what are the practical effects of excommunication?
 

Say you are excommunicated on a Saturday....

I assume there is no prohibition on showing up on Sunday to church right?

I suppose you would probably be asked not to partake of the sacrament? (who knows, we don't enforce this one very well since non-members and the very young often take it).

So you couldn't have a calling, and you couldn't given talks or prayers.

But for all intents and purposes, you could pretty much outwardly function as a member.

In other words, excommunication does not mean physical ostracization from the community?

When I get home I can give you the guideliness for what is