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 Girl The 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.

Excommunication News Conference

On Sunday, September 16, I stood before 5 TV news cameras and 250 supporters in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple. A few days before, the verdict of my disciplinary council had been delivered to me in a sealed envelope. On this occasion I opened the letter and read it to the world. Here are the words I dispensed in response.

Last Sunday, September 9, a disciplinary Council was convened to consider the disposition of my membership. I have been formally accused of apostasy.

The court began at 6pm and lasted 1 ½ hours. During the tribunal, my stake president, the Church’s official representative in my area, spent 15 minutes presenting the evidence against me. I was then allowed 45 minutes to present my case. The Stake President then made a declaration that surprised me. He stated that no decision would be announced that night. Instead, the verdict would be given to me in a few days. Sure enough a few days ago, 2 men arrived at my place of business and delivered this envelope containing my sentence.

It’s likely that this is the first time in Mormon history that a disciplinary council decision has been opened in public by the accused. Usually, excommunication is viewed with shame and dishonor. My case is diametrically different. Whatever decision is rendered, whether it’s excommunication or exoneration, I will wear it as a badge honor. It will be my reward for standing up to protect our children and for having given a voice to the countless children in our past who have been so badly harmed behind closed doors.

(I then opened and read the letter. You can link to it HERE.)

Excommunication

What a supreme disappointment. Let me start by forgiving my stake president. In a church court he is the sole decision maker. No one else has a vote. But, I’m not going to lay this travesty on him. I don’t believe he had any choice. This has been orchestrated by the very people who felt their authority was threatened by me—the leadership at the very top. They have shown their true colors. This verdict is all about them and their power structure. They sent down the edict to protect themselves rather than to protect our precious children.

They continue to mandate one-on-one interviews where sexually explicit questions are approved and facilitated. I have confronted these top church leaders with a list of 29 disgusting, filthy questions that are being asked to our children. They responded with silence! The First Presidency condones this pornography behind closed doors with our children. That is sickening. I presented the same 29 probing questions as evidence at my tribunal. They were not silent. They excommunicated me. The whistle blower has been kicked out and branded with the label of apostasy.

I also presented the apostles with several thousand horror stories of how their policies have wrought dreadful damage. They ignored these accounts from their own victims. Brushed them aside with not a single mention. At the tribunal, as part of my evidence, I gave all 16 members of the council a printed book with 802 accounts of abuse resulting from one-on-one interviews with probing sexually explicit questions. No thank you was uttered. No compassion for the victims was spoken. Instead they chose to kick the whistle blower out.

4 Observations

One

By excommunicating the whistle blower the apostles have chosen to protect themselves and throw the bishops under the bus. They have shown a complete disregard for the reputations of the local congregational leaders.

For too long, Mormon children have been the collateral damage of one-on-one meetings with Mormon bishops. That is going to be reversed. The values of society are changing…for the better. MORMON BISHOPS are going to become the collateral damage rather than the children. Many parents and children are not going to stand for this any long. I am now aware of 3 interviews between minors and bishops that have been recorded.

I just received the following message about a recent bishop’s interview: “My 15 year old daughter had a bishops interview and he asked her if she views pornography. My daughter said “No.” Then the bishop asked her ‘What would you do if your friends walked up to you and tried to show you pornography?’ In what sick fantasy world does this bishop think my daughter needs to answer his questions about a fictional scenario in which teenage girls watch porn together?! Worthlessness interviews are insane & need to stop. She recorded her interview, but I think it might against the law to do that without both parties permission. I will post it if I’m wrong.”

Many people are fed up. Teenagers have cell phones. Before I entered last Sunday’s tribunal, my cell phone was confiscated to prevent a recording. In addition, I was forced to sign a non-record agreement on penalty of being barred from my own hearing. Going forward the Church will not be able to prevent teenagers from recording masturbation interviews. Bishops & bishop counselors…I encourage & warn you…do not take children all alone behind closed doors. Do not discuss sex. From now on, every time you do, you risk your reputation and livelihood.

Two

In Massachussetts, if you call the child abuse hotline and tell them that a man is taking a kid in private and asking them probing sexual questions about their masturbation, pornography and sexual activities – they would start an investigation.

If you told them it was a catholic priest who was doing it – they would be even more interested in investigating it.

If you told them it was a Mormon Bishop who was doing it – they would say it makes no difference.

In 18 states, including Utah, Idaho and Arizona, all citizens are mandated reporters when they become aware of child abuse. What the church subjects our children to is abusive. When more parents start waking up to that fact – people are going to start reporting the local bishops for conducting these interviews and state authorities will take action.

