A Case Where Request for Name Removal From the LDS, Mormon, Record Results in Excommunication.
Statement by Jerald Tanner (from his book, "Mormonism - Shadow or Reality."
IS IT TRUE THAT YOU WERE EXCOMMUNICATED FROM THE LDS CHURCH?
Laurizt G. Petersen, of the LDS Church Historian's Office, made this statement in a letter: "Jerald Tanner was excommunicated from the church some time ago. How can the light shine when the switch has been turned off?"
Although it is true that we were excommunicated from the Mormon Church, we feel that the reader should understand that it is impossible to withdraw from membership in the Mormon Church without excommunication, and that we were excommunicated at our own requests. Actually, it is very difficult for a person to have his name removed from the membership rolls of the Mormon Church. The situation is almost like a worker telling his boss that he intends to quit, and having his boss reply, "You can't quit unless we fire you."
Wallace Turner stated: "Only by excommunication can a person leave the church. This may be had for the asking, but few ask, even when disenchanted with their religion.
"Two who did request it are Jerald Tanner and his wife, Sandra who run a small printing operation here that distributes such things as anti-Mormon books that have been out of print and pamphlets attacking the validity of the Book of Mormon' as a divinely revealed work." (The New York Times, Dec. 27, 1965, p. 18)
It may be of interest to the reader to know something concerning our "trials"; therefore, we will both make a brief statement concerning them:
STATEMENT BY JERALD TANNER: When I was about nineteen years of age I requested that my name be withdrawn from the LDS Church membership records. A member of the Stake Presidency promised me that he would see that this was taken care of. Two years later, however, I found that no action had been taken. At this time I wrote to the President of the LDS Church, and on August 9, 1960, I received a "SUMMONS" from my Bishop. The reader will find a photograph of this on page 575 of this book.
Notice that the "SUMMONS" states that I was the one who requested my name withdrawn from the records, and that I was to bring witnesses. On August 14, 1960, I appeared before the "Bishop's Court" with my "witnesses." My "witnesses" were told, however, that they could not come into the room where the excommunication was to take place because I had voluntarily requested my name removed. Unless I wished to contest the removal of my name the witnesses were not needed and would not be allowed into the room. So I walked into the room alone, and they shut the door. They asked me if I would mind if they made a tape recording of the proceedings. I permitted them to make the recording but asked if I could also make a recording. The answer was no. They asked me if I wanted to plead guilty to the "alleged wrong doing" of requesting my name to be removed from the Church records and teaching doctrines not in harmony with the Church. I replied that I did not believe my actions were "wrong" in these regards, and therefore could not plead guilty, but that I wanted my name removed without the use of the expression "wrong doing." This caused a great deal of confusion among the members of the "Bishop's Court," and they did not know how to proceed. After conversing among themselves they decided to proceed without the admission of "wrong doing" on my part. On August 28, 1960, the Bishopric sent me a letter concerning the decision of the court. The reader will find a photograph of it on page 575 of this book.
STATEMENT BY SANDRA TANNER: In June of 1960 I wrote a letter to my Bishop requesting him to remove my name from the membership of the Mormon Church since I no longer believed Joseph Smith to be a prophet or the unique doctrines of the Mormon Church. Shortly after this two Mormon Elders delivered a letter to me stating the date that the Bishop's Court would meet to consider my excommunication (see letter on page 575).
On July 7, 1960 I went to the Ward. The Bishop, his two counselors, and the Ward Clerk were there. The Ward Clerk took notes of the proceedings. The Bishop proceeded to establish my "guilt" by presenting evidence that I was in a state of apostacy. After this had been established he then stated that from that moment on I was no longer a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and as such I forfeited my right to the blessings of the church and the church would no longer accept my tithing. He then stated I was forfeiting my right to the Kingdom of God. I asked him for a definition of the term "Kingdom of God"; did he mean the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, the Telestial Kingdom, or all three kingdoms. (The Mormons believe heaven is divided into three kingdoms.) At this he became disturbed and said we weren't there to argue. I stated that I felt I had a right to know specifically what he believed I was giving up. He then stated I was forfeiting my right to the Celestial Kingdom.
The Bishop was visibly shaken by the proceeding. He was almost tearful. I was the first person he had excommunicated and he obviously believed he was literally sentencing me to spend eternity outside the presence of God. I tried to comfort him by telling him I felt no sorrow about being excommunicated and I was fully ready to face God as an ex-Mormon since I was trusting in Christ, not church membership, to save me. I thanked the men for removing my name from the church records and left.
While it is true that we were excommunicated, the reader will notice from the photographs that we requested the action. We feel, therefore, that when Mormons mention our excommunication they should also explain that it was at our request. All sorts of false rumors have been circulated concerning our excommunication. We have been accused of adultery, polygamy, etc. For instance, in a letter dated May 18, 1971, we find the following:
"I recently appeared on a Symposium with a Mormon professor... He spoke on the subject, 'Why I Am A Mormon'.... After the two speeches, the Mormon professor...said...there is a couple in Salt Lake City who were disfellowshipped from the church because they wanted to continue to preach and practice polygamy. He said their names were Jerry and Sandra Tanner, and that they have been doing a lot of printing of untruths to try to get even. He also stated that the Tanners had started a new church. I had never run into that charge before, so thought I would ask you to please tell me what really happened, so if I run into that again, I will be able to intelligently answer the charges."
The reader can plainly see from the photographs on page 575 that there is absolutely no truth to these charges.
We have never regretted for a moment that we left the Mormon Church. In fact, we have had a
real peace concerning this matter and would do it again if necessary.
Modified September 3, 1997