How to Get Kicked Out of the Mormon Church

 

While the scores of Mormon people I've known well for decades are among the best individuals that exist anywhere, there is no doubt that branch of Christianity is strange. It starts with Joeseph Smith's tale and goes downward from there. While Mormonism has grown around the world, it, too, has hit a brick wall among young people and, one would think, will experience a long and slow decline.

There are a host of bloggers and You Tube creators, Mormons or former Mormons, who produce a steady critique of the faith. They face losing their friends and families but see the flaws. A couple who produce videos about the faith had the choice of resigning or being removed by officials. They chose to resign.

One half of the couple, Valarie Hamaker, has been councilor to Mormon women and author for a long time. She has been in the Christian press. Women in the Mormon faith struggle from the demands made of them. Hamaker's work with women did not encourage them to leave the faith but to navigate within it.

The Hamakers live it the Kansas City area which is said to be an area of conservative Mormons. When their pod casts became well known across the U.S. the local Bishop called them in to complain about their content. They are certain their own interpretation of Mormon rules is correct and they have stayed within them. Several other local officials became involved but it was clear the Hamakers were to either leave the faith or stop the pod casts. A "hearing" before a local board was scheduled by the Hamakers were not allowed to have legal counsel nor was testimony from Mormons who had been helped by them allowed. They decided to leave the faith.

The problem seemed mostly local and not from headquarters in Salt Lake City. It reflects the power plays that are present often in local parts of all denominations and within local churches.  

The Hamakers wanted to stay in the Mormon church. As an outsider, it is hard to understand why.