Sugar Land Mormon faces excommunication for criticism of church

Sam Young is challenging the Mormon Church's private interviews with children. "I am doing this for them," he said, referring to a photos of his grandkids.﻿ Sam Young is challenging the Mormon Church's private interviews with children. "I am doing this for them," he said, referring to a photos of his grandkids.﻿ Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Photo: Brett Coomer, Staff Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Sugar Land Mormon faces excommunication for criticism of church 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Sam Young knew what was at stake from the beginning — when he began to question certain practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Sugar Land resident was forewarned that he could be excommunicated for crusading against the church's policy of allowing bishops to meet with children one-on-one to discuss topics regarding their faith and personal behavior. Young, who served for five years as a bishop, has been pushing for reforms to the routine meetings after learning that some of the questions bishops asked were sexually explicit.

"Protecting children is more important than my membership in the church," he said this week. "I'm not going to shut up. That would be immoral on my part."

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The warnings were not unfounded. Young has been summoned to a rare excommunication hearing set for Sunday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Building in Sugar Land.

He is now preparing his case to challenge the charge and remain in the Mormon church, in which he has been a lifelong active member. In addition to serving as a bishop, he has been a bishopric counselor, a ward mission leader, stake activities director and a seminary teacher.

"This is my church," he said. "It's been my church my entire life. My community is in the church. My wife is in the church. My children are in the church. My grandchildren are in the church."

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would not comment on the case but spokesman Eric Hawkins provided a statement: "Because of the personal nature of church disciplinary matters and to respect the privacy of those involved, the church does not provide information about the proceedings. Church discipline is administered by local leaders who are familiar with the individual and his or her circumstances."

Young created a petition earlier this year to end the interviews and said he collected about 56,000 signatures. He recently completed a 23-day hunger strike at Temple Square in Salt Lake City to raise awareness of the issue.

"I was asking the apostles to come down and meet with the people who were harmed by the policy, to meet people who were concerned," he said. "But no one ever showed up. They ignored me."