Excommunication Cancelled.

[why me]

From his blogspost:

Notice: My 30 Sept disciplinary court & excommunication have been canceled!!

And yet, he celebrates this action with this blog:

Mormon members are wonderful people. They work tirelessly, donate profusely, clean meetinghouses and are constantly trying to be happy exemplar members of their church. They do this obediently. We hear they're fasting for Mitt Romney this Sunday. They feel part of something very important. And, perhaps they have been.

Mormon culture is unique, not only for its beliefs, but its history & cultural idiosyncrasies. I believe it could seriously transform the world through charitable action. But something is standing in the way of that.

The LDS Profits.

The LDS hiearchy is comprised almost entirely of businessmen, lawyers and corporate professionals. Why is that? It's certainly an influence in the direction the LDS Church has taken when investing money. Members are told that constructing City Creek created jobs and protects the area near Temple Square. What isn't said is that it builds & protects profits. What isn't said: Jobs can be created by building shelters to protect the battered, homeless and heartless instead of protecting a church building. The money-changing at the side of Temple Square are given flashy tables and five-year rent-free contracts to protect the LDS temple.

Plenty of members are secretly sick inside when thinking about the direction MormonCo heads as it deals with the temple-protecting money-changers. This is not the gospel. This is the business.

Many members are tired of the corporate takeover of their religion, but afraid to speak out. Understandably when they see that the slightest words can pull you into disciplinary council at the drop of a paisley shirt. But I'm here to tell you, if enough members make a silent statement in a way that cannot be punished, it will be recognized and the corporation will get the message.

A turn from money-changing to heartfelt donation can change the world. Take the $3-4 billion spent on the City Creek Center and solve world hunger for school children for a year ¹. It can be done. The good will the church could receive will outstrip the negativity of a fancy elitist-mall. In just one year. The Mormon church would be esteemed beyond measure.

What can you do?

If you stand for increasing monies to poverty and hunger, and diminishing the money-changing influence in Salt Lake HQ, then you can stand in solidarity at church by quietly dressing differently.

We can begin a silent Paisley Perestroika.

White-shirts and dark ties are binary. Stripes are finite. Paisley with the non-ending variants in patterns and volumous numbers of acceptable color combinations is infinite. It represents the diversity of thoughts & hearts in the membership while uniting us in a common range of patterns.

Women, you can show silent support for reform by wearing something as subtle as a paisley scarf, carry a paisley handbag, or being bolder, wear that paisley blouse, or a complete dress. Men, your options could be a kerchief, tie, or shirt.

We're not fighting God, the gospel or the message. We can braid paisley into a silent scourge and overturn the tables of the money-changing. Reform and get back to what was intended: love thy neighbor and treat him as you want to be treated, even if you don't wear the same colors in life.

I ask for peaceful and even silent protest against the actions mentioned here, by donning the apparel that lets them know that love, acceptance, helping others and giving to the needy are what we want with our donations of money, time and talents.

Overturn the tables of corporate empowerment. Stop the suppression of dissent.

We understand there is a fast this Sunday for Mitt Romney. If the members can fast for a wealthy politician, then they can wear paisley for the poor.

Bring back true charity!

http://mormonthinkblog2012.blogspot.fi/2012/09/a-paisley-perestroika.html

[cinepro]

I guess that means it's just a regular communication.

[Verum]

You mean PR and perception impacts how the church carries out certain decisions?

How unprecedented....

[cesc101]

I guess that means it's just a regular communication.

yea...

thanks for taking out the "ax", or was it "ex"?!

[mapman]

According to this article:

The church disciplinary council set for Sunday to decide whether to excommunicate David Twede has been postponed "due to scheduling conflicts," Allan Pratt, Twede’s LDS stake president in Florida, said in a statement Thursday. "It will be rescheduled for a later date."

