Knowledge (XXG)

Strengthening Church Members Committee

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resigned in 1992 partly due to "difficulty carrying out university business because of complaints from BYU religion faculty about other faculty members' writings, made to the Strengthening Church Members Committee". England had known others affected by the committee's activities, some seeing their
114:, LeFevre stated that the committee "provides local church leadership with information designed to help them counsel with members who, however well-meaning, may hinder the progress of the church through public criticism.". He denied that such referrals were intended to intimidate scholars. The 130:
123), that directed church leaders to establish a committee for "gathering up a knowledge of all the facts, and sufferings and abuses put on" church members, and the "names of all persons that have had a hand in their oppressions". The statement indicated that the members were then
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In response to this public discourse, the LDS Church spokesman, Don LeFevre, acknowledged the committee's existence. LeFevre said that the committee "receives complaints from church members about other members who have made statements that 'conceivably could do harm to the
707: 783: 100:", then the committee will "pass the information along to the person's ecclesiastical leader." According to LeFevre, however, "the committee neither makes judgments nor imposes penalties." Discipline is "entirely up to the discretion of the local leaders." 199:'s former stake president had news clippings and a lengthy podcast transcription, which Dehlin believed had been provided by another source, though he did not see a file on himself from the committee. Rock Waterman reported that his 207:. The church declined to comment, though an earlier press release had stated, "Decisions are made by local leaders and not directed or coordinated by Church headquarters." Several blogs also suggested the committee's involvement. 31:(LDS Church) who monitor the publications of its members for possible criticism of general and local church leaders. If criticism is found, the committee may forward information to local church leaders, who may bring charges of 153:
characterized the committee as a "clipping service" that "may have monitored speeches, writings and activities of those suspected of apostasy and passed on material to church officials".
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published news stories on the subject (Tribune, August 8, 1992, and August 15, 1992). England came to regret his comments and apologized to all parties individually.
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of church public affairs saying, "There is no coordinated effort to tell local leaders to keep their members from blogging or discussing their questions online."
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for Salt Lake City, investigated whether the committee was involved when several LDS bloggers and activists were summoned for church discipline.
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The committee is understood to still be in operation, and was mentioned during the 2004 church discipline of
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referencing the committee was published. The committee was one of the subjects discussed in the 1992
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then issued a statement on August 22, 1992, defending the committee based on an 1839 letter from
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described this as a "crackdown" involving "more than a dozen Mormons", but quoted
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Organizational subdivisions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
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files, which in one case contained newspaper clippings about being a
