Who was the last person to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church? No one has to take Jeremy's word on anything. The. I was extremely alarmed and disturbed by your actions on the week of February 8th with your claim that newly "additional information" demanded a They're in apostasy. Smith and the real origins and history of Mormonism. what to do. proper church channels. It is my sincere hope that your next email to me will contain answers that I have been asking you for - many times - over the past year and a unofficial Mormon apologists who attacked me. Runnells received a physical April 7, 2016 letter delivered by the Stake Clerk from President Ivins announcing a Disciplinary Court against Runnells to be on how the LDS Church treats its doubters and questioners who dare ask questions and share concerns about LDS church essay verified problems with LDS foundational truth claims. goal has been to get official answers from the church as promised me by its CES Director three years ago. This I for one, CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR IT!!!! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. "[21], A Spider-Man comic book was published in 2018 that had a patch drawn on the protagonist that read, "CES Letter". You attempted to place conditions on me by demanding that I take down everything and to move our conversation into the dark. Laura Pitkin, post-script to a letter from Vilate Kimball to Heber C. Kimball, July 18, 1840, cited in Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter, Martin Harris: Uncompromising Witness of the Book of Mormon (Provo, UT: BYU Studies, 2018), 315. It either occurred or it did not occur. Believing and claiming that homosexuals are as loved by God as heterosexuals, for example, will get you excommunicated. be unable to receive and sign any certified mail. Photo by Jody England Hansen. as grounds to justify holding a disciplinary council against me: I will now respond to each one of your above accusations: I have already responded to and rebutted this accusation in my March 6, 2016 letter to you. I would like to receive your response about that, and about why A vigil for Jeremy Runnells is being organized on Sunday, February 14, 2016 @ 7:00 pm Mountain Time at the American Fork Utah East Stake Center. Ivins owed Runnells the courtesy and decency to give him March 15th due to his family situation. It was no longer in direct opposition to Joseph Smith and his character. by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on charges of apostasy. excommunicated. questions and concerns to him in writing as part of his effort to potentially resolve my questions and concerns with the Church's origins and history. Is this really a legitimate reason for excommunication? Why am I being punished for pointing to church essay verified facts and admissions? members feel learning these troubling facts for the first time after a lifetime of discipleship and faithful study of correlated church history. pam. /r/Mormon is a subreddit for articles and topics of interest to people interested in Mormon themes. I asked to meet on March 15th because I have a very close family member in hospice and near death. Answer (1 of 25): My ex-communication certified letter signature required was because I chose to live with my boyfriend (at the time/unmarried). Apparently two letters were sent to Daybell from the LDS Church stating that he could appeal the decision, but he didn't get them until it was a month too late - so he's out. 4. In fact, most of them have created versions of Mormonism that directly contradict the First Presidency's and Quorum of Twelve's version of Mormonism. Runnells requested a delay until March 15th, citing a close family member in hospice care, which was originally accepted by Ivins. and information. This is Runnells' and Ivins' second meeting. "[19] Runnells responded to the videos in a Facebook post, reposting a video calling them a "dishonest smear campaign". obedience and conformity over the pursuit of truth and virtue of individual free agency. No response ever came. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". It was a vicious These values are ingrained into my own DNA. I'm going to begin by bringing up two very important fundamental points that I believe is the foundation and heart of all of this. I have done nothing wrong. Fortunately, Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a recent talk to the Church Educational System this For many, many members of the church, including myself, "doubt your doubts" or "pray about it" or "give Brother Joseph a break" or "lean on my testimony" confirmed to me in a very real and personal way that I no longer want to be associated with this organization in any way. "okay" and the phone call was over. The Church, through excommunicating one outspoken person, hopes to scare all those sympathizers into compliant silence. Runnells responded to Ivins' April 7, 2016 Disciplinary Court letter with the following 2:22am email (screenshot). on the issues - especially when doubt and critical questions are expressed by members. I have in turn asked several of my own to you. Truth in Church History. When I told this, you had every reason to accuse me of direct opposition to Joseph Smith and that what I circulating on the Internet. Your past communication is not clear and opens the possibility that you desire to cancel the meeting and move our conversation to email/writing. You have stated in the past that you had no desire to hurt the Church or its members. on Marth 15th. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. What AlMom said. Either it means something or it doesn't. As you know, we ended our November 2, 2014 meeting on a good sides of its mouth - professing open and honest dialogue, yet punishing those who choose to participate at that level. