CONFESSIONS and FILES

[silverfox]

Does anyone know when this whole confessing to your bishop thing started within the church? I seem to vaguely recall scripture in the D&C regarding this but am not sure. (it's all becoming a blur - YAY!!!!!!!)

Also, do all those "confessions" stay in your file? Any info a member provides to a bishop - doesn't it all go into your file and follow you around?

I would imagine that although one has their name removed or if one is excommunicated the church will still keep the info in their database and still allow that file to follow one around wherever they go.

[miss taken]

Does anyone know when this whole confessing to your bishop thing started within the church? I seem to vaguely recall scripture in the D&C regarding this but am not sure. (it's all becoming a blur - YAY!!!!!!!)

Also, do all those "confessions" stay in your file? Any info a member provides to a bishop - doesn't it all go into your file and follow you around?

I would imagine that although one has their name removed or if one is excommunicated the church will still keep the info in their database and still allow that file to follow one around wherever they go.

Grief. I never heard that Silverfox!!! In your file!!! WHAT!!!
I do know that a couple in the stake were having a 'problem' with a type of sexual encounter discouraged by the church (okay I'm too embarrassed to write it), and the sp was dealing with the couple, but HIS SON knew and was just about telling everyone, and having a good laugh too. I just thought. Good grief, is nothing sacred. That is private and personal information. WRONG WRONG WRONG
Mary

[ifitmakesuhappy]

i think this is a case the church would lose every time.

When i was disfellowshipped about two and a half years ago, the bishopric discussed with me in my court the matter of privacy, esp taking into account the sensitivity of the situation (my relations with another woman). when it was reveiwed 12 months later and i was still claiming to be gay (gasp!) and still not sorry :eek: :eek: the bishop discussed with me that he knew he was soon to be released, and when my church court would come it would probably be another Bishop. For this reason, to prevent a whole other 3 bishopric members finding out about it, I was referred to the SP who would deal with it personally. Well that was ages ago and i never heard much about it. Anyway i handed my resignation letter in a few weeks ago and last week when i returned home there was a note through my door from the newer bishop. He was explaining to me how things would work and making sure i knew that "leaving the church would not get rid of the sin" :Puking
Anyway i'm sure he'll try to get in touch again sometime soon and i'll be very interested to know if he's aware of any reason for my disfellowshipping. I don't actually care if he knows, or who knows, and if he doesnt then i'll tell him myself...but if i get the impression he already knows then i'll be wanting some answers!!!

all my life growing up in the church i remember hearing rumours about various people in the ward and what was going on in their lives. maybe a lot of it was gossip but often i could put a bet that things had started from various bishops wives.

[Born Free]

i think this is a case the church would lose every time.

When i was disfellowshipped about two and a half years ago, the bishopric discussed with me in my court the matter of privacy, esp taking into account the sensitivity of the situation (my relations with another woman). when it was reveiwed 12 months later and i was still claiming to be gay (gasp!) and still not sorry :eek: :eek: the bishop discussed with me that he knew he was soon to be released, and when my church court would come it would probably be another Bishop. For this reason, to prevent a whole other 3 bishopric members finding out about it, I was referred to the SP who would deal with it personally. Well that was ages ago and i never heard much about it. Anyway i handed my resignation letter in a few weeks ago and last week when i returned home there was a note through my door from the newer bishop. He was explaining to me how things would work and making sure i knew that "leaving the church would not get rid of the sin" :Puking
Anyway i'm sure he'll try to get in touch again sometime soon and i'll be very interested to know if he's aware of any reason for my disfellowshipping. I don't actually care if he knows, or who knows, and if he doesnt then i'll tell him myself...but if i get the impression he already knows then i'll be wanting some answers!!!


ifitmakesuhappy,

"Leaving the church would not get rid of the sin" barf and barf again!!! (I tried for a new record (5), but Jeff has obviously got sick of mopping out after all the barfing and set limits.)

The central debate of the middle ages was whether man needed a middleman between him/her and God. If one still believes in a God who includes or excludes on the basis of "sin" (which I personally no longer accept), then there is a question of whether they feel they need some security leak (read Bishop) between them and God.

Regardless how you feel about "Leaving the church would not get rid of the sin", it can sure make a great reduction in the obscenity in ones life, namely the Church.

BYW, great to hear the SP has taken this important issue in hand and has it well under control. :cool:

Is your sense of how you want to 'exit' getting any clearer since you raised the issue back a month or so ago?

Daryl

[silverfox]

i think this is a case the church would lose every time.

when i returned home there was a note through my door from the newer bishop. He was explaining to me how things would work and making sure i knew that "leaving the church would not get rid of the sin" :Puking


How ignorant for the newer bish to ASSUME you were trying to get rid of a "sin". WTF? Why can't bishops, COB, stake presidents, etc just do their stupid job and process the ADULT request for resignation and be done with it? They are not required to add there ridiculous personal comments while doing it. What's their point?

I sent in my SECOND (apparently the first one got lost) resignation letter in on Dec 14th. Still no final word. And I just haven't had time to call. But I will!!!!

[stu4491]

I am not sure that a file with personal information about you given to the bishop in interview is kept by the church as a whole but is up to the bishop to keep his own files on members whom he interviews. The bishop, I am sure, keeps his own file so as to help him remember the various issues he needs to with each member but that is kept private and just for his use. I was the membership clerk in my ward before I quit going to church about 8 months ago and I know what information is sent in to church headquaters and nothing of a private nature dicussed with the bishop is ever sent in. As far as a scriptural reference for confessing certain sins to your bishop, I would not know, but hopefully someone else can help in this regard. Stewart

[silverfox]

I am not sure that a file with personal information about you given to the bishop in interview is kept by the church as a whole but is up to the bishop to keep his own files on members whom he interviews. The bishop, I am sure, keeps his own file so as to help him remember the various issues he needs to with each member but that is kept private and just for his use. I was the membership clerk in my ward before I quit going to church about 8 months ago and I know what information is sent in to church headquaters and nothing of a private nature dicussed with the bishop is ever sent in. As far as a scriptural reference for confessing certain sins to your bishop, I would not know, but hopefully someone else can help in this regard. Stewart

When we moved to our last ward we had been inactive for a few months. Our new bish called us in for an interview. He had in front of him our folder with big red letters that said "INACTIVE". It was pretty full. Would this have been forwarded from our old ward? Or does an old bishop copy what is in the file and send to the new bishop?

Wonder what they would say if I asked to see it. (stupid question, I know) I think we should be abel to view our files to make sure info is accurate.

[Born Free]

How ignorant for the newer bish to ASSUME you were trying to get rid of a "sin". WTF? Why can't bishops, COB, stake presidents, etc just do their stupid job and process the ADULT request for resignation and be done with it? They are not required to add there ridiculous personal comments while doing it. What's their point?

I sent in my SECOND (apparently the first one got lost) resignation letter in on Dec 14th. Still no final word. And I just haven't had time to call. But I will!!!!
We can only hope they can do a better job of running the Celestial Kingdom!! :cool:

[silverfox]

We can only hope they can do a better job of running the Celestial Kingdom!! :cool:

I personally think they want us to give up so they can keep our names on the records. You know, like any corp, the numbers have gotta look good, right?