Author: Sam Young

Mormons & Disgusting Practices

Disgusted Girl

The following happened within the last several months.

My husband is the bishop’s son and I got pregnant before he proposed.  It was no surprise when my father-in-law called me into the bishop’s office to ask if I wanted to repent. I said yes because obviously I wanted to go to heaven and how am I supposed to tell my father-in-law and bishop “no thanks, I’m good with my sins.” I had no idea what the process entailed but I was definitely not prepared for him to ask me to describe what sexual acts I did with his son and how often we did them.

A father-in-law asking his soon to be daughter-in-law what sex acts she engaged in with his son is twisted and disgusting.   Sick on so many levels.  Yet, it is totally condoned by the Mormon Church.  Do you hear my Mormon friends how revolting this sounds?  Unhealthy & wholly unnecessary.  I have already stood up and openly stated how abhorrent this practice is.  The Church’s response was to kick me out.  Foolish men.  And that’s all they are…men.

This women was 18 at the time.  I think she’s 19 now.  One of my daughter’s was also pregnant at 19.  As a teenage married woman, heavy with child, she sat across from her bishop, all alone, as he posed his nasty question, “Do you masturbate?”  It angers me to think that my daughter was subjected to this.

Mormon’s, how do you tolerate this behavior?  How do you put up with prophets, seers and revelators who condone & foster this ugly practice?  They are no friend to children and families while they continue to harbor that which is unwholesome and unsavory.

I hope you are starting to realize that the Church and it’s culture have conditioned you to accept practices as normal that are abhorrent to EVERY SINGLE PERSON OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.

I encourage you to stand up and speak out.  Don’t humiliate yourself by allowing your church to shame children and adults with interrogations about sexual positions, masturbation and all the other pornographic and damaging questions that are permitted by your leadership.  It’s incumbent on you to make your own church better.

I invite you to climb a mountain and save a child.

 

Anger!!!!!

Bishop arrested

Today as I drove to work, I felt this wonderful God-given emotion well-up.  It’s been awhile since ire has made its appearance.  When it comes, I now embrace it.  It motivates me to action and creativity.

Where did this anger come from this morning?

I continue to receive stories everyday.  Sometimes to share on the website.  Sometimes by PM or email which is not meant to be shared.  The anger boiled up as I contrasted the devastation done to countless children and the deadly silence from the Mormon Church.

They come out with asinine revelations like every time the nickname ‘Mormon’ is used it’s a victory for Satan.  THAT IS STUPID.  Trivial statements like this reveal the emperor’s nakedness.

Yet, their so-called communications with God leave policies in place that facilitate self-hatred among our children.  They offer no apology for the vast damage done.  No validation.  No recognition.  No discussion.  Instead–PRIDE. ARROGANCE. HUBRIS.  Showing supreme hypocrisy in their claim that they speak for Jesus Christ himself.

I was already angry this afternoon when I received notice that a sitting bishop in Utah had been arrested in a human trafficking sting.  Here’s a quote from the Police Department’s  news release about this bishop.

“Moss has recently served as a leader of a local religious congregation, which also allowed him contact with vulnerable individuals who could be exploited.”

Vulnerable individuals?  They are referring to the Mormon children who he was mandated to interview regularly.  Exploited?  Bishops can ask any sexual question, no matter how pornographic.  From “Do you masturbate?” to….well there is no limit.

The police understand the danger and noted it in their release.  When will ALL MORMON PARENTS get it?  When you allow your children to be interviewed all alone about sex, you are serving-up your vulnerable and precious ones on a silver platter for possible abuse, dreadful damage and years of recovery.

DO NOT ALLOW ANY ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS WITH YOUR CHILDREN.  DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO BE INTERROGATED WITH ANY SEX QUESTIONS.  EVER!!!*

*Unless it’s by a professionally trained counselor.

Climb a Mountain, Save a Child

FlagsPEC

I’m also angry that the church is so obstinate in their refusal to protect children that I feel forced to continue fighting for change.  So be it.  This year we will fight for change in every denomination.  Sex abuse scandals are coming to light everywhere.  I really appreciate the Houston Chronicle’s in-depth investigative article into the problems of the Southern Baptist Convention.

