in real life - How often do you see people leaving the church?

[_harmony]

That is one reason I believe the numbers reported by Palmer and his ilk are way off.

Any number about membership that is coming out SLC is automatically suspect.

Most people just walk away.

This has been my experience also.

[_Jason Bourne]

I believed the Earth was 6,000 years old and that since this world was made from other worlds, it makes perfect sense that dinosaurs bones would be found.

As an aside, recently I was watching a show on the science channel about how the earth was formed. I did not know that there were hundreds of planetary objects in our initial solar system and that our earth is made up as a result of collisions of many of these objects and the resulting globe that came from such collisions.

The ideas of BY and others that the earth was formed from parts of other worlds came to my mind.

[_Chap]

I believed the Earth was 6,000 years old and that since this world was made from other worlds, it makes perfect sense that dinosaurs bones would be found.

As an aside, recently I was watching a show on the science channel about how the earth was formed. I did not know that there were hundreds of planetary objects in our initial solar system and that our earth is made up as a result of collisions of many of these objects and the resulting globe that came from such collisions.

The ideas of BY and others that the earth was formed from parts of other worlds came to my mind.

Well, no scientist has believed for a long, long time that this planet popped into existence fully formed at the beginning of time. It is made of stuff that existed previously.

But no-one believes that the debris of the early solar system consisted of bits of planets which had already been around for so long that any form of life could have existed on them, let alone dinosaurs.

And, by the way, the so-called 'nebular hypothesis' of solar system and planetary origins had been around for a hundred hears before the time of Joseph Smith. It was first put forward by Emanuel Swedenborg in 1734 ... now where have you heard that name before in connection with ideas adopted by early LDS?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebular_hypothesis

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Swedenborg

[_Mercury]

The ideas of BY and others that the earth was formed from parts of other worlds came to my mind.

Still looking for any reaching half baked connection between LDS cosmology and reality? Come on Jason, you are better than that.

Get out of the cafeteria and into reality. BY's cosmology has no basis in reality and I find the case of your connections laughable. I thought you were smarter than that.

[_harmony]

I believed the Earth was 6,000 years old and that since this world was made from other worlds, it makes perfect sense that dinosaurs bones would be found.

As an aside, recently I was watching a show on the science channel about how the earth was formed. I did not know that there were hundreds of planetary objects in our initial solar system and that our earth is made up as a result of collisions of many of these objects and the resulting globe that came from such collisions.

The ideas of BY and others that the earth was formed from parts of other worlds came to my mind.

We still have bits and pieces flying around the solar systems, and they still occasionally collide, some of them with us. Comets, meterorites, novas, super novas... lots of activity happening out there.

[_Jason Bourne]

That would give too much personal power to the individual member, and you know we can't have that!

From my understanding, even if you ask to have your name removed from the rolls of the church, the front office folks simply move it from one to another. It's not like they shred your card or throw it away

To have one's name removed they send a letter to the bishop. The bishop is supposed to at least talk to the person before he processes the request to explain the consequences of name removal. Also, now a person can insist their name be removed without a letter and the bishop can do this but having a letter makes it easier to get it through the SP and the Church headquarters. Once the bishop talks to the person he processes the request and sends it to the SP. The SP (assuming he approves it) then sends a letter to the member telling them that he has processed their request and they have 30 days to reconsider. If they do not notify him in 30 days he will send it to SLC where it is almost always processed.

Once this is done the members names are removed from the records that at least the ward and stake get. My guess is SLC keeps them in some sort of data base and they do this because the now former member may want to come back. And yes I have seen that happen. Then the bishop has to request all the paper work for when their name was removed in order to get them re-baptized. This is why SLC holds on to this information.

[_harmony]

To have one's name removed they send a letter to the bishop. The bishop is supposed to at least talk to the person before he processes the request to explain the consequences of name removal. Also, now a person can insist their name be removed without a letter and the bishop can do this but having a letter makes it easier to get it through the SP and the Church headquarters. Once the bishop talks to the person he processes the request and sends it to the SP. The SP (assuming he approves it) then sends a letter to the member telling them that he has processed their request and they have 30 days to reconsider. If they do not notify him in 30 days he will send it to SLC where it is almost always processed.

Once this is done the members names are removed from the records that at least the ward and stake get. My guess is SLC keeps them in some sort of data base and they do this because the now former member may want to come back. And yes I have seen that happen. Then the bishop has to request all the paper work for when their name was removed in order to get them re-baptized. This is why SLC holds on to this information.

So I was right about the file.

Approval? See, that's the kind of thing that just sticks in people's craw. Why would anyone need "approval" from someone else to do something so personal?

[_Jason Bourne]

Most disaffected or disbelieving Mormons don't understand name removal, don't know the process, and are fearful of stirring up trouble in their families. Since I have had my name removed, and several of my family members' names as well, folks come to me for help. I am happy to assist and support them as much as I can. If anyone reading this message needs help resigning, I'm willing to provide such help. Just PM or email me. :)

When I had the ability to remove names I tried to help those who wanted their names removed as well. I told them how to do it, asked them to send a letter, encouraged the process. Many times a home teacher, EQ president, or missionary would report that they ran into so and so were told they wanted their name off the records. So I would make contact. I had only one or two who would ever do it. It was aggravating. If they did not want to be a member I wanted to take their name off. Why waste limited resources on someone who does not want to be a member. Make running the ward easier. There was plenty to do for those who wanted to be part of it.

[_Jason Bourne]

Well, no scientist has believed for a long, long time that this planet popped into existence fully formed at the beginning of time. It is made of stuff that existed previously.

Yes I understand that. But in my limited study is science I had thought that as the solar system formed that the planets that are in ours were formed independent of collisions from other potential planets.

But no-one believes that the debris of the early solar system consisted of bits of planets which had already been around for so long that any form of life could have existed on them, let alone dinosaur

No I agree and I am sorry if I implied that. I just was intrigued about this idea that planets were formed by magnificent collisions with then other small potential planets.

And, by the way, the so-called 'nebular hypothesis' of solar system and planetary origins had been around for a hundred hears before the time of Joseph Smith. It was first put forward by Emanuel Swedenborg in 1734 ... now where have you heard that name before in connection with ideas adopted by early LDS?

Interesting.

[_Jason Bourne]

Still looking for any reaching half baked connection between LDS cosmology and reality? Come on Jason, you are better than that.

Get out of the cafeteria and into reality. BY's cosmology has no basis in reality and I find the case of your connections laughable. I thought you were smarter than that.

Holy crap merc take a chill pill. I just said it brought the ideas to my mind. I did not say it confirmed it at all. As I just noted, I am not all that into science so this idea of planets colliding with other planets is known to many. I was unaware of it and just found it interesting and it brought BYs comments to my mind. Sheeesh man!