David Twede has resigned his membership.

[_why me]

It worked for Tom Murphy and for David Twede. Witch hunts are not good publicity for the church and I submit that as a result of this event there will be less church courts held and perhaps more tolerance for free thinkers and that's always good news.

I know people that have been chastised by their bishops for Facebook posts regarding Prop 8. These kinds of things need to stop and if this event helped prevent those abuses of power then that's a good thing in my opinion.

What is a free thinker?

If I am a member of a faith and I publically come out against that faith or its policies....should the faith not take disciplinary action against me? Or should I still be able to be a member and yet, still condemn that faith?

Free thinkers are in short supply, if they exist at all. And I am not sure if the people you mentioned are free thinkers. But I will concede that they do think differently about the Mormon church than many active Mormons do.

[_Drifting]

What is a free thinker?

Somebody who is free to think without censure or restriction from a third party.

If I am a member of a faith and I publically come out against that faith or its policies....should the faith not take disciplinary action against me?

Quite possibly depending on wether that organisation allows for some difference of opinion and belief within it - which the Church does by the way.

“Members of the Church vary in their levels of participation or belief. Latter-day Saints who have seriously contravened or ignored cardinal Church teachings (publicly or privately) are considered apostates, whether or not they have officially left the Church or affiliated with another religion” (Encyclopedia of Mormonism [1992], 1:59).

(LDS.org "Apostate").
But the Church doesn't really make it clear at what point it becomes a serious contravention or a cardinal teaching - it would really, REALLY help if they were explicit on this as often it will be inconsistently applied across Bishops and Stake Presidents.

Or should I still be able to be a member and yet, still condemn that faith?

Again, depends on the rules of the org. I think there are aspects of the Church that many members believe need condemning. The Priesthood ban for instance, which the Church has now started to back away from with the "we don't know why" gambit.

Free thinkers are in short supply

In Mormonism, yes I agree.

if they exist at all.

Oh, I think this board may be al the evidence you need to show that they exist.

And I am not sure if the people you mentioned are free thinkers. But I will concede that they do think differently about the Mormon church than many active Mormons do.

You don't know 'many' active Mormons. You know 'a few'.

[_ludwigm]

What is a free thinker?

Kohn comes home, and unexpectedly finds Gruen (his best friend) with Rosalie (his wife) in the bed.
Kohn:
- What do you do here?
Rosalie:
- Do you see, honey, he doesn't know even theoretically...