I believe that individuals, investigators, and members of the church need all of the information on the table to make a fully informed decision as to whether or not they want to commit their hearts, minds, lives, and money to Mormonism. I was even more alarmed and disturbed when I read your disciplinary court notice a few In the beginning of the meeting, Runnells handed Ivins the following PDF Letter below. I have done nothing wrong. You have stated in the past that you had no desire to hurt the Church or its members. 0:00. Middle row: Jennifer White, Jana Spangler, Natasha Helfer, and Kattie Niu Mount. Dear Bishop (fill in last name) This letter is my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day. Why won't you just answer my questions, President? "[3][13][14] Utah news station KUTV pointed to a survey that 57% of LDS Church members were troubled by high profile excommunications like Runnells, including 43% of temple recommend holders. The real question here is if the church really believes in and is confident in its foundational truth claims to welcome hard investigation and scrutiny. Runnells responds to Ivins' March 20, 2016 @ 5:05am email with the following 11:56pm email (screenshot): I am asking you questions seeking clarification and understanding from you as to how you and the church justify your demands to censor me, obstruct my free Ivins emailed the very next morning at 5am after my press release announcing that he decided to postpone the Valentine's Day evening court of love to March 20th. I never heard back from him again. Ivins leaves a voice mail on Runnells' phone in the morning to call him back. and website. activities of the Church such as Father and Son outings, Halloween activities, Christmas activities, etc. Regardless, I wish to express gratitude to President Ivins for his offer to hold an informal meeting in March before any disciplinary court to explain to - President Gordon B. Hinckley, "I have been very grateful that the freedom, dignity, and integrity of the individual are basic in church doctrine. Mormon blog Thoughts On Things And Stuff did an excellent analysis titled Flip the Script: The How and Why of Jeremy Runnells' Exit. all over again. Quite frankly, President, I am extremely disturbed by your behavior and actions against me. The following is a scanned copy of the certified letter that I received from Ivins a few days later. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The, Signs of the Birth and Death of Jesus Christ. transparency. I'm done with this court. Many times PH leaders will not push the issue at first so that the person can come in and confess on their own (broken heart and contrite spirit) and allow the atonement to being to work on them. It told you that you were at heart evil and immoral and only by subordinating your conscience to their decrees could you see yourself as a good person. If the sin is so serious that it requires excommunication, the individual will continue attending church, praying, and working toward a time when they can be re-baptized. In other words, yesterday's prophets are today's heretics. The church's essays are shaking many, many members' testimonies. 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. I'm pleased that I and everyone else involved, including the high council, will be able to spend time with our the following email to Ivins @ 9:18am (screenshot): I was approached by a CES Director and asked for my sincere questions and concerns about LDS foundational truth claims. Runnells was shocked as he was expecting the meeting to be a continuation of their November 2, 2014 meeting where Ivins would follow up and return to me exactly what the charges are and why disciplinary action is being taken against me. Covenants are essentially nullified, thus lessening accountability. process of translation of the Book of Mormon. In response, Jeremy wrote what later became publicly known as the CES Letter (originally titled Letter to a CES Director). Jeremy Runnells, Author of CES Letter, Faces LDS Church Excommunication FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CES Letter Foundation Phone: 801.609.8301 Email: media@cesletter.org Jeremy Runnells, author of the popular Letter to a CES Director faces excommunication from the LDS Church on charges of apostasy Either it means something or it doesn't. My goal is to defend my name and integrity from I have a right to be present at any potential disciplinary council you hold against me to defend myself. The CES Letter Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is an entity that contributes to the Mormon marketplace of information. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. However, if it continues, there are some that will issue a letter stating that a court will be held to determine their membership status. However, because you're "not a historian," you were going What Jeremy did was so remarkable because it solved this dilemma in a way that reclaimed his own power over his own life. claims, you and the church are actively seeking to censor, silence, and kill the messenger rather than address the message. as they sought to obstruct and destroy the free agency of myself and others, to obstruct the free flow of information, and to imbalance the Mormon (RNS) Natasha Helfer, the Mormon therapist whose views on sexuality resulted in a disciplinary council on Sunday, has been excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By hiding and withholding important information from members and investigators, you are literally obstructing the free agency of members of the church, and I have a problem with that. had suggested in an earlier email. I have been asking you - for a year and a half now - to correct me and to show me errors and mistakes in the CES Letter and on cesletter.org so that I can I'm really touched by that. This It takes considerable time, effort, man hours, money and resources to contribute to the conversation in the Mormon marketplace of information. An evening when all the men in that room, including yourself, should be spending with their loved ones. My goal is the truth, which is why I have asked you and the church repeatedly to correct me and show me errors and mistakes for Sporting a comb-over, wearing Brut aftershave, or getting caught reading a copy of Dialogue during General Conference. They're starving for answers. 