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The existence of the committee became national news. Speaking to the
185: 620:"Mormons Say Critical Online Comments Draw Threats From Church" 567:"Elder L. Whitney Clayton Involved in Church Discipline Again?" 189: 358: 356: 62:
The existence of the committee became known in 1991, when a
383: 381: 437:"Grant Palmer Faces Church Discipline for Writing History" 467:"What's LDS panel's role in Mormon disciplinary actions?" 161:
According to Eugene England, BYU academic vice-president
86:(BYU) professor) on August 6, 1992. Soon thereafter, the 177:
in which it reportedly sent a dossier on Palmer to his
663:"Mormon church said to be keeping files on dissenters" 362: 331:"'No Cause, No Cause': An Essay Toward Reconciliation" 47:
The committee was formed during the administration of
227:, a Catholic organization which serves a similar role 387: 297:"Church Evaluating Reports of Satanic Cults in Utah" 492:"Church Responds to Church Discipline Questions" 398: 29:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 671:. Hendersonville, North Carolina. pp. 5B. 708:"Cracks in the Temple: Mormon unity in peril" 8: 749:"The Strengthening Church Members Committee" 789:Christian organizations established in 1985 759:on 13 July 2011 – via Kevin Ashworth. 16:Mormon organization monitoring publications 732:. Harare, Zimbabwe: Connexional Bookshop. 706:Brinkley-Rogers, Paul (October 10, 1993). 661:Religious News Service (August 13, 1992). 646:Gregory, Sophronia Scott (June 13, 1994). 225:Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 54:, soon after he became president in 1985. 373: 321: 319: 267:The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power 691:The First Presidency (August 22, 1992), 747:Butterfield, Justin (7 December 2004). 248: 241: 203:became involved at the direction of an 21:Strengthening Church Members Committee 7: 676:Steinfels, Peter (August 22, 1992). 443:. December 12, 2004. Archived from 618:Laurie Goodstein (June 18, 2014). 295:Henetz, Patty (October 25, 1991). 14: 541:Denver Snuffer (June 20, 2014). 305:. Salt Lake City. pp. B1–B2 126:), now canonized by the church ( 593:"These Men Are Not the Enemies" 547:from the desk of Denver Snuffer 518:"Who Is Changing The Doctrine?" 516:Rock Waterman (June 22, 2014). 465:Brian Mullahy (June 13, 2014). 1: 730:A handbook for church leaders 728:Nyanjaya, Ananias K. (2014). 656:. Vol. 143, no. 24. 141:Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 591:Winterbuzz (June 27, 2014). 774:1985 establishments in Utah 498:. LDS Church. June 11, 2014 363:Religious News Service 1992 805: 779:Latter Day Saint practices 598:Feminist Mormon Housewives 388:The First Presidency 1992 84:Brigham Young University 76:Lavina Fielding Anderson 66:from general authority 473:. Salt Lake City, Utah 35:, which can result in 399:Brinkley-Rogers 1993 25:general authorities 270:. Salt Lake City: 209:The New York Times 72:Sunstone Symposium 23:is a committee of 262:Quinn, D. Michael 137:Russell M. Nelson 89:Salt Lake Tribune 796: 760: 755:. Archived from 743: 717: 713:Arizona Republic 702: 687: 672: 657: 634: 633: 631: 630: 615: 609: 608: 606: 605: 588: 582: 581: 579: 578: 563: 557: 556: 554: 553: 538: 532: 531: 529: 528: 513: 507: 506: 504: 503: 488: 482: 481: 479: 478: 462: 456: 455: 453: 452: 447:on March 6, 2005 433: 427: 426: 424: 423: 408: 402: 396: 390: 385: 376: 371: 365: 360: 351: 350: 348: 347: 335: 329:(January 2002). 323: 314: 313: 311: 310: 292: 286: 285: 258: 252: 246: 213:Michael Otterson 116:First Presidency 99: 64:1990 church memo 52:Ezra Taft Benson 49:church president 804: 803: 799: 798: 797: 795: 794: 793: 764: 763: 746: 740: 727: 724: 722:Further reading 705: 690: 675: 660: 645: 642: 637: 628: 626: 617: 616: 612: 603: 601: 590: 589: 585: 576: 574: 573:. June 21, 2014 565: 564: 560: 551: 549: 540: 539: 535: 526: 524: 515: 514: 510: 501: 499: 490: 489: 485: 476: 474: 464: 463: 459: 450: 448: 441:Signature Books 435: 434: 430: 421: 419: 418:. December 2004 416:Signature Books 412:"Press release" 410: 409: 405: 397: 393: 386: 379: 372: 368: 361: 354: 345: 343: 333: 327:England, Eugene 325: 324: 317: 308: 306: 294: 293: 289: 282: 274:. p. 311. 