Mormon Temple Marriages have only 6% Divorce Rate

[funkymonkey]

Why isn't there a cancellation ceremony? Shouldn't what is done in a temple be undone in a temple? Or am I just unaware of something?

Interesting question. :) Probably the same reason that marriages conducted in other churches or chapels don't have "cancellation ceremonies"...a civil divorce is probably enough paperwok for God to see that the couple is very clear about wanting out of the marriage...?

scriptures...

Matt. 16: 19

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

D&C 128: 8, 10

8 Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.

[Maureen]

I'm not sure if this information is allowed but I'll add it anyway. From the CHI:

Applying for a Cancellation of Sealing or a Sealing Clearance

When a woman has been sealed and divorced, she may apply for a cancellation of the previous sealing. The bishop and stake president submit an Application to the First Presidency form to seek this cancellation.

When a man has been divorced from a woman who was sealed to him and is worthy and prepared to have another woman sealed to him, he may apply for a sealing clearance. The bishop and stake president submit an Application to the First Presidency form to seek this clearance.

M.

[funkymonkey]

I just talked to a friend of mine who just had a "temple divorce" three years ago (which means this is still hearsay)...she said that when a clearance/cancellation is requested, both the guy and the girl are allowed to send a letter with "their side of the story" as to why they can't be together anymore.

I guess they're looking for not really "consent" from both people but rather just giving each of the people the opportunity to say "sure, good for them" or "NO, this guy's a jerk!" I guess the big reason for the change for the guys is to make sure that the guy (for example) is properly paying child support and other requirements with his former family...if he's not fulfilling his obligations, he's not temple worthy and the request is rejected.

If the person requests a temple divorce (say a girl requests it) then the guy gets notified and can "tell his side of why it didn't work out" in a letter. If he doesn't really care and doesn't want to respond at all (whether to consent or oppose the cancellation) then they send them a certified letter giving them a specific time to respond or they waive their right to voice their opinion.

All requests go to church headquarters.

[georgia2]

When I went through my divorce I was told I could get a cancellation to my sealing BUT, if I did so, the sealing would also be broken with my children. I was told, by Bishop and Stake Pres. that any man who is abusive to his wife WILL NOT be blessed with that family in the eternities and not to worry about that. I left my sealing in place until the time I wanted to be sealed to another worthy man. At that time, my first husband could have complained, but it wouldn't have mattered because he was found at fault for the divorce and if we were divorced civilly, it would NEVER be valid in heaven. If you cannot make it work on earth, the sealing is not valid. The sealing is only valid in the event you ARE WORTHY AND LIVE UP TO THE COVENANTS ! This is also true for people who stay married for the sake of the children or what ever bogus reason they may give. A sealing is not going to be in force if either of the people do not live up to the covenant. If each person lives up to the covenant there would be no reason for a divorce because both would be treating the other the way they should and both would be satisfied with the marriage. This is not my opinion. This is what I have been taught as doctrine.

[Maureen]

When I went through my divorce I was told I could get a cancellation to my sealing BUT, if I did so, the sealing would also be broken with my children.

Children who are born in the covenant or sealed to their parents remain so even if the sealing of the parents is later (1) canceled or (2) revoked by the excommunication or name removal of either parent. Children who are born after their parents' sealing is canceled or revoked are not born in the covenant. These children need to be sealed to their parents after their parents' blessings are restored (if applicable) and any other obstacles are removed. Edited September 4, 2008 by Maureen

[kona0197]

All this talk about sealing is confusing. So confusing that I may not want to get sealed at all.

[mnn727]

I found this information:

Some Mormons marry in a temple ceremony, divorce in a civil procedure and subsequently remarry in a second temple ceremony. This would count as two temple marriages and zero temple divorces -- thus reducing the apparent divorce rate.

M.

This scenario is absolutly impossible, making the entire posting suspect.

You can NOT under any circumstances have a 2nd Temple marriage without:

A. the death of your spouse or

B. A cancelation of sealing

There is no such thing as a temple Marriage, followed by a civil divorce and then a new Temple marriage being done

[mnn727]

There is NO SUCH THING as a Temple Divorce. The phrase itself is an abomination. Temples are for joining families together. There is no divorce ordinance.

