This post was mentioned on Digg by globetrecker1: You are making some pretty ignorant and uneducated statements about Mormons….

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6819386

Was it something we did?

No problem. They have plenty of spares in the warehouses to replace this Angel Moroni.

I question doing this because it opens the door to another controversial issue. Adult consenting polygamy.

I have been in groups where some of those in relationships that want to be married bash back at the issue of consenting adults and polygamy.

I am not saying I agree or disagree. What my life choices are is insignificant. There is a part of me that would rather see these dollars spent on poor education, health care and ENDING VIOLENCE. in the US.

Other large religious organizations are more anti-gay than the LDS Church. One target using another thats what pisses me off

In other words, I would say with 95% certainty that this is the work of a single bishop (which is the equivalent of a pastor who oversees one congregation). Which isn’t to say that others aren’t doing the same thing, but absent evidence that they are I don’t think there’s cause for concern.

And another thing, nobody, and I mean nobody reads their ward emails. 80% of church members don’t even know they exist. I have literally never checked this email and I have never talked to anyone who has.

If the church wanted to put their full force behind this they would. As their actions on prop 8 have shown they have no problem announcing their intentions in congregations or press releases. They are not going to act on this issue because the church actually isn’t opposed to civil unions. Or at least the leadership isn’t, though probably most individual members are. Unlike most Christian organizations, the members of the Mormon church tend to be much more militantly conservative than the leadership.

“In her desire to support principles that she believes in, Kristy mistakenly sent it out to her church congregation. Once the mistake was realized, she and her bishop sent a follow-up email (which you have published).”

This is also factually incorrect. The Nauvoo 3rd Ward email system is set up so that all emails sent out MUST be authorized by the Bishop or higher. And indeed, the email clearly states that Bishop Chris Church authorized the forwarding of the email to his ward.

There was no “mistake” about it. Elise means that once Chris Church and Kristy Combs received hundreds of emails of complaint and lots of media attention, then the follow-up email was sent out.

Connell O’Donovan
Adult Survivor of Mormon Homophobia

Thank you for admitting that is exactly what happened, contrary to the many Mormons here who state otherwise.

You know full well that a bishop “standing up” for what he believes, and sending out e-mails about it, crosses the line of his ecclesiastical authority. If you don’t, then you do not understand what the Church teaches about stewardship, god and inspiration.

Additionally, if you are as educated in the Church’s beliefs as you imply, you know it matters not one whit, to his ward’s members that he crossed this line, as they are taught the bishop has authority over them, and are going to believe God inspired him to write that e-mail.

Finally, you know full well they believe that if they defy their bishop, they are defying god himself.

Again, if you don’t know any of the above, then you are either a convert, or was BIC but never paid any attention.

Jaynee

Fine. Tell me where I am wrong about the calling of the bishop.

You know he is supposed to have been called to serve as the bishop based on a higher authority’s literal revelation from god.

You also know he has stewardship over his ward members, including receiving literal inspiration from god instructing him what actions to take with regards to these members.

Your attempt to deny the above is yet another ploy to dismiss the Church’s public image of fanaticism, based on the fact any ecclesiastical actions, including urging its members to actively fight against gay rights, are literally instructions given to them by god.

I have no doubt you already know this, but feel the need to protect the Church’s image, so you downplay these facts.

If you don’t know this, then you are either a convert, or were BIC, but never paid any attention.

Jaynee