Mass resignation event tomorrow (6/30/12)

[UtahDan]

Chicago Tribune has now picked it up:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/s...,7789584.story

[UtahDan]

As you know, the Declaration of Independence has significant meaning for Americans and it represents the the beginning of a war and ultimate victory of freedom over a tyrannical regime. So when the group uses this imagery as part of their resignation from the church it's clear that they're not as much interested in open and constructive dialogue as they are publicity and bomb throwing.

You seem certain that this is about you and not about them. Also, there wouldn't have been a war if the British had simply said "oh, okay. God's speed." (Which again, was the church spokeperson's reaction. Kudos to him.)

[RobinFinderson]

You think we're disregarding the first ammendment? Really? We're poking at the manner in which they choose to resign not the act itself.

I have no idea why you are framing this in terms of the first amendment.

Why are you poking at the manner in which they choose to resign? It is highly ceremonial and symbolic, which is probably a reflection of an aspect of the Mormon culture that these people can't leave behind, in spite of resignation.

I think that the unstated concern of people who are critical of this is that it might catch on.

[YOhio]

No one has picked up on my point that Mitt Romney is the reason Reuters is covering this. It that just an obvious point?

It's kind of an exaggeration to say that Reuters is "covering" it. The reporter is a Utah-based freelance journalist and they picked up a cheap story.

[Indy Coug]

No one has picked up on my point that Mitt Romney is the reason Reuters is covering this. It that just an obvious point?

Ahem. http://www.cougaruteforum.com/showpo...10&postcount=5

[UtahDan]

It's kind of an exaggeration to say that Reuters is "covering" it. The reporter is a Utah-based freelance journalist and they picked up a cheap story.

Well the Chicago Tribune picked it up now too. So, yeah, "cover" was the wrong word. I'm just making the obvious point that Mitt has sparked an interest that didn't exist before.

[YOhio]

You seem certain that this is about you and not about them. Also, there wouldn't have been a war if the British had simply said "oh, okay. God's speed." (Which again, was the church spokeperson's reaction. Kudos to him.)

I'm not responding to their demonstration, rather to the point you made several times that this is an effort to open dialogue and awareness between both sides without hostility. If this really was their intention then I think it was a poor approach.

[Paperback Writer]

I'm pretty sure they are very rare too. I was in a couple of wards where the bishop made an effort to locate the people we weren't even sure still were around. While this wasn't the primary objective and certainly not the first topic brought up on visits, one of the things discussed based on how the conversation progressed informing the members how they could officially resign their membership.

Virtually no one sent their resignation in, even though quite a few requested a copy of the form.

I kind of got into trouble doing this in one of my wards. I got assigned to HT almost all of the inactives in the ward and asked them if they still wanted contact with the church and then explained the process to officially resign when they asked about it. The Bishop wasn't too happy about it. He wanted me to keep knocking on their door every month (they admitted to screening their phone calls) and keep inviting them to whatever church activity was on the calendar. I replied, "What part of "NO" are we failing to understand? They don't want this type of contact." After some thought, the compromise was to mail some of them a ward bulletin/newsletter. One guy didn't want HT but asked that the Deacon's put him back on the FO route.

I think the church needs more options than the "all-in" or "all-out" approach that seems to exist. Let them figure out the relationship they want with the church that they are most comfortable with. It's not enough that they attend, they need to have a calling. It's not enough to have a calling, they need to pay tithing. It's not enough that they pay tithing, they need to attend the temple. It's not enough .... That's when some believing members just opt to stay home and enjoy their Sunday.

[SeattleUte]

I'm going to proxy resign for you after you die.

PAC has already said he intends to do this. But you should plan on doing it because I expect to outlive PAC. He's much older than I am.

[lambdacoug]

I'm going to proxy resign for you after you die.

I think it'd be great if the church would provide a proxy resignation just like they provide proxy baptisms. Maybe some famous mormons could be proxy resigned multiple times...

[YOhio]

PAC has already said he intends to do this. But you should plan on doing it because I expect to outlive PAC. He's much older than I am.

I don't know. PAC does real exercise like riding bikes and hiking (not yoga).

[Ma'ake]

UD, I know it's hard for people to leave the church for a whole myriad of reasons. I don't begrudge people leaving. I don't begrudge having "support groups" to help people in similar situations with similar dispositions. I begrudge the dog and pony show.

I understand being averse to the negative publicity, but what if their motivation is mostly to educate others of a similar mindset, help ease the path others are thinking about, make it more "socially acceptable"? I would imagine that was a big part of why that Weed character publicized his blog. He seems like he's a faithful guy, but wanted to let others who might be in a similar predicament know they're not alone.

[Pelado]

I kind of got into trouble doing this in one of my wards. I got assigned to HT almost all of the inactives in the ward and asked them if they still wanted contact with the church and then explained the process to officially resign when they asked about it. The Bishop wasn't too happy about it. He wanted me to keep knocking on their door every month (they admitted to screening their phone calls) and keep inviting them to whatever church activity was on the calendar. I replied, "What part of "NO" are we failing to understand? They don't want this type of contact." After some thought, the compromise was to mail some of them a ward bulletin/newsletter. One guy didn't want HT but asked that the Deacon's put him back on the FO route.

I think the church needs more options than the "all-in" or "all-out" approach that seems to exist. Let them figure out the relationship they want with the church that they are most comfortable with. It's not enough that they attend, they need to have a calling. It's not enough to have a calling, they need to pay tithing. It's not enough that they pay tithing, they need to attend the temple. It's not enough .... That's when some believing members just opt to stay home and enjoy their Sunday.

That was the approach I took with the last "unknown status" persons placed on my home teaching route. We told her we'd come as infrequently as she wanted.

[Omaha 680]

They can leave The Church, but they can't stop leaving The Church.

I'm going to proxy resign for you after you die.

I just wanted to say these are two of the funniest things I've read in my short time here.

[RobinFinderson]

What is wrong with a dog and pony show? T-Mo's upcoming birthday-palooza is also a dog and pony show, no?