Bishops be warned, people are now watching. Children are now recording. Your livelihoods and reputations are at risk. My excommunication is a clear demonstration that the church is not serious about child safety and they certainly don’t give a damn about your safety. Nope. You are on your own. When bishops start being reported to the child abuse hotline, that bishop’s reputation will be toast & it will tarnish the reputation of all bishops. YOU will become the collateral damage of a policy that protects no one; not you, not our children.

Three

Some people claim that what Mormons allow to be done to their children doesn’t really affect the general society outside of the Mormon Church. That’s a bogus claim. When our children die by suicide, the effects ripple through other children’s lives. When Mormon children are shamed into self-hatred they often start making terrible decisions, turning to alcohol, drugs, disastrous marriages, divorce. A dysfunctional self-loathing youth becoming a dysfunctional self-loathing adult. Our practice has put many kids in a shame cycle that causes their self-worth to spiral lower and lower, drowning them in anxiety and desperation. This is very costly to the welfare of our entire society.

Four

I have been excommunicated from the Church. But, they have no power to excommunicate me from the cause of protecting children and promoting the healing of my friends. There are tens of thousands of us who are actively involved in the movement to protect LDS Children. I now direct my words to the victims and survivors of Mormon worthiness interviews. We see you. We hear you. We are sorry for what happened to you. It was wrong. Very wrong. We know you were horribly hurt. You were alone. You were a mere child. Today we boldly stand up and speak up to give your child-self a voice. Thank you for allowing me and all of us to be a part of your healing journey. Thank you for locking arms with me and so many others in daring to face down the Mormon Church in order to protect today’s children.

For our children’s sake, this whistle blower is not going to stop roaring.

Verdict is In….the Envelope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 14, 2018

Media Advisory: Sam Young to Hold Press Conference in Salt Lake City on Sunday Detailing Outcome of Excommunication Proceedings by Mormon Church

After Refusing to Protect LDS Children, Church Seeks to Silence Growing Grassroots Movement, Excommunicate Whistleblower

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – This Sunday, September 16^th at 12:00 PM MT, Sam Young, an LDS Church Bishop and the founder of Protect LDS Children will hold a press conference detailing the outcome of his Excommunication proceedings from the Mormon Church. Church leaders delivered a verdict letter to Young’s business in Houston and at Sunday’s press conference, he will open and read aloud this verdict for the first time.

Young has been on a months-long campaign to raise awareness about the negative impact of sexually explicit one-on-one interviews that take place with Church officials and has drawn thousands of supporters to rallies in Salt Lake City. Despite all of his efforts to protect children and young people, Young was recently summoned to an Excommunication hearing in Houston by the Church in an effort to silence this growing grassroots movement.

Young’s efforts are especially timely as this movement has also come at the same time as new stories of past abuse and coverups by leaders have emerged within the Catholic Church as well. Just as the Catholic Church has publicly apologized and recognized the damage it has done, Young continues to implore the LDS Church to do the same.

WHO: Press Conference with Sam Young & Supporters
WHEN: Sunday, September 16, 12:00 PM MT
WHERE: South Temple across the street from Temple Square, Salt Lake City

The press conference will be livestreamed on Protect LDS Children’s Facebook page.

Background: Sam Young, founder of Protect LDS Children, has fought an uphill battle against the LDS Church to urge LDS Church leaders to end sexually explicit one-on-one interviews with children. Protect LDS Children has compiled a list of 29 actual questions that Bishops have asked young children in interviews, most of them too explicit to be read aloud in public, so Young and Protect LDS Children are asking the Apostles and Bishops of the Mormon Church to admit that even just one of these questions is out of bounds and inappropriate.

Petitions to Protect the Children have garnered over 58,000 signatures. Protect LDS Children also recently released a powerful new video outlining the range of sexually explicit questions that are allowed to be asked of children under current Church policy. Click here to watch.

Books containing the firsthand accounts of the damage done to hundreds of children as a result of this Church policy were also delivered to LDS Church leaders at a rally on March 30^th. You can read over 800 stories of victims by clicking here.

Additional Background:

New LDS Church guidelines issued recently do not mandate a parent or guardian be present in any one-on-one “interviews” by male Church leaders, but rather, leave it up to the children to decide, and also do not address the issue of sexually-explicit questions and conversations This effort has gathered worldwide support, as more survivors and families have come forward to share their stories of how one-on-one “interviews” by LDS Bishops negatively impacted their self-esteem, self-worth, and emotional well-being. You can read the petition by clicking here.

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Please share. HERE‘s an appropriate version for media outlets.