272:Signature Books 260: 259: 255: 247: 243: 239: 221: 179:stake president 175:Grant H. Palmer 159: 124:1838 Mormon War 106: 104:Church response 97: 60: 45: 37:excommunication 17: 12: 11: 5: 802: 800: 792: 791: 786: 781: 776: 766: 765: 762: 761: 744: 738: 723: 720: 719: 718: 703: 688: 683:New York Times 678:"Secret Files" 673: 668:The Times-News 658: 641: 638: 636: 635: 624:New York Times 610: 583: 558: 533: 522:Pure Mormonism 508: 483: 457: 428: 403: 391: 377: 374:Steinfels 1992 366: 352: 315: 287: 280: 253: 240: 238: 235: 234: 233: 228: 220: 217: 205:area authority 184:In June 2014, 168:Young Democrat 158: 155: 151:Dallin H. Oaks 133:James E. Faust 111:New York Times 105: 102: 80:Eugene England 59: 56: 44: 41: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 801: 790: 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 775: 772: 771: 769: 758: 754: 750: 745: 741: 739:9780797460232 735: 731: 726: 725: 721: 715: 714: 709: 704: 700: 699: 694: 689: 685: 684: 679: 674: 670: 669: 664: 659: 655: 654: 649: 644: 643: 639: 625: 621: 614: 611: 600: 599: 594: 587: 584: 572: 571:Nearing Kolob 568: 562: 559: 548: 544: 537: 534: 523: 519: 512: 509: 497: 493: 487: 484: 472: 468: 461: 458: 446: 442: 438: 432: 429: 417: 413: 407: 404: 400: 395: 392: 389: 384: 382: 378: 375: 370: 367: 364: 359: 357: 353: 341: 340: 332: 328: 322: 320: 316: 304: 303: 298: 291: 288: 283: 281:1-56085-060-4 277: 273: 269: 268: 263: 257: 254: 250: 245: 242: 236: 232: 231:September Six 229: 226: 223: 222: 218: 216: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 194: 191: 187: 182: 180: 176: 171: 169: 164: 163:Stan Albrecht 156: 154: 152: 149: 144: 142: 138: 134: 129: 125: 121: 117: 113: 112: 103: 101: 93: 91: 90: 85: 81: 77: 73: 69: 68:Glenn L. Pace 65: 57: 55: 53: 50: 42: 40: 38: 34: 30: 26: 22: 757:the original 752: 729: 711: 696: 681: 666: 651: 627:. Retrieved 623: 613: 602:. Retrieved 596: 586: 575:. Retrieved 570: 561: 550:. Retrieved 546: 536: 525:. Retrieved 521: 511: 500:. Retrieved 495: 486: 475:. Retrieved 470: 460: 449:. Retrieved 445:the original 431: 420:. Retrieved 406: 394: 369: 344:. Retrieved 337: 307:. Retrieved 302:Deseret News 300: 290: 265: 256: 249:Gregory 1994 244: 208: 183: 172: 170:in college. 160: 145: 120:Joseph Smith 109: 107: 94: 87: 74:in talks by 61: 46: 20: 18: 753:Mormon Wasp 701:, p. 7 698:Church News 543:"The Facts" 197:John Dehlin 768:Categories 640:References 629:2014-07-02 604:2014-07-02 577:2014-07-02 552:2014-07-02 527:2014-07-02 502:2014-07-02 477:2014-07-02 451:2010-01-19 422:2010-01-19 346:2010-01-19 309:2010-01-19 157:Activities 342:(121): 39 193:affiliate 146:In 1993, 58:Discovery 496:Newsroom 339:Sunstone 264:(1997). 219:See also 82:(then a 43:Creation 33:apostasy 148:apostle 139:of the 128:D&C 736:  278:  201:bishop 188:, the 96:church 334:(PDF) 237:Notes 734:ISBN 653:Time 471:KUTV 276:ISBN 186:KUTV 135:and 78:and 19:The 190:CBS 27:of 770:: 751:. 710:. 695:, 680:. 665:. 650:. 622:. 595:. 569:. 545:. 520:. 494:. 469:. 439:. 414:. 380:^ 355:^ 336:. 318:^ 299:. 181:. 143:. 39:. 742:. 716:. 686:. 632:. 607:. 580:. 555:. 530:. 505:. 480:. 454:. 425:. 401:. 349:. 312:. 284:. 251:. 98:'

Index

general authorities
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
apostasy
excommunication
church president
Ezra Taft Benson
1990 church memo
Glenn L. Pace
Sunstone Symposium
Lavina Fielding Anderson
Eugene England
Brigham Young University
Salt Lake Tribune
New York Times
First Presidency
Joseph Smith
1838 Mormon War
D&C
James E. Faust
Russell M. Nelson
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
apostle
Dallin H. Oaks
Stan Albrecht
Young Democrat
Grant H. Palmer
stake president
KUTV
CBS
affiliate

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