With anger at my back, I’m going to climb mountains to save children.  To raise awareness to the imperative need of putting safeguards in place in every church and every youth serving institution.

I haven’t yet posted the full details of plans for this year.  I will soon.  But there is news today:  The flags have arrived!!!  In their primary color glory.  We are working on the website and they’ll be available for purchase in a few days.  Of course, you can make your own.

Make plans now to climb a mountain, a hill or a driveway and plant a flag.

The date for the coming march has been set and approved by the Salt Lake City permitting office.  Saturday, October 5, 2019.  This is history in the making.

As the country continues to be rocked by child sex abuse scandals on a massive scale, we will not sit on our thumbs and just read about it.  On a massive scale, we will shout from the mountain tops for this horror to end.  It’s up to us.  Not the media.  Not the church hierarchy.  Not the government.  Us.  Us folks whose children are at risk.

Make plans now to be part of the 5,000 men, women and children who will unfurl flags from all around the globe in the streets of Salt Lake City.  This needs to be massive.  This will be massive.  Our children need for our voices to be loud, large & unmistakably clear.

 

Should Mormon Missionaries Tell the Truth about Children?

MissionariesToday, I had lunch with an old friend.  We feel quite a kinship for one another.   He’s a very faithful member of the Mormon Church.  However, he agrees with me that sexual questions should not be asked to kids. Here’s a snippet of our conversation.

LDS Friend (LDSF):  We are working with a family in my ward who are considering joining the church.

SAM:  Okay.

LDSF:  Do you think I should tell them about the youth interviews?

ME:  For me, my integrity would demand that I tell the parents about the dangers their children will face.  How would I feel when they confronted me after their children were interrogated behind closed doors?  I would feel complicit.  The only honorable thing to do would be to give them a heads up so they could make an informed decision about the safety of their children.

LDSF:  If I told them, I don’t think they would join the church.  Well, maybe if their testimony of the restoration was stronger than their concern for their kids.

ME:   Everybody outside the Church is repulsed by this practice.  They recoil when you explain that twice a year children are taken all alone behind closed doors by the bishop.  People are shocked and incredulous to find out that the bishop will then ask the kids about their sex lives.  I would tell anyone considering joining the Church that they should wait until the Church changes it’s policies.  Too many children have been horribly harmed.

LDSF:  Do you think that missionaries should tell their investigators?

ME:  Absolutely.  They shouldn’t be hiding something this important.

LDSF:  We might as well just bring all the missionaries home.  Do you think the church should do that?

ME:  Doesn’t that say it all?  You are afraid to tell the family that is considering baptism, otherwise they’ll change their minds.  You fear that if the 70,000 full time missionaries were to be forthright about worthiness interviews, they might as well all be brought home.  If the Church has to hide how they treat children, it should be a clear sign that it’s a very bad practice.

After 2 hours of cordial discussion, we hugged and parted as good of friends as we’ve ever been.

So, what to do you think?  Should Mormon missionaries inform potential converts about the Church’s current interview policies?

Climb a Mountain, Save a Child

We have big plans this year to continue to press for change.  And not just in the Mormon Church.  Nevertheless, the LDS Church will still be central to our cause.  They are the poster child of unsafe practices.

I have previously announced our plans in various places.  HERE’s one.  More detailed explanations will be published soon.

What Can You Do

  1. Climb a mountain, peak or driveway.  Unfurl a banner or poster.  Take a picture & share.
  2. Share this opportunity with friends and family.  This is no longer just a Mormon adventure to protect Mormon children.  Invite your friends of all religious persuasions.
  3. In SLC on Oct 5, 2019, another march and rally will be held.  Make plans to come and wave your banner high.
  4. If you can’t come to the march, that’s ok.  We’ll carry a banner in your honor of the mountain you climbed.

This is a high and noble cause.  We are saving children, both in and out of the Mormon Church.

Last year, a THOUSAND people marched in the streets of Salt Lake City with bold and colorful signs.  It was magical.

