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[Guest]

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[_malkie]

Not just non-member family - non-"worthy" family members, and children, too.

As a member without a temple recommend (and I don't deny that I do not qualify in any way for a TR), a year ago I waited outside the temple while the step-son I raised for 20+ years got married. My story is far from unique.

Many other "unworthy" family members of the faithful have been excluded in like manner. The majority are likely to be regular good people who are deemed unworthy to enter the temple.

Since the church strongly discourages any pre- or post-sealing ceremony that has any appearance of a marriage, these people are shut out of what should be a joyous family event.

Non-member friends who have asked me about my son's wedding have been shocked to hear the way that these things happen. In spite of the family-friendly image that the church projects, and (I believe) uses as a selling point, exclusion of decent, good family members from a wedding ceremony does not do much to make the church more attractive to investigators.

ETA: I expect the same thing to happen when my daughter gets married - I'll likely be either the sole outsider, or one of a small number.

[Guest]

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[_malkie]

I would like to think that my family members were sympathetic, but, although I know they love me, all I heard was that it was my own choice, that I could have been there if I had really wanted.

It's true - I could have been there if I'd been willing to pay tithing for a year (I base that on others' experience with the same bishop), and to lie my way through the interview.

Although I can't say if it's to emphasise the exclusion of the unworthy from the eternal family, I can say that I think it's more of a whip than a carrot. Unfortunately (for the church), for some things the whip is just not effective.

[_Hasa Diga Eebowai]

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