Getting a cancelation of sealing is done through counsel with a: Bishop, a Stake President and the approval of the First Presidency.

What happens when a couple gets a temple divorce? What happens to the children in the next life?”

James A. Cullimore, “Q&A: Questions and Answers,” New Era, Dec. 1975, 14–15

Answer/Elder James A. Cullimore

As to the first question, “What happens when a couple gets a temple divorce?” we should understand that there is no such thing as a temple divorce. What we refer to as a temple divorce is in fact a cancellation of a temple sealing. When a couple is married in the temple, they not only satisfy the law of the land as to a legal civil marriage, but they are also sealed for time and all eternity in an eternal relationship.

A civil divorce nullifies the marriage so far as the civil law is concerned, but only by a mandate of the president of the Church can the sealing of the couple be cancelled. A cancellation of the sealing is what we are really referring to when we talk about a temple divorce.

When one has been granted a civil divorce after his temple sealing, he must be cleared by the First Presidency before he can be granted a temple recommend by his bishop. After a divorce clearance has been granted by the First Presidency, an application for a cancellation of the temple sealing might be made to the president of the Church. Normally it is the woman who seeks a cancellation of sealing. Since a woman cannot be sealed to two men at the same time, she must have a cancellation of sealing from one before she can be sealed to another.

As to the next question, “What happens to the children in the next life when there has been a cancellation of sealing of the parents?” it is understood that in the case of a cancellation of the sealing of the woman to the man, this does not cancel the sealing of the children to the parents, since they were born in the covenant, which is a birthright blessing. They remain in the status of the sealing to their parents and can never be sealed to anyone else. The decision as to with whom they will go will be determined by the Lord in the hereafter.

Regarding being born in the covenant the General Handbook of Instructions states, “Children born in the covenant cannot be sealed to anyone, but belong to their natural parents. This rule is not altered by adoption, consent of the natural parents, request of the child after becoming of age or death of the natural parents.” (P. 101.)

It should be kept in mind that to be born in the covenant is a birthright blessing, and that if a child remains worthy in this life of celestial blessings, regardless of the actions of his parents, he is assured of that birthright and is guaranteed eternal parentage. One’s worthiness in this life through living the gospel and keeping the commandments, in this as in all things, is the key to eternal life.

Edited September 3, 2008 by mnn727

[Elphaba]

You can NOT under any circumstances have a 2nd Temple marriage without:

. . . .

B. A cancelation of sealing

There is no such thing as a temple Marriage, followed by a civil divorce and then a new Temple marriage being done

Yes there is, if it's a man.

My brother in law's wife divorced him. He then remarried my sister. Both weddings were marriages/sealings.

In fact, when I pointed this out to him, he was surprised because it hadn't occurred to him that he was now sealed to both wives.

His first wife did pass away, but that was after he was sealed/married to my sister.

This was probably 13 years ago or so.

So unless the policy has changed since then, a man can be civilly divorced from one wife but still married/sealed to her, and then to another wife (or more) as well.

Elphaba

[Elphaba]

Regarding my previous post about my brother in law, this is the relevant paragraph from Elder Cullimore's article:

When one has been granted a civil divorce after his temple sealing, he must be cleared by the First Presidency before he can be granted a temple recommend by his bishop.

After his civil divorce, my brother-in-law must have gone through this procedure to get his temple recommend.

After a divorce clearance has been granted by the First Presidency, an application for a cancellation of the temple sealing might be made to the president of the Church.

Notice this explanation uses the word "might," not "must." This is the crux of the discussion. The man does not have to get a sealing cancellation.

Normally it is the woman who seeks a cancellation of sealing. Since a woman cannot be sealed to two men at the same time, she must have a cancellation of sealing from one before she can be sealed to another.

In other words, she "must" get a sealing cancellation if she wishes to no longer be sealed to her first husband, or if she wants to remarry. She has no choice.

My brother-in-law's sealings, despite his divorce, make sense to me under these guidelines.

Elphaba