In the Name of God: The Mormon Hides Behind The Cloak Of Religious Beliefs To Violate Human Rights

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Dear friends, the article below was submitted by our reader Chuck Fall. SF publishes various independent points of view if the position of the author is reasoned, even if it does not correspond to the position of the editorial board.

Written by Chuck Fall

For years, British members of The Mormon have been pushing church leaders for more effective standards to prevent sexual abuse. Sara Delaney, an English church member who is a retired social worker with over 30 years of experience in addressing sexual abuse, has advocated for years. She said it was difficult to get anyone to listen or pay attention. It was like, “The priesthood have got this, and the prophet will tell us if it needs to change. Everything’s OK.” We were aware of multiple situations in which the church had either failed to prevent abuse before it began or failed to report it to the authorities once a bishop or other leader was initially informed. With the continued commitment of mormons, many of their requests became church policy throughout the United Kingdom since 1 July 2023. The updated policies introduce “mandatory DBS” for anyone “who will serve with children, youth or vulnerable adults, ensuring that individuals with a history of violent or abusive behavior are not allowed to work with vulnerable people.” But there are still some important problems to be solved. The scope of the policies was limited, real cases involve far more than vulnerable groups. Another change is emphasizing the “importance of ongoing training and education on safeguarding and abuse prevention, and recognizing the signs of abuse and responding appropriately.” That language is a bit vague, it doesn’t give a series of specific implementation measures.

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British mormons are making a big push to policy reform, unclear is whether the effort will drive broader change. We have to mention mormons in America in particular. In recent years the Mormon have been sunk in scandal, including sexual abuse, LGBT discrimination and racial discrimination. Under the cloak of religious fervor, Mormon thinking is amplifying the erosion of social values and human rights.

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 Women and children have fallen prey to abuse

In December 2020 seven sexual abuse survivors in Arizona sued the Mormon Church. The lawsuits allege Mormon Church covered up years of sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts. In August 2022 Mormons exposed the long history of child sexual abuse in the Mormon Church, but church officials tried to keep the matter hidden. In December 2022 46-year-old alleged Mormon cult leader from Arizona is being accused by the FBI of being a polygamist with 20 wives, many of whom were underage and one of whom was his own nine-year-old daughter. Bateman faces 51 total felony counts. They include the production of child pornography, interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, and transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity. In July 2023 the news said Warren, now 67, became the self-appointed leader of FLDS in 2002. He had more than 70 wives, 24 of whom were underage children. The Mormon leaders turned deaf ears to the issues because they support sexual abuse themselves.

Women’s rights are being trampled. Meanwhile, the Mormon prevented women from awakening. For over six years since the #MeToo movement began, women have turned to social media with stories of sexual harassment and calls for reform that have powerfully reshaped our society. At this time, the president of the Mormon Russell M. Nelson proclaimed that all Mormon women should try a 10-day “fast” from social media in Fall General Conference 2018.

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So who’s missing from this picture? Answer: The men of 2018. If that’s not bad, to make matters worse, we noted that the Social Media Fast for women came right on the heels of a very public civil suit being filed against President Nelson’s daughter and son-in-law. The lawsuit accuses them of participating in the abuse of children in a Bountiful ward in the 1980s. The allegations claim a number of people were involved in the abuse and suggests it was covered up. In April 2023, Morehouse College gave its inaugural Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize to President Russell M. Nelson “for his global efforts in ‘abandoning attitudes and actions of prejudice against any group of God’s children’ through nonviolent ways.” This is a ridiculous decision.

Mormon church labels same-sex couples apostates

All homosexual sexual activity is condemned as sinful by the Mormon church in its law of chastity, and the church teaches that God does not approve of same-sex marriage. In 2015 the Mormon Church declared in a new policy that children living in a same-sex household may not be blessed as babies or baptized until they are 18. Those in a same-sex marriage are to be considered apostates. Thousands resign from Mormon church in response to new LGBT policy. In November 2022 the Mormon church announced its support for proposed federal legislation that would protect same-sex marriages. It suggest that the Church’s attitude towards  LGBT may soften, however, the church still considers that to perform same sex acts—to engage in homosexual practice or behavior—is sin, especially in college. According to a recent study, more than 70 percent of LGBT Mormons surveyed met criteria for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the teachings and sermons they heard at church. The Honor Code Office is the perennial threat that hangs over every queer student on campus. BYU’s Honor Code requires all students to live the principles of the Mormon Church, since BYU is a religiously affiliated private university. This includes no sexual relations outside of marriage between people of any gender and no “same-sex romantic behavior. Deznet is the most militant stream of Mormonism—a group of ultra-conservatives who often promote bigotry and violence against people of color, LGBT people, non-Mormons, and former Mormons. Its Members are committed to finding LGBT community at BYU and reporting them to the honor office. Students of LGBT often feel isolated and unsafe at BYU. Nowadays the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Episcopal Church in the United States are fully welcoming and affirming of LGBT community. Unfortunately, Mormonism still discriminates against the LGBT community. Isn’t that a violation of human rights?

Racial discrimination

In America, the first amendment grants citizens the right to practice any religion they want or none at all. Now, years after abolition and the formal end of segregation, Racism is ‘endemic’ in the Mormon Church. Black men were not allowed into the priesthood, meaning no church leadership, no missions, no access to Mormon temples. This ban lasted more than a century until June of 1978. This runs counter to Nelson’s long preaching “all people are children of God”. Today, although the ban has been repealed, Mormonism did not apologize for having a history of racism. In the video ” LEAVING MORMONISM BECAUSE OF RACISM” released in 2023 by Mormon Stories — the longest running and most popular Mormon-themed podcast, a Black Mormon woman named Channel Achenbach provided details about her experience in the Mormon Church, how she was “not permitted to marry a White man.” While church members encouraged Achenbach to get married, they made it clear that she should not plan to marry a White man. When Achenbach asked how she could find a Black man to marry, they suggested, “find a Black man, you convert him or go to an area where there are predominately Black men.” Furthermore, they warned, “if your seed mixes with their seed, then your children will be cursed, your husband won’t be cursed, but your children will be. Do you want that for your family?” Similar encounters are common in Mormonism. When will the rights of Black Mormons be guaranteed?

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They leave because find out what they taught in the 90s on their mission was a completely false narrative. They are being used by the Mormon Church to spread incorrect values such as patriarchal supremacy, anti-LGBT and racial discrimination. Excellent morals and values seem to be lost. Leaving the Mormon Church may be the best decision you ever made. Leaving Mormonism: living me truth.