Thousands Call on Mormon Church to End Sexually Explicit Bishops’ Interviews

Houston News Conference Everything went spectacularly well at today’s press conference. Two major Houston TV stations showed up, along with a great audience of 45 people. Thanks to all of you who attended!!!

We are getting better at public relations. I have been told that after a press conference, another press release should be immediately sent to the media. We missed that opportunity in Salt Lake. Not this time. Below is the release that was just sent to thousands of media outlets, including every one in Houston.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 6, 2018

Thousands Call on Mormon Church to End Sexually Explicit Bishops’ Interviews

Press Conference Today Highlights Growing Grassroots Movement & Victims’ Stories Ahead of March 30th Rally to be Held in Salt Lake City

HOUSTON, TX – In just the last eight weeks over 14,000 Americans have signed a petition calling on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to end the inappropriate practice of “Bishops’ Interviews” and that number is growing each day.

The mounting support for ending this decades-long practice by the LDS Church — in which Church elders conduct one-on-one meetings with children, without their parents present, and which often involve discussions and questions of a sexual nature — was highlighted at a press conference organized in Houston today by the Protect-the-Children Initiative which is a grassroots organization founded by Sam Young, a Houston business owner, father of six daughters, and active LDS Church member.

“The long overdue national conversation our country is having on sexual abuse and harassment has laid bare the reality that practices that may have been accepted years ago should no longer tolerated today,” Young said today. “As the father of six daughters and a lifelong member of the LDS Church I believe it’s wholly inappropriate for children to have to sit behind closed doors with a male Church leader, and without their parents present, and be asked questions regarding their sexual history or desires. It’s time for us, as Mormons, and friends of Mormons, to stand up for our children which is why we’re calling on the LDS Church to end the practice of private one-on-one interviews with children and male leaders.”

Young was joined at today’s press conference by Michael Norris, a Houston SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) leader and Natasha Helfer Parker, a certified family therapist with 20 years of experience treating individuals, couples and families. They also presented over 300 Victims Impact Statements from LDS Church members who have already shared their personal stories of inappropriate, and in some cases potentially unlawful, interactions that have allegedly taken place during Bishops’ Interviews within the LDS Church. You can read and hear the firsthand accounts of many of these individuals by clicking here.

Over the next 8 weeks, the Protect-the-Children Initiative will continue to gather signatures and stories from LDS Church members from around the country and will hold a rally in Salt

Lake City on March 30th where the signed petitions will be formally delivered to LDS Church leaders.

“This movement is in no way meant to disparage the LDS Church, which many of us have devoted our lives to, but rather to protect both our Church and its most vulnerable members. The LDS Church, and frankly every religious institution, should be doing everything possible to ensure our children are protected and ending this antiquated and inappropriate practice would be a step towards doing just that,” Young concluded.

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BTW, the video of the press conference is being edited and will be shared soon.

Until the harm to our kids stops, WE WILL NOT STOP.

Be a True Texan–Gallop to the Rescue

SLC News Conf

Dear President______,

Here’s a report from church today:

“My bishop just said next Sunday there will be a meeting for parents about worthiness interviews for the parents knowledge about them. He is obviously holding this meeting because of the recent outrage at the church for these interviews.”

Change is coming. The only question is when. We, you and me, have the opportunity to protect the good name of the church. Lead the charge to protect our children.

We…are…Texans! We are independent. We don’t lag behind. When we see a need, we gallop to the rescue. Let’s jump on our horses and gallop to protect our children.

I’m paying all the expenses for the news conference on Tuesday, Feb 6. All you need to do is show up. You will be highly respected by every single person in our fair city….including the 100,000 Mormons who live in the viewing area.

As President Monson said, “May we ever choose the harder right, instead of the easier wrong.”

How sweet would it be if after the news conference, you and I were the ones making the rounds on the morning TV shows and then the afternoon radio shows. I’d pay your way to fly with me to New York and Los Angeles for all the national media that is up ahead. Make no mistake…IT IS COMING!

Of course, we both may be excommunicated. But, that’s OK. Is there a more noble cause than speaking up for the protection of our children? You and I will go down as followers of Jesus Christ no matter the consequences.

Your brother in Christ,

-Sam

(I sent this letter to my Stake President today.)

Links

Houston News Conference Details

President…Take the LEAD! Members are Joining the Cause.

Change-Ahead Dear President ______,

I just received this eloquent and powerful message from an active and committed member of our church.

Dear Sam,

Thank you for your bravery in this very disturbing issue. What you are doing cannot be easy for you, your wife, or your family.

Both the children, and the church’s good name need to be protected by what you are doing.

