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Stop excommunicating or marginalizing dissidents so often and easily. Excommunication should conform strictly with the principles delineated in D&C 42:20–28 and D&C 102. Public or private differences of opinion are not grounds for excommunication. Witch-hunts should be avoided at all costs. The church is meant to be a ‘type’ or example of perfect government, there […]
Stop teaching that LDS temple and ordinances are required to make it to the Celestial Kingdom and start emphasizing that these things are important symbols which aid in salvation and eternal union but are not a requirement for it per se. Reasoning: In Joseph Smith’s vision of the Celestial Kingdom given in D&C 137:1–10, Joseph sees his brother Alvin […]
LDS members (and even leadership) need to stop bearing false witness or being subtly dishonest concerning the particulars of their witness of Jesus Christ, God and the truth of the church. When someone is called as a ‘witness’, their job is to witness what they have seen, felt and experienced — clearly and unambiguously, honestly […]
Put a greater emphasis on service, humanitarian work and giving. (I think we’re making progress?!) Reasoning: It’s funny how quickly people sense whether you are trying to sell them something. We need to focus a lot more on the newly added 4rth mission of the church “care for the poor and needy“, and realize this is […]
Teach and encourage the practice of economic equality through the Law of Consecration in its proper framework under the United Order. Completely ignoring this law separates the church from the heavenly organizations which helped to found it. Failing to even teach (let alone practice) this system robs the church of possible heavenly blessings and puts us […]
Be completely transparent about church history. (we’re making huge progress on this!) Reasoning: I believe Mormonism has done itself an enormous disservice by pushing a “faith promoting” (sanitized and correlated) view of its history. By hiding the entirely fallible nature of Joseph Smith and other church leaders, we have perpetuated the false dichotomy of “either […]
Reform Action #3 of 20 (see overview page) Reform any unscriptural exclusive truth & priesthood claims. D&C 10:67–68 says clearly “Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he […]
“No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by (ie. instead it should be held by] persuasion… love, kindness and pure knowledge…” (D&C 121:41) Reform Action #1 of 20 (see overview page) The word “cult” typically has a fairly derogatory meaning. So most of us Latter-day Saints […]
Reform Action #4 of 20 (see overview page) Reform governance in seasoned regions of the church, working to eliminate autocracy & “divine dictatorship” and implement the democratic principles revealed in our scripture. Restore the law of common voice where possible in the selection of many congregational-level callings. Do better at respecting difference of opinion and re-instituting the […]
D&C 107 explicitly dictates that the “stake high council” is to be entirely “equal in authority” to the traveling twelve (12 apostles), first presidency & central stake in Zion. The church needs to obey this scriptural mandate for essential autonomy or balanced power of the “Stake” structure. The revelations given to Joseph Smith on the Church political structure far more resemble the Evangelical government structures than the current LDS or Catholic hierarchies with a perfect balance of power between the Stake government and the central church government.
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