We sent our resignation on Wednesday, and the Bishopric showed up tonight with our letter demanding that my 10 year old unbaptized daughter sign it.

I told them our signatures were good enough, that we have the legal authority to sign on her behalf, and our letter was a signed resignation for ourselves and our daughter.

Problem is, I'm not 100% sure they have to accept our signatures for her. Religion seems to be held to a different standard than other organizations. Our daughter has never been baptized, only blessed.

She doesn't have to sign a resignation, right?

No. And if they ask again, or attempt to communicate with your daughter, your attorney can explain what harassment is.

Religion doesn't have a different standard when it comes to minor-age children. Your daughter doesn't have to sign it. You are her legal guardian until she gets to the legal adult age. Threaten the bishop with the "lawyer" word... or threaten to call Salt Lake; that will get things going.

No, your daughter does not need to sign anything. YOU don't need to sign anything. Whatever pull the church thinks it has over your life does not exist.

It sounds like the bishop is harassing you. You don't need to officially resign, although it seems like a pretty popular thing to do. I never did because I don't think the church has any more power over me than I give to them. I don't need their permission to leave and neither do you.

Simply stop going. If they call then politely tell them to not contact you any more. If they continue to harass you then threaten them with legal action like a restraining order. You don' need an attorney to do any of this.

She shouldn't have to, but OTOH if it gets them off your collective backs then I would have her sign it as being the expedient thing to do. You don't want the Primary continuing to harass her or members tracking her down years later.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2014 05:37AM by summer.

And they have acknowledged receipt so you are OUT. Only thing left is for their paper pushers to process their paperwork. If you feel the local idgets are giving you any grief just drop a dime to COB. They will put the locals in line asap.

801-240-2053 - Phone
801-240-1565 - Fax
1-800-453-3860 ext 22053 - Toll Free

I had my 3 yr old, who was also blessed, sign the paper before we scanned and emailed it. AS a former primary president, i know the ward council looks at blessed children as members in waiting. I did't wan't the primary asking us about her, or any well-meaning teacher who has her on their rolls.

I just asked my daughter if she wanted to go to abuilding where she'd have to sit around for 3 hrs listening to speakers and she (of course) said no, and signed.

I did the removal b/c i didn't want my name counted on their rolls as believing their anti-gay stuff, or any other future or past crap that comes out of their arses. If the church still counts me as 'in' even tho we resigned, as they can, cause who's gonna know?, I wanted my conscience clear that it was not done by my consent.

but but but... the (so-called) church is twoooooooooooo!

I walked away physically from the church in 2008, but I have been actively talking about it as often as I want to whomever wants to talk about it.

That got me a phone call from the Bishop and more recently a meeting with the Stake President, which I turned down. I figured I'd just get it over with than cause a hooplah in the family with an excommunication ordeal.

It's not gonna shut me off though. It's just going to take away any last bit of power they may think they have over me.

Mormon leaders acting abusively of the child and bullying of the parents.

Not universal, but not uncommon. I look at this as an effort to be abusive of your child and bullying of you, so I would not give into their requirements.

This would anger me quite a bit and i would fight them first within their organization and then within the legal system if necessary.

This was an asshole move by the bishop to try and show your child he can make you do his will. You are the parents.

Set up a meeting with him, about the signature thing, does he need to witness, Why yes! Tell him he is fired to his face. See what he does. For entertainment purposes only.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2014 01:00AM by gentlestrength.

The bishop is either misinformed or lying.

Minor children sometimes sign these letters, but it's the parent signatures that carry the weight.

How on! Your daughter is not baptized? Then she is not a member of record, and does not need to resign. If she was blessed as an infant, she is carried until age 9 and then dropped. The one year is the time allowed for children of record to be baptized, and then after 9 it is a convert baptism.

Yup, I would call the number above and ask for a bit of help for the bishop. Maybe he just has not read the CHI.

Maybe he has read the CHI and he's an authority whore. Let's not turn benefit of the doubt into naive child adult.

Mormon bishops have been exploiting naive child adults since 1830.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2014 12:59PM by gentlestrength.

"...she is not a member of record..."

That's what I was thinking. She would be a child of record tied to the parent's membership. She wouldn't have her own membership number, and she shouldn't be on any rolls if both parents resign.

The bishop you are dealing with is probably not aware of how to proceed.

Adult resignations are sent by him to the stake president and then forwarded to LDS Church membership for processing, where action is taken to remove your name from ward records.

Resignations of members, blessed or baptized, who are under the age of 18 are processed by the ward clerk at the direction of the bishop.

And legally, a parent's decision is all that is legally required to remove a child from church records as children are not legally competent to sign agreements.

Good luck.

You have some good points there. Resignation of adults. Everyone out!!! Nip it in the bud.
She doesn't have to do anything. She is not a "member"; she is not accountable, can't tell Mormonism is any more true than false and is not baptized! She isn't wearing the ball and chain yet. She doesn't have to disapprove, disprove, sign anything or even understand or appreciate that it's a pile of crap, that, one should always avoid. Tell a child the truth about the church and they would never want to be baptized!

Like Cheryl said... TBM - The Bishop is Misinformed and/ or lying.

karin has a very good point...

What gentlestrength said... maybe even the last paragraph. Hehehee

What a great road ahead for y'all- including the little one.