Hey everyone,

First I didn't know if I should post my topic in the "Debating Mormonism" forum or the "Terrestrial Forum" so I apologize in advance if I got it in the wrong one!!

Alright, I tried to get a serious answer on the main LDS official message board, only to be removed/censored with NO explanation whatsoever, so here I am! Being in Europe, the church is really small compared to what it is in the Pacific Islands or USA. So, we members can't travel to another ward/branch without taking the train for at least an hour! Anyways, the patriarch is in my ward, and he's always been HARDCORE, even by the missionaries standard. He violently rebukes members publicly, he doesn't respect the bishop nor his authority and chases members/investigators away. His family makes up about 40% of my small ward (kids, marriage, grandkids etc.) and he's pretty influent.
The problem :
lately, a member friend (african) called me and told me a new member (african too) got a visit from the patriarch and another brother, and during his visiting lesson, the Patriarch told her "we have enough of you people. "We don't need more foreigners/blacks"..... what the f, maaaaaan ??!! My friend told the bishop, but nothing followed... given his lack of respect regarding authority, the patriarch goes unpunished!

My question is :
- what can we do against such behaviors ??
- my friend is a great believer, she won't leave the church, but still, this is horrid how racists can just spit those words like it's nothing
- this was the last drop, that convinced me this church is nothing but lies, so I'm unconcerned by this problem, I just haven't managed to open my friends' eyes yet, what can I do at least, regarding the patriarch ??

Thank you very much!

Get some postcards and print the up branding the guy as a child molester and send them out to all on the membership roster?

Can you report this to the local stake president and/or Seventies presiding authority?

_________________
"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'
- George W Bush

"Forget everything that I have said . . . ." Bruce R. McConkie, August 18, 1978

@ mahonri : LOL'd !! I may go to hell for that... oh too bad I think I already bought my ticket with all my sins lol

@ I'm Alive : I think that's the best solution... even though I'm not a snitch, you must be right...

I hate to be cynical,
but I don't think they will care, in church headquarters.
"Follow the leader" or get out, that seems to be their attitude.
Who gets their toes stepped on in the meantime does not bother them a bit. They just don't care. They are not just confident in their salvation, they are pompous and ..... no, not self-righteous. They are self-sanctified, believing they've got it made no matter what 'sins' they commit in the meantime. That's what the Second Anointing is all about. You are guaranteed godhood no matter what you do after that second anointing.

Practice makes perfect and this guy is obviously practicing hard to be a God. According to the OT being god is all about being bitchy and complaining on the smallest details like the recipe for a cookie to be offered for you etc. Put into this perspective this guy obviously has it what it takes to be a god.

_________________
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

^thanks for the responses!
their ego there > humility they preach

I encourage you to share with your friend the wealth of wonderful quotes on Blacks made by early LDS prophets. You can find a good collection of them at MormonThink.

Of course early LDS teachings contradicted Jesus: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

_________________
I resigned from the Church of THE Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (Feb 2011)

"For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad." - Luke 8:17

YOu could report it to the local newspaper.

I like Robinidaho's idea.
One thing mormons seem to hate is being embarrassed.
When I was a mormon, if someone talked about one of our "distinctives", it usually always made me uncomfortable. The dish-shaped submarines especially. But even "God is a man". Pretty embarrassing. I didn't want them talking about it "because they don't understand it." I knew if I or another faithful mormon were the one explaining it, it would be understood and accepted. Except by the evil in heart, of course.

I'm not really a mean guy. But I wouldn't put it past me to write a letter to an editor describing that conversation with that ja-----, I mean, with your patriarch.

^ thank you again for the support!
might consider printing some quotes and let some words slip through to a local newspaper, see if he can stick to his words

Not all patriarchs are given the Second Anointing. Actually, very few people receive the Second Anointing. I'm not even sure that all of the members of the 12 have received it.

Latellag, please PM me your info and what country you are from. Go through the proper channels first....If the Bishop refuses to act, then go to the Stake President, and local Seventy. If this fails, I have someone you can talk to...but he will insist that all of the other channels are explored first.

You could face him man to man (or man to what are you- m or f?). Let him know up front and personal that you are a human being and no one has the right to belittle, insult, demean or harass you (and others). Inform him that if he doesn't start acting like a human being (stop acting like a jerk) you and "many others" will file a lawsuit against him, personally, and the LDS church. He doesn't need to know if you really have the 'others' or not. That will usually scare the devil out of him. Even the leaders are scared of lawsuits because they bring out all kinds of evils and wrong doings.

You could try the chain of command thing but I see only more hurt for you going that route. If they haven't done something to stop him by now (they surely must know what's going on) then they will try to shut YOU up with threats and intimidation.

I have never been LDS (and never will) but I know enough about them to say these things with confidence that I am right.

I feel sorry for folks like you being treated that way. It angers me, too!

^thanks to the both of you
However, my concerns were about my friend, given that I personally no longer attend the church meetings. I just didn't want her to feel "opressed" racially, but the patriarch is NOT the only one. She has NO will/courage to confront them, that's why I got online. Still interested in letting some words slip through a local newspaper though...

That is a great idea. You may want to try some tracts or flyers as well. These can be quite informative, easy to place on cars, windows, buildings, houses, and they have anonimity working for them- no one knows who is passing them out. And they can have a dramatic affect on the person they are about. You can do this for her. Plus, they may help others who feel this way (but feel isolated, helpless and alone) to stand up and speak out. There is a certain power in numbers, my friend.

You could also anonomously send a letter to the guy telling him people know what kind of man he is and its high time he stopped or everyone in town will find out including the city leaders, police and church leaders. Often this will change bad people. No one wants folks to know they are devils in disguise.

Hope all turns out well for you and her.

I think quite a few upper people are in the SA "club". They are not going to tell you. I refer you to:
http://www.mormoncurtain.com/topic_temp ... 1850268432