Thursday, November 13, 2008
2008 / Life Letter from an LDS In-Law Turned LDS Outlaw
Posted by David Schmader on Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 12:59 PM
This just came from my cousin-in-law Paul, with the delightful subject line, "Outer Darkness and Son of Perdition for me!":
Hey Jake & Dave,I just thought I'd let you guys know that I formally resigned from the Mormon Church, got an irate letter notarized, asked that my name be stricken from the official records, etc. While in a way it was really just a trivial, clerical matter, which is why I had not done so before, it seemed to me to be a perfect time to do so as a way of getting the message of disapproval to Church Leadership; it was also a way to show a bit of support for you guys, specifically.
I've talked to the rest of my immediate family, and was honestly not sure what their reaction would be, despite all of us obviously being completely inactive. Turns out that all of the—Mom, Dad, my sister—are planning to formally resign as well.
Hope to see you guys in the future sooner rather than later.
Best, Paul
As I've been repeating to friends and loved ones since election night, the passage of Prop 8 of course sucks, but the outpouring of outrage that's greeted the legislation has been an awesome consolation prize, proving that the fight for marriage equality has made the leap from fringe obsession to American civil rights issue.
Speaking of which: PROTEST PROP 8 THIS SATURDAY NOVEMBER 15.
The schedule:
10:30 am: "Pre-festivities" begin in Volunteer Park.
Noon: Rally in Volunteer Park
1 pm: March to Westlake Center
2 pm: Rally at Westlake Center (scheduled speakers: State Senators Ed Murray and Joe McDermott, State Rep. Jamie Pedersen, and King County Executive Ron Sims)
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1
That's awesome. Good for them.
I hope, though, that we don't get hung up solely on Prop 8. The movement should have broader goals, frankly. 4 anti-gay initiatives passed, including one in Arkansas that will take away children from foster families. Not good. So the day of action, while admirable, shouldn't solely be about gays and lesbians in CA. It should be about all of us.
Cheers.
I hope, though, that we don't get hung up solely on Prop 8. The movement should have broader goals, frankly. 4 anti-gay initiatives passed, including one in Arkansas that will take away children from foster families. Not good. So the day of action, while admirable, shouldn't solely be about gays and lesbians in CA. It should be about all of us.
Cheers.
2
EVERYONE, please call your Law maker in DC, Murray, Cantwell, and Your Congressional Rep and ask them to start to investigate removing Tax Exempt status from any Religious group that gets involved in any form of political activity. We MUST keep the pressure on or we'll fail. YES I did say fail. Make calls, volunteer, donate money. Pressure law makers hard, they are the ones that change the laws.
5
David: Every time you post about Jake and your in-laws, I get a lump in my throat and a little teary-eyed. Congratulations again.
8
I can't even tell you how jealous I am of your husband's family. My Mormon family is still as unsupportive as ever. However, I think I'm going to formally resign as well. I'd like to no longer "technically" be mormon.
9
By "broader" I meant taking on the anti-gay crap that's been passed in states throughout the country. Not hemp.
Cheers.
Cheers.
11
I finally sent in my letter, too. It seems to be going around. It will drive them nuts, I do believe.
13
IMPORTANT: Make sure your cousin-in-law and his parents post their resignation letters at http://signingforsomething.org. This is a web site for Mormons who are protesting the Prop 8 involvement.
14
Balt-o-Matt, it's not only about California, but they are the leader on this outside of small states in New England. Gay marriage was never legal in Florida or Arizona, anyway, so in those states the propositions just confirmed the bigotry that was already there. The protests are about the apparently incredibly popular belief that gays should have their marriage and parenting rights taken away. Prop 8 is just symbolic of that and it affects the most people. It's also the easiest to change.
15
For those who claim that throwing a fit (aka protesting) is pointless. . . well. . . that's the point.
Or, part of it.
Or, part of it.
16
So seriously - is this a march for equal rights or a hate-march against Mormons?
I'd rather march FOR a cause than AGAINST someone in particular, you know?
I'd rather march FOR a cause than AGAINST someone in particular, you know?
17
I wrote my resignation letter last week and was inspired by this post to actually mail it today! Done!
Thanks Comment #13 for the link to post the letter!
Thanks Comment #13 for the link to post the letter!
19
People who think that the LDS "church" cares they are asking to be removed from its list are dreaming.
It's what the LDS want. They won't have to do anything and the infidels remove themselves from the "pure" stock. Saves the LDS the trouble and bad press of excommunicating thousands.
Won't make a whit of difference to them.
It is a good thing to do it publicly though so that everyone else knows.
It's what the LDS want. They won't have to do anything and the infidels remove themselves from the "pure" stock. Saves the LDS the trouble and bad press of excommunicating thousands.
Won't make a whit of difference to them.
It is a good thing to do it publicly though so that everyone else knows.
20
Dave, your inlaws fucking rock. Except for the one sister-in-law that supported Prop 8. But the rest are tha shiz.
I can't believe I threw my back out and will not be in condition to march this weekend. Regardless, I hope the socialists/anti-WTO/anarchist/enviro/laborunionmembers
and Radical Women either stay away, or stay on message. It always pisses me off when they show up with their "Free Mumia Abu-Jamar" or "Free Leonard Peltier" signs just because there's a crowd.
I can't believe I threw my back out and will not be in condition to march this weekend. Regardless, I hope the socialists/anti-WTO/anarchist/enviro/laborunionmembers
and Radical Women either stay away, or stay on message. It always pisses me off when they show up with their "Free Mumia Abu-Jamar" or "Free Leonard Peltier" signs just because there's a crowd.
21
# Your Name
You are such a nitwit - Radical Women has been one of the most pro gay/lesbian groups in Seattle for over 30 year ... . in the trenches on Fair Employment and Fair Housing when few were interested.
