Stephen Bloor's excommunication - Problems

[Schreech]

Okay, just wanted to highlight this issue on the board.

My friend Stephen Bloor has been excommunicated by the church (they completely have a right to define their borders, no problem with that).

There are some problematic issues with the way it was done.

1. He was sent a letter that reads like a disciplinary hearing by the Stake President, but was told verbally by his bishop that it was not a disciplinary hearing. He couldn't attend.

2. HE was sent a letter 2 weeks later telling him that he was excommunicated in his absence and his records had been removed.

(This was October 2015)

3. His parents were informed in 2015 that he had been excommunicated (they are still very active), without his approval or knowledge).

4. Under data protection laws in the UK he asked for a copy of the minutes of the meeting, and for clarification as to why he was told the meeting was not a disciplinary court. (Legally, the church has 40 days to comply, and never have)

5. He has appealed the decision and the method to the 1st presidency. No response, and the SP and bishop have invited him to a meeting on Sunday, but aren't prepared to put anything in writing.

Even Jeremy Runnells was entitled to a church court. Why have the local leaders been so underhand and lied to Steve. Is this a local vendetta (Chris Ralph, the other potential witness in the Phillips Suit has been treated far more kindly)?


Can local church leaders flout the church's own excommunication procedures with impunity? Can the church break data protection laws?

What can be done to put this right?

[_deacon blues]

This sounds stinky to me. I don't know what can be done other than to publicize it.

[_Mary]

Yeah. I am lost as what to do, to help Steve out.

This seems like clerical abuse by rogue local leaders.

[_Mormonicious]

Nothing. It's their club they can give membership and take membership to and from anyone they want.

[_Mary]

Mormonicious. Absolutely. They have a right to define their own borders, but surely the local stake president and bishop are required to follow the church handbook of instructions (it's binding on other issues, right?)

And the church also has to follow Data Protection laws when required to do so. This is what Steve is being told by the Information Commissioners Office. The European presidency have confirmed they have no records pertaining to Steve and that they are held in America.

From Steve's comments

This is not a Freedom of Information issue. But rather involves EU & UK law about the use of and sharing of personal data.

This is regulated by the ICO. The Information Commissioner's Office.

The bishop has confirmed that minutes were made and are in Salt Lake.

[_Maksutov]

What a dramatic way to validate what he has said.

[_Res Ipsa]

Has he contacted the Information Commissioner's office with respect to his request and the disclosure of his excommunication to his parents?

[_Mary]

Yes, he has.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Who is Stephen Bloor, what led to his excommunication 'hearing', and aside from the particular noncompliance with internal disciplinary procedures of the the Church in his stake why is this story compelling?

- Doc

[_Mary]

Steve resigned as a bishop after having a faith crisis a few years back now.

Along with Chris Ralph, he agreed (but was never required) to act as a witness in the Tom Phillips court case. He has been very public, writing a blog, so his excommunication comes as no surprise.

The issue is the mishandling of disciplinary procedures where he has been lied to about the purpose of the meeting and actually the flouting of UK data protection laws.

I support him, because he and his wife are my friends. I know him to be a man of integrity and he deserves to be treated with respect no matter what anyone thinks of his actions.