Now imagine this fall:  FIVE THOUSAND men, women and children bearing banners from mountain tops around the world proclaiming a message of safety and healing.  That’s our goal–5,000!!!

BE A PART OF IT.

Preparations

PLDSC has a ton of preparation to do.  Two things that will happen soon to support you.

  1. A registry will be published where you can record in advance what mountain, hill or driveway you plan to climb.
  2. Banners have been ordered and will be available for purchase soon.  Of course, home made flags are wonderful.  That’s the route we went for our first mountain climb.

This will be an amazing adventure of a lifetime for all of us.

 

My Eternal Damnation–A letter to my Mormon Friends

apostasy-plan of salvationWhen I was growing up, it was common for children to be given a “Book of Remembrance.”  I was proud of mine.  My mother had done a ton of family history research.  She found pictures of many ancestors, copied their faces and pasted the photos in the family tree section.  It was fascinating to ruminate on those images of my grandparents up the line.

Book of Remembrance templates were sold by the church.  Right at the beginning of each book was a graphic representation of the Plan of Salvation.  I loved its clear and plain presentation.  From an early age, I knew that apostates were evil and destined for a nightmarish future.  The picture above is very similar to the page included in my Book of Remembrance.

In addition, Spencer W. Kimball taught in his book “The Miracle of Forgiveness” that excommunication is worse than death.

Dear Mormon Friends & Family,

Your prophets teach that apostates end up in outer darkness at worst or the Telestial Kingdom at best.  Both are places of eternal separation from family.  

Do you, my dear Mormon friends & family, follow your prophets on this one? Do you believe that I will be forever consigned to a dwelling with no light and no glory?  Or maybe a step above, where I’ll spend eternity with murderers and rapists?

Just so you know, sometimes it is hard on me to be around believing Mormons.  Often, the thought creeps in that you support and sustain the prophet in condemning me to a fate “worse than death.”  That you believe I am not worthy to ever see my wife or my children after I die.  You may say that you don’t condemn me.  But, don’t you in actuality condemn me if you sustain the fact that your prophet has condemned me?

Contemplating what you may believe can play interesting tricks on my mind. 

I am hoping that eventually, this mental drama will fade away.  Especially, since I no longer believe in a God who would make such an inane judgment.  The trauma playing out in my mind has nothing to do with MY worries for the after life.  It’s all about standing in front of someone knowing they might believe what their prophets have taught them about my eternal damnation.

Maybe I’m wrong.  Perhaps God’s morals are different from mine and he’s going to support the prophet’s decision sending me to Mormon hell.  If that were to be the case, I would still stand up to protect children and to help heal the wounded.  I would rather sacrifice my eternal reward than to compromise my integrity and moral compass.   After all, what the heck is salvation worth if I have turn a blind eye to children’s suffering.

Warm regards, Sam

 

Brave Active Mormon Writes His Stake President

Banner Enchanted Rock

Yesterday, an active member of the Church (I’ll call him Jeff here) sent the following email to his stake president.  I was blind-copied.

President ______,

I feel impressed to discuss with you the subject of one-on-one interviews with children behind closed doors. I hope you consider this in the spirit with which it is written. I know you can’t change the church. But you can change our stake. I understand you have told bishops to not ask inquiring questions about sexuality anymore and I applaud you for that. It took great concern and wisdom on your part to see the problems with inquiring into issues involving a kids sexual temptations.  Thank you for that. 

First, both Bishop _____ and Bishop ______ have respected our wishes to not ask any questions of a sexual nature to our children in these interviews. However, it goes beyond that. 

Legally, I can’t imagine ever allowing a person who is not a child’s parent to ask questions that even slightly touch upon sexual issues with a child. Even asking a child if they live the law of chastity is a problem. Morally, I know first hand of the damage that it can do. But those adults who ask questions should be clinically trained in that area. 

