The Mormon church does not tolerate dissent.

[trotsky]

Mormon, who runs website for doubting members, excommunicated from religion

A Mormon man who gained notoriety over the past decade for running a website that offers doubting Latter-day Saints a forum to chat has been kicked out of the religion.

John Dehlin announced the decision from regional church leaders Tuesday morning. He becomes the second high-profile church member to be excommunicated in the past year in what Mormon scholars consider to be the Utah-based faith's way of keeping dissenters in line.

Regional church leaders in North Logan told Dehlin in a letter that they made a unanimous decision to excommunicate him for apostasy, defined by the church as repeatedly acting in clear public opposition to the faith. While not a lifelong ban, excommunication is still a rare move that amounts to the harshest punishment available for a church member.

...

"I acknowledge your right to criticize the church and its doctrines and to try to persuade others to your cause," King writes. "But you do not have the right to remain a member of the church in good standing while openly and publicly trying to convince others that church teachings are in error."

[Iggo]

1. "A Mormon man...has been kicked out of the religion."

Lucky!

[Warpy]

2. Once you start asking questions about any religion, it's all over

The silly house of cards tumbles rather quickly.

That doesn't mean doubters become atheists, of course, many stay believers. They just stop believing in the hooey peddled at churches.

My ex was a closet deist who loathed organized religion. We got along just fine in that regard.

[Curmudgeoness]

3. I suppose that it had to be done.

If this has gone on for the past decade, I am only surprised that it took this long. That last statement explains why the church had to throw his ass out. And I am not sure whether he cares.

[skepticscott]

4. Guess that "change from within" thingie

that the yacht clubbers have been crowing about in the CJCLDS ain't working so well. Come to think of it, it ain't working so well in the RCC either. Those nuns on the bus are still being ignored..at someone's peril.

[Lordquinton]

5. "While not a lifelong ban"

and it certainly ends when he dies.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

6. He should feel lucky that the Danites aren't around any more

http://doughocking.com/?page_id=890

The Danites became enforcers for Brigham Young responsible for Blood Atonement. There were certain religious crimes so evil that one could not possibly atone for them in a lifetime. The only way one who had committed such a crime could have his eternal soul saved was for someone else to spill their blood, that is, murder them. One such crime was apostasy, leaving the faith.

A great book by Jon Krakauer is "Under the Banner of Heaven", which chronicles more modern LDS violence, with a pretty good description of the Mormon church's violent history.
http://www.amazon.com/Under-Banner-Heaven-Story-Violent/dp/1400032806

[olddots]

7. religion is a business that writes its own rules .

when challenged it does anything to appear superior to human logic .