BREAKING NEWS! Please join us on Mormon Stories Podcast as we discuss the Mormon Church’s announcement that it plans to excommunicate Sam Young for attempting to Protect LDS Children from sexual abuse. The council is currently scheduled to convene at 6PM on Sunday, September 9 at the Lexington Building in the stake offices in Houston, Texas.
In this episode, we discuss the letter Sam received dated August 28, 2018 and Sam’s initial feelings about the meeting, including his approach and preparation for the disciplinary council.
A copy of the letter may be found here:
https://invisiblescubit.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/excommunication-notice/
Past episodes including Sam Young and his movement to Protect LDS Children:
- 962-963: Sam Young’s Hunger Strike to #ProtectLDSChildren
- 895: Sam Young – Response to church policy changes and March for Children updates
- 870: Sam Young and ProtectLDSChildren.org – Apostasy Charges and March for the Children
- 843-844: Analyzing LDS Church Statements About Clergy Interviews
Audio
18 Responses
Isn’t the Mormon Church doing exactly what they are accusing Sam of doing by sending out a letter to it’s member encouraging and pressuring them how to vote for Prop 2?
Love you Sam!!
Maybe Sam could say he’s sorry and it won’t happen again. He could bear his testimony and promise to commit to church doctrines such as polygamy, polyandry, Adam-God, translation of the BOM by means of only the Urim and Thummim and gold plates, blood atonement, priesthood restrictions and no drinking Coke. Of course, I am being sarcastic but I’ve often thought of how Brigham Young would have been excommunicated during Spencer W Kimball’s tenure as President and vice versa as an example. The church has human fingerprints all over it.
Now, I’ll take a look at the other side of the coin. STD’s are raging among all age groups all across the country. Unplanned pregnancies are life-altering. The dissolution of the nuclear family has left countless children feeling very alone, with no clear path or voice and ears to discuss personal matters with. The media has made a mockery of Christian values while promoting an inclusivity of all things on their agenda. Perhaps the greatest understanding of these interviews is believing the church is protecting the children from future pitfalls, regrets, and preparing them for an eternity of true happiness and fulfillment.
As a CEO of a major company once told me, “Thousands of people can tell me what the problem is but it is rare for anyone to tell me what the solution is.”
Dear Sam Young,
I just want you to know you have a supporter out here in the world. I know I am one of thousands that believe in this cause that you have raised awareness to. This church policy is far overdue to be changed so that members of Bishoprics and Stake Presidencies will stop asking inappropriate sexual questions to children, young adults, and even adults in their one-on-one interviews with their congregational members.
This is a dark day for the church to take this action of holding a disciplinary council against you. The church leadership behind this, especially those in senior leadership hiding in Salt Lake City and secretly coaching your Stake President will reap the whirlwind of public opinion on this issue. The church lost the battle to keep polygamy as an open practice. The polygamy battle was lost because the US Government was in the process of taking procession of Church owned land, property, and bank assets.
The Church lost the battle to keep blacks from holding the priesthood and participating in temple ceremonies. This battle was lost when the US Government threatened to take away the Church’s tax exemption status and public opinion was already overwhelmingly in favor of equal rights to all people of color.
The Church lost the battle over denying same gender people to legally marry in this country. The Church will lose the battle in November over the Prop 2 initiative to stop the legalization of medical marijuana in Utah.
At some point, the Church will bend to public and/or legal pressure to abstain from asking inappropriate sexually explicit questions in the name of measuring worthiness among its members. You have taken a pioneer’s journey to raise awareness to this very important issue. I hope the church will reconsider the backlash that will play out if they move forward with a disciplinary council and take action to excommunicate you.
In all your interviews and public statements, your message is consistent. You are speaking out against a bad policy. Period. You have not been speaking out against the top 15, by name or by position. I pray the Church makes the right decision, but I know your work will go on regardless of their actions until this issue is resolved correctly. This is a silly mess the Church could avoid. Apparently, God is too busy whispering in the ear of the Prophet that he doesn’t want his Church to be called Mormon or LDS anymore than to coach the Prophet on better ways to interview our youth and adult church members. I’m waiting for the day to read about it on the church website. Not LDS.org anymore. It will be thechurchofjesuschristoflatter-daysaints.org. So stupid!!
God Bless You Brother!
Sam,
Your work on behalf of the safety for children is most admirable. Although those in power fail to understand that you have stood strong for an important moral position, know that there are many parents who now will intervene to save their children. They will withdraw permission for bishops to verbally abuse their children in one on one interviews that include sexually explicit questions. That is your wonderful achievement and many youngsters will be spared the destructive and damaging aspects of such ‘worthiness’ interviews. Keep up your work despite the LDS backward and violent approach of excommunication. I ask: When will the church leaders become Christ-like????and When will the faithful stop blindly following the leadership when it is so clearly in the wrong?????
Hi, Sam. You mentioned that the Catholic church now forbids their priests from asking teens if they masturbate. I haven’t been able to find support for that on the net, but am thrilled to hear that. Can you provide a source.
You won’t find those sources. The Catholic Church is a horrific example to use. Currently, there is a case in Pennsylvania involving over 300 priests and 1000 victims with some cases so new that the children are still in Catholic schools. No action has been taken against the priests. In Austrailia, Catholic molestation of children, particularly boys, is rampant. The Catholic church just issued a statement, “The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason,” according to the Vatican. In other words, after priests abuse children and confess, they are counseled to stay silent and the church continues to protect them from members and law enforcement. Catholic teens are taught to confess each and every time they masturbate. With a tenet such as this, does it really matter if the question is asked? It doesn’t need to be. It’s the Catholics version of “bishop discernment” which encourages total admission. Salud to Sam for standing for something he truly believes in………………….but using the Catholic Church as a model would be reason enough to dismiss the entire movement if held to the same standards that are used in Joseph Smith’s truth claims.
