The head of the Mormon church has been summoned to appear before British magistrates over claims the organisation’s teachings amount to fraud.
In an unprecedented legal move, summonses have been issued against Thomas Monson over allegations the church’s request that followers pay a ‘tithe’ - ten per cent of their income - could be in breach of the Fraud Act 2006.
Mr Monson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, was warned by Westminster Magistrates’ Court that failure to attend a hearing on March 14 ‘may result in a warrant for your arrest’.
The summonses - described by legal experts as among the most unusual documents ever issued by a British court - queries seven Mormon teachings.
The summonses were brought under little-used legal procedures where people who say they have evidence that someone has committed a crime can ask a magistrate to issue a summons for them to attend court.
District Judge Elizabeth Roscoe, who signed the summonses, accuses Mr Monson of ‘dishonestly’ making a gain for himself or another’ by asking two men to pay tithes on the basis of ‘untrue or misleading’ representations.
Among Mormon teachings queried are that the Book of Mormon was translated from ancient gold plates, that native Americans are descended from an Israelite family which left Jerusalem in 600BC and that all humans are descended from two people who lived 6,000 years ago.
The Mormon Church - also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - dismissed the summonses as containing ‘bizarre allegations’.
Last night Mormon officials said that Mr Monson had no plans to attend the court case.
What? He's not going to respect a legal summons?
I swear these Mormons act as if the laws of man don't apply to them.
Oh yeah, that's right.
Still I really love this, and hope that it spreads to every other religion as well.
Let's face it NO religion could really hope to defend itself in the modern court system.
pimptoad ignored a subpeona and got away with it.
ReplyDeleteThere is a difference between a summons and a subpoena. The RESULT can be the same, but there is a difference.
DeleteIgnoring either one can get a person is SERIOUS trouble!
And we don't know yet if he DID get away with it, only that he stated he wouldn't attend.
I wonder how he will respond if a warrant is issued for his arrest. And what will happen when the extradition trial goes against him?
Bring it on. He's such an @ss.
DeleteA little O/T but related:
DeleteThis is an interesting development which should help bring to light the Mormon Mafia and their signature shakedown tactics/strategy here in the US as well as internationally.
RICO should be employed to bring the criminal org to justice here in the US. Not as likely to happen though, because of the likelihood of all of the other culprits running similar, yet more entrenched, powerful orgs (RCC, Southern Bapt Assn, etc.), running to defend the "religious freedom" of the group that, on Sundays at least, they preach are a cult of non-christian heathen. That is, until a member of the cult runs for national election or is under scrutiny for their mob tactics which drive their criminal predatory practices. This is what these same orgs did for Sun Myung Moon and his cult until he was able to amass a fortune in Korea and the US, after these more "legitimate" religions realized their own turfs were safe from infringement by the newer "religious businesses".
A simple, yet recent direct example highlighting this "circling or the wagons" to protect the OTHER cults is the fact that Franklin Graham's own sect has preached against the Mormon Religion of the Church of LDS as being an illegitimate, false religion and a cult. Yet, Graham removed a popular webpage from his own web site during Mitt Romney's campaign for POTUS in 2012. Graham was on FOX almost daily speaking against President Obama and promoting Romney. But of course, "Muslims" are "worse", in Graham's more recent version of bigotry, even if they are the "fake Muslims" of Graham's the shills for his flock trying to create a strawman enemy to fear, i.e., the Kenyan Fascist Communist Marxist antichrist "occupying) the white house. (Did I mention that Obummer hates kittens and puppies and unicorns and Windows and real 'Murica, also, too?)
I'd love to see Graham receive a summons to be asked to explain his viewpoint before removing the "Mormon Religion is a Cult and Not a Religion" webpage from his online site, and to explain what it was that motivated his change of heart. A Vision? A donation for one of his fake charity fronts for his grifting operation?
It'll never happen, because of the political power and vast fortunes of $$$ involved, but honest and intelligent people can well imagine the hypocrisy that would be on display for the world, just as we can see through their hypocrisy and dishonest means of operation in general.
The biggest enemy of the Stupid Party is reason and intelligence. They will crumble as a unit but not individually. The rational and reasonable among their ranks will abandon the GOP, and we should embrace them as individuals when they do.
Now..scientology. L. Ron Hubbard was upfront about it being a money-making scheme.
DeleteI'm going to like this legal precedent. Same with charging Bush/Cheney with war crimes on foreign soil because our bellicose country doesn't have the guts.
ReplyDeleteWhat will get them is the REQUIREMENT to tithe a certain percentage of their income to the church. There are pretty clear laws in Britain about what churches can ask for from their congregants. Not like here....
