Confession in the Mormon Church

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majick275 said:
whenever you move your records will transfer with you (even if they have to track you down) the records won’t list the specifics just the dates of disciplinary action and action taken. those are available to the clerk and the bishopric/stake presidency. sometimes a bishop will put a note in there for the new bishop to call him to explain details. as far as the record of the actual court that gets sent to salt lake where it is archived.
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It sounds to me as if you practically have to wear a big A around your neck all of the rest of your life. Ridiculous.
 
majick275 said:
if a melchisadec priesthood holder the rebaptism only restores their membership, temple blessings, priesthood etc. must be restored later in a temple ordinance called restoration of blessings that requires approval from the first presidency of the church.
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All correct (nearly) except this. The restoration of blessings is not a temple ordinance. The approval of the First Presidency is required; but it is performed by a General Authority by the laying on of hands in any suitable venue such as a Church office.
there is no absolution equivalent only an end to disciplinary action. all of it is documented in your permanent membership records.
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And this. The restoration of blessings restores the person’s membership records as it was originally, when they first joined the Church. The date of baptism is set at the original date, and all records of the excommunication is erased. Nobody looking at the person’s membership records would know that the person was once excommunicated form the Church, let alone the sins for which they were excommunicate. They could not even do that by looking at the baptismal date, because the date of baptism is set at the original date. The slate is wiped completely clean.

The Bishop does not offer “absolution” in the theological sense in which a Catholic priest is supposed to be able to do. However, the bishop is able to declare by the inspiration of the Spirit that the person’s sins are forgiven (after a period of probation and repentance), and that the person can now move forward in the Church, according to what the Lord Himself has declared:

D&C 58:

42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

The bishop has the gift of discernment to be able to know when a person has sufficiently repented of his sins that he has been forgiven, and declare him as such.

The power to offer “absolution” in the same theological sense that a Catholic priest is supposed to be able to do, is possessed in the LDS Church by very few people. They are the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles of the Church; and they do not exercise that power frequently. Needless to say, we believe that no Catholic priest possesses the power to offer “absolution” to anybody in the sitghtest.
Catholic20064 said:
So your sin follows you the rest of your life in your records? Is the Bishop the only one who has access to these records?
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Absolutely not. See explanations given above.

zerinus
 
majick275 said:
if a melchisadec priesthood holder the rebaptism only restores their membership, temple blessings, priesthood etc. must be restored later in a temple ordinance called restoration of blessings that requires approval from the first presidency of the church.
Click to expand...
All correct (nearly) except this. The restoration of blessings is not a temple ordinance. The approval of the First Presidency is required; but it is performed by a General Authority by the laying on of hands in any suitable venue such as a Church office.
there is no absolution equivalent only an end to disciplinary action. all of it is documented in your permanent membership records.
Click to expand...
And this. The restoration of blessings restores the person’s membership records as it was originally, when they first joined the Church. The date of baptism is set at the original date, and all records of the excommunication is erased. Nobody looking at the person’s membership records would know that the person was once excommunicated form the Church, let alone the sins for which they were excommunicate. They could not even do that by looking at the baptismal date, because the date of baptism is set at the original date. The slate is wiped completely clean.

The Bishop does not offer “absolution” in the theological sense in which a Catholic priest is supposed to be able to do. However, the bishop is able to declare by the inspiration of the Spirit that the person’s sins are forgiven (after a period of probation and repentance), and that the person can now move forward in the Church, according to what the Lord Himself has declared:

D&C 58:

42 Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

43 By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins—behold, he will confess them and forsake them.

The bishop has the gift of discernment to be able to know when a person has sufficiently repented of his sins that he has been forgiven, and declare him as such.

The power to offer “absolution” in the same theological sense that a Catholic priest is supposed to be able to do, is possessed in the LDS Church by very few people. They are the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles of the Church; and they do not exercise that power frequently. Needless to say, we believe that no Catholic priest possesses the power to offer “absolution” to anybody in the sitghtest.
Catholic20064 said:
So your sin follows you the rest of your life in your records? Is the Bishop the only one who has access to these records?
Click to expand...
Absolutely not. See explanations given above.
Catholic20064 said:
It sounds to me as if you practically have to wear a big A around your neck all of the rest of your life. Ridiculous.
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See above.

zerinus
 
So if you’re LDS, it is better to get excommunicated so you can start fresh, rather than merely disfellowshipped, where your sin follows you on your permanent record for the rest of your life.

(aka: If you’re going to sin, sin BIG!!)

:hmmm:

Paul
 
PaulDupre said:
So if you’re LDS, it is better to get excommunicated so you can start fresh, rather than merely disfellowshipped, where your sin follows you on your permanent record for the rest of your life.

:hmmm:

Paul
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False, see above.

zerinus
 
the record of disciplinary action WILL remain on the record forever. so yes it does “follow you”. some callings require a significant time to have elapsed since completion of the “repentance process” and these records are used to verify that. example: to be veil worker in the temple at least 5 years must have passed since the resolution of disciplinary action.

excommunication with rebaptism doesn’t really give a clean slate either for adult men who had previously held higher priesthood. the restoration of blessings is required before ANY priesthood function can be exercised or calling held that requires priesthood. it can ONLY be authorized by the first presidency.

So it can be pretty close to the scarlet letter experience since dissed people can’t take sacrament nor teach or pray publicly. Men who can’t perform ordinances are easily noticed and those not wearing temple garments will be noticed by many.
 
majick275 said:
So it can be pretty close to the scarlet letter experience since dissed people can’t take sacrament nor teach or pray publicly. Men who can’t perform ordinances are easily noticed and those not wearing temple garments will be noticed by many.
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by “take the sacrament”, I think it needs to be clarified that by this the Mormon means “communion”. It must be said that this distribution of bread and water is given to you while seated in the pew. You don’t go up for communion like we Catholics do. The tray is passed much like our offering plates. So all those around you will know if you haven’t taken it. I have found that in the Catholic church, most people assume you aren’t Catholic if you don’t go up… when I was a Mormon there were many “knowing” looks while everyone speculated about your sin.

in Christ
Steph
 
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