Excommunication process?

[_Ceeboo]

LDS Toronto:

Very interesting, helpful, and most thought provoking (Thanks for all the time taken for me/us)


Rock:
Thanks, I will check those out.


Peace,
Ceeboo

[_LDS truthseeker]

Is it private:

In the case of Lyndon Lamborn, the SP was going to announce it at the pulpit that he was an apostate. LL was not going to let him get away with that and went to the papers first and told his story.

LL was bold enough to actually go to church that day and waited for the SP to make his announcement in sacrament meeting. Perhaps the SP was intimidated by having LL there, but he said nothing.

Afterwards he asked the SP why he didn't mention his name at sacrament meeting. He said there was no point now that it was in the papers.

LL secretly recorded the meeting and posted it on the Internet. So you can listen to it in it's entirety. The newspaper articles and the youtube video made from the recoding, as well as some of LL other activities are here:

http://www.mormonthink.com/lyndonlamborn.htm

[_The Nehor]

Hey all,

Another thread, started my dear and beloved internet friend Zeezrom, (Excommunicated or resign) has made me curious about the process that is involved in a LDS excommunication.

What is it like?

The issues are discussed. Whether there are real problems is discussed until the leadership is convinced there is or is not a reason to proceed. If there is, repentance is discussed.

Where is it held?

In a room in the Church.

Who is all there?

If you do not hold the Melchizedek Priesthood it will usually be handled by the Bishop and his counselors. If you do it will be done with the Stake Presidency and the High Council. Appeals also are held at that level.

Do you know it is an excommunication process that you are going to?

Yes. You are told why too in case you need to prepare something that casts doubt on you committing the sins in question or that mitigates your culpability.

Are you alone?

No. There are people there. One is assigned beforehand to make sure you are not 'badgered' or unfairly persecuted during the proceedings.

Can you bring someone with you (spouse/friend)?

Depends on the leadership. Usually yes. Particularly if they are there to testify about your character.

Is it private?

Yes. No one is allowed to speak of what happened afterwards except in counsel with other Church leaders, usually only those who were there or those directly above in authority. A Stake President would inform a Bishop if action was taken and a Bishop may need to report some actions to the Stake President.

That you are under Church disciplinary restrictions may become known through your actions. In some cases excommunications are announced but usually this is only done when the person is seeking to publicly damage the Church's image in some way or use their Church membership to attract followers or use their affiliation as armor against attacks or something of that nature.

If I was guilty of fornication and excommunicated or disfellowshiped most members would never know of it. If I was teaching false doctrines and was unrepentant the Priesthood leaders might decide to make public my excommunication so all members would know I was out and could no longer claim membership.

Is it kept private afterwards?

Yes. I know of only one case where a local leader was authorized by the Church to speak afterwards. A woman was creating a media circus claiming she was excommunicated and giving an incorrect reasons to garner sympathy. The Church permitted the Priesthood leaders to say it was not for the reason she gave and nothing more.

How long does it last?

Usually no more then a few hours. There could be exceptions of course.

Is it possible to go and NOT be excommunicated?

Yes. The disciplinary hearing also has the option to put you on a kind of probation, disfellowship you, decide there is no reason for any action or that you have already repented/are sufficiently penitent, or dismiss it as long as there are no further problems and bring it up again only if problems continue.

[_DarkHelmet]

This is how I've heard it goes:

Evil person gets letter in the mail saying the church is holding a disciplinary court for them.

Evil person throws letter in the trash.

Evil person receives another letter saying the church is holding a disciplinary court for them.

Evil person calls the Bishop and tells him what he thinks of his disciplinary court.

Church holds the court in Evil Person's absence and votes to excommunicate them.

Evil person receives letter saying they have been excommunicated.

Evil person throws letter in trash.

[_Ceeboo]

Is it private:

In the case of Lyndon Lamborn, the SP was going to announce it at the pulpit that he was an apostate. LL was not going to let him get away with that and went to the papers first and told his story.

LL was bold enough to actually go to church that day and waited for the SP to make his announcement in sacrament meeting. Perhaps the SP was intimidated by having LL there, but he said nothing.

Afterwards he asked the SP why he didn't mention his name at sacrament meeting. He said there was no point now that it was in the papers.

LL secretly recorded the meeting and posted it on the Internet. So you can listen to it in it's entirety. The newspaper articles and the youtube video made from the recoding, as well as some of LL other activities are here:

http://www.mormonthink.com/lyndonlamborn.htm

Morning LDS TS,


Thanks for the Lyndon Lamborn link. (just listened to it)

I am not sure why (perhaps it is due to the very personal and human reality that this brings to the center of the table) but I found this most difficult to listen to.


Because I want to digest this for a while, I will stop typing here.

Thanks again for sharing.

Peace,
Ceeboo

[_sock puppet]

This is how I've heard it goes:

Evil person gets letter in the mail saying the church is holding a disciplinary court for them.

Evil person throws letter in the trash.

Evil person receives another letter saying the church is holding a disciplinary court for them.

Evil person calls the Bishop and tells him what he thinks of his disciplinary court.

Church holds the court in Evil Person's absence and votes to excommunicate them.

Evil person receives letter saying they have been excommunicated.

Evil person throws letter in trash.

As opposed to--

Evil person writes letter of resignation

Evil person mails it to the COB

Local bishop visits evil person to verify resignation intent

COB saves letter, hoping to use it with jehovah at some judgment day, in condemnation of evil person
* * * * *
"There is beauty all around, when there's love at home." --Mormon hymn.

[_sock puppet]

Is it kept private afterwards?
As far as I know, only the accused's bishop will be informed of the outcome, but not of any details. In 20 years as a member, I've never heard an outcome announced publicly.

Back in the era when I was TBM, the M-priesthood would be assembled by the bishop or SP and told a high-level account of the facts and the outcome if it was disfellowship or excommunication. By the time Sunday dinners were over, every family in the ward or stake had heard a retelling of the account and the outcome. Tongues were wagging in high gear for a week.