If Kirby was a Jehovah`s Witness and he publicly criticized his own church with satire,he would have been excommunicated in an instant many years ago and shunned.If Kirby was excommunicated from the Mormon church,the news would travel fast and be a public relations nightmare for the church.It would not make good press.This may be the key reason why no action has been taken against Kirby. There are many reasons a person could be expelled from the church and Kirby normally would make the top of the list of reasons for excommunication.How long can they (the church authorities) allow him membership?Is it because it is to much of a publicly embarressing move when others are exed all the time for adultery etc?

Maybe when John Dehlin interviews Kirby that will push them over the edge.

Kirby has the power of the pen which causes LD$ Inc. to think twice about excommunicating him.

They, los autoridades, have probably asked themselves a number of times just what they ought or might do about Robert Kirby. In my imagination, their problem is that they have no leverage with him. He doesn't have a porn problem, he probably doesn't masturbate... His wife is an RM exmo, and she their daughters will not shun him, and continue to love him, if he were to be disciplined.

He has a cadre of real friends, and he probably has no problem being alone. It's likely that he drank coffee when he was a cop, and he might not be adverse to going back.

And finally, he doesn't like authority. He doesn't like it to the extent that ordering him to do something would probably result in him doing the opposite. Like his famous story about having a pet dog when he was in some dumpy town in Argentina. An AP showed up and told him to get rid of the dog or else. Kirby told him to go ahead and move ahead to or else, cuz the dog was staying. The AP could only wave his arms and splutter.

There are a lot of things that go on in Utah mormonism that, if pushed out of the church, he'd have a field day lampooning.

One does not slay the court jester.

Heartless Wrote:
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> One does not slay the court jester.


Exactly. The court jester is the one who can get away with saying what everyone else is secretly thinking.

I think they're leaving him alone because he is so well known. Besides about half of the comments are TBM's calling him to repent and rebuke him. This is so typical TSCC behavior. They let the rank and file do their dirty work (online defending of their half-ass uninspired revelations and policies).

His leaders probably don't want to end up being the subject of one of his columns.

(I can't say I blame them).

^ that. The pen (or keyboard) is mightier than the Q15.

I think Robert is comfortable where he is. He loves his job and poking the bear.

RB



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2016 02:53PM by Lethbridge Reprobate.

secretly jealous of his true freedom and integrity. LOL!

I know for a fact that he often wonders that too.

Has it ever been the subject of one of his columns?

Because it would be a public relations nightmare of epic proportions. I would LOVE to see that shitshow happen!

If he was a JW,he would have been banished many years ago as they do not give a monkey about pr.

I think he is the most vocal Mormon actually going after the one and not hanging out with their 99. This is why he will never be excommunicated. He pays tithing and can show others a way to do it as well.

His comments do not raise to the level of serious criticism of the basic teachings. They are more about the human foibles of the members couched with a little humor. Besides, he knows where the line is and he won't cross it. Doesn't need to.

You nailed it, SusieQ#1. The PR nightmare would be more than the church could handle and they might also be concerned about losing more members over such a move. I'm sure they church is aware that Kirby has a devoted following, including many church members.

Robert Kirby has the rare gift of bringing both humor and frank commentary to the public arena which makes people not only laugh at themselves and society, but also sit up, take notice, and think.

I'm sure the "thinking" part does not sit well at all with the cult doofuses. My guess is that their snooping committee is continually on the hunt for the right rope to hang him.

I doubt that very much. In the realm of acceptable levels of criticism Robert Kirby is no where near their excommunication mark.

He is like the Rodney Dangerfield of Mormonism. He says funny things and does things his way but ultimately, he is just loud laughter than evil speaking of their Lord's Anointed.

He's still a believer it seems, despite being a bit of a rebel. And a tithe payer. Were he not, different story.

The real question is: How can Kirby stand to pay tithing to those dudes who create endless bureaucratic rules?

Exmosis Wrote:
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> The real question is: How can Kirby stand to pay
> tithing to those dudes who create endless
> bureaucratic rules?

And the real answer was answered in his column - a resounding "Yes!"

Paraphrasing, he said he will only do what leaders he respects ask him to do and that he thought that is what his god wants him to do - fearlessly. That was the gist.

He must have someone in the highest quorum and presidency that he respects because if he doesn't then he really is just a sheep like so many other Mormons.

I once read an Ensign article about the reactivation of a man and his whole family. It was because of a dedicated, devoted, and respectable hometeacher. The gist of that story was boiled down in the man's statement about being reactivated and it went something like this - "If Brother X believes it and is so good and respectable, then there must be something in it I need, can use, ought to follow."

Kirby is either like this or there is some highest leader he respects enough to follow. Either way, he is using another person's steam to keep his testimony train chugging along puffing, "I think I can. I believe I can. I know I can."

He as much as admitted it in his "I will go and do what The Lord has asked of me" as long as it was requested by someone he respects.