Why isn’t it sufficient to teach kids the law of chastity in Sunday school or in their homes by their parents and let them know what is expected of them? There could be great personal growth to let children exercise their consciences rather than be told they are unworthy (which is so awful that we would tell an undeveloped mind that they are ever unworthy to serve others in the church).  Our church feels insulated because they use the phrase “law of chastity.”  But make no mistake what is being asked.  

Somehow, our church is the only church still doing any closed door interviews with children from what I have found. Everyone else has abandoned the practice. A Bishop or priesthood leader can determine worthiness without these interviews. Where is the power of discernment? But also, is there any consideration to what it does to tell a child that they are “unworthy?”

Utah has one of the highest rates of teenage suicide and we have to ask ourselves, why? Could it be that we make kids feel unworthy for doing things that most normal teens struggle with? For the safety of the youth in the ______ Stake, I pray this practice be reconsidered. If every other church on the planet sees the problem these interviews create, how does our church not?   

I know you have been a courageous stake president and have taken the unusual step of allowing doubting members and the mother/father of a gay child to speak to our leaders. That you have given instructions about these interviews that were bold. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. I would love to discuss this topic and my personal experiences with you at any time.  Thanks for listening. 

Dear Jeff,

I am very proud of you for taking up this matter directly with your local leader.  It’s exciting to see members speak up to protect the children in their own church.  It’s also very encouraging to hear your stake president has instructed his bishops “to not ask inquiring questions about sexuality anymore.”  THAT.IS.AWESOME.

Dear Everybody Else,

Join us this year to Protect Every Child.  In 2018 our actions protected many children.  In 2019, our impact will be much much bigger.

Go tell it on a mountain,

Over the hills and everywhere.

Go tell it on a mountain,

PROTECT OUR CHILDREN NOW.

 

The First Banners are Unfurled

Banner Enchanted Rock

This morning, I and three of my grandchildren climbed Enchanted Rock.  A landmark in central Texas.  Being four hours from Houston, it made for an all day adventure.  The kids loved it.  I loved it.  They want to plant more flags and then come to the march this fall in Salt Lake City.

As you can see, there was quite a breeze….a cold breeze.  Fortunately, the hike up the steep slope had warmed us.  Never-the-less, we were glad to descend when our little ceremony was finished.

Ceremony?  Well…we videoed the whole thing.  I’ll post it soon.  First, we assembled the flag poles.  Then the banners were unfurled in the perfect wind.  Finally, I gave a little speech which you’ll find below.  Pretty much everyone on the summit, about 20 people, gathered as the colorful flags started to wave.  Their attention was especially riveted when I got to the Mormon part of my presentation.

Unfurling Speech

Today is January 1st, 2019.  As we unfurl these 3 banners on the summit of Enchanted Rock, we declare this year as the year to Protect Every Child. 

We plant these flags in memory of our precious and innocent children.  We call the attention of the world to their vulnerability.  1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18.  Abuse is dreadfully abundant.  Yet, to most of us it’s an invisible monster stalking and destroying our kids.

We unfurl these banners in memory of the abused children of yesteryear who are now adults.  We know you are there.  What happened to you was not your fault.  It was wrong.   You are loved.  We care that you were harmed.  If you have spoken up we believe you.  If this is not the time for you to speak up, we will be your voice.

From this mountain top, we call upon all institutions to take every step possible to Protect Every Child.  We encourage churches to implement the full range of best practices regarding all adults dealing with children such as finger prints, background checks, criminal checks, regular & professional training, 2 deep leadership.

We call on law makers to take up this issue as a priority.  I was very encouraged by a news report that I woke up to this morning from Australia.  The headline: 

Abuse victims can sue churches much more effectively.

The attorney general said this: “I’m pleased my first item of business in 2019 is to create a fairer civil litigation system for all child abuse survivors.”

“The new laws stipulate a duty of care on organizations which exercise care, supervision or authority over children, to prevent abuse perpetrated by individuals associated with it. It reverses the onus of proof onto institutions, requiring they prove they took reasonable steps to prevent abuse.”

“It is also to encourage institutions to do everything they can to prevent the abuse from occurring in the first place.”

Good for you Australia. 