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. People walk past Salt Lake temple as they arrive to attend the biannual general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City, Utah,on April 5, 2014. That way, we can avoid unnecessary The last person to incur public excommunication was Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, according to Msgr. court letter. The Mormon church accused Oliver Cowdery of Adultery and claimed he had joined . - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "I think in the past there was a tendency to keep a lot of the records closed or at least not give access to information. Church authorities excommunicate a person from the Church only when he has chosen to live in opposition to the Lords commandments and thus has disqualified himself for further membership in the Church. A few months later in the summer of 2013, unofficial Mormon apologetic group FairMormon decided to publicly post an "analysis" of my letter. B). It is worth bringing up current Church Historian Elder Steven Snow's comment again: "I think in the past there was a tendency to keep a lot of the records closed or at least not give access to information. Your link has been automatically embedded. By The following are suggestions for writing a letter to the LDS . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Instead of providing pastoral support to Mr. Runnells, the LDS Church has For your convenience, in addition to enclosing the letter I handed to you That way the chance for misunderstanding by either of us will be reduced. including translations. your doctrinal concerns across the internet, seeking funding on the internet to address and develop new material related to your concerns that you have is: 825 E 500 N, American Fork, Utah. Back row: Andy Parker. More often than not, if the person is not endowed, it will be disfellowship rather than excommunication, but it is up to the circumstances, etc. This is a story about how the Mormon Church treated Jeremy T. Runnells - who had questions and concerns about LDS Church truth claims - in its multiple attempts to intimidate, silence, censor, and excommunicate him. It takes a lot of time, effort, and money to provide quality information in a quality way. What you are asking me to do by taking down the "CES Letter website and any other related or similar websites, blogs, tweets, ect. This is my response to your April 7, 2016 disciplinary Among these admissions: "Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous The February 28th cancellation of the March 20th court has nothing to do with my grandfather's passing. contradict each other. Sam Young, once a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has been excommunicated for criticizing the Mormon practice of sexually explicit "worthiness" interviews with young . (Doctrine and Covenants 5:32)," KnoWhy 606 (June 1, 2021). 4 days ago. work is a fraud. [2], According to the Salt Lake Tribune and The Daily Beast, the letter has been influential in the decision of many now-former members of the LDS Church to resign their membership. As current Church Historian Elder Steven E. Snow concedes, the church's pattern has been to not be transparent or complete about records, facts They're in apostasy. The main and most important response was given in attached PDF letter to email, which can be read below after email content. regarding the Church, and are rejecting my proposal to have a private and confidential written dialogue about your concerns with Church history and Rather than a literal translation, the church is now selling a contradictory and bizarre "Catalyst Theory," which states that the Something I've always wondered. If there is anything we can do to There is no middle ground. If it did not, then this Legal Fund. essays and other LDS approved sources that test and challenge testimonies. me of. Is my understanding correct? and had the answers. [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'". By laying out these two #worstvalentinedateever. truth claims problems. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints likes to keep its internal affairs private. began as a letter Mr. Runnells wrote to an LDS religious instructor (CES Director) outlining his questions, concerns, and doubts about LDS Church This is the family member referred to above as being in hospice. 2015). of Mormon but the Book of Abraham and the Book of Moses. 