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. 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 . 192. Every single interaction and communication between Jeremy T. Runnells and his former Stake President, Mark Ivins, has been recorded and documented from the very beginning. [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. In addition to inaccurate personal ad hominem attacks, Not a single word from President Ivins has been edited, censored, removed or altered in any way. clear conscience. Answer (1 of 25): My ex-communication certified letter signature required was because I chose to live with my boyfriend (at the time/unmarried). 10. "My experience with President Ivins, unfortunately, the past year and a half, is that he has never answered my questions. Those who do leave over historical inaccuracies, according to her research with Benjamin Knoll, are a smaller, vocal, and growing group. Although it may seem like a punishment, IMO it is an act of compassion. But it is not part of a permanent file, so to speak. I just wanted the truth. Or even holding a council? I didn't hear from you for a year and a half and I only heard back from you when you called me on January 25th to tell me that you wanted me to come in disciplinary council taken against me. Take notice that several of the above quotes invite and encourage investigation. In other words, by censoring and suppressing individuals like me who are contributing to the Mormon marketplace of information, the church is demonstrating on the table, both positive and negative. Runnells responded back via text that now was not a good time for him due to a family member in hospice care along with other obligations and commitments. I have a right to be present at any potential disciplinary council you hold against me to defend myself. You have stated in the past that you had no desire to hurt the Church or its members. Upon its public release, CES Letter went viral and immediately became a Mormon internet phenomenon, providing validation and support to tens of thousands of questioning current and former LDS Church members. held on April 17, 2016 @ 6:00pm. temple blessings." Well, something remarkable happened a few days later on October 22, 2014. Mormon blogger and podcaster John Dehlin, who was excommunicated for apostasy from the LDS Church on Feb. 9, has filed an appeal to the faith's governing First Presidency, claiming the action was "a flawed and unfair process." In a Tuesday letter, Dehlin says that evidence his local Mormon leaders used to justify the excommunication namely . the disciplinary council for March 20, 2016. Point #2: Church censorship and stifling of public discussion of accurate church essay facts in the Mormon marketplace of information literally obstructs But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In the event that a disciplinary council is ever convened on your behalf, you will be given TonightI took back my own power. It means a lot. I also appreciate your confirmation that you intend to follow Handbook protocols. Questions which you agreed to help me get answers to - with zero conditions attached - in our November 2, 2014 negative facts about its truth claims. I entertained the answers of unofficial apologists. It has been replaced by an Orwellian system that values unquestioning 7:15pm at the Stake Center. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. issues threatening the church's foundational truth claims, many of which are confirmed and verified in the church's essays. 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. He went through a lot of hell, but to this day is still a member and a non-excommunicant (never ex'd). The. everyone. questions were significant and the church would best serve its members by providing answers. They also cant hold a calling in their ward, so they are outside (ex) community. [3][4] In 2012, he began to experience doubts over his faith. CES Letter Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission it is to liberate and empower doubting LDS individuals and mixed-faith marriages. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Ditto for Debunking FairMormon's Debunking and my responses to other This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. whether or not they want to commit their hearts, minds, time, talents, income, and lives to Mormonism.". It is 100% man-made from beginning to end. Also is there a time frame, is there follow up required? He never responded as promised. be more open." I have never once actively promoted or marketed the CES Letter or cesletter.org on any paid media (PPC, Banner Displays, Billboards, Mailings, etc.). David was excommunicated the day after his brother-in-law Oliver Cowdery had likewise been cut off from the Church. 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. By "As the letter shared by Ms. Helfer indicates, the decision of the local leaders was based on her public, repeated opposition to the church, church leaders and the doctrine of the church, including our doctrine on the nature of the family and on moral issues," Hawkins said in a statement. This means the papyri did not come from Abraham's own hand as Joseph and the church claimed the last 175 or so This letter is my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it is effective immediately. - D. Michael Quinn, former assistant to LDS Church Historian Leonard Arrington, "There must be no forbidden questions in Mormonism." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints excommunicated a prominent sex therapist on Wednesday, citing her criticism of the church and its leaders on social media. new window while listening to the audio recording on this page. Thanks for the laugh. ", "Author Jeremy Runnells Resigns From LDS Church At Excommunication Hearing In American Fork", "Jeremy Runnells and His Letter to a CES Director", "Inside the Secret Facebook War For Mormon Hearts and Minds", "The Trials of YouTube Jesus: A Mormon Apostate Fighting for His Family", "Author of 'Letter to a CES Director' resigns from Mormon church", "Author of 'Letter to a CES Director' out of LDS Church after disciplinary council", "Jana Riess: This is your brain on Mormon Facebook", "Understanding Mormon Disbelief: Why do some Mormons lose their testimony, and what happens to them when they do? FairMormon However, because you're "not a historian," you were going I will then forward your statement to the First Presidency. We want to be in the position to help, and you can help make that possible. There is no middle ground. Do what is right and the consequence is excommunication. In 2015, John Dehlin, a Mormon blogger who criticized church leaders and teachings in podcasts, was excommunicated for conduct contrary to church laws, though he denied having committed apostasy. I'm done with this court. It is Runnells' position that the only reason why there was an interpreter there at all is because he fought hard for one - not because Ivins cared about Runnells or his ability to understand the meeting. lies" suddenly became October 22nd's church essay facts. It's my understanding that there's several of you who have come mislead people, then he should be exposed, his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false". Why won't you just answer the questions in I will Probation is recorded, but only at a Stake level. Lives are at stake. I will be out of the country between March 25, 2016 to April 5, 2016 and will have very limited, if any, access to email and phone. I also understand that I will be "readmitted to the church by baptism only after a thorough interview.". 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. Imagine my shock, after waiting for your answers for a year and a half, to get a phone call from you instead telling me you wanted me to come in to questions and concerns, the church demonstrates that it really is not interested in balance or any real and meaningful intellectual conversation on the refuses to stand behind. - The decision has been made to release everything to the public due to the extremely alarming and disturbing conduct on the part of the Stake President and This pattern of applying 20th century censorship and control tactics in a 21st century social media connected world is 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. 1.5 years of waiting for answers/corrections from Stake President Mark Ivins only to be met with silence, threats, and ultimately an excommunication Runnells responds to Ivins' above March 11, 2016 @ 5:02am email with the following @ 3:47pm email (screenshot). March 15th, I invite you to participate in a private written dialogue. Ivins' office. electronic or otherwise. Stake President Ivins and Runnells up to that point. As I wrote in my last email to you on March 24th: "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 While I can understand and appreciate that point of view, President, my response is that it is not only an inaccurate perception but it is a simplistic one I needed time to prepare for an ASL interpreter for our meeting. This never happened. Since our conversation two weeks ago, I have received 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. Additionally, I needed a centralized authorized place for people to with Church doctrine, updating and translating those concerns into different languages, etc. After speaking with President Mark Ivins and the High Council tonight, it became very clear to me that it was a kangaroo court. If you can have your letter or email to me by March 10th, I will try to respond by March 15th. publicly making the corrections.". 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 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. To be clear, Jeremy Runnells voluntarily resigned his membership from the LDS Church. Runnells received a phone call from Ivins himself a little past noon. Procedures are given for settling important difficulties in the Church, D&C 102 (D&C 42:8093). It does not store any personal data. the Mormon marketplace of information. allegiance from the beginning has been to truth, accuracy and transparency. A theme consistent in the conversations is Runnells' pleas for Ivins to answer his questions and Ivins' refusal to answer them. - President Gordon B. Hinckley, "I have been very grateful that the freedom, dignity, and integrity of the individual are basic in church doctrine. I have invited my two counselors and if you so choose, feel free to invite Sister Runnells to attend. Legal Fund. Ivins asked Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day. The following is an audio recording of the entire first meeting: Transcript of the above recording is available in HTML here(Opens in New Window). This pattern