Tom Phillips ( )

Date: January 18, 2013 02:10PM Posted by:Date: January 18, 2013 02:10PM

Oh, how my heart goes out to you. For you to say, after 35 years, "This experience is still seared in my brain as if it just happened yesterday." You should not suffer a minute longer. My heart aches and my bowels are full of mercy (what does that mean, sounds disgusting) for you.



Before I absolve you of your sins, permit me to make a few comments and answer your questions. Excuse the length of this reply, but you have raised a very serious issue and it has preyed on you for 35 years. I need to perform 'spiritual surgery' to heal you and this may take me some multitudinous words.



Firstly, to understand the severity of your sin (as I have already judged you guilty) how often, where, with anyone else or on your own, did you view pornography at the same time, did you fantasise, did you vary your techniques? Wait, now I've really messed you up and all of those questions, including the one posed by your SP, are TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE. Only a brainwashing, control centred cult would ask such questions, not the true Church of Jesus Christ. In fact I would hope that, under our more enlightened laws, such questions between a 19 year old and a middle-aged man of authority, alone together in a room, would be considered criminal.



Secondly, you have not indicated to us whether you had committed this deed. Maybe you hadn't and this evil SP put the idea into your mind. After all, you had never heard the 'M' word until your bishop asked you the question when you were 12. Question - as you had presumably been subjected to this abusive interrogation for 7 years (ages 12-19) why are you so traumatised by your SP asking such an 'innocent' question? Excuse me, I digress.



Thirdly, is masturbation a sin? In the words of President Gordon B. Hinckley "I don't know that we teach that". It is not classed as a sin in the scriptures - the only reference I recall (it's many years since I read the scriptures, so I may be wrong) is Onan who "spilled his seed on the ground". So, just take care not to spill anything. The real meaning of that scripture and his real sin was not masturbating but failing to impregnate his brother's wife. He used the Catholic withdrawal method of contraception, that was his sin.



Also, masturbation was put in the category of sin next to murder by President Spencer W. Kimball. Remember, however, he is a dead prophet, not a living prophet and, most importantly, he was speaking as a man. Remember that dear brother. Also, SWK taught other heresies such as all the natives of the American Continent and the Pacific Islands are descendants of a man called Lehi, who sailed to (Guatamala???) 600 B.C. and founded 2 great civilizations. When modern day 'Lamanites' change their evil ways and become righteous, they turn white. Such heresies SWK taught (even though they are in the Book of Mormon, the most anti-Mormon book in the world, along with the Book of Abraham and the D&C).



The main living 'prophet' who speaks openly against masturbation is President Boyd K, Packer. However, he asks church historians to lie so how trustworthy is he? He is homophobic, thinks SSA is a choice and nothing to do with DNA. He will one day be a 'dead prophet' and be held to have spoken as a man. So, don't worry dear brother. You have done no wrong, even though you have never admitted it or been caught in the act. It is only a mental image of your unrighteous SP.



I don't know about your SP but I have had bishops and 2 stake presidents who have confessed to me that they masturbated. I had to 'work with them' to help them overcome (excuse unintentional pun) their problem. I even know of a brother who, after serving as a mission president and temple president, confessed to having an adulterous affair when he was a bishop. I tell you these things, my brother, not to spread gossip (I have mentioned no names) but to bring solace to your soul.



Fourthly, you are not guilty of the 'm' sin but are you guilty of anger and desiring to cause bodily harm to your SP? No, you are not. He deserves all the ill feeling you can muster. We should all give him an 'evil' care bear stare.



Fifthly, as stated above 'm' cannot be a sin. These are sins - murder (Mountain Meadows Massacre and blood atonement); incest (Adam and Eve's family, Lot's daughters); lying (from Joseph Smith right up to current FP, including Elder Oaks' justification of 'Lying for the Lord'); fooling 14 year old girls into having sex with you (JS); taking money under the pretence of fire insurance (tithing) - these are examples of sins and I assume you are guilty of none of these.



Let me not delay any longer to lift this burden from you, then I'll answer the questions you posed.



Like you, I have had conferred upon me the Melchizedek priesthood and our priesthood lines of authority go all the way back to Jesus Christ. Additionally, I have been commissioned by Jesus Smith.



So, here are the words you asked me to utter:-



BeenThereDunnThatExMo now go your own way and enjoy your life fully knowing that you are not personally responsible for the emotional harm, trauma and damage inflicted upon you and others while growing up Mormon by your inept and so-called local church authorities and/or by the current and past doctrines and practices of the governing board of so-called General Authorities of LDS Inc.



Any sins your **??** stake president thought you guilty of will be upon his head and, in the next life, he will have to pay the utmost senine in retribution for the harm he inflicted on you and countless others. It would be better for him that he had a millstone around his neck and....(sorry, flashbacks to those nasty scriptures).



As to your specific questions, here are my answers:-



A couple of questions to you as an Ex-Mo Stake Prez...



1) Was that standard protocol in the CHI to ask that question in that manner of Missionaries as they were just leaving as some sort of hail-Mary confessional last gasp?

NO - he was way out of order.



2) Is that question left open for personal interpretation to be asked in any way by any Stake Prez or are there certain guidelines a Stake Prez is to follow?

There were guidelines and the question had to be age appropriate.



3) I'm curious how you handled that question with any youngsters or departing Elders that you interviewed.

I would ask them what they understood of the requirement to be morally clean or the law of chastity. I would then ask " do you have any sexual activity of any kind with another person or with yourself". That was basically a catch all question. The only time I found that didn't cover all situations was someone who had sex with an animal, but I did not incorporate that into my questioning.



I hope this long post covers everything you wanted and makes you feel better. Peace be with you and have an abundance of joy throughout the rest of your life. Apologies for those sick priesthood holders who so seriously abused you and others.



Your friend,

Tom