Bill Reel Gets Ultimatum from Stake President

[consiglieri]

Last evening, Bill Reel received a warning from his stake president who, in company with Bill's bishop, paid him a visit at his home.

The ultimatum was quite simple and not unexpected:

Either cease and desist your podcasts and posts critical of the LDS Church or get excommunicated.

Oh yes, he was allowed the option to resign, as well.

The interesting thing was that the stake president was quite open about the pressure he has been receiving from Salt Lake to move against Bill; that the stake president has waited for six-months in spite of this pressure, but that now his hand was forced.

The stake president will be reporting to his leaders today on his meeting with Bill.

[AllieOop]

The interesting thing was that the stake president was quite open about the pressure he has been receiving from Salt Lake to move against Bill; that the stake president has waited for six-months in spite of this pressure, but that now his hand was forced.

Well, that's new (the part I put in bold italics). Most leaders have adamantly denied that this takes place and it's been pounded into members that all disciplinary actions take place on a local level. Many have been VERY defensive about this issue in the past.

It's at least good to see that they're being honest this time around.

Do you think Bill will resign?

[Yobispo]

My guess is that Bill takes it to the high council and goes down in a blaze of glory. Bill is a good guy, but he's had enough. He's also been picking this fight for a while, so I doubt anyone is surprised.

[jfro18]

Just guessing from Bill's more recent podcasts that he's going to make the church take the action, which is good for him. The most examples that we have of the church trying to snuff out opposition, the more it exposes them to their extreme fear of the truth.

[1smartdodog]

Can’t imagine Bill is suprised.

[Reuben]

He should get in touch with NewNameNoah about getting some discreet recording devices.

[Just This Guy]

You don't even need discreet devices. Just get a voice recorder app for your smart phone. Phone are so common these days that no one will think twice about seeing one.

[deacon blues]

Church leadership is playing "Wack a Mole" with dissidents; and the moles seem to be multiplying like rabbits.

[Hagoth]

My guess is that Bill takes it to the high council and goes down in a blaze of glory. Bill is a good guy, but he's had enough.

I hope so. They have given him three options, two forms of caving and one stand-your-ground option. Bill is the ultimate example of a good, honest guy who was only looking for truth and willing to give the church every possible opportunity to be true, but ultimately having to go with evidence over mandated "truth." I hope he will stand his ground and I hope this gets some visibility: Mormon Church Kicks Man Out For Unrepentant Honesty.

Go Bill!

[didyoumythme]

Yeah, Bill has basically been asking for this for a while now. I don’t blame him for making the church give him the excommunicated badge. It seems harder to maintain any inside credibility if you resign. It will be fun to hear how he brings up all the counter evidence in his ‘court of love’ (assuming they let him speak).

[Red Ryder]

Any ideas as to which apostle is tightening the screws?

[moksha]

What recent event forced the Stake President's hand? Was it something that Bill recently had on his website or was it an ultimatum from HQ or both? Is Bill holding up okay?

[IT_Veteran]

What recent event forced the Stake President's hand? Was it something that Bill recently had on his website or was it an ultimatum from HQ? Is Bill holding up okay?

Sometimes I wonder if I were to compile my own online activity regarding the church and send it to my SP, if that would do the trick.

[jfro18]

What recent event forced the Stake President's hand? Was it something that Bill recently had on his website or was it an ultimatum from HQ or both? Is Bill holding up okay?

Whatever he did, I hope he can let us know. I'd love the excommunication badge.

[consiglieri]

What recent event forced the Stake President's hand? Was it something that Bill recently had on his website or was it an ultimatum from HQ or both? Is Bill holding up okay?

His stake president actually told him that, after reviewing some of his comments, he is surprised Bill wasn't excommunicated a long time ago.

But then again, this is the stake president who has been sitting on directives to move against Bill for six months now.

[moksha]

Sometimes I wonder if I were to compile my own online activity regarding the church and send it to my SP, if that would do the trick.

A message board expressing your opinion is not the same as world-famous podcasts. However, if you put 95 of your posts into a PDF format and nailed them to the door of your local ward website (especially if you were in the Wittenberg Stake) that might do it. Did you denounce indulgences in any of your posts?

[consiglieri]

Do you think Bill will resign?

Bill will not resign.

Nor will he be told what he can say or how he can say it.

This is headed for the gunfight at the OK Corral.

[jfro18]

Bill will not resign.

Nor will he be told what he can say or how he can say it.

This is headed for the gunfight at the OK Corral.

Good for him - I am looking forward to watching this unfold... how many people can they silence until they realize the problem is the church and not the people pointing it out?!

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

More stake presidents need to grow a pair and tell HQ to eff off. Of course they will get replaced like Dehlin's SP did.

[FiveFingerMnemonic]

In my opinion, if Bill goes down fighting, he gets a place in the latter day book of martyrs.