[DBMormon]

When in my darkest moment, I spewed the venom critics say and I did so hoping somehow the church would make an example of me and kick me out. I felt I was standing for integrity, that it was me who was right and the church that was off track and needed to repent.

It seems he has been in a dark place for some time. I wish he could see why his thinking is slighted and in a wrong way. I wish someone could reach him. I wish him well though It reminds me of how our feeling betrayed by the church is not the same as being betrayed by the church.

[sdc999]

Why would a stake president be making public comments about a situtation about a member of the church? Dicipline hearings should be a private matter - no exceptions. Does Allan Pratt make comments about other people he has counciled privately in a public forum?

[rpn]

The disciplinary counsel isn't being held. The excommunication was never a foregone conclusion. And the SP quote came from the email he sent directly to the member (who then released it to the press).

Edited September 27, 2012 by rpn

[sethpayne]

I'm glad it was canceled. Very bad timing for the Church.

If Romney loses I wouldn't be surprised to see it rescheduled for some time in 2013 when the Mormon Moment has passed.

Bottom line: if you want to be an active Church member -- regardless of what you believe -- you have to be respectful of the beliefs of the Church. I think in general, David was respectful but pushed things a bit far.

As to whether David orchestrated this entire thing I have no idea. Either way, I'm glad its over ... for now.

[Calm]

How is this "postponed "due to scheduling conflicts,"" a cancellation?

[sethpayne]

How is this "postponed "due to scheduling conflicts,"" a cancellation?

I recall a council postponed in 2002 -- something to do with DNA IIRC -- and it has yet to be rescheduled.

[Calm]

Well, let's give it a bit to see what happens rather than jumping to conclusions. With conference coming up, I can easily see there being scheduling conflicts. This is at the stake level, is it not, so do not all 15 members of the High Council and Stake Presidency need to be there?

[Sky]

Now people are accusing the Church of postponing it solely for the sake of PR/political expediency. So it seems to me that either way the Church can't win.

Why not simply accept the Stake President's word when he said that it was due to scheduling conflicts?

My opinion is that David Twede will find a way to criticize or embarrass the Church any way he can. I personally have no qualms about calling him an apostate - because he is. If the Mormon newsroom can say it, then so can I. He clearly cares more about his website than he does about his membership in the Church. The only reason I can think of why he would want to stay a member is because it gives him more credibility.

[Bernard Gui]

Fast for Romney? Since when?

[ERayR]

Fast for Romney? Since when?

Member can individually or in groups fast for whoever they want. They just can't do it under the auspices of the church.

[KevinG]

Fast for Romney? Since when?

I saw a Facebook announcement. It is a private thing and not church sponsored.

[KevinG]

Well, let's give it a bit to see what happens rather than jumping to conclusions. With conference coming up, I can easily see there being scheduling conflicts. This is at the stake level, is it not, so do not all 15 members of the High Council and Stake Presidency need to be there?

Yes. But that won't stop Twede from milking an extra 15 minutes of fame out of it.

[sethpayne]

Well, let's give it a bit to see what happens rather than jumping to conclusions. With conference coming up, I can easily see there being scheduling conflicts. This is at the stake level, is it not, so do not all 15 members of the High Council and Stake Presidency need to be there?

As always, good points Cal.

[Damien the Leper]

I could see fasting for spiritual and good causes but fasting for a politician shows who exactly the lobbyists and beauracrats are.

"God...I'm not eating because I want to show that I sustain you by sustaining a church member politician. Amen." Is this not pretentious or assinine to anyone else?

[Wiki Wonka]

According to this article:

Here's the text of the email that Twede said he received from his SP that he posted on an ex-Mormon board,

Dear Brother Twede,

I learned recently that Bishop Dollar will be traveling for business this weekend and therefore we'll need to postpone the disciplinary council until a later date. I feel his participation is important, and would rather not proceed without him. I will contact you again in the near future to schedule another date.

