Resignation Parties

It appears that formal resignation parties in Salt Lake City are trending in popularity.  Deseret News reports on the last weekend celebration at Temple Square.  The LA Times even devoted some ink to the story.

Not that there is any real increase in the number of faithless and apostates leaving the Church.  Statistics would seem to indicate that there is and has always been a quite consistent flux of ingress and egress from Church membership.

Officially, judging by the statements from Church spokesman, we are supposed to be sad and regret that anyone makes the deliberate choice to leave.  But personally, I feel quite optimistic.  I'm happy and encouraged that these people discovered a new path to personal fulfilment and happiness.  And relieved that they are no longer burdened with the hypocrisy of associating with the Church that persists in traditional ideals that make them feel bad.

It seems so ironic to me that anyone is moved to manipulate the public news media into giving news time to this party.  Indeed, an earlier event reportedly was conducted more appropriately in a popular Salt Lake bar.  The most common statement from those departing souls seems to be to the effect that the Church stubbornly refuses to see things from their perspective, so in retaliation, this public swan song will deprive the Church of the beneficent blessings of their hypercritical non-participation.  And we'll all be sorry and miserable without them, forever more.  Or something like that.

It reminds me of so many "mass" demonstrations in the past.  Unhappy screaming people waving signs and marching around together to protest against some imagined slight.  I have been hearing about the staging of hundreds of different protests since I was young.  The faces never seem to change much, although the causes come and go with the tide.

Ironically, in the current party, most of those celebrating their own departure claim to be protesting against new Church policy that they claim reflects a lack of love and proper regard for children of so-called "same-sex" unions.  One protester is quoted, "We want this event to make a statement to the church today that its treatment of those we love has led us to this moment."  Just look at what you made me do.

Although many feign shock or surprise at the Handbook 1 revisons, Church doctrine has always regarded homosexual behavior as violation of the Law of Chastity, along with any other forms of sexual relationship outside the bounds of traditional marriage.  In fact, the same rules were implemented in policy long ago for families practicing polygamy, but nobody seems to have made any protests against that.  In any case, it seems that most of those in attendance at last weeks party never believed or practiced  keeping the laws of the Church anyway.  Apparently the majority of them were "Mormons" in name only.  Some of them even have tee-shirts to emphasize that fine philosophical point.

So apparently, notwithstanding the sympathetic noises coming from news coverage, the Church has lost nothing but faithless malcontents and detractors.  May they all find greater happiness in their future life.  May they all have better luck next time.