In 2018, our focus was only on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Dear Mormon Church: Soon you will have nowhere to hide.  You are now singled out as the most unsafe institutional church in America.  You have employed almost none of the best practices to protect children.  And you mandate some of the absolute worst practices.  You facilitate one-on-one behind closed door interviews between adult males and children.  Then you mandate that these adult men ask the children about sex and allow any sexually explicit question that the adult feels prompted to probe the children with.

Mormon church and every other church, we call on you to do everything you can to prevent abuse from occurring.  Everything.  Our children deserve no less.

Now, these are the first 3 banners unfurled on a mountain top.  I ask that everyone in the sound of my voice make a New Year’s resolution to take up the cause of protecting every child.

Pick a peak to climb.  Whether it’s the top of Kilimanjaro or the top of your driveway, it matters not.  Plant a flag.  Take a picture.  Share it with family and friends.  Then, if you can, join us this fall in Salt Lake City as we march in unison to unfurl our flags in memory of our children.

What Can You Do

  1. Climb a mountain, peak or driveway.  Unfurl a banner or poster.  Take a picture & share.
  2. Share this opportunity with friends and family.  This is no longer just a Mormon adventure to protect Mormon children.  Invite your friends of all religious persuasions.
  3. Make plans to come to the march this fall and wave your banner high.
  4. If you can’t come to the march, that’s ok.  We’ll carry a banner in your honor.

This is a high and noble cause.  We are saving children, both in and out of the Mormon Church.

On March 30, 2018, a THOUSAND people marched the streets of Salt Lake City with bold and colorful signs.  It was magical.

Now imagine this fall:  FIVE THOUSAND men, women and children bearing banners from mountain tops around the world proclaiming a message of safety and healing.  That’s my goal–5,000!!!  At this point, I know it will be at least 3.

BE A PART OF IT.

Preparations

PLDSC has a ton of preparation to do.  Two things that will happen soon to support you.

  1. A registry will be published where you can record in advance what mountain, hill or driveway you plan to climb.
  2. Banners will be made available for purchase.  Of course, home made flags are wonderful.  That’s the route we went for our first mountain climb.

This will be an amazing adventure of a lifetime for all of us.

 

Devastating to adults? To children it can destroy.

lacrima

A story from a friend.

It was the mid 80’s. I had already suffered 2 miscarriages. This was devastating to me. I wanted to be a mother more than anything in the world. I came from a large family. I was taught that this was my destiny as a woman in the church. It killed me a little bit when I would see a woman yelling at her kids in the grocery store.

I remember laying on the floor in the living room of our modest 2 bedroom apartment. We had painted the second room baby blue, in hopes of having a boy. I was having symptoms of another miscarriage, spotting and cramps. My husband brought in 2 male members of our ward. I was given a blessing of health and that “everything would turn out right.”

Later that night, I went into full labor and delivered a baby that fit into my husband’s hand. He said that it was deformed. That is something that I can thank him for, he did not allow me to see my baby. I would have had nightmares. He buried it in the flower garden outside of our apartment.

At our next temple recommend interviews, the bishop asked if I kept the law of Chastity. I answered yes, because I had only had sex with my husband within the bounds of marriage. My husband told me later that he had confessed to the bishop that we had tried oral sex. The bishop told my husband that we were evil and that the miscarriage was due to breaking the law of chastity.

After that, I descended into a deep depression. My feelings of worthlessness were overwhelming. My self esteem was zero. It was late summer, I remember canning corn. As I cut the corn off the cobs, I was thinking that, if I am not worthy and good enough to be a mother, I must not be worthy to eat. From that time forward, I just existed in what I called a “zombie” state. My world had so much pain that I felt nothing. I equated the feeling of being hungry with a positive state of being. At my thinnest, I was 105 pounds which was really thin for a tall female.

It has been years, since this time period in my life. Recently, a friend traveled to the city where this happened. Memories of the past came flooding back. I used google maps to find the my apartment. It was still there, but the flower garden wasn’t. I have different beliefs now, but it still pains me to know that the body of the baby I called Jonathan is under a parking lot now.

