Church courts and the policies that govern these courts serve three general purposes:
Sometimes members of the Church may look upon such actions as proof that the Church has failed in some respect. Enemies of the Church may point to examples of members who are acting unworthily as evidence that the Church is not true. Elder Boyd K. Packer gave some excellent counsel regarding this matter:
“One young man was being constantly ridiculed by his co-workers for his activity in the Church. They claimed to know of a bishop who had cheated someone in business, or a stake president who had misrepresented something on a contract, or a mission president who had borrowed money, giving false information.
“Or, they told of a bishop who had discriminated against one member, refusing to give a temple recommend, but had shown favoritism by signing a recommend for another whose unworthiness was widely known.
“Such incidents as these, which supposedly involve Church leaders, are described as evidence that the gospel is not true, that the Church is not divinely inspired, or that it is being misled.
“He had no satisfactory answer to their charges. He felt defenseless and foolish and was being drawn to join them in their criticism of the Church.
“Did he believe all of these stories? Well, he could not be sure. There must be something to some of them.
“If you also face such a test of faith, consider the questions he was asked:
“Have you ever, in your life, attended any Church meeting—priesthood meeting, sacrament meeting, Relief Society, Sunday School, a conference or fireside, a seminary class, a temple session, or any meeting sponsored by the Church—where any encouragement or authorization was given to be dishonest, to cheat in business, or take advantage of anyone?
“He answered that he had not.
“The next question:
“Have you read, or do you know of anything in the literature of the Church, in the scriptures themselves, in lesson manuals, in Church magazines or books, in Church publications of any kind, which contains any consent to lie, or to steal, to misrepresent, to defraud, to be immoral or vulgar, to profane, to be brutal, or to abuse any living soul?
“Again he said, after thoughtful consideration, that he had not.
“Have you ever been encouraged in a training session, a leadership meeting, or an interview to transgress or misbehave in any way? Have you ever been encouraged to be extreme or unreasonable or intemperate?
“He had not.
“You are inside the Church where you can see at close hand the conduct of bishops or Relief Society presidents, of high councilors, stake presidents, or General Authorities. Could such conduct be described as being typical of them?
“He thought it could not.
“You are active and have held positions in the Church. Surely, you would have noticed if the Church promoted any of these things in any way.
“Yes, he thought he would have noticed.
“Why then, I asked him, when you hear reports of this kind, should you feel that the Church is to blame?
“There is no provision in the teachings or doctrines of the Church for any member to be dishonest, or immoral, or irresponsible, or even careless.
“Have you not been taught all of your life, that if a member of the Church, particularly one in high position, is unworthy in any way, he acts against the standards of the Church? He is not in harmony with the teachings, the doctrines, or with the leadership of the Church.
“Why, then, should your faith be shaken by this account, or that, of some alleged misconduct—most of them misrepresented or untrue? …
“Now, does anyone holding a responsible position in the Church ever act unworthily?
“The answer: of course, it happens. It is an exception, but it happens.
“When we call a man to be a stake president or a bishop, for instance, we say, in effect:
“‘Here is a congregation. You are to preside over them. They are under constant temptation, and you are to see that they win that battle. Govern them in such a way that they can succeed. Devote yourself unselfishly to this cause.
“‘And, incidentally, while you preside, you are not excused from your own trials and temptations. They will, in fact, be increased because you are a leader. Win your own battle as best you can.’
“If a leader does conduct himself unworthily, his actions fly against everything the Church stands for, and he is subject to release.
“It has even been our sad responsibility, on some few occasions, to excommunicate leaders from the Church who have been guilty of very serious illegal or immoral conduct.
“That should increase, not shake, your faith in the Church, or of a nonmember toward it”
(in Conference Report, Mar.–Apr. 1979, pp. 109–11; or Ensign, May 1979, pp. 79–80).