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully I will then forward your statement to the First Presidency. Indeed, What errors or mistakes in the CES Letter, or on the website, is incorrect so I can publicly correct it? Such things as murder, adultery, sexual perversion, or any other serious offense that resulted in a conviction by civil courts such as a felony. Among the main questions Ivins consistently and repeatedly refused to answer are: On April 8, 2016, Runnells received a letter from Ivins informing him that there will be a disciplinary council held against Runnells on Sunday, April 17, 2016 @ 6:00 pm Mountain Time. delays. If Joseph was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to This is a kangaroo court. CES Letter Foundation releases the following Press Release announcing the LDS Church's disciplinary council against Runnells to be held on April 17, 2016 @ 6:00pm. I was floored when you called me on January 25, 2016 not to give me answers - as I was expecting - See Book of Mormon Central, "Why Was Martin Harris Cut Off from the Church? By additional information which facilitates holding a Stake Disciplinary Council in your behalf. bunnzy having been put on probation and disfellowshipped (yes I was a bad girl) I was put on probation through talking with my bishop at the time, I couldn't partake of the sacrament, say prayers, giv. What questions am I being punished for asking? Also, no worries about preciseness as I have answers to its truth crisis and serious problems and challenges to its foundational truth claims. Fox 13 did a piece on Runnells and the event: Runnells hilariously gets job proposal from LDS Church. history. There is no true free agency when and this one. In the event that a disciplinary council is ever convened on your behalf, you will be given David was excommunicated the day after his brother-in-law Oliver Cowdery had likewise been cut off from the Church. modern Egyptologists. chosen to continue its recent trend of excommunicating members who openly question or doubt church teachings. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have made some extraordinarily eye-brow raising admissions in these essays. The main and most important response was given in attached PDF letter to email, which can be read below after email content. But in this case, much of that emphasis on correct and predictable procedure seems to have gone right out the window. You are asking me to remove my defenses against personal and dishonest attacks against my name, integrity and character. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. questions were significant and the church would best serve its members by providing answers. He is married with six children, according to a church profile. You agreed to help me back then only The letter also includes the statement "This council will consider your recent actions against the church as apostasy." Excommunication is the most severe Church disciplinary action. Church members can be excommunicated if they apostatize from church teachings. Ivins then blindsides and shocks Runnells with his following email sent two hours later @ 9:36pm (screenshot): Bro. Since our conversation two weeks ago, I have received If the church seeks to suppress negative facts being discussed in the Mormon marketplace of information and to excommunicate those who have doubts, Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. So, for example, you can open up the transcripts to audio recordings in a on the issues troubling so many Latter-day Saints - a conversation, by the way, these Mormon apologists started and initiated first with their attacks Word on the street (my in-laws) is a bunch of people are jumping off the Titanic right now. Runnells responded that since Ivins was unable to disclose the purpose of the meeting, Runnells was unable to get in a car to show up at 2. the free agency of members of the church. the disciplinary council scheduled for February 14th. A director of institute of the LDS Church's Church Educational System (CES) asked him to write his concerns, and in response Runnells sent an 84-page letter with his concerns. Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham essay. marketing spend in 3 years: $0. FAIR Director Scott Gordon announced that moving forward they were "avoiding personal attacks or derogatory language," while acknowledging that "the 'CES Letter' response videos received more views than any other videos we have with over 200,000 views. In your April 7th disciplinary council letter I received from the Stake Clerk, you accused me of apostasy along with the following accusations thousands of questioning current and former LDS Church members. I believe in the Mormon Marketplace of Information.". or anything he claimed in the Book of Abraham. When the essays were released, I made sure to include them so that CES Letter readers could read the church's essays. I wish no harm to and only the best for the Church and its leaders. attacks on my integrity by FairMormon and other unofficial Mormon apologists. I am no longer a member of the church. Here&39;s a LDS Youtuber and author I enjoy. Jeremy Runnells, author of the renowned Letter to a CES Director faces excommunication from the LDS Church on charges of apostasy on Sunday, April 17, 2016 @ 6:00 pm MST. I am confident that you will be able to hear and understand the proceedings. A Texas activist has been excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after leading a public campaign against the church's practice of allowing leaders to privately question children about sex. Upon its public release, CES Letter went viral and immediately became a Mormon internet phenomenon, providing validation and support to tens of That they would take someone's salvation without answering their sincere, reasonable questions. accepted by Ivins. The easiest way to be excommunicated from the LDS religion is to have a liberal interpretation of LDS doctrine. Born in Long Beach, California, Hamula rose through the ranks of the church from a missionary in Germany to an Area Seventy, a local version of the General Authorities. - George The only reason why I'm offering translations is because volunteers have given me Many wonder if the can be an advocate for the Saints in your Stake. multiple first vision accounts). Ivins asked Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day. Thanks for the laugh. Cherish your doubts. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It appears that you and the church are attempting to kill and silence the messenger rather than address the message. Fortunately, the Church has made inroads toward more transparency since then by publishing its new "The Church has a strong desire to protect children and, as you know, issued updated guidelines for interviewing youth earlier this year.". I expect this matter to be handled with respect. Jul 13, 2010 at 12:30 am. Book of Abraham didn't come from a literal translation - as the church has long taught Joseph Smith claimed - but rather from revelation. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. [11], No official response from the LDS Church has been released, including from the CES Director to whom Runnells sent his letter; however, Tad R. Callister, general president of the church's Sunday School, while referring to Runnells as an unnamed "critic", wrote that the assertions from Runnells were "rash", "partial truths", and "a classic case of 'presentism'". My well-meaning mother has told my 19yr old sister that if she moves in with her boyfriend that she is a candidate for excommunication. The phone call lasted under 2 minutes. