In which I finally write that letter I mentioned so long ago.
I finally wrote my letter of resignation. If all goes well I hope to have mailed it by the end of the week, but I'm in the last few weeks of the semester and very busy. For those interested, here is the letter:
Richard Fitzgerald, 04/27/1987, 473 South River Rd Saint George UT 84790
Dear Bishop:
I, Richard Fitzgerald, do hereby officially inform you of my resignation from membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, effective immediately. With my resignation I voluntarily sever all relations to and associations with the LDS church.
I therefore request that you make the necessary changes in the church membership records to indicate that I am no longer a member. I am familiar with the procedures outlined in the Church Handbook of Instructions, and I request that you fill out and forward the necessary administrative forms as soon as possible.
I assure you that this decision is not spontaneous or being undertaken on a whim. I have devoted much of my mind to the matter over the passage of several years. My convictions are such that I will not be dissuaded from this course by any argument, nor do I wish to engage in such. My decision to end my membership in the church is final and unalterable.
I am aware that according to church doctrine this nullifies all blessings, baptisms, ordinations, promises, covenants, and my hope of exaltation in the Mormon celestial kingdom.
I request that no one representing the church contact me for any reason other than to confirm that my request is being processed. In particular I will refuse to speak with anyone from the church who attempts to argue with me about my decision.
It is my understanding that you are required to indicate on your form my reason for leaving. Please state the reason as "At member's request" or "Doctrinal reasons," since that is the reason. I insist that you do not put there any reason which may be derogatory to me. I wish to assure you that I am not leaving the church because of some personal slight or insult, or because I have "sinned" or am unable to keep the commandments. I have simply come to the realization that the church is not what it claims to be, that its doctrine is false, and that I wish no further involvement or association with the LDS church.
I request that my name removal request be forwarded without delay to the stake president in accordance with the Church Handbook of Instructions. I will check with you in one week if you have not already notified me by then that it has been forwarded to the stake president.
Please inform the stake president that I waive the thirty-day waiting period during which the stake president may hold the request in order to give me the opportunity to rescind. Rather, I request him to process it without delay. Please ask the stake president to notify me when he has forwarded my request to church headquarters. If I do not hear from him, I will contact him to make sure that my request is being honored without delay.
I will consider any unnecessary delay to be a violation of my rights of free association and freedom of religion as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
I consider this matter to be confidential, and I insist that no church representative discuss my resignation with any persons other than those church officers who are processing my name removal or those who must be informed to carry out their church duties; that if any church official speaks of this matter outside of official channels, I will consider it a violation of confidence, a violation of church regulations (CHI p. 130), and seek legal redress.
Thank you for your courtesy in honoring my request without delay.
Richard Fitzgerald.
Richard Fitzgerald, 04/27/1987, 473 South River Rd Saint George UT 84790
Dear Bishop:
I, Richard Fitzgerald, do hereby officially inform you of my resignation from membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, effective immediately. With my resignation I voluntarily sever all relations to and associations with the LDS church.
I therefore request that you make the necessary changes in the church membership records to indicate that I am no longer a member. I am familiar with the procedures outlined in the Church Handbook of Instructions, and I request that you fill out and forward the necessary administrative forms as soon as possible.
I assure you that this decision is not spontaneous or being undertaken on a whim. I have devoted much of my mind to the matter over the passage of several years. My convictions are such that I will not be dissuaded from this course by any argument, nor do I wish to engage in such. My decision to end my membership in the church is final and unalterable.
I am aware that according to church doctrine this nullifies all blessings, baptisms, ordinations, promises, covenants, and my hope of exaltation in the Mormon celestial kingdom.
I request that no one representing the church contact me for any reason other than to confirm that my request is being processed. In particular I will refuse to speak with anyone from the church who attempts to argue with me about my decision.
It is my understanding that you are required to indicate on your form my reason for leaving. Please state the reason as "At member's request" or "Doctrinal reasons," since that is the reason. I insist that you do not put there any reason which may be derogatory to me. I wish to assure you that I am not leaving the church because of some personal slight or insult, or because I have "sinned" or am unable to keep the commandments. I have simply come to the realization that the church is not what it claims to be, that its doctrine is false, and that I wish no further involvement or association with the LDS church.
I request that my name removal request be forwarded without delay to the stake president in accordance with the Church Handbook of Instructions. I will check with you in one week if you have not already notified me by then that it has been forwarded to the stake president.
Please inform the stake president that I waive the thirty-day waiting period during which the stake president may hold the request in order to give me the opportunity to rescind. Rather, I request him to process it without delay. Please ask the stake president to notify me when he has forwarded my request to church headquarters. If I do not hear from him, I will contact him to make sure that my request is being honored without delay.
I will consider any unnecessary delay to be a violation of my rights of free association and freedom of religion as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
I consider this matter to be confidential, and I insist that no church representative discuss my resignation with any persons other than those church officers who are processing my name removal or those who must be informed to carry out their church duties; that if any church official speaks of this matter outside of official channels, I will consider it a violation of confidence, a violation of church regulations (CHI p. 130), and seek legal redress.
Thank you for your courtesy in honoring my request without delay.
Richard Fitzgerald.