Today I received a Christmas letter from my local church unit... addressed to me. The most likely explanation for this scenario is that one of my family members gave the church my current address. I'm not going to embark on a witch hunt to figure out who did it. I guess I can understand that they are only doing what they think is best for me.
Still, it leaves me with a dilemma. I guess I can't hide forever. So the question becomes... just try and ignore it and wait until I am eventually excommunicated? Or be proactive and have my name removed. I suppose a third option would be to ask to have my name put on the do not contact list, but I have little faith in those lists. I know how they work (or more often don't).
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6 comments:
What'll happen if you simply do nothing?
It probably means I'll have to put up with at least a phone call or an attempted visit about once every two years for an indefinite period of time. I assume that eventually someone would inform them of the specifics of my life, and that would result in excommunication. Excommunication probably doesn't seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but if you grew up in the faith, it can be a traumatic and frustrating process.
Genio, I understand the internal turmoil that excommunication can mean to Mormons. Even if someone discloses the specifics of your life, you will not necessarily be excommunicated. Often, they just leave you alone, or try the occasional contact.
You are a good man trying to live a good life. Do what brings you the most peace. No need to rush into any decision.
It's not necessarily your family who gave them your address - the church has a division, department (or whatever it is called) whose sole purpose is to find lost members; and, they have a variety of techniques for doing so. They then transfer the records into the ward.
Braveone is correct - if you are not involved in the church and not making any waves then it's quite possible that they'll turn a blind eye.
Is there any particular reason why you don't want to have your name removed?
Maybe I need to do a pros and cons list like BB.
Part of me wants to believe that someday the church will get a revelation that might change things. It would be nice to be able to go back without having to go through the whole reinstatement process. Plus, just the thought of doing this bugs me. But who am I kidding? Every day that goes by widens the gap between me and the church. I can feel the scales tipping already.
If you're not sure what you want to do, just do nothing. I actually enjoyed a couple of visits from the local singles ward before they lost me again. Well, mostly I enjoyed looking at the horror on their faces when i told them why I would never be stepping foot inside an LDS chapel again, but still enjoyable for me. =)
For the more adventurous, there is a fourth option. I have a friend who requested excommunication. Kinda strange I thought, but it is what he wanted. Ultimately, you should do what you want. But they won't excommunicate you just because you are gay. It makes for bad PR.
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