I still struggle with eating and food. Sometimes I horde food, sometimes I will only eat when I am with someone. When I am sick I fall back into the same physical feeling, I have to force myself to eat. I have been to see several therapists, but not one that understands the culture of guilt and shame that is perpetrated by the Mormon church. I hope and wish that all that have endured spiritual abuse by the hands of the church will find peace and healing.

“Guilt and shame that is perpetrated by the Mormon church“

There was a time that I viewed a lay clergy as an advantage. Today, I see it very differently. Having untrained clergy is an advantage only to the financial health of the LDS Corporation, saving it millions of dollars every year.

It is a huge disadvantage to members who need professional pastoral guidance and understanding. Instead, they are often subjected to uninformed, clumsy and dangerous counsel. In this case, it was devastating. Blaming a miscarriage on oral sex? Heinous on the bishop’s part and resulting in decades of depression and disorders.

Although the woman in the story was an adult, here is how she described her immature state of development way back when:  “I was basically a child as far as education. I Knew nothing of normal sexual interaction.”

What the Mormon church so often does to both its children and adults is gut-wrenching and preventable.  It’s time that either the church change its ways or the members stand up and protect themselves.

Please join us in our 2019 campaign to Protect Every Child.  More information will be rolled out in the coming weeks.

On New Year’s Day, our very first banner will be unfurled high on a mountain top.

I’m Screaming–Damn the Mormon Church’s Policy

Scream

Is there no end to the twisted scenarios of Mormon bishop interactions with children?  I have not found an end yet.

Today, I have been transferring more stories of immoral bishop interviews.   The highest leadership of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints condones this behavior.  Never a word of condemnation for bishops’ abusive verbal assaults.  Never a single word of apology or reconciliation to the child victims of their own policies.  NEVER.

As I have read the new stories, one after another has caused me shock, tears, and anger.  Below are three examples of new lows.  Remember, the apostles of the Mormon church condone this behavior of their bishops.

Two of these children attempted suicide!!!

#992

My uncle started molesting me when I was 6 years old. At my 8 year baptismal interview, I “confessed” what my uncle was doing. My bishop told me he would make sure and “handle it”, and stressed the importance of my baptism and how it would “wash me clean again.”

It continued for years…. When a new bishop was called (or maybe wards split, fuzzy on those specifics) during my tithing settlement interview one on one with my new bishop I asked him why HF (heavenly father) was still letting me get hurt. My bishop asked if I had told anyone about it, and I told him my prior bishop knew. He told me HF was testing me and when I proved valiant to him, the abuse would end. This set me into a lifetime of sexual abuse.

In high school I got into partying. One night after a game there was a house party at a friends house. A bunch of the Mormon football players were there, and I was a very vulnerable freshman. Long story short I was “tag teamed” (as they put it) by one of the boys and his friend. It was very brutal and highly embarrassing. Because I had been drinking i was afraid to tell anyone. The boys went to school and bragged about it and making sure the entire school heard about it and knew I was a “easy fuck”. A very active LDS friend of mine felt it her duty to tell our bishop of my “sins”. I was called into a court of love and placed on probation which stripped me of my YW callings, taking sacrament, and praying in Sunday school etc. Those same boys both went on missions. I learned early on what happened when I told the truth to a bishop.

#990

When I was 14 I was interviewed for a temple recommend to go with our ward to do baptisms for the dead. It went well until the bishop asked if I was morally clean. I honestly answered yes because I knew I was. He said “I don’t believe you.” I still remember the sick feeling I had about basically being called a liar by a man I believed to be filled with the spirit of discernment. It got worse from there.

B. Do you even know what it means to be morally clean?

Me. Yes.

B. I don’t think you do. Do you masturbate?

Me. No.

B. I don’t believe you. Do you let boys touch your breasts?

Me. No.

B. I don’t believe you. Do you touch boys on their private parts?

Me. No.

B. I don’t believe you. Do you have sexual relations with boys?

Me. No.