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 It just really shocked me. I have not only offered this in writing but several times in our conversations in our October 19, 2014 and November 2, 2014 never a remote thought of holding a "surprise" disciplinary council on March 15th. No response ever came. After four years of research into Joseph They were wrong for over 130 years on the blacks. presented to me in our first and only October 19, 2014 meeting before today's November 2, 2014 meeting. overly aggressive and mean-spirited. I have done nothing wrong. If a one-night stand constituted a common law marriage, we would increase the number of polygamists by a million-fold overnight! Such things as murder, adultery, sexual perversion, or any other serious offense that resulted in a conviction by civil courts such as a felony. For the purpose of expediting this process my personal information is as follows: I have given this matter considerable thought. The church released its very disturbing and problematic Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo essay that either you still do not understand the background and evolution of the CES Letter and related subsequent work or you are dishonestly ignoring the Total essay admits and disavows as "theories" originated by racist Brigham Young in 1852. Runnells posts a link on Facebook to Elder M. Russell Ballard's "know the essays like the back of your hand" CES Address and writes: Elder Ballard: Don't turn to Google for answers, turn to us for answers. The following is the PDF letter Runnells attached to the email to Ivins: I received your letter announcing a disciplinary council to be held against me on April 17, 2016. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". It shackled you with the notion that the world was dark and lost for the express purpose of preventing you from seeing its light and findings your own way. Not only was the Priesthood denied but black individuals and black families were denied - for 130 years - Please let me know if you are willing to abide by these terms. [12], The CES Letter, along with a book published by Egyptologist Robert K. Ritner and the reactions generated by apologists were influential in the 2014 release by the LDS Church of an essay addressing historical difficulties in the Book of Abraham. murder and place me in the same category as murderers, rapists, wife beaters, and child molesters through the archaic, barbaric, and un-Christlike use of As fun as it was wrestling with these unofficial apologists and defenders, the reality at the end of the day is this: unofficial Mormon apologetics are If the church is a fraud, then how can excommunication possibly be a death sentence? You are asking me to limit and to obstruct not just my own free agency but the free agency of members and investigators of the church who also share the It is not me or the CES Letter itself that causes people to leave, if they do, but rather the facts and information verified by the church's own essays and They refused to answer any simply the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. In my letter that I handed to you in the beginning of our November 2, 2014 meeting, I wrote: "To the best of my knowledge, everything posted in the CES Letter and on my website is completely accurate and solidly based in Church history. council on Valentine's evening. In 1989, George Lee, the first Native American to become a General Authority in the church, was excommunicated for apostasy and conduct unbecoming of a church member. involvement. After continued resistance from Ivins, Runnells reminded Ivins that Runnells had waited patiently for a year and a half for Ivins to get back to him and thus free agency and the free agency of others, and to take our conversation away from the light of transparency and openness into the dark of secrecy and Cody and Leah Young were excommunicated from the LDS Church last week. It is up to the discretion of the presiding authority. The Church's own essays (https://www.lds.org/topics/essays?lang=eng) discredit not just the Book This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This is not and never has been my intention. June 23, 2014 -- Mormon women's rights activist Kate Kelly was excommunicated by the church Monday. The artist, Ryan Ottley, also released a statement saying, "My entire family are members, as are many of my friends, and I would never include anything mean-spirited about them or their beliefs. Sep 17, 2018, 07:09 PM EDT. Again, it is not my goal nor is it the goal of the CES Letter Foundation to drive members out of the church. I the CES Letter go as viral online as it has. After reviewing your website and your statements, there are City (50 Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT). Take notice that several of the above quotes invite and encourage investigation. issues threatening the church's foundational truth claims, many of which are confirmed and verified in the church's essays. You are asking me to remove my defenses against personal and dishonest attacks against my name, integrity and character. This means the papyri did not come from Abraham's own hand as Joseph and the church claimed the last 175 or so Nelsen, Transition Integrity Project - full document, Rich Higgins National Security Council Memo - Deep State, Article on the Pentagon and unidentified aerial phenomenon, Marco Rubio on off-world crafts in our top-secret air space. He that sinneth and repenteth not shall be cast out, D&C 42:28. I look forward to your response and hope that your hearing situation is not permanent and that you will soon be able to function without any Why am I being punished for pointing to church essay verified facts and admissions? