Buffalo wrote:Has anyone been tried in church court and NOT been excommunicated or disfellowshipped? It seems pretty much a forgone conclusion that once you go in you're screwed. Not much of a "court" if that's the case. More like a kangaroo court.
It's not a court, it's a disciplinary council. The metaphor of a court doesn't hold up. I've attended over a dozen disciplinary councils, as a high councilor and as a member of a stake presidency, and my experience is that these councils are already decided prior to the council being held.
H.
That makes sense. It is a function of a religion that relies on confirmation bias. You have to first decide to belief, then if you have and ask god, you'll feel good about your decision. If you haven't made a firm decision, you'll feel yet confused. The prayer and the feeling are predetermined by how firmly you've decided the matter mentally before you pray.
By the way, H., is it the Stake President then that has predetermined the outcome before the court is convened?
Sock Puppet, if your point is to assert that both claims of revelation were unsubstantiated, I would point you in the direction of the flaming sword. Once you go sword you won't go back.
jon wrote:I think it would be interesting if someone pitched up at their Court of Love after taking proper legal advice and accompanied by their legal counsel.
I suspect the outcome of this Court would be somewhat different than if they had turned up alone having taken no advice.
Church courts are like the county courts of the Middles Ages - the accused had little rights and only given them at the discretion of the Judge. Try to respond in an LDS court in any way you want and see how quickly they tell you to just answer Yes or No and to shut your yap about any other commentary you wish to add.
moksha wrote:Sock Puppet, if your point is to assert that both claims of revelation were unsubstantiated, I would point you in the direction of the flaming sword. Once you go sword you won't go back.
Maybe it would be a good idea for the accused member to walk in and lay a charred sword on the table as Exhibit 1 for his defense.
jon wrote:I think it would be interesting if someone pitched up at their Court of Love after taking proper legal advice and accompanied by their legal counsel.
I suspect the outcome of this Court would be somewhat different than if they had turned up alone having taken no advice.
Seems to me that Murphy did that... or something similiar.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.