Sincerely,

President Pratt

And here's Twede's response to the Stake President,

From what I know, the bishop is not directly part of the process, per pp. 112-114 of the Handbook for Stake Presidents and Bishops. Bishop Dollar had never met me before you met me. I have no reason to believe he is required. If you are calling him as a witness, I have a right to know well before hand.

However, I am glad you are canceling the court, as we know it is ridiculous. I have asked members that as they fast for Mitt Romney this Sunday, they wear paisley for the poor. The corporate empire building of the business class leadership needs to reform and move toward helping the needy, the hungry and the homeless.

He seems to be running with this "corporate empire" stuff. In an earlier post, he called the Church "an oppressive corporate empire."

WW

Edited September 28, 2012 by Wiki Wonka

[DavidB]

Nevermind

Edited September 28, 2012 by DavidB

[Sky]

Based on Twede's response to his Stake President, he is now resorting to taunting tactics and telling the Stake President how to do his job. This guy really needs to get over himself.

[DBMormon]

I

Here's the text of the email that Twede said he received from his SP that he posted on an ex-Mormon board,

And here's Twede's response to the Stake President,

He seems to be running with this "corporate empire" stuff. In an earlier post, he called the Church "an oppressive corporate empire."

WW

If and Only if the above is true.

Sorry but this crosses the line. He is bitter, sarcastic, and down right being rude. And yet he hopes to remain a member.... silly. His motives are anything but a desire to remain in the church. his attitude is one of apostacy. Whether one sees the church as true or not, he is in a spirit of apostacy. He is sharing everything with the media and is looking to make this as big as possible.

Sad

[teddyaware]

The foremost purpose of the Lord's Church, during the mortal probation, is to provide individuals with the spiritual tools they need in order to lay hold on the gifts and powers of God -- proffered through the atonement of Christ -- so as to retain a remission of one's own sins, and to continue to grow in in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The most formidable foe the would-be saint of God will ever encounter here in mortality is his own fallen nature. As King Benjamin reported:

"But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made, being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.

This battle against sin, the fallen nature and the devil is often an intensely private battle, wherein one needs to turn his spiritual eyes of discernment inward, that the great "enemy within" one's own soul might be discovered, comprehended, engaged in lifelong battle, and eventually slain once and for all.

This private war against the willfully rebellious natural man within is a full time job, and is more than challenge enough to occupy the time, resources and energies of the candidate for exaltation, without getting distracted from the battle at hand by setting off on a foolish, quixotic quest to tilt at imagined (or even real) enemies as "Ark Steadier in Chief."

This attempt to steady the financial ark of the Church reminds me of Judas Iscariot's attitude, as recorded in John 12:

1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

We all have enough inward demons to conquer without also trying to save, through "correction," the Lord's Church -- that's His job. If someone messes up, he knows how to handle and take care of those who err. Zion will be redeemed at the micro-level first, as more and more of the Lord's people crucify the natural man, and by faith in Christ finally triumph over their greatest enemy -- their own destructive fallen nature. Zion will be comprised of individuals who are properly empowered to fight against the forces of evil, because they first conquered the evil within their own hearts.

Of course, as one battles against the natural man rooted within his own breast, he will have divinely bestowed and prescribed stewardships wherein his influence will be felt, such as family, home teaching responsibilities and Church callings.

What I perceive to be the problem with brother Twede is that he seems to think his website is some sort of special calling and stewardship. In reality, he called himself to these positions and it appears he may have let the rush of carnal power he feels while "presiding" in his wayward kingdom of human intellect go to his head.

Edited September 28, 2012 by teddyaware

[Hamba Tuhan]

I have asked members that as they fast for Mitt Romney this Sunday, they wear paisley for the poor.

This reminds me of when I was doing my masters study in America. Every Friday night, some student group held a candlelight vigil on campus 'for the people of East Timor'. Meanwhile, the Saints back in Jakarta were spending their weekends packing hygiene kits and shipping them to East Timor.