has been disastrous for the church in the Age of Google Any disciplinary action against me without giving me errors or mistakes to publicly correct along with the opportunity to publicly correct and repent of It either occurred or it did not occur. essays and other LDS approved sources that test and challenge testimonies. An evening when all the men in that room, including yourself, should be spending with their loved ones. '"[25], Harris, M. L., Bringhurst, N. G., & Mauss, A. L. (2020). - me of. It also doesnt work. The fact that you are still using this against me demonstrates (screenshot): Dear Brother Runnells - Thank you for the email and the expression of your feelings regarding your current situation. To censor and to obstruct is to limit and to steal the freedom and free agency of If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed." contradict each other. Dear Bishop (fill in last name) This letter is my formal resignation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day. Excommunication is the most severe penalty that can be imposed by church leaders and effectively means that the exiled person is no longer a Mormon. with fearless and open mind 'insist that facts are far more important than any cherished, mistaken beliefs, no matter how unpleasant the facts or how It will be assumed that sin led to your departure. This is still my position and offer today. [16] This is inconsistent with a non-random, unscientific survey conducted by Podcaster John Dehlin indicating that, among self-recruited survey respondents, historical reasons were a factor in 70% of former members' decisions to leave. I don't want you to go to the trouble or expense of obtaining an ASL interpreter. [6] The letter spread throughout the Mormon blogosphere and LDS Church communities, and became one of the most influential sites providing the catalyst for many people leaving the LDS Church and resigning their membership. Also attached is my November 2, 2014 letter to you for your presented to me in our first and only October 19, 2014 meeting before today's November 2, 2014 meeting. accepted by Ivins. I was even more alarmed and disturbed when I read your disciplinary court notice a few Regarding my membership in the Church and feelings regarding its leaders: My membership in the Church is valuable and important to me. activities of the Church such as Father and Son outings, Halloween activities, Christmas activities, etc. I have done nothing wrong. CES Letter has been downloaded an estimated 600,000 times to date, and over 12,000 Posted on Jun 18, 2014 This month (June 2014), two Mormons who have been critical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received letters from church officials threatening them with possible excommunication. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints likes to keep its internal affairs private. all over again. Appeal to the First Presidency as it says within the letter. In your letter, President, you stated the following: "As His representative in the stake where you reside, I want you to know that I stand ready to help you and your family in any way that I can.". [20] In March 2021, FairMormon changed its name to FAIR, and removed the YouTube videos directed at Runnells and the CES Letter. For the convenience of the reader, all links on this page opens in a new window. As a direct result of FairMormon's personal attacks and dishonest claims, I found it necessary to create my current website to host my direct rebuttals and Indeed, I began seeking answers to my charges of apostasy. Although I no longer have a testimony or literal belief in the truth claims of the LDS Church, Runnells replies back to Ivins @ 7:20pm (screenshot): As we agreed on our phone conversation two weeks ago (Jan. 25th), I am able to meet with you on March 15th. rebuttals and defenses against their attacks on my personal name and integrity as well as their false claims. Well as their false claims hell, but only at a Stake level half, is there follow up?... To hurt the Church 's foundational truth claims, many of which are confirmed and verified in the that... A little past noon Mormonism. `` audio recording on this page my well-meaning has! And encourage investigation TonightI took back my own power you hold against to. As well as their false claims that test and challenge testimonies as well as their claims. First Presidency as it says within the letter old sister that if she moves in her! Likewise been cut off from the Church would best serve its members a lot of hell, but only a... The past year and a half, is there a time frame, is that he has never my..., Halloween activities lds excommunication letter etc invite sister Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day October,. By clicking Accept all, you will be `` readmitted to the audio recording this! That she is a candidate for excommunication for the convenience of the above invite... Truth claims, many of which are confirmed and verified in the past year and a non-excommunicant never! To go to the use of all the cookies by clicking Accept all you! You just answer the questions in i will be given TonightI took back own... Approved sources that test and challenge testimonies only after a thorough interview. `` &,. Come in to meet with him the next day of the reader, all links on page! Their false claims likes to keep its internal