I love the church and the gospel very much and I also care very deeply for the well being of our youth.

If policy is not changed as you suggest, I fear both our children and our church’s good name will be in jeopardy.

There are so many people who need to hear the gospel and may not be open and willing to allow their families to learn if these practices stay in place.

One of the main principles of the church is that families can live together forever. We are all working towards being together as a family with our Heavenly Father because we love Him and them so much. He has given us these perfect beings that are truly His children first. They are just on loan to us, but we love them dearly, and we are charged by Him to make sure they return home to Him, to keep them safe BOTH spiritually and physically.

It is my belief that this is the highest calling that we can have on earth.
What you are doing supports that work, the gospel, and the integrity of the church.

Thank you.

President, don’t let the Church’s good name be harmed. Don’t allow further damage to be done to our children.

National media are going to eat this up. Our non-Mormon neighbors are going to throw up. Bishops and many good members are already calling for these changes to be made…or making the changes themselves.

You are a good and righteous man! Join me at the news conference. Call for the protection of our children.

Love and best wishes,

Sam

The Gloves are Off

Lion Tonight I sent this letter to my stake president and the newspaper.

Dear President ________,

Last Thursday, I held a news conference in Salt Lake City. All the major media outlets showed up. You’ll find the link below.

As I mentioned in a previous communication, media attention is coming to Houston. In early February, I’m doing a press conference here like the one in SLC. The media is very interested in this topic. They are all stunned at what we are doing to our kids.

We have done massive harm to our children by our interview practices. At this point, I’ve collected over 1,000 stories of horrid consequences. Read them here. Inform yourself as to why YOU should take action now.

Until last Thursday, I was giving bishops the benefit of the doubt. That they are good men, with good intentions.

However, once we know that our interview protocol puts our children at great risk, we are NOT good men if we continue that practice.

From today on, if a bishop takes a child behind closed doors, all alone….he is not a good man. He has harmed our children.

From this day forward, if a bishop asks a child about masturbation or any other sexual matter…he is not a good man. He has harmed that child.

If you don’t understand how this damages our children, then inform yourself. I have wanted to meet with you for months to discuss these issues. I’d still like to do that. But, I’m done waiting for the church, the ward or the stake to make changes. Every week that goes by, further damage is done. You are better than that.

I call on you to immediately halt one-on-one interviews with all children and youth. Have a parent in all meetings with any child.

I call on you to immediately halt all questions about masturbation and other sexually explicit questions. DO.NOT.SHAME.OUR.CHILDREN.

Order your bishops to protect the children…right now. Have them cease these dangerous and damaging interviews.

You are the pastoral leader of a huge flock. Be our pastoral leader. Advocate for the children. You might take some heat from your ecclesiastical superiors. But, your concern should be for the well-being of the children in this stake, rather than compliance to directions from other men.

I have risked my reputation to speak out. It’s affected my livelihood. I’ve lost customers. I’ve lost friends. I’ve made the decision to die on this hill. The hill of protecting children. Ultimately, my reputation will remain intact. Everyone outside of the church is appalled by what we are doing. Many inside the church are also aghast. Unfortunately, there is such fear in our Mormon culture, that those inside don’t speak up.

By not taking immediate action, you are also putting your reputation at risk. No one outside of the church is going to think highly of a man who takes children behind closed doors and questions them about masturbation. I no longer think highly of them, either. I know the damages. I have communicated them to every bishopric in the stake. If you and they are not informed as to how we are harming our kids, you have no excuse.

Here’s my invitation. Send a directive out to the bishops immediately. Tell them to stop the interviews until things are sorted out. Take the lead. Don’t wait for a directive from the church.

Join me at the Houston news conference. You make the announcement that you recognize the harms we have done and that we have changed course to never do this to our kids again.

The entire non-Mormon community will applaud your integrity and bravery. The members in the stake will applaud you, too. After all, these are their kids you are looking to protect.

You’ll likely receive some kind of censure from the church. But, not from Jesus Christ. He spoke unequivocally about our obligation to provide safety for our children:

“Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Jesus made His point. I am not going to be hanged by the millstone. Let’s stand with Christ for our children’s sake on this one.

With determination,

Sam

Links in the e-mail

News conference

Read the Stories

News Conference Report–1/18/18

NewsConfSLC3

The first news conference for Protect LDS Children. And my first one, too. Natasha Helfer Parker and Joelle Casteix were amazing, as you’ll see.

Stats

Attendance: 75. YAY!!!

Media: 4 TV stations, the 2 major Salt Lake City papers, several other significant local publications. The Church’s media arms were there: Deseret News and KSL TV.