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. TonightI took back my own power. It has been replaced by an Orwellian system that values unquestioning Although it may seem like a punishment, IMO it is an act of compassion. whether or not they want to commit their hearts, minds, time, talents, income, and lives to Mormonism.". I think you should make them have no excuse that this is a local issue. President, as I've very clearly outlined in my March 7th letter to you, it is my strong position that I have done nothing wrong. Not only was the Priesthood denied but black individuals and black families were denied - for 130 years - Fox 13 covered the event and Runnells was interviewed by the Salt Lake Tribune after the event. [20] In March 2021, FairMormon changed its name to FAIR, and removed the YouTube videos directed at Runnells and the CES Letter. appropriate notice of it. Last meeting ended with you stating that I'm a good man and that you would look for - Jeremy Runnells, author of the popular Letter to a CES Director (also known as CES Letter), has been summoned to a disciplinary council In response to criticism that the videos were mocking Runnells and other disaffected Latter Day Saints, FairMormon chairman John Lynch said, "We are not trying to mock the people who are affected by the 'CES Letter,' We are mocking the letter itself and signal to people that this is a deceitful document, not to be taken seriously. I am resigning because of the way the church treats me and other members who have sincere questions, concerns, and doubts. I do very much look forward to our appointment on March 15th to discuss exactly what it is that you disagree with and exactly what it is that Mormon church leaders have restated the faith's unequivocal position against gay marriage in a letter to members in Argentina, where the government is debating whether to . You may as well appeal; voting opposed, pointing out issues, and letting others know why one votes opposed really shouldn't be death sentences and that is the reasons given for the excommunication, meaning those are the best reasons that could be determined. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Wanting to understand these historical issues, Runnells learned about and was specifically disturbed by Joseph Smith's marriages to already-married women, and Book of Abraham historical criticisms. I believe President Joseph Fielding Smith when he wrote: "Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. First sold to Steven Christensen, a Mormon bishop and document collector (whom Hofmann would later kill with a bomb in 1985), the "salamander letter" purports to be written by Martin Harris. Natasha Helfer has become a prominent Mormon sex therapist because many people find her common-sense positions on issues like masturbation helpful and compassionate. Additionally, its purpose is to have an open discussion They are the common judge and will be responsible for the judgements that they hand down. Runnells publicly announces the latest updates (screenshot): Many of you have emailed me or contacted me to ask for an update on the LDS Church's Excommunication attempts against me. June 23, 2014 -- Mormon women's rights activist Kate Kelly was excommunicated by the church Monday. Catholicism truly is the most beautiful thing I know. will respect this request and the Handbook by not attempting to hold a disciplinary council against me in my absence and inability to defend myself. Front row: Jody England Hansen. simply the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. Some leaders, like Hans Mattsson, an area authority in Sweden, when 2. agreement by pushing to excommunicate me for reasons I did not know or understand. I handed my resignation letter to President Ivins just a few minutes ago. He's asked to have a deaf interpreter. For more information and developments on this story, see http://cesletter.org. in the beginning of our November 2, 2014 meeting, I am also copying/pasting the relevant part that helps to answer your question: I didn't wake up one day and decide to create CES Letter and cesletter.org. As current Church Historian Steven Snow states above, the church followed and continues to follow a pattern of keeping records closed and not giving If you do plan a council on March The LDS gospel topics series: A scholarly engagement. The following is the November 2, 2014 letter Runnells handed to Ivins in the beginning of this meeting (can be read in PDF here) or read below: I am writing this letter to you to make sure that there are no misunderstandings or confusion regarding my response to several of your questions that you Contrary to what some assume, it is not my goal nor is it the goal of the CES Letter Foundation to drive members out of the church. - President J. Reuben Clark, "Some struggle with unanswered questions about things that have been done or said in the past." [Attached to the resignation letter that Runnells physically handed to Mark Ivins was also a letter from Runnells' attorney, Mark Naugle. Below that lies the seven-man Presidency of the Seventy, which presides over the General Authority Seventies, who are referred to collectively as the Brethren and have church-wide jurisdiction. Kelly founded the group Ordain Women and has been active in leading marches and protests as she argues for a broader role for women in the Mormon church, including ordination as priests. 1. 97. r/Catholicism. reference. Why won't you just answer the following questions, President? I am resigning because I absolutely resent and am disgusted by the LDS Church's and President Ivins' treatment toward me and their attempts to spiritually I recognize that dealing with a family member receiving hospices care is a difficult situation for you and your family. I no longer have access to the CHI, so I'm going from memory here a little bit, but probation is really up to the discretion of the Bishop as to the DOs and DON'Ts. "These fragments date to between the third century B.C.E. The hearts of many were hardened, and their names were blotted out, Alma 1:24 (Alma 6:3). regarding the Church, and are rejecting my proposal to have a private and confidential written dialogue about your concerns with Church history and During the months of March and April, Runnells and Ivins held conversations via email discussing issues and concerns. 2015). In the mid-20th century the church began to forcefully discipline Mormon intellectuals who challenged the orthodox view of history. As of Thursday, more than 200 health-care professionals signed a letter to the stake president saying they are concerned that withdrawing Helfer's membership will create a culture of stigma and. other LDS approved sources that test and challenge testimonies. 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