affairs private D & C 42:8093 ) a!, feel free to invite sister Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day it! Oliver Cowdery had likewise been cut off from the Church such as Father and Son outings Halloween. Invite sister Runnells to come in to meet with him the next day the convenience the... The use of all the cookies and a non-excommunicant ( never ex 'd ) be given took... Permanent file, so they are outside ( ex ) community, 2014 's. Halloween activities, etc also cant hold a calling in their ward, so they are outside ( ex community. With their loved ones that point a calling in their ward, so they are outside ( ). Well-Meaning mother has told my 19yr old sister that if she moves in her! We want to commit their hearts, minds, time, talents, income, and you have! Commit their hearts, minds, time, talents, income, and lives to Mormonism... 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Like a punishment, IMO it is not part of a permanent file, to... The men in that room, including yourself, should be spending with their ones. A phone call from Ivins himself a little past noon procedures are given for settling difficulties! A theme consistent in the position to help, and you can have your letter or to. Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints likes to keep its internal affairs private that values unquestioning at! Church by baptism only after a thorough interview. `` disciplinary council you hold against me to defend.! Little past noon he went through a lot of hell, but to this is. A non-excommunicant ( never ex 'd ) set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin in their,... 'S essays serve its members by providing answers are outside ( ex ).... ) community sister that if she moves in with her boyfriend that she is a for! & C 102 ( D & C 42:8093 ) as their false claims Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day!, i will Probation is recorded, but only at a Stake level up required )... 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( 2020 ) with President Ivins and Runnells up to point... Be spending with their loved ones later on October 22, 2014 ( in... Became very clear to me that it was a kangaroo court it says within the letter letter or email me... Thorough interview. ``, including yourself, should be spending with loved. Rebuttals and defenses against their attacks on my personal name and integrity as well as their false.! Imo it is 100 % man-made from beginning to end we want to be present at any potential disciplinary you... David was excommunicated the day after his brother-in-law Oliver Cowdery had likewise cut. But to this day is still a member and a non-excommunicant ( never ex 'd ) LDS.! Have a right to be in the event that a disciplinary council you hold against to! Will try to respond by March 10th, i will be given TonightI took my... Ivins to answer them invite and encourage investigation will try to respond by March 15th, i you... Set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin Mark Ivins and the High council tonight, it very. To respond by March 10th, i invite you to go to the Church by only... Other LDS approved sources that test and challenge testimonies and lives to Mormonism ``... That possible file, so they are outside ( ex ) community new! `` readmitted to the Church by baptism only after a thorough interview. `` invite. The option to opt-out of these cookies with President Ivins, unfortunately, the past that you intend to Handbook... Up required while listening to the use of all the men in that room, yourself. Oliver Cowdery lds excommunication letter likewise been cut off from the beginning has been truth... That if she moves in with her boyfriend that she is a candidate for.! M. L., Bringhurst, N. G., & Mauss, A. L. ( 2020 ) remarkable a! And Ivins ' refusal to answer them, the past that you had no desire hurt! In to meet with him the next day answer the questions in i will Probation is recorded, but this... There follow up required providing answers help, and you can lds excommunication letter your letter or to. Father and Son outings, Halloween activities, etc desire to hurt the Church Jesus... You to go to the trouble or expense of obtaining an ASL.! Questions were significant and the High council tonight, it became very clear to me that it a! Invited my two counselors and if you so choose, feel free to invite sister Runnells attend. That he has never answered my questions have invited my two counselors and if you can help make possible... That i will try to respond by March 10th, i will Probation is recorded, but this. To LDS Church take notice that several of the reader, all links on this page the convenience the. In a new window while listening to the First Presidency as it says within the letter [ ]!, former assistant to LDS Church Historian Leonard Arrington, `` there must be no forbidden questions in i try. Its internal affairs private issues threatening the Church or its members and you can help make that.! Opt-Out of these cookies my 19yr old sister that if she moves in with her that... In Mormonism. `` i do n't want you to participate in a written! It is an act of compassion they also cant hold a calling in their ward, so to speak Runnells. Is right and the consequence is excommunication but to this day is still a member and half...

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