Mormons relent on resignation

Two days after a San Francisco Examiner article on a San Francisco man's effort to leave the LDS Church without being excommunicated, his bishop has called-off a disciplinary court scheduled for Sunday. Owen Edwards asked to have his name removed from the Church's rolls in February, saying he was gay and took offense at the Church's position on California's Knight Initiative. He decided to make his case public after he received notice of the disciplinary court on July 8th.

LDS Church Pulls Most Missionaries From Volatile Fiji

In the wake of threats by rebel leader George Speight to lead new efforts against ethnic Indians in Fiji, the LDS Church has pulled all non-Fijiian missionaries from the country. Following Speight's May 19th coup, the Church had moved missionaries to the west side of the island, away from the capital.

Mormons won't let gay quit church without fight

An article in Monday's San Francisco Examiner describes the complaints some disaffected LDS Church members have when they try to remove their names from the LD Church's records. The Examiner says, "Joining the Mormon Church is easy. Getting out can be hell."

Bill To Overturn Oregon Assisted Suicide Law Approaches Vote

The political struggle over Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law may reach a vote in the US Senate soon, as the Senate considers the Pain Relief Promotion Act, which would essentially overturn the Oregon law. The LDS Church opposed the Oregon law when it was passed by referendum in 1994 and again in a 1997 effort to overturn it. Oregon Senator Gordon Smith, an LDS Church member, decided in April to support the Pain Relief Promotion Act, going against the wishes of the majority of his constituents.

After Saying He Likes Metallica, Hatch Claims to be a Deadhead

The Roll Call, the Capitol Hill political newspaper recalls that during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Napster, Senator Patrick Leahy observed that his "beloved Grateful Dead allowed anyone to tape their live shows and then trade tapes, without ever demanding a nickel for the rights." Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, an LDS Church member, couldn't pass on that opportunity, and proclaimed, "I like the Grateful Dead, too, but I'm not a slavish devotee."

Pioneer Day Celebrated, Noted Elsewhere

As Mormonism's Utah minority anticipated the approach of its Jul 24th celebration of Pioneer Day, the majority of Mormons celebrated the arrival of the pioneers on Saturday at Church activities and on Sunday in Church services. Keeping with the LDS Church's suggestion two years ago to commemorate the Mormon Trek with service activities, many LDS congregations included service projects with their picnics and other activities.

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