BY COMMON CONSENT M O’RM ON NbWSlerlth OI' llll; .\IOh\iO\' ALll\.\CE ALLIANCE

Volume 1, No. 1 May 1995

JANICE ALLRED EXCOMMUNICATED she said. Although no gathering was planned, about At 2:30 pm.on Tuesday, May9, 1995,Janice two dozen friends were still waiting at 11:20 Allred, balancing carefully on one foot and pm.when the five-hour ordeal ended. "There protecting her other foot. in a mst for six wasn't a sound in the room for ten minutes," weeks since painful surgery, leaned over her said one. 'Peoplecame up and huggedJanice son’s hospitalbedand embraced himtenderly, and David and wept with them, but many of murmun'ng, “It's going to be all right.“ Twenty‑ them just sat still. as if they were stunned. And one‐year‐old Nephl. recently returned from his no one said anything. There was nothing to mission, head swathed in bandages and still say, nothing at all.‘ groggy from the anesthetic, smiled faintly. At Janice plans-to continue attending church 11:30 p.m.,Janice Allred, sitting in the lobby of with her family and will appeal Bishop Harn‑ herward building, embraced a friend weeping mond’s decision to the stake president, Carl in shock and sorrow from the news that Jan‑ Bacon, who, In an October 1994 letter, wrote ice’s bishop had pronounced her excommu‑ that he would sustain whatever action the nication for "apostasy,” and murmured again. bishop took. "it’s going to be all right.“ But nothing about it felt right. ROADSHOW REVIVAL The bishop had scheduled the disciplinary council on forty-eight hours’ notice. Because 'All things considered, I thought a little Janice had not been home Sunday evening, black humor might be in order,“ commented she did not receive the notice until Monday Marti L. Jones, chair of the Mormon Alliance’s moming. She was not allowed witnesses nor session plannedfor the August 1995Sunstone did the bishopallow herto read the statements Symposium in Salt Lake City. "So a view of made at the earlier disciplinary council by her the Church as a modem Candide might see it witnesses then. seems appropriate." Using material providedby the Strengthen‑ The roadshow. titled "Brother and‐Sister ing Church Members Committee, he charged Candide: The Best of All Possible Churches,“ Janice with violating the conditions of her has the welcome mat out for writers, singers, probation by continuing to speak (a condition dancers, and musicians. Those interested in she had never agreed to) and cited the news helping or those with ideas for possible inclu‑ report in Sunstone of the eariier disciplinary sion are urged to call Marti at (801) 265-2479. council, herparticipationinthe November1994 Counterpoint conference, sponsored by the THE JOVS OF SUBSCRIBING Mormon Women’s Fonim, and her participa‑ tion on the April 1995 Mormon Alliance general You may be receiving this newsletter in re‑ conference critique panel as evidence of sponse to a requestformore information about "continued, open opposition" to the Church. the Mormon Alliance. if so, to receive contin‑ Janice continued to insist that these presenta‑ ued mailings, please remit $30.00 to the Mor‑ tions did not constitute opposition “but he mon Alliance, 6337 Highland Drive, Box 215, simply could not understand my point of view,“ Salt Lake City, UT 84121. GEOMETRIC 11Es SWEEP CONFERENCE Alert conference watcher Ardean Watts. a panelist on the third semi-annual "Play-by‑ Play: General Conference Critique for Serious Watchers," in April, reported that "forty out of forty-five ties" worn by General Authorities had ”little geometric patterns.‘ signalling a new trend in "Costume.' (The remaining five were the now-outmoded stripes.) A professional musician, Ardean ranked the music as the unquestioned low point of conference for him Shades of Missouri but also gave President Gordon B. Hinckiey ‘ As a descendant of Missouri's govemor the 'Sweepstakes' award for communicating Lilbum Boggs, my original interest in the ease. communication. and aftability in con‑ Church was more along the historical lines. ducting. However, the recent doctrinal conflicts have Panelist Yvonne Williams, who had begun really stmck a chord with me. i suppose that is watching conference on Saturday with such “a - a result of my Methodist upbringing and the sense of oppression" that she was not sure conviction that each person must find his or she could continue,reportedwith pleasurethat her own peace with God in his or her own. it turned into a good experiment for her and way. identified the address of Aileen H. Clyde. There are interesting parallels between the second counselor in the ReliefSociety general recent excommunications and the activities of presidency, as the high point for her. "It was the Southern Baptist Convention. Historically, completely centered on Christ.“ she comment‑ the Baptists were strong noncreedalists. but ed. "It was beautiful. it was comicrting.‘ Janice my school. Stetson University in Deland. M. Allred praised the fact that it was a woman Florida (named afterthe hat manufacturer)has speaking. but I'noton women's roles and notto been ‘disfellowshiped' from the convention women. Her message was for everyone.‘ For because it fails to follow the Jerry Falwell Richard Williams, the high point was Thomas school of doctrine at Liberty University. S. Monson’s moving and powerful address on. I offer two comments on the present situa‑ mercy,buthe comparedthe Church authorities tion. First, there are many non-Mormons who to OSHA in being able to reqUire members to are not anti-Mormon. Many of us respect the live by standards that they did not require of beliefs of others, whatever they may be. and themselves specifically. honesty. Christlike ways of most saints have brought The panel concluded that the message on much respect to the church. However, those women was mixed: appreciation that women who are most respectful are also the most were allowed to vote as a Relief Society and intolerant of intolerance. The actions of the Young Women. but irony that this new visibility church cause these people to question their also 'showed women where their place was‑ positive attitude toward the church. after the boys.“ and appreciation for Elder Second, any organization has the authority Peny’s praise of Sister Marjorie Hinckley but to discipline its members. to the extent of their Iarnentations that she was praised "not as a membership-but why? Certainly the “market‑ person but as a role" and also that the stories place of ideas“ is the best place to challenge told about herancestors were both about men. a perceived heresy. What is being, accom‑ Audience response was lively. and panel plished. other than the infliction of a consider‑ moderator Lavina Fielding Anderson cut off able amount of pain to the hearts of person floorspeeches heavy on generalities by forcing who have arrived at their belief in just as participants to reference specific conference prayerful a fashion as the General Authorities? addresses. Dean Boggs Bunch Tallahassee, Florida

