Dear Friend of RenewAmerica,
My family and I would like to ask for your help in lifting an
immense burden we’ve endured for over a decade relating to our work at
RenewAmerica. There’s something you could do that might possibly
help.
Long-running intimidation
For more than twelve years, as some of you know, we’ve
suffered unremitting interference, harassment, and distraction with our work
from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormon church)—an
institution and culture we were raised in, but whose unbiblical, authoritarian
features we’ve carefully avoided, seeking instead to center our lives in the
biblical gospel, and thus in Jesus Christ Himself.
Because our family has a very large number of close-knit
relatives who belong to the LDS church, we’ve stayed affiliated with the church
all our lives, while trying to set an example of conversion to Christ’s
gospel—and while teaching and “witnessing” that gospel at every meaningful
opportunity.
A chapter in my book A Mormon Story explains why my
family and I would continue to stay in the church and suffer the kind of abuse
we’ve endured, rather than just “up and leave,” something that would greatly
hurt members of our extended family (see “Why stay in the church”).
I was thus personally willing to suffer wrongful excommunication (and
other persecution by LDS leaders at every level), rather than willfully leave
the church of my own accord.
One reason for this decision, my book points out, was to
hold a mirror up to the church as its mischief played out, in the hope
the church might learn something.
Which brings me to the reason for this email.
Our request
Throughout its history, the “Mormon” church has dropped some
of its most disturbing policies, behavior, and teachings when forced to do
so in the “court of public opinion.” This has occurred on numerous
occasions—one of the most recent involving posthumous “proxy baptisms” by the
church in behalf of Holocaust victims whose families objected strenuously when
the activity became known. Public pressure forced the church to drop its
policy.
On another occasion, public outcry reportedly led the church
to delete its unflattering portrayal of other denominations’ ministers from its
central temple ritual after the ceremony was leaked, to avoid giving offense and
appear more “mainstream.”
Other controversial temple particulars have similarly been
tempered over the years to make the church more acceptable.
It’s reasonable to assume the church would terminate (and
correct) its unlawful intrusion into the work of the Stone family if pressed
to do so by public outrage. Adverse publicity has more effect on the church
than just about anything you could name, as its highly-sensitive
image-consciousness reveals.
Here’s what I propose, if you’d like
to help our family fend off the continual persecution that hounds our political
work: Please take a little time and carefully read my latest article at
RenewAmerica titled “Spiritual murder:
allegations of wrongdoing by the LDS church,” and if you see merit in its
facts and presentation, send it far and wide, in an
effort to shine the light of day on the LDS church’s intrusion into the work of
the Stones, RenewAmerica, and the distinguished statesman Alan Keyes, whose
moral conservative activism both our family and RA have long served to assist.
Please give this request prayerful thought, then do what you
feel appropriate.
We in our home want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a
Blessed New Year! May we all—as Alan Keyes often says—“Keep faith,” showing
respect for the will and word of God in all we do.
Stephen Stone
President, RenewAmerica
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