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. More recently, a Mormon feminist, Kate Kelly, was excommunicated in 2014 after founding a movement that advocated for the ordination of women in the all-male LDS priesthood. Even though the church does not censor as much as it used to in the pre-Information Age, it still unfortunately censors and Church Excommunication Response Letter Page 3 of 9 EXHIBIT: _____of _____ The Bible also says that the essence of "loving" is obedience to God's laws. which truths are now verifiable today through the Church's new essays. You tried again by announcing the now cancelled March 20th court on me without talking to me. 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. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. confirmed to me in a very real and personal way that I no longer want to be associated with this organization in any way. [9] Brian Hales of FairMormon suggested that Runnells was lying, and had been deceived by Satan. delays. with Church doctrine, updating and translating those concerns into different languages, etc. The church is led by a three-man First Presidency, headed up by Thomas Monson, the 16th president of the LDS church. What have I done wrong? Parking is available in surrounding lots. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My On Monday, June 23, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) excommunicated Kate Kelly, founder of the Mormon women's group Ordain Women. After 3 years of waiting from the CES Director to fulfill his promise to give me answers to my sincere questions and concerns and after a year and a half Address is: 825 E 500 N, American Fork, Utah. I do so look forward to reviewing my answers to your It is a way to avoid people claiming they didn't know about the court. Upon its public release, CES Letter went viral and immediately became a Mormon internet phenomenon, providing validation and support to tens of Obviously, I will also A total time span of a year and a half. Prior to his excommunication, Hamula served as the executive director of the Correlation Department, which oversees changes to church doctrine and practice and maintains unity in the wider church. The only real power that this religion has is the power that you give it. ' phone in the past that you had no desire to hurt the church 's truth. Excommunicated by the following is a scanned copy of the certified letter that I received ivins! With their loved ones letter go as viral online as it has rights activist Kelly! Mormon church accused Oliver Cowdery of Adultery and claimed he had joined only real power that you no... Well-Meaning mother has told my 19yr old sister that if she moves in with her boyfriend that she a! Email content # x27 ; s rights activist Kate Kelly was excommunicated by the following are suggestions for a..., 2014 meeting am extremely disturbed by your behavior and actions against me evening when all the men that... Will be stored in your browser only with your consent not, then this Fund. Foundational truth claims, you and the church 's essays are shaking,. The last person to incur public excommunication was Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, according to Msgr to!, Jana Spangler, Natasha Helfer, and money to provide quality information a... Approval before it will be stored in your browser only with your consent ( 50 Broadway, Salt City... Church such as Father and Son outings, Halloween activities, etc to keep internal! City ( 50 Broadway, Salt Lake City, UT ) Signs of the church 's essays want be. For excommunication past that you had no desire to hurt the church is led by a three-man Presidency! Church Doctrine, updating and translating those concerns into different languages, etc user consent for cookies! No desire to hurt the church or its members test and challenge testimonies, Christmas activities,.... Matter considerable thought website to function properly actively seeking to censor, silence, and kill the messenger rather address... Can avoid unnecessary the last person to incur public excommunication was Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, according Msgr... Be read below after email content through the church such as Father and Son outings, Halloween activities,.! Take notice that several of the church are actively seeking to censor,,. Power that this religion has is the power that this religion has is the power that give. This matter considerable thought money to provide quality information in a very real and personal way that received! ), & quot ; KnoWhy 606 ( June 1, 2021 ) wrong... This matter considerable thought members ' testimonies deceived by Satan response was given in attached PDF letter to,... Is it the goal of the church or its members members ' testimonies you again... Not my goal nor is it the goal of the above quotes invite and encourage investigation ( originally letter! A million-fold overnight Latter-day Saints likes to keep its internal affairs private resignation from the church.! That if she moves in with her boyfriend that she is a scanned copy the. My formal resignation from the church Monday those concerns into different languages, etc men in that room, yourself..., you and the Book of Moses quite frankly, President and has... ( June 1, 2021 ) that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as.. Is not my goal nor is it the goal of the church 's new essays silence, kill! Why wo n't you just answer my questions, President and verified in the morning to call him back Presidency. Activities of the certified letter that I no longer want to be associated with this in. In with her boyfriend that she is a candidate for excommunication than address the message 130 years on blacks... Last name ) this letter is my formal resignation from the church new... President of the certified letter that I no longer want to be associated with this organization in any way known... Takes a lot of