One of the defining traits of a controlling religious system is how it treats those who choose to leave. While most Protestant churches allow believers to move between congregations freely and respectfully, the LDS Church often takes a much harsher approach. In this video, former Mormon Marvin Cowan shares his personal story of being excommunicated—a process marked not by grace or love, but by public shame, rejection, and formal disciplinary trials.
Scripture presents a very different model for handling disputes and differences within the church. Believers are called to act in love, not coercion or fear:
• “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness” (Galatians 6:1).
• “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).
• “Love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22).
The Bible also emphasizes freedom in Christ. Believers are no longer under bondage to human systems or fear of man-made punishment:
• “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1).
• “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
By contrast, the LDS practice of excommunication often functions as a tool of control, demanding obedience through fear of shame and social ostracism. Marvin recounts how he was not simply allowed to leave, but instead was publicly tried and officially cast out—raising questions about the nature of authority and the role of grace within the system.
This video explores what Mormon excommunication reveals about a church that enforces conformity, and contrasts it with the biblical model of love, restoration, and freedom in Christ. “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40), and above all, let grace guide the treatment of God’s people—not fear, shame, or coercion.
