Reasons To Get Excommunicated

[pushka]

I was put on probation through talking with my bishop at the time, I couldn't partake of the sacrament, say prayers, give talks, or hold a calling.

I'm a little confused about the above...I can understand not taking the sacrament, giving talks or holding a calling, but not being allowed to say prayers? Does that mean not being allowed to lead others in prayer...as in you would be the one saying the prayer aloud for others to follow? or does it mean that you cannot join in with the rest of the congregation when they are saying prayers...set prayers or otherwise?

[Nate]

When the feces hits the fan and communities have to live and rely more on their communities to sustain life i.e. food storage, crops, security, will excommunication be more severe? Maybe like now you cant have the crops or something to that degree?

[Jason]

My wife spend a night in my apartment before we were married. It was a few weeks before our wedding day, and she was helping me clean our future apartment, and moved some things in. We both slept in the same bed, and did nothing more than cuddle.

Two weeks later, we were sealed in the Temple.

Now, I can tell you that if we "lived" together for any length of time, I am fairly confident that sexual intercourse would have happened. So if there's any type of intimate connection between a man and a woman, and they don't want to have sex, they probably shouldn't live together.

[a-train]

<div class='quotemain'>

I was put on probation through talking with my bishop at the time, I couldn't partake of the sacrament, say prayers, give talks, or hold a calling.

I'm a little confused about the above...I can understand not taking the sacrament, giving talks or holding a calling, but not being allowed to say prayers? Does that mean not being allowed to lead others in prayer...as in you would be the one saying the prayer aloud for others to follow? or does it mean that you cannot join in with the rest of the congregation when they are saying prayers...set prayers or otherwise?

LDS members who have worthiness issues are not to lead public prayers. Priesthood holders can be denied the right to officiate in priesthood operations when deemed unworthy. Why? We don't intend to have the blind lead us. Those who cannot live the Gospel cannot teach the Gospel.

Now, there is NO circumstance wherein a person is recommended to avoid personal prayer.

'For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.' (2 Nephi 32:8-9)

There is a worthiness requirement for leading prayers in the Church and it stands the same for all. No individual is singled out and held to any higher standard than another. While a person may fall short of the standard and need to make improvements and repent before leading public prayers, we must always pray personally regardless.

-a-train

[pushka]

Thanks for that reply A-Train, I thought it must mean leading prayers..

[snipe123]

<div class='quotemain'>

They are called "Disciplinary Councils". They are not courts. :)

Ben Raines

You can call it a "friendly get-together" but that doesn't change what it is.

I have been the subject of a stake disciplinary council (In April) as a result of my own decision to make things right. The Stake President, his two councilors and all members of the Stake High Council were present and standing as I entered...they all wore welcoming smiles on their faces and I can tell you that never have I experienced a more dignified, inspired, respectful and loving meeting in this church..."A friendly get-together" is exactly what it was and it was liberating and inspiring even though it was difficult to spill my guts so to speak...I received wonderful council including some that led my wife and I to reconcile (we are remarrying next month as I have mentioned in other posts) even though this was the furthest thing from either of our minds... I was disfellowshipped even though many of my offenses could have led to excommuniction...this does not seem to be the expeience of people who go with the wrong attitude however...as I left, they all stood, each one shook my hand and some of them hugged me and offered quick words of council...periodically I run into some of them (particularly the high councilman assigned to my ward) at various meetings, and they are always warm and friendly, ask how I am doing and express how impressed they are that I have not looked back and I am moving forward during this "probationary" period...I won't relate anything more about the experience as it is personal, but I will say it is an inspired process and one of the best examples of the Gospel in action that I have seen in the church...I would not expect someone who has not been to one, either as a council member or as a participant to know this, so I wanted to give my two cents for what it's worth...

[Adomini22]

I enjoyed reading that. thanx for posting it.

[onyx]

<div class='quotemain'>

<div class='quotemain'>

They are called "Disciplinary Councils". They are not courts. :)

Ben Raines

You can call it a "friendly get-together" but that doesn't change what it is.

I have been the subject of a stake disciplinary council (In April) as a result of my own decision to make things right. The Stake President, his two councilors and all members of the Stake High Council were present and standing as I entered...they all wore welcoming smiles on their faces and I can tell you that never have I experienced a more dignified, inspired, respectful and loving meeting in this church..."A friendly get-together" is exactly what it was and it was liberating and inspiring even though it was difficult to spill my guts so to speak...I received wonderful council including some that led my wife and I to reconcile (we are remarrying next month as I have mentioned in other posts) even though this was the furthest thing from either of our minds... I was disfellowshipped even though many of my offenses could have led to excommuniction...this does not seem to be the expeience of people who go with the wrong attitude however...as I left, they all stood, each one shook my hand and some of them hugged me and offered quick words of council...periodically I run into some of them (particularly the high councilman assigned to my ward) at various meetings, and they are always warm and friendly, ask how I am doing and express how impressed they are that I have not looked back and I am moving forward during this "probationary" period...I won't relate anything more about the experience as it is personal, but I will say it is an inspired process and one of the best examples of the Gospel in action that I have seen in the church...I would not expect someone who has not been to one, either as a council member or as a participant to know this, so I wanted to give my two cents for what it's worth...

Thanks Isaac.

Your post reminded me of a talk that was given in my ward a little while back.

The disciplinary counsel was referred to as a "Court of Love."

Your post helped that make nmore sense to me.

Onyx

[alanjones10]

1. Excommunication is the responsibility of the Stake President, Not the Bishop, unless the Stake President sees it being very simple and he give the Bishop directions to do it. 

Excommunication is done to people who have taken upon them Temple Covenants, those who publicly attack the church the Prophets (even if it is being said the Prophet is wrong and needs to change things). These things are serious to the Lord. First when you Covenant with God, he will not be mocked. Regarding attacking church leaders one is hurting the work of the Lord, one is not accepting the divine nature of the Prophets calling. Excommunications are always done either by the Stake President or with his permission. 

Disfellowshipping is used for members who have NOT made temple covenants, or who have not been ridiculing the church in public. Or course more minor sins. This is handled by the Bishop. 

So 2 people living together who are young, never married in a temple, never taken temple covenants, never ridiculed the church publicly, it is very very unlikely they would be excommunicated.