I’m wondering if this isn’t actually a brilliant PR ploy by the church. Consider this: What if the plan is to hold a disciplinary council—and NOT excommunicate? What would the headlines be the next day? Could it actually make the church appear reasonable and fair? Obviously the combination of “Brilliant PR” and “The Church” is an oxymoronic pairing so this isn’t very likely. But it IS possible that the outcome will be something other than excommunication. Many faithful members of the Church of Jesus COLDS find Sam’s position reasonable and I’ll bet there will be one or two on the council that will struggle with ousting him. It’s entirely possible that some on the council will vote to dis-fellowship or perhaps no discipline at all! It will definitely be interesting. I know this is a long-shot, but I predict (and hope) that Bishop Sam will NOT be exed! Whatever the outcome, the Church of Jesus COLDS has already been forced to modify the policy because of Sam’s tireless effort on this issue. They will eventually abolish this abhorrent practice altogether thanks to Sam’s bravery and conviction in doing what is right and letting the consequence follow. Rock on Sam!
Sam, reaching across the ocean to tell you how comforting it is to know that there are men like you out there, even if it turns out to be Outer Darkness – you are a friend to everyone who knows decency when they see it. Love
I’m grateful to both you gentlemen for speaking up and about issues I wouldn’t know about otherwise. I remember a couple of years ago as I was questioning the church (I left last November), I found Sam’s blog which led me to all of his original MS episodes. I was impressed by his unique brand of eloquence, sincerity, and scrappiness. Like an emotional/spiritual Atlas, Sam has taken on a world of responsibility regarding this policy and the survivors of horrific abuse … while the church with all of its wealth, power and resources continually evades responsibility and even an acknowledgement of the severity of this epidemic. Christ taught to leave the 99 to seek for the 1. The ones are suffering. Lives have been ruined, potential squandered and hearts broken and bleeding. Christ has no place in this church. I’m agnostic but I feel calling this church Jesus Christ’s Church blasphemy of the highest order.
John, I have a serious critique. Your interjections regarding the Facebook Live numbers (“That’s double Mormon Stories’ record! Let’s make it to 1000 viewers! Share this with all your friends and family!”) are inappropriate, crass and opportunistic. Let’s say your motives are pure and you’re striving to spread the truth and Sam’s words out to the world. These constant updates of the viewership are still utterly tonedeaf in an episode about the sexual assault and rape of children in the church. Can you imagine an ABC News correspondent regularly interrupting a segment on child rape to say, “We’re now at one million viewers! That’s a new record! Let’s shoot for 2 million! Tell your friends!” ? This carnival barker shtick not only undermines your important work and reputation, it undermines the reputation of all former Mormons and the validity of our concerns.
sam and John the issue of sexual shaming is huge in the church All in name of keeping sexual purity in the church and in particular the temple. Bishops and other church leaders with no or little training explore sexual issues with their ward members etc. It is one way to keep the shamed people beholden to the church. Many members want to point the finger at Catholic but the abuse and shaming in the Mormon church is just as heavy and damaging to the persons involved. When will the bretheran get the underrstanding of the damage done to the individuals and families involved. Enough is enough keep up the good work Del.
Why wasn’t the following question asked of Young in the last episode (or, did I miss it)? “ How did you interview the youth of your ward as Bishop?”
Sam,
Thank you for speaking up and being a voice for LDS children. I was a victim just as your children were. I was asked very sexual and explicit information by my bishop when I was 17 years old. I was mortified when asked these questions. I was the president of the laurels when I was asked these questions behind closed doors. After that day I vowed to never step foot into an LDS church again. Now at the age of 33 I still have never stepped foot into a LDS church, nor will I ever. You may feel upset at the fact that excommunication could be a possible outcome….don’t be. Just like Jesus whom died on the cross for us all YOU are MUCH like him. The ignorance of man is great on this earth but fear not their judgement. You know in your heart that your doing the right thing! Keep Pushing❤️….keep standing up for what’s right. Stand up for those of us children who are too scared to stick up for ourselves.
With all my love and support.
—Jaylen Zeugin—
I started a fast today for Sam’s upcoming meeting and to bring awareness to my local congregation that closed interviews with our young people alone are not appropiate.
Sam, I applaud you for standing up against a huge opponent, a modern day David and Goliath story no doubt. Your efforts will definitely change church policy, it’s too bad they allowed this to go on as long as it has. But as always, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has to be publicly shamed into doing the right thing. One of my favorite quotes is “sometimes doing the right thing can make you very unpopular”. You are very unpopular with your church my friend, but definitely on the right side of history. God bless you brother for giving voice to the voiceless.
It seems clear to me he was excommunicated for his stand, but for his attempts to coerce Church leadership into doing it his way. His way or he will threaten them.
You didn’t really make your case for the harm done by private Bishop Interviews except for an invasion of privacy. My adulterous ex-wife had never had a bishop interview maybe she was in your ward? I believe more members have restrained their behavior because of the interview than there have been members who felt violated, lowered their guard to authority, or bishops titillated by the response of the interviewee.
My ex-wife’s husband, David Chadwick of Eagle Mountain, was convicted on August 6, 2019 of “Sexual Abuse of a Child.” The Stake President defended his getting sealed to my ex-wife while facing trial for that crime saying that the two were unrelated. It’s unfortunate that leaders didn’t keep a closer eye out because this crime was reported at the time of the abuse and it was not reported and was ignored. There were other victims according to court records and a prior conviction. NO CHURCH COURT… The only thing was they flagged his membership record stating that he can’t hold a calling around the youth.
This is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I will not associate with anybody be it religious, business, neighbor or political that covers us this kind of abuse.