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Note: This column contains reports evens relevant to on-going issuesof leader-memberrelations, Monnon feminism, andacademic freedom.

7 June 1994. Elder M. Russell Ballardappeared can go this far and no farther. If you go this far. on 'Talk of the Nation," hosted by Flay Suarez, an you‘ve gone too far." . . . That gives the people Imemational Public Radio program, two days after inside an understanding at what you have to do to Howard W. Hunter was orthined president of the stay a Mormon.‘ Church. In response to a question about "the 5 November 1994. The question-answer period church's evolving positionon intellectuals and echo‑ following Paul Toscano’s paper at the Monmn Iars,I Elder Ballard ammunced: 'People can believe Women‘s FommCounterpoim conference, included what they want to believe. The issue that surfaces a discussion of the 1993-94 exoommunications and in the minds of bishops and stake presidents . . 1 » Church leaders. J. Frederic Voros, a member of the who in the instance of just six or seven total in a audience and a friend of Paul’s, told of a meeting church of aim9 million that have been disci~ he had in May 1994 with Howard W. Hunter. then plined over issues of basically doctrine‐one of the President of the Quorum of the Twelve less than challenges the bishop and the stake president have four weeks before President Benson's death: "I met is to keep the doctrine pure. If the doctrine startsto with President Hunter. not with any particular agen‑ become what anybody thinks or what anybody da but because I had long wanted to tell him how thinks it ought to be, we will soon be in very deep much I appreciated his wonderful Christ-centered and difficult water. i . . Somehow the doctrines and loving talks. t t . The most remarkable aspect have to be kept pure and they cannot be subjectto of the meeting to me was that before I left and the membersh'p changing them.‘ without any prompting or prelude, President Hunter 14 Augum 1995. Jan Shippe, interviewed by _said to me, ‘Please give my regards to Brother telephone for Religion on the Line (KTKK Radio, Toscano. l have always thought highly of him.’ And Salt Lake City). responded to a question about the I think this is a response to the personal question influence of dissidents on the Church: 'Well, I'mnot to Paul, ‘How is it alter your excommunication?’ I sure you can say that the dissident herself shapes know at least one member of the hierarchy who, Mormon as much asyou can say that the digident after that exocmmunication, was able to express who is disciplined draws the line and says. "You how highly he regarded Paul.‘

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