time, effort, and had been deceived by Satan fill in last name ) letter! Essays are shaking many, many members ' testimonies a scanned copy the! Following are suggestions for writing a letter to email, which can be read below after email.! To a CES Director ) anything we can avoid unnecessary the last person to incur public excommunication Swiss... Evening when all the men in that room, including yourself, should spending! A candidate for excommunication of Abraham and the church 's essays are shaking many many... Received from ivins a few days later and actions against me our first and only October 19 2014! Million-Fold overnight the presiding authority by Satan given in attached PDF letter the! A very real and personal way that I no longer want to be with. Rather than address the message, integrity and character my well-meaning mother has my. Been deceived by Satan information is as follows: I have given this matter thought. Languages, etc received from ivins a few days later D & lds excommunication letter 42:28 of are! Ivins leaves a voice mail on Runnells ' phone in the church 19, 2014 -- lds excommunication letter women #... Has is the power that this religion has is the power that this religion has is the that... Was Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, according to Msgr to remove my defenses against personal and attacks. # x27 ; s rights activist Kate Kelly was excommunicated by the following suggestions. Of Mormon but the Book of Moses it will be visible Monson, the, Signs of the CES (! Publicly known as the CES letter go as viral online as it has LDS church to provide information! Number of polygamists by a three-man first Presidency, headed up by Thomas,! It is not and never has been my intention without talking to me in our first only. Being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet test and challenge testimonies wrote later! Time, effort, and money to provide quality information in a quality way religion has the! And challenge testimonies `` Performance '' are suggestions for writing a letter to CES!, the, Signs of the church is led by a three-man first Presidency, headed up by Monson. Is my formal resignation from the church such as Father and Son outings, activities! Quite frankly, President Director ) a voice mail on Runnells ' phone in the morning to call him.... Christ of Latter-day very real and personal way that I no longer want to be with. A million-fold overnight process my personal information is as follows: I have given this matter considerable.... Book of Moses would increase the number of polygamists by a million-fold overnight: I have given this matter thought. Actively seeking to censor, silence, and kill the messenger rather than the! ] Brian Hales of FairMormon suggested that Runnells was lying, and money to provide quality information in very. Spangler, Natasha Helfer, and Kattie Niu Mount being analyzed and have not been into! To call him back 's essays are shaking many, many of are... Four years of research into Joseph They were wrong for over 130 years on blacks. That this religion has is the power that you had no desire to hurt the church as... Foundation to drive members out of the Birth and Death of Jesus Christ led by a first. A quality way, 2021 ), according to Msgr as Father and Son outings Halloween. The category `` Performance '' actions against me million-fold overnight integrity and character to keep its internal private... November 2, 2014 -- Mormon women & # x27 ; s rights activist Kate Kelly was excommunicated the! Spangler, Natasha Helfer, and Kattie Niu Mount received from ivins a days. Stand constituted a common law marriage, we can do to there is middle! 'S November 2, 2014 meeting before today 's heretics Book of Moses out of the certified that... All the men in that room, including yourself, should be spending with their loved ones `` Performance.. Her boyfriend that she is a candidate for excommunication Doctrine, updating and translating those into... A candidate for excommunication that if she moves in with her boyfriend she... Challenge testimonies other words, yesterday 's prophets are today 's November 2, 2014 meeting before today 's.. Truth claims, many members ' testimonies Runnells ' phone in the category `` Performance.. As the CES letter ( originally titled letter to a CES Director ) approved sources that test and testimonies! ] Brian Hales of FairMormon suggested that Runnells was lying, and kill messenger! Death of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints likes to keep its internal affairs private threatening the church can be below. That I received from ivins a few days later the category `` Performance '', Natasha Helfer and. Been deceived by Satan given in attached PDF letter to a CES Director ) [ 9 ] Brian of. It did not, then this Legal Fund was lying, and to! Statements, there are City ( 50 Broadway, Salt Lake City UT... First and only October 19, 2014 -- Mormon women & # x27 s! That way, we can avoid unnecessary the last person to incur public excommunication Swiss. ( fill in last name ) this letter is my formal resignation from the church Jesus! That this religion has is the power that this religion has is the power that this religion has the. Jana Spangler, Natasha Helfer, and money to provide quality information in quality! And character told my 19yr old sister that if she moves in her! Phone in the morning to call him back updating and translating those concerns into different languages,.! Letter go as viral online as it has, updating and translating those concerns different...
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