Why Withholding the Sacrament should not be the Mormons Hail Mary!

Last Updated on December 31, 2017 10:17 pm by Steven

The Problem

The Sacrament

Imagine the following.  A young man going to see his Bishop,  the young man confesses to his Bishop about how he has viewed pornography a few times over the past few months.  This young man promises to stop.    The first thing the Bishop does is to have him stop taking the sacrament (including preparation/blessing/passing )for a few weeks.

Now, let’s shift the scene to a different perspective.  A different young man that is not a member of the church talks to the missionaries.  He wants to get baptized.  At his baptism interview, he confesses that he has viewed porn over the past few months.  He promises to stop.  This young man is allowed to be baptized and receives the Aaronic Priesthood the next week.  He is able to help with preparing/blessing/passing the sacrament.

What is the difference between the two young men?  One has been a member of the church and should have ‘known better’ so we hold him to a higher standard.  Both are trying to repent, change their ways, and be better at following Christ.  Because one knew better, he should be punished more?  But why are we in the business of punishing people?  Our jobs are to love, forgive, and help people in the repentance process.

What is the purpose of the Sacrament?

We know that part of the reason we take the Sacrament each week to renew and remember our Baptismal covenants.  Elder Oaks gives a great explanation in his talk in October 2008 “Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament.”  In this talk Elder Oaks says:

“In his writings on the doctrines of salvation, President Joseph Fielding Smith teaches that we partake of the sacrament as our part of commemorating the Savior’s death and sufferings for the redemption of the world. This ordinance was introduced so that we can renew our covenants to serve Him, to obey Him, and to always remember Him. President Smith adds: “We cannot retain the Spirit of the Lord if we do not consistently comply with this commandment” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 2:341).”

Why take away the Sacrament?

We are taught in the 3 Nephi 18:28:

“28. And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;”

And then in Doctrine and Covenants 46:4 we are taught:

“4. …your sacrament meetings; nevertheless, if any have trespassed, let him not partake until he makes reconciliation.”

The Sacrament

We are taught to not take the Sacrament unworthily or if we have trespassed.  But who decides if we are worthy or not?  In 3 Nephi 28, who is the “Ye” the Lord is talking to?  Is it the Bishop?  Or is it us collectively?  Is it the Bishop’s job to ensure that only worthy people take the sacrament?  Or is it us personally that decide if we are worthy?

I believe it is up to each of us to decide if we are worthy to take the Sacrament.  The Bishop and Stake President do not decide if we are worthy to go to the Temple.  During the Temple Recommend Interview – the way we answer the specific questions determine our worthiness.

Is it Doctrine or Culture to take away the Sacrament?

I believe that there are times when the Bishop or Stake President will ask people to not participate in the Sacrament because of worthiness, however; doctrinally this should only be when the persons’ membership is in jeopardy.  If the sin in question is not great enough to cause a persons’ membership to be in jeopardy, then doctrinally ordinances should not be withheld from that person.

Taking away the sacrament for an amount of time has been a cultural trend for the Church as an easy way help the person understand the grievousness of the sin in question.  But does it help them repent?  What about the shame involved when they pass up the sacrament?

The “Mormon Hail Mary”

Youth pass the sacrament during the service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Lenexa Ward on Sunday, June 17, 2012, in Lenexa, Kan. (RNS photo by Sally Morrow)

No amount of punishing that is inflicted on us can even start to pay for the sin.  The sin was paid for by Christ.

The danger in taking away the sacrament is that we are losing the very people that we are trying to help.  When the sacrament is taken away people are losing the ordinance that could help them the most.

I have experienced the “Mormon Hail Mary” (Told by a Bishop that I cannot take the Sacrament.)  The problem is that this punishment is not an effective teaching tool!

There is shame attached to having the sacrament taken away.  Shame is NOT Godly sorrow!  When ordinances are taken away by an ecclesiastical leader, you feel like all eyes are on you.  It is easier to justify to just stay home for a week or two – then it turns into a month or two – then a year or two.

Running in a Circle

When I was young I played soccer.  If we did not work hard enough the coach would make us run laps around the soccer field.  This is what taking the sacrament away feels like.  Running in a circle for no reason.  It does not build faith, it does not show an increase of love, it does not show repentance or forgiveness.

My Plea

Bishops – I ask that you review how you handle the young men, young women, and adults that come to you for help.  Are you teaching them that if they do a few Mormon Hail Mary’s (not taking the sacrament for a few weeks) that they will then be forgiven?  Or are you helping them understand the reason they need to take the sacrament so that the saving grace of Christ can cleanse them?

Please comment below with your thoughts and feelings on the Morman Hail Mary.

The view expressed in this post are mine alone.  They do not reflect the doctrine or view of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am solely responsible for these views.  I am not a Bishop or a Stake President, nor have I held either of these positions in the church.