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. For the record, the UK also needs to do the same thing to the crazy Islamic sects that are growing there. While I don't advocate religious persecution of any kind, the UK has only one legally sanctioned church--the Church of England-and no first amendment. They are in a unique position to call some of these fringe extremist elements to the carpet for deluding and swindling people. I wish they would go after radical Muslims, freaky Christians, and others with all the force of the law. They've tried to do it for Scientology, and I say more power to them.
ReplyDeleteThe twelfth LDS Article of Faith states:
ReplyDelete"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."
Anyway Monson is a Merkin so it doesn't really count does it.
Haha!!! BAM!!! Typical "do as I say, not as I do" attitude that is rampant in mormonism. Gryphen, Mormon children are required to learn the 12 Articles of Faith before we turn 12 (as in, recite them word-for-word). It is considered the most basic rules of the religion, so the fact that Monson is thumbing his nose at this... so many LOLs. This fucking made my day, you have no idea. I hope he gets banned from Britain and the temples get shut down and no missionaries are allowed to enter. That would make me so happy. Christians can shut their eyes and plug their ears quite a bit, but it takes a special kind of ignorance and toleration for white-washing to believe in Mormonism.
Delete@7:27
DeleteIt does if they want to stay in England!
Glad to see this headline. If the evidence and facts supported Mormonism, then Monson would be glad to appear in court and promote his organization. Think of the free publicity. But he knows he has nothing... and trying to explain his beliefs would only expose him to ridicule.
ReplyDeleteThe Moron...I mean Mormon "religion was founded by a con man named Joseph Smith. He gathered quite a few ignorant zealouts who worshiped Smith's "teachings" while he made outrageous claims. Claims that had no validity whatsoever and have been passed on to today's Mormons/ Latter-Day "Saints."
ReplyDeleteThese gullible Mormons do tithe religeously 10% of their income every week--and more as is needed.
Their religion is Paternally run from the top on down. Women, god forbid, do not hold any such stature. They do a great job of breeding though and are kept very busy with "women's work. "The Church of Latter-Day Saints" is a fraud...just like their founder was.
Mormons will tell you women have an even MORE important job in raising the children, but yet don't have any real power in the church. It's a big scam and, as usual, women pay the highest price.
DeleteI doubt Ann Romney ever pays "retail".
DeleteYou can say all religion's are a fraud they are somthing taken onbelife and faith. Also this is agenst the human rihgts act and the restoration act.
ReplyDeleteWill this be like small claims where if you don't show up you automatically lose?
ReplyDeleteDidn't something like this happen with the Scientologists a while back? Or was that a different country?
I live 10 miles from Palmyra, NY. Birth place of the Mormon Church...Joseph Smith's multiple arrests for fraud....and the fact that Mormons were run out of NY...just compounds most of the locals view that Mormons are complete fakes. When the Hill Cammorah Pagent desends on Palmyra e ery summet, most small businesses close up shop to keep those shady Mormons out of their businesses.
ReplyDeleteHello fellow "upstate" NYer! I grew up in Chenango County where Joseph Smith was arrested for scamming. Believe it or not, I just learned that particular fact about my home county.
DeleteIsn't it a bit presumptuous to consider oneself a "latter day saint"? Isn't there a process, the first of which is kicking the bucket, then performing miracles etc. etc. etc.?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Mormon Church's laws are the same for the rich folk as they are for the poor folk? I'm thinking, have they taken Mitt's word on his income? Or have they access to his off shore accounts etc. etc. etc.? Divorce and not wearing magic underwear are supposedly big no no's, but Marie "Nutrasystem" Osmond remarried her husband and wears some highly immodest clothes that couldn't possibly cover the magic undies.
At any rate, I love this idea and would appreciate it coming across the pond and being enforced. Along with the not paying taxes thingy.
OT. Watched the opening ceremony of the Russian Olympics.... it seems years of having one Sarah's eye laser focused on them has caused a few mistakes to happen. Five snowflakes fell to the ice and four of them opened to form the olympic symbol. One went all wonky and failed to open. I guess the Palin Curse is international, or she's pissed that they call snowmachines snowmobiles.
There's a fascinating story on an episode of This American Life ("Factions") about a group of Latter Day Saints who splintered off because they wanted to do things a little differently. The leader self-reported that he was visited by angels and was given divine messages that, among other things, he should be a polygamist. Isn't that convenient?
ReplyDelete"Hey guys, guess what? Four angels visited me last night and said I could get myself a couple more wives! Yeah, THAT'S the ticket."
Here's the transcript, but I'd recommend listening to it.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/21/transcript
ReplyDelete