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Orson Scot Card says 'no' in his article entitled 'Defining, declaring our faith'

''Mormonism is not one of those coercive religions that punish former believers who change their minds and leave.''

I suppose the answer to the question posed in the thread header depends on what you define as punishment:
Is a spouse divorcing you for non-belief a Church punishment?
It certainly is a penalty that is brought upon a spouse by their disbelief.
It is certainly a penalty that, on occasion, has been encouraged by local Church leaders when counselling with a wife or a husband whose spouse has lost their faith.

Is the loss of friendships a punishment?
When someone stops believing and stops attending do their Church friends remain their friends? It would seem that, with the exception of a few isolated examples, the answer is no. Disbelievers soon lose their social framework of Church people.

If your disbelief leads you to disavow your Temple Covenants (which it will) does Mormonism believe there will be a penalty?
Of course it does. They even had blood and death oaths to demonstrate the types of punishments symbolic of God's (Mormon God) judgement upon the disbeliever.

What if the disbeliever shares that with other members - is a Court of Love a punishment?
Without exception, every person I have ever know that has been subjected to this treatment has perceived it as punishment.

Orson - sorry to burst your Mormon bubble, but disbelief does lead to punishment in the Mormon 'extremely coercive' religion...

jon wrote:Orson Scot Card says 'no' in his article entitled 'Defining, declaring our faith'

''Mormonism is not one of those coercive religions that punish former believers who change their minds and leave.''

Maybe he was referring to burning at the stake or cat 'o nine tails type punishment?

If you're a BYU professor or other employee of the church, you certainly are punished for losing your faith... your job is gone.

jon wrote:Orson Scot Card says 'no' in his article entitled 'Defining, declaring our faith'

''Mormonism is not one of those coercive religions that punish former believers who change their minds and leave.''

I suppose the answer to the question posed in the thread header depends on what you define as punishment:

OSC is right in most cases, but obviously in some the church does go after or punish the person. Harmony brings up one example.

Is a spouse divorcing you for non-belief a Church punishment?

Obviously not

It certainly is a penalty that is brought upon a spouse by their disbelief.

Maybe, but it is more complicated then that, and I doubt that the spouse is divorcing becuase they want to punish their spouse.

It is certainly a penalty that, on occasion, has been encouraged by local Church leaders when counselling with a wife or a husband whose spouse has lost their faith.

There are no instructions from the church that I am aware of that would instruct local leaders to counsel this, but cultural factors may create the environment where some local leaders would.

Is the loss of friendships a punishment?
When someone stops believing and stops attending do their Church friends remain their friends? It would seem that, with the exception of a few isolated examples, the answer is no. Disbelievers soon lose their social framework of Church people.

This is not church punishment, and in many cases it is the person leaving who may be separating themselves from members. Also people can move apart over time to having different beliefs and priorities.

If your disbelief leads you to disavow your Temple Covenants (which it will) does Mormonism believe there will be a penalty?
Of course it does. They even had blood and death oaths to demonstrate the types of punishments symbolic of God's (Mormon God) judgement upon the disbeliever.

That's a church doctrine on what they believe may happen to a person who leaves, but again is not a church punishment imposed on former members.

What if the disbeliever shares that with other members - is a Court of Love a punishment?
Without exception, every person I have ever know that has been subjected to this treatment has perceived it as punishment.

This is the first example you have provided that would be a church punishment for sharing what you know.

Orson - sorry to burst your Mormon bubble, but disbelief does lead to punishment in the Mormon 'extremely coercive' religion...

Actually I think his statement is correct for the most part. He said church punishment for those who no longer believe and have left. You seem to be talking more about how members may treat those who no longer believe, while he seems to be saying that the church organization will not seek to punish those who have already left.

Themis wrote: while he seems to be saying that the church organization will not seek to punish those who have already left.

True. But imagine if they did? They'd never have time for anything else.

LDS does banish people that do stop believing in the sense that they are now something of a phenomenon to discussed and looked down upon.

Always remember, tell the Bishop you have doubts and expect this confidential information to be spread like wildfire, your calling(s) removed, and a nice seat in the back of the social hierarchy. There is nothing more exciting to the powers that be in the ward than a fallen member that can be discussed over hours and hours of judgemental conversation. I have seen this many times.

Orson - sorry to burst your Mormon bubble, but disbelief does lead to punishment in the Mormon 'extremely coercive' religion...

No, you'd be wrong on that account. One tends to punish themselves by removing themselves from the congregation because of disbelief. The Church disciplines when such begin publically teaching their disbelief and/or associating with/supporting groups whose teachings are contrary to the Church.