Media Coverage: Several articles in print, TV, & radio. Major coup.

New Petition Signatures: At least 700 so far. They continue to roll in. Awareness is on the rise.

Setting Boundaries: A handful of members have reported that they plan to use the new template to set boundaries in order to protect their children. This is huge. It means that real children have actually been extended a new level of safety within the church.

The News Conference Video

My Remarks in Text

Last night I received this message:

“In 2014, l lost my 14 year old son to suicide. His chat logs before his death hint he was struggling with feeling worthy. I have no doubts that these Bishop’s interviews played a role in my son’s end of life decision.

After 3 1/2 years of intense research and pondering of his decision, I place these interviews as third on the list for why he made the decision. My haunting regrets tell me he might still be alive if I had not required that he participate in these interviews.”

I don’t know how a parent ever heals from this. This dad is watching the news conference as we speak from his home in Las Vegas.

My dear friend at your home, I and 11,000 others apologize from the bottom of our hearts that this happened to your son on our watch. I was complicit by not paying attention to the practices of my own church. I won’t make that mistake again.

These 11,000, which now includes you, are committed to warning all Mormon parents to the horrid dangers of these interviews. It’s still our watch. Now we are informed. We will not be haunted by our own silence.

When it comes to protecting our children, I have no tolerance whatsoever for political correctness. What I say next may offend every person I know. But, I want to express the empathetic passion that I now feel after having read 1,000 stories of what we have done to our children.

So here goes. We are killing our children. This child is not the first to have committed suicide. I know dozens who have attempted it. Hundreds who have considered it.

We are raping our children. Seven year old Sandy on the bishop’s desk. Twelve year old Amy at the bishop’s knees. Yeah, you can read their stories. But, they are so hard to read. Courageous Sandy and brave Amy, thank you for making it safe for others to come forward.

We are shaming our beautiful children into loathing themselves. We ruin their childhood. We torment their adulthood. I have read hundreds and hundreds of these heart-breaking stories.

We are grooming our precious children to be unsuspecting targets of the pedophiles among us.

This has to stop. And WE are not going to stop until it does.

Now, for the update that I promised in the news release.

On October 31, 2017 we launched the petition: Protect The Children–Stop Sexually Explicit Interviews of Mormon Youth. Our goal was 10,000 signatures. That benchmark was reached on Christmas Eve. Over 5,000 signatories are from Utah. Currently, there are 11,475 thundering voices calling for the immediate stop of one-on-one interviews and probing questions about masturbation and other sexually explicit matters.
The website protectldschildren.org has been created to provide an easily accessible location to share and read the stories of the damages that we are doing to our kids.
173 stories have now been recorded on the site. Eight of them have been converted to video format.
Some parents are waking up to the risk of their children and have asked for a letter that can be sent to their bishop. One is now available on the website under “Set Boundaries.” Click the button and up pops a simple template.
So, what’s our next step? We are announcing that right now. It’s The March for the Children. On March 30^th, 2018, 1,000 of us will gather at City Hall. Then march 5 blocks to the Church Office Building. There, we will deliver our petition directly to the Church.

But, our actions will not cease today, only to resume on March 30^th. Nope. Our children are too precious to just keep sending them behind closed doors.

We are calling for this practice to stop immediately, today. How can we accomplish that?

First, we call on the good parents of the church. Starting today, do not permit your child to be interviewed alone. Do not permit sexual question to be asked of your child. A sample letter to set interview boundaries can be found on the website.

Second, we call on the good bishops of the church to cease this practice immediately. Always invite a parent into every interview, to be inside the room, in support of their child. Going forward, never ask about masturbation or any other sexually probing questions. Do.Not.Shame.Our.Children. Protect our children from all harm. This will protect you, too.

Third, we call on the good leaders at the top of the church to give instructions to immediately stop this practice. Protect our children. Now. Not in 3 months. Not in 3 years. Protect our children now.

Of course, I recognize that the church may not act quickly. Parents…they are your children. You CAN act immediately….for your children’s sake.

Finally, I believe the vast majority of bishops are good men. Most did not intend to harm our children. Until this past year, I did not understand exactly how we are traumatizing our kids.

But, now we know. We are informed. From this day forward, I will no longer give bishops a break for committing the blunders of the past. They are no longer unintended errors of ignorance. The next time a bishop takes a child behind closed doors…the harm is intentional. The next time a bishop shames our children about masturbation…you have damaged our children intentionally.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I love the teachings and example of Jesus, especially this one:

“Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

Today we call for the immediate stop of offending our little ones.