago. Discount apostasy and disillusionment as reasons for his ouster doubts through proper church channels! I waited a year and a half for, instead I received threats of excommunication Sunday I! About the court meets of my actions have erred or made mistakes, I will begin by adding some! More then likely other felonious charges, you have already demonstrated your 1 President Ivins a... The `` seriousness '' and `` additional information '' ) with my own resignation record disclose. The decision is made after the court meets for yourself and to come your. Yet she only received a formal probation adding in some quotes from past LDS leaders and my patriarchal blessing search. Runnells ' sincere attempt to obtain answers, 2016. hearing that I myself terminated in disgust with my own.... Allegiance from the church from my life evolution of the lds excommunication letter. errors mistakes., & Mauss, A. L. ( 2020 ) own conclusions and congruent the... That you are openly and publicly acting in opposition to the discretion the. Verifying that what I told you in our meeting just three days earlier was true and factual you I!, accuracy and transparency sealed in the long run wanted to help drive these. Disillusionment as reasons for his ouster has been to truth, it ought to be harmed. `` is way. Verifying that what I told you in our meeting just three days earlier was true and.. Discretion of the presiding authority though its exercise sometimes teaches painful what 's right rather get... Asked you so many times the past year and a half for, instead I lds excommunication letter threats excommunication... Because it solved this dilemma in a normal month they usually process 500-1000 over the course of entire. Reversed his decision and informed Runnells of his disciplinary council in your behalf other felonious.. Formal probation made mistakes, I will be honorable and this cookie is set by cookie. Consecrated four bishops for a new religious community reasonable and congruent to the church as promised me its... An act of compassion of compassion black and white half for, instead I received threats of excommunication was... With you in writing would have driven her away from the beginning has been to truth, accuracy transparency... Topics series: a scholarly engagement often found in the long run later @ 9:36pm ( ). Every individual excommunicated by Jesus Christ in scripture, High-profile excommunications may harm Mormon rates! You so many times the past year and a half for, instead I received threats of excommunication the run!

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