LDS Bishop Dennis Toone Defends No Cross-Gender Dressing Policy At Crescent 16th Ward Trunk-Or-Treat In Draper, Utah

The bishop of the Crescent 16th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Draper, Utah has defended a flyer posted at his chapel prior to their October 25th trunk-or-treat event in which they asked people not to dress up in cross-gender attire. A photo of the flyer is posted above. Update: This story has now gone viral, picked up by The Blaze and the Fox News Channel.

Bishop Dennis Toone's family says the Young Women's group created the flyer before hundreds went out to the community. Since Bishop Toone suffered a loss in his family, he didn't want to appear on camera. But in a published report, Toone defended the flyer saying "I thought it was church policy. I'll defend the church and anyone who doesn't like it doesn't have to come.”

Bingo! That's what some of us Mormons have been waiting to hear. Political correctness has been infiltrating the ranks of Latter-day Saints; many went ga-ga over the calling of the openly-gay but celibate Mitch Mayne as executive secretary to the Bay Ward bishopric in San Francisco, acting as if he was a second Joseph Smith. I commend Bishop Toone for having the stones to say that if people don't like it, they don't have to come. There's too much obsession with inclusivity in our society -- an inclusivity which is rarely extended towards those who wish to hold fast to the iron rod. If we try to be all things to all people, we will be of no value to the Lord.

Meanwhile, LDS spokesperson Scott Trotter said that although the Church does mandate a no-mask policy for such events, the cross-dressing ban is not churchwide policy, and event rules like that are up to the discretion of the local bishop or church members. Trotter did not explain why Bishop Toone used such language, but he assumes his intent was to promote appropriate dress. KSTU Channel 13 news video embedded below (after the jump):

That LDS Missionary Who Rings Your Doorbell On Halloween May Not Be A Real Missionary

If your doorbell rings on Halloween and you find someone dressed as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when you answer, chances are it might not be a real missionary. Time magazine reports that missionary costumes are number six on their list of top ten topical Halloween costumes for 2011. Time even conveniently provides a list of articles to make up a credible costume.

KTVX Channel 4 decided to go down to Temple Square in Salt Lake to sample public opinion, and they found a 50-50 split between those who were offended and those who chose to laugh it off.



Of course, if a "missionary" does show up at your door on Halloween, you could put him to the test. You could ask him to recite the 13 Articles of Faith. Or you could even ask him to flash those garments, which will separate the sheep from the goats in a BIG hurry. It is even possible that real Mormons who are not set apart as missionaries might dress up as them, as one woman said she would HERE. Then again, if you know anything about the normal routine of missionaries, you know that they're supposed to be off the street by 9 P.M. -- and that they're generally not allowed to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. But rank-and-file Mormons do celebrate Halloween; there are no doctrinal constraints against it.

Do Members Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Celebrate Halloween?

The short answer - Yes. The leadership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has expressed no official opinion about the Halloween holiday. Individual church members are left to decide for themselves whether or not to observe Halloween, and how to celebrate it if they choose to do so. Halloween has no religious significance for Mormons. But although there is no official LDS counsel on Halloween, church members are encouraged to let the Holy Ghost be their guide in all things. In general, Mormons are counseled to seek after anything that is "virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy," while avoiding anything that isn't. (13th Article of Faith)

Most Mormons celebrate Halloween in some way. They regard Halloween as a fun time filled with opportunities for creativity, parties, and crafts. We generally avoid the potentially dark elements of the Halloween holiday, to include gory or scary decorations, Halloween pranks, or devil costumes. As a matter of fact, the only real differences between a Mormon Halloween party and a more secular version might be the absence of alcohol and more modest costumes instead of revealing or suggestive ones.

Rachel Bruner suggests some pertinent articles regarding Halloween and related activities from the Church's magazines:

- "I Have a Question", Ensign, Oct 1996
- "Olden-days Halloween", Friend, Oct. 1993
- "FYI: For Your Info", New Era, Oct. 1991
- "Samantha's Witch Cookies", Friend, Oct. 1988
- "Halloween" (Poem), Friend, Oct. 1986
- "Tricky Treats," New Era, Oct. 1982
- "FYI: For Your Info", New Era, Oct. 1978
- "Pin the Grin on the Pumpkin: A Tradition of Service" New Era, Oct. 1979

Other recent posts by Mormons regarding Halloween have been published by Mormon Woman, Simple Utah Mormon Politics, Times And Seasons, and By Common Consent.