Maker of Semi-nude Mormon Calendar Excommunicated

Being LDS I have gotten a lot of questions regarding this issue. I remember reading an article about this a couple of months ago, and in all honesty I was just waiting for the news to hit about disciplinary actions being pursued on the men who not only took part in the semi-nude calendar, but also the man behind it.

Many people probably feel that it was a harmless calendar meant to end stereotypes and paint the church as being open and approachable. However, what the founder forgot to add into his equation is not only the churches image but also the light he was painting missionaries all over the world in.

Think of it this way. How would the Jewish faith feel about a calendar full of half naked rabi? How would the Catholic Church feel about a calendar full of shirtless priests? Also remember, we're not talking about actors dressing up as missionaries, these are full fledged real deal missionaries removing their clothing for this calendar. Mormon missionaries, just like a rabi or a priest, are high profile figures that represent their respective religions. Taking such a high profile figure and stripping it of its clothing is not only rude but its just plain wrong, especially when done by a faithful member of the church itself.

In all honesty, I think that the models of the calendar got off easy and the founder got what was coming to him. I think it's sad that people forget how sacred religion is. I don't know if it's just the fact that they get so used to their faith that it no longer holds that sacredness, or if it was just a lapse in judgment. Mr. Hardy has made it clear that he had not been an active member of the church for more than five years which would explain a lot about his thinking behind the calendar, but as for the models I'm still unsure.

For all who think that the church is being too hard on Mr. Hardy remember that excommunication is not meant to exile a person from the church. Excommunication is meant to give the member a clean start. It's a chance to change their life around and come back with a clean slate after making the necessary changes in their lives. We all have to face the consequences of our actions. It's just a part of life. I just hope that Mr. Hardy learned something from this experience.