Four Strikes….You’re Out

Umpire

**If strong language offends you…read no farther**

Discouraged tonight.  So much effort, time and money over the past 2 years.  Yet, one-on-one interviews with sex questions are still the norm.  This practice is repulsive to every person I have spoken with outside the Church.  Yet most of my former Mormon friends and some of my extended family see no reason to change.  They believe that it’s necessary for children, their children, to be quizzed by a bishop about sexual activities.

Time to write an angry post.  Some of you will condemn me for expressing ire.  I will admit that I do not understand how a human being could not be angry at what follows.

Some have asked if I plan to seek readmission to the Mormon Church.  Well…that pompous corporation has 4 egregious strikes against it.

Strike #1

At 12 years old, one of my daughter’s was asked if she masturbated.  A probing question asked by her bishop all alone behind a closed door.  She didn’t know what it meant.  Her 12 year old friends didn’t either.  So, she did what any resourceful child does.  She googled it.  And what did she find?  In her words, “Dad, I found out what masturbation was, how to do it and I found pornography.”  Was she ever asked again?  “Yes, dad.  All the time.”  Did she ever lie?  “Of course, dad.  Just like all the other kids.”

Despicable treatment of my child!!!  Yeah, I’m angry.  Mormon Church…why the hell would I consider coming back when you still do this to children.

Strike #2

At 19, another daughter was big with child as she sat across from her bishop for a worthiness interview.  He asked, “Do you masturbate?”  You son-of-a-bitch.  Asking a pregnant woman if she masturbates.  And this is sanctioned by the Mormon Church.  Stupid.

Strike #3

At 18, another daughter, her first Sunday at BYU.  Her bishop calls her in for an interview.  All alone.  My adult daughter…well an 18 year old barely adult daughter.  The bishop probed with such explicit sexual questions that she was done with Mormonism.    She never wanted to see that man again and stopped going to church.  At BYU!  She finished the semester and then transferred to  Texas A & M.  Good for her. At the time, she didn’t tell me why she was no longer interested in the church.  That was discovered 10 years later.

Strike #4

Another daughter’s experience during her first year at BYU.  Up to this point, she had never dated.  Her professor bishop interrogated with several deviant sex questions.  Like, “Have you had anal sex?!!!?!?”  What the hell.  You disgusting pervert.  Were you propositioning my child, you bastard?  Oh yeah, your church sanctions this rancid and revolting behavior by its bishops.

Nelson…Oaks…Eyring, you permit, promote and facilitate filth.

I have dreamed of going to Washington D.C. and calling on every embassy.  I’d expose to them the evil practice that the Mormon Church is spreading in their homelands.  For those countries that don’t permit proselyting, I’d give them more ammunition for continuing to outlaw missionaries.  I’d love to speak with the Russians.  They got it right when they restricted Mormon proselyting.  And…they likely don’t even know about the despicable interview practices they are saving their children from.

I feel sorry for the missionaries.  They don’t comprehend that they’re spreading an irresponsible and degrading practice that will harm children all around the world.  They should.  After all, many of them are quizzed about masturbation every six weeks.

On the other hand, I have no sympathy for the mission presidents.  They are experienced adults.  What blinds them from seeing the idiocy and danger of one-one-one sexually charged interviews?  Ambition?  Arrogance?  Degeneracy?  Blind obedience?  Whatever it is, I cut them NO slack and hold no respect for them.  They are the field generals responsible for the propagation of Mormon-style child interrogations across the globe.

Four strikes.  Yeah, Mormon Church, you struck my family four times.  I will not forget what you have done and will spread the warning whenever I get the chance.

 

 

 

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.

LDSFDo 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.