You don't like their reading material, say no thanks. Easy.
Many of RW are Dykes , oh sure, because you are so stupid they should give up their place in OUR/US/THEIR movement?
Get a political clue. By the way, they are tireless workers, and would love to see them debate the Bishops - Catholic and Mormon....
NO BODY STAY AWAY, THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO BUILD MOVEMENTS AND CONNECTION, NO WHERE, ESP. NOT IN SEATTLE
You are such a nitwit - Radical Women has been one of the most pro gay/lesbian groups in Seattle for over 30 year ... . in the trenches on Fair Employment and Fair Housing when few were interested.
You don't like their reading material, say no thanks. Easy.
Many of RW are Dykes , oh sure, because you are so stupid they should give up their place in OUR/US/THEIR movement?
Get a political clue. By the way, they are tireless workers, and would love to see them debate the Bishops - Catholic and Mormon....
NO BODY STAY AWAY, THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO BUILD MOVEMENTS AND CONNECTION, NO WHERE, ESP. NOT IN SEATTLE
22
hartiepie - you don't know the church, and you shouldn't make broad declarations on things you know nothing about. They like their numbers, and they like to think they're saving souls. When people send their letters, they're often contacted for meetings with their bishops, etc, to see if they will reconsider.
23
@21, I am not a nitwit. I just made a request that people stay on message.
When everyone shows up to every event to promote their own cause, rather than to focus on the task at hand, it makes it look like a disorganized, meaningless mob. Are we protesting the incarceration of Leonard Peltier? The demise of the sea turtles? Capitalism? Lyndon LaRouche? Immigrant rights? Unions for janitors? More housing for the poor? Who knows? It's a protest! I don't think it's too much to ask to focus on the task at hand, just this once.
Also, I'm well aware that many of the Radical Women are dykes. When I first moved to Seattle I spent a lot of time in the radical left circles, until I grew up and realized they were just sitting around jerking each other off and talking about coordinating the revolution, when none of them could coordinate so much as a coffee klatch or a discussion group, let alone the overthrow of the government and establishment of a fair and equitable socialist system.
When everyone shows up to every event to promote their own cause, rather than to focus on the task at hand, it makes it look like a disorganized, meaningless mob. Are we protesting the incarceration of Leonard Peltier? The demise of the sea turtles? Capitalism? Lyndon LaRouche? Immigrant rights? Unions for janitors? More housing for the poor? Who knows? It's a protest! I don't think it's too much to ask to focus on the task at hand, just this once.
Also, I'm well aware that many of the Radical Women are dykes. When I first moved to Seattle I spent a lot of time in the radical left circles, until I grew up and realized they were just sitting around jerking each other off and talking about coordinating the revolution, when none of them could coordinate so much as a coffee klatch or a discussion group, let alone the overthrow of the government and establishment of a fair and equitable socialist system.
24
Terry Above -
Mormons will gain members with their deep involvement and all the publicity.
They now have the activsts in the face of the wicked queers and liberals thing working for them.
Plus money and admiration are equal in America, and they flashed their roll big time, poor Mormons would not be worth bothering with..
And their vast organizing skill are renowned.
So a few jack Mormons duck out - they will care not at all.
Nephi Apostate
Mormons will gain members with their deep involvement and all the publicity.
They now have the activsts in the face of the wicked queers and liberals thing working for them.
Plus money and admiration are equal in America, and they flashed their roll big time, poor Mormons would not be worth bothering with..
And their vast organizing skill are renowned.
So a few jack Mormons duck out - they will care not at all.
Nephi Apostate
25
Nephi -
They won't care about a few Jack Mormons ducking out, true (though I think the very definition of a jack is someone who doesn't care enough to write the letter). But it is seeming, anecdotally, that a fair number of Mormons are beginning to feel some discontent about this - if not the proscription against homosexuality, which is still the case in most Christian churches, then the activism. Too many people know and love the gays.
The church doesn't like bad publicity, and this is bad publicity. The more news stories that are written about unhappy Mormons, the more stories about Mormons renouncing their membership, the more nervous the church is going to get.
They won't care about a few Jack Mormons ducking out, true (though I think the very definition of a jack is someone who doesn't care enough to write the letter). But it is seeming, anecdotally, that a fair number of Mormons are beginning to feel some discontent about this - if not the proscription against homosexuality, which is still the case in most Christian churches, then the activism. Too many people know and love the gays.
The church doesn't like bad publicity, and this is bad publicity. The more news stories that are written about unhappy Mormons, the more stories about Mormons renouncing their membership, the more nervous the church is going to get.
26
#25
bad publicity from liberal or gay perspective only - I think the backlash potential is happening
all the church bashing video will be used against us pitched to middle america, sorry, it needs to stop soon
I wonder how Southern Baptist are reacting? The Evanlgelical networks? Conservative Catholics?
I bet a good poll or focus group would show some unity between chruches who oppose us..... ain't progress.
bad publicity from liberal or gay perspective only - I think the backlash potential is happening
all the church bashing video will be used against us pitched to middle america, sorry, it needs to stop soon
I wonder how Southern Baptist are reacting? The Evanlgelical networks? Conservative Catholics?
I bet a good poll or focus group would show some unity between chruches who oppose us..... ain't progress.
28
Time to admit this Mormon thing is a total hoax. Put it up on snopes.com and post 95 more articles on Slog so that everyone forgets real quick.
I see no solid evidence that Mormons were disproportionately involved with prop 8 ... there is just someone's private web site which is total bullshit. I bet Ralph Reed manipulated you into this somehow and is laughing now.
I see no solid evidence that Mormons were disproportionately involved with prop 8 ... there is just someone's private web site which is total bullshit. I bet Ralph Reed manipulated you into this somehow and is laughing now.
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