I was thinking about this the other day. If a kid get baptized at age 8 and do something really wrong that may lead to excommunication, is it possible that the Church leaders even hold a disciplinary council for him???. I know you may ask what kind of sin, let just think about murder for instance. It was a case years ago of two kids around the same age who kidnapped, tortured and murdered a 2 years old toddler. How the Church would handle a situation like that when the member is only 8 years old?.
[quote]How the Church would handle a situation like that when the member is only 8 years old[/quote]
Any person that is a member can be excommunicated just as any non-member can be baptized. However, both of them must qualify. By qualify I mean the non-member, must take discussions, accept commitments, meet the Bishop, attend Church, etc... so to be excommunicated the member must have willfully done something so bad as to warrant the person's membership unjustifiable, because they have broken those same commitments made at baptism. To answer this question directly is difficult as I cannot just say 'yes' or 'no' simply by knowing that an eight year old murdered someone. I have sat on many councils, never for murder, save abortion, and the decisions have ranged from disfellowship to excommunication. Decisions are based on experience in the Church, testimony, age, background, many things. If I were leading a council on this same child then I would want to find out his psychological state, why he became a member, find out what led him to do such a thing, etc long before a council is held. The long and short of the matter is... it is possible for any member to be excommunicated if the transgression warrants it.
@ LDS_forever... this sounds like something you were talking about:
From ABC News (20/20)
It is a test case that could potentially change the laws in this country.
The defense called it an accident. The prosecution said it was "a
sustained attack" by a killer guilty of first degree murder. The jury
agreed with the prosecution and sentenced the defendant to a life sentence
without parole. The victim was 6 years old; the "killer" was 12.
This week on "20/20" you will hear their stories, and go behind the
headlines of a case that has both prosecutors and jurors questioning the
outcome. What is certain about the case is that Tiffany Eunick is dead,
and that Lionel Tate was involved in her death. What raises questions is
the process that led to Tate's being tried as an adult and sentenced to
spend the rest of his life behind bars. Surprisingly, even the victim's
mother says the sentence was too harsh.
I've always been taught we will be judged according to the degree of our knowledge. Does an 8 year old truly have the spiritual knowledge of the severity of murder?
A 12 year old maybe, but an 8 year old frequently cannot even comprehend the finality of death, so how can he be held morally accountable for murder?
There are many sins other than murder, but even those... how truly does one that young understand the consequences?
I'm not saying they shouldn't be held accountable to some degree, but shouldn't their accountability depend on the depth of their understanding?
Well, doesn't the Lord states in the scriptures that 8 years old is the age of accountability? Isn't that at this age Satan can tempt them to do what He wants them to do?
Yes, the depth of their understanding on the crime they committed must be evaluated, nevertheless he needs to be held accountable like any other person.
QUOTE |
I'm not saying they shouldn't be held accountable to some degree, but shouldn't their accountability depend on the depth of their understanding? |
I am not refuting that at all. What I am saying is that must exist some sort of accountability if an 8 years old commits a serious sin whether is directly his responsibility or not. After all, mercy cannot rob justice. Maybe will not be excommunication (if it was NOT the responsibility of the kid, he was abused etc). BUT if the child exhibits a behavior that seem pathologically dangerous to others and have committed a serious sin then, not only that child can be excommunicated (after all he/she is a member) but other considerations can also be put in place.
Basically what I am saying is, just because he/she is a kid does not mean he/she is not accountable and the Church should not deal with it because it's just a "kid".