B. I don’t believe you. I know you do things you shouldn’t but I am required to go by your answers in this interview. You know that entering the temple unworthily is a sin. I’m making a note here though so the stake president will know you lied to me.

There were more questions but you get the idea. Using the plural “boys” he was saying I was not only lying but promiscuous as well. And having been through the “crushed rose” and “used chewing gum” lessons in Young Women’s classes I felt horrible that anyone would think I was like that. By the time the interview was over I was in tears and afraid to proceed with the interview with the stake president but I knew I was worthy and really wanted to participate in the baptisms.

The stake president was great. When he asked if I obeyed the law of chastity I answered yes, prepared to be called a liar. He just said ok and signed my recommend.

Since that bishop’s interview I have been hyper-aware of doing anything that could be considered sexually promiscuous, even within my marriage! It took lots of counseling and a wonderfully understanding husband to get over the guilt and shame about sex.

#984

I grew up in a strict LDS family in Las Vegas. The inappropriate interviews began at age 12 when I started young women’s.

Age 12, Bishop asks me if I kept the law of chastity. I say yes. He then proceeds to ask me about masturbation and if I knew it was a sin. I didn’t really know what masturbation was. I knew it had sexual connotations. He told me if I ever felt like touching myself “down there” then I needed to immediately get on my knees and pray or The Holy Ghost will abandon me.

Age 13 interview. I shamefully admit to masturbating. Was asked more specific questions, did you enjoy it? Did you orgasm? I’m mortified and embarrassed. I shamefully can’t tell my parents because of my sins. Oh how I wish my parents taught me it was normal and not sinful. Anyway, I was told not to take the sacrament. I did anyway and bishop watched me. Later told me we had to talk later. I avoided him.

Interview at 14. My younger brother and I were going to the temple for baptisms with parents. He Interviews both of us at one time. Asks my brother about masturbation and makes me tell him what it means. So awkward and inappropriate.

Age 15, started lying at the interviews when asked about masturbation. Was told by bishop all my sins will be made known during the Second Coming.

Age 16, refused an interview. Told my parents I didn’t believe in the church, did not want to go. Told me I didn’t have a choice as long as I lived under their roof. Later that night I took a random amount of pills and packed a bag of clothes. I don’t remember much but I ran away. Luckily a lady found me out in the desert on east side of town. She took me home and my parents made me go to a LDS counselor which did nothing but berate my feelings.

Age 17, went to interview and that went ok for once. Before I was 18, my parent told me I had to get my patriarchal blessing. The interview with the stake president didn’t go well. I was chastised for giving into urges to touch myself. He said I could get the blessing though. I didn’t want it. How could grown men who do not know me and only obsess about masturbation possibly be a seer for Heavenly Father?

There is so much more I could add but it honestly brings up such horrible memories of the church. I truly wanted to believe but felt like I was a monster. I was deemed unworthy.

NO CHILD should ever be deemed unworthy. I don’t care the circumstances. Clergy members have NO RIGHT questioning children about masturbation. I don’t think they should discuss sexual matters ever unless a parent is present. No exceptions.

My four precious little boys will NEVER have to be questioned like that by anyone. I fear for my nieces and nephews who’s parents believe that the church is infallible.

At  the top of my voice:  THESE WERE CHILDREN!!!!!!

News Conference

Everyone of these stories recount abuse of children.  Covert psychological abuse by the bishop.  The Mormon Church has its religious freedom.  But religious freedom does not give any church the right to abuse children.  You and me and thousands of others are going to stop this horrendous practice.

A plan of action has been lined out for 2019.  This Thursday, December 20th, the stategy will be announced.

What:  News Conference

When:  December 20, 2018, 10am MT

Where:  50 West Club and Cafe, 50 West Broadway, Salt Lake City

Invitees:  All news media outlets and Friends of Protect LDS Children

It’s Official. Eleven year olds are now fair game in the Mormon Church

Mountain Top GirlThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is changing up programs for children and youth.  Their official announcement from December 14, 2018 can be found HERE.

New Policy For 11 Year Old Children

“Young women may receive their first temple recommend and young men may receive the Aaronic Priesthood and then their first temple recommend in January of the year they turn 12.”

