*The Dreaded Asterisk*

[Hagoth]

A young LDS friend recently told me he was outed as gay to the bishop by a supposed friend. He learned through the grapevine that there were a series of meetings held about him between the bishopric, the stake presidency, and his parents, and God only knows who else. He was NOT invited to attend any of the meetings, nor was he informed about of their content or outcome. One thing he is pretty sure of is that there is now an asterisk on his membership record.

An asterisk means that he is considered a danger to children and will never be able to serve in a calling that involves children, despite the fact that he is entirely celibate and has never even dated or shared any kind of physical affection with another man - let alone a child.

Meanwhile, it seems like at least once a week on the news I see stories of un-asterisked Melchizedek priesthood holders repeatedly committing sexual assault and repeatedly being given access to children.

[moksha]

How did he learn about it?

[Hagoth]

How did he learn about it?

There are a lot of details that I don't feel I'm at liberty to discuss, but he had multiple confirmations that all of this was going on, including from people attending those meetings.

But, what I'm trying to focus on is the emotional brutality of a culture that feels the need to transform someone like this truly awesome, loving, brilliant, wonderful kid (who has never once expressed his homosexuality in any way, mind you, except to come out to a supposedly-trusted friend who who immediately ran to the bishop and his social circle with the news) into a stain, a nasty secret, and a problem that needs to be dealt with behind closed doors. And, insult to injury, the need to label him a danger to children.

...in contrast to...

The heterosexual priesthood holders who actually did abuse children and were protected and defended by the church, sometimes in direct legal opposition to the abused children, and in some cases been allowed continued access to children once once they confessed to another priesthood leader and "repented."

[blazerb]

Does anyone know if this happens to women, also? A woman who I know recently came out to me. We are not sure what would happen if she were outed to the church.

I feel like the church leaders need to feel like they are doing something to protect children even as they put them in horrible situations. That asterisk is their "solution." Gordon Jump could have told them it would not work after his "very special episode" of Diff'rent Strokes. That one still sticks in my head.

[Linked]

When looked at from that angle, it's just insane. And cruel. They are helping the evil and hurting the innocent, including your friend.

But most all-in TBMs are incapable of seeing it. They think their god agrees that this is the way, so anything that disagrees is clearly wrong.

[deacon blues]

When looked at from that angle, it's just insane. And cruel. They are helping the evil and hurting the innocent, including your friend.

But most all-in TBMs are incapable of seeing it. They think their god agrees that this is the way, so anything that disagrees is clearly wrong.

For 99.9% of intents and purposes, the Church IS the god of TBM's. Maybe 98% for a few of them.

[Just This Guy]

The heterosexual priesthood holders who actually did abuse children and were protected and defended by the church, sometimes in direct legal opposition to the abused children, and in some cases been allowed continued access to children once once they confessed to another priesthood leader and "repented."

It is worse than that.

LDSInc. will actively work to protect and enable abusers.


[*] Leaders will work to help "reform" the guilty by encouraging them to be in a position where they can choose not to abuse people, and the potential victims are not warned about this ahead of time.
[*] They will tell leaders not to report abuse, even when it is required by local law.
[*] They will fail to inform anyone of the history of known abusers.
[*] They will actively deny that abuse occurs when it make leader/LDSinc. look bad.
[*] They will guild and shame people who do report abuse when it makes them look bad.
[*] They will use their vast financial resources to stop/delay/reduce court action including many actions that are publicly unethical.
[*] They will buy off judges and politicians if it helps them.
[*] They will push for reduced sentencing of known abusers who are connected to the business.

The Michal Jensen case in WV is simply horrifying what lengths the church will go to to protect one of their own at the expense of anyone who isn't in the club.

[Hagoth]

[*] Leaders will work to help "reform" the guilty by encouraging them to be in a position where they can choose not to abuse people, and the potential victims are not warned about this ahead of time.
[*] They will tell leaders not to report abuse, even when it is required by local law.
[*] They will fail to inform anyone of the history of known abusers.
[*] They will actively deny that abuse occurs when it make leader/LDSinc. look bad.
[*] They will guild and shame people who do report abuse when it makes them look bad.
[*] They will use their vast financial resources to stop/delay/reduce court action including many actions that are publicly unethical.
[*] They will buy off judges and politicians if it helps them.
[*] They will push for reduced sentencing of known abusers who are connected to the business.

I'm reading a book that talks about the horrible things the Catholic church has done regarding pedophilia. In every case I thought, yup, that's exactly what the Mormon church does too. I'm getting a little bit fuzzy on the correct definition of Great and Abominable.