“Ordinations and obtaining limited-use recommends will typically take place throughout January.”

This means that a child born on Dec 31 is to be interviewed within his/her first month of being 11.  It moves the assessment of ‘worthiness’ up by almost a full year from the past practices.

Here we have a mere child being taken behind closed doors with an untrained older man.  In June of 2018, the church openly declared that bishops are to ask the question “Do you live the law of chastity?”  That is a SEX question….with a child who is barely 11.

Can bishops ask “Do you masturbate?”  Absolutely!!!  Protect LDS Children has challenged the Church to condemn 29 Questions that are being used to prob our kids.  Masturbation is at the top of the list.  The church’s response?  “Bishops should not ask unnecessarily probing questions.”  What the hell does that mean?  It sends a loud and clear message that bishops can ask any question that they deem as ‘necessarily probing’.  Now they are free to do it to kids 1 year younger than they we allowed to previously.

THIS.IS.HORRENDOUS.

Dec 12, 2018:  Bishop Charged with Sex Abuse

Two days before the church announced that 11 year olds are now to be interrogated about sex, a Mormon bishop was charged with sex abuse of young people in his congregation.   How ironic that both these news stories appeared at the same time.

Much of what this bishop did is CONDONED by the LDS Church.  You can read the news stories at FOX13, 2KUTV, and KSL.

What Does the Mormon Church condone?

One night, after a church activity in August of 2017, Head drove the boy home. But when he got to the boy’s driveway, he “locked the vehicle doors and stated, ‘We have to figure this masturbation thing out. You’re not leaving until we figure this out,'” the charges state.

A bishop all alone with a young boy?  Bishops are totally sanctioned to be alone with the children and youth of their congregations!!!!

A bishop behind closed doors?  Absolutely.  Whether it be an office, a car, or a home, the church allows children to be taken behind any closed door by any bishop.

Bishops talking about masturbation with a minor?  You better believe it.  That’s the #1 question on the list of 29.  In many stakes and wards, the leaders have been told that masturbation specifically should be asked.

Another boy told police that Head would discuss sex “all the time,” according to the charges.

A bishop talking about sex all the time?  Bishops are mandated to interview the youth at least 2 times per year.  If he perceives the child needs help with a ‘problem,’ he has the purview to call the child into interviews as often as he deems necessary.

A decade after it happened, I found out that at age 12 my daughter was probed by the bishop, “Do you masturbate?”  I asked her if that question was ever posed again.  Like the boy who was abused by his bishop, her response was “All the time, dad.”

The Mormon Church provided this statement in response their bishop being charged with child sex abuse.

“Abuse of any kind cannot be tolerated in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”

My rebuttal to this statement:  LIARS!!!  Their policy of one-on-one interviews opens the way for abuse.  Asking sexual questions IS child abuse!!!  Thousands of witnesses provide a monstrous monument to the massive abuse the church has facilitated.  You can SEE and READ hundreds of those stories at protectldschildren.org.

News Conference

There was a time that I wondered, “Why do the Mormon apostles allow this?”

There was a time that I asked, “Why do Mormon bishops continue to take children all alone behind closed doors and interrogate them with sexual questions?”

There was a time that I pondered, “Why do the good members of the church tolerate this practice?”

I no longer care why the Mormon Church harms children.  At this point, I just care that children are in harm’s way.   It must stop.  It will stop.

On Thursday Dec 20, 2018, I will hold a news conference in Salt Lake City.  The plans for our next action will be publicly announced.

This will be a MAJOR action.  Bigger and more comprehensive than anything we have done before.  Our message will be expanded.  The audience will be extended.  Its impact will be a gigantic and historic hammer blow to protect ALL children.

To the Mormon Church

I never wanted to embarrass you.  I never wanted to shame you.  You were my church.

But now the time has come.

You, without apology, shame children into self-hatred.  It’s time you be shamed.  From the mountains tops.  All around the globe.

Banners are about to be unfurled, calling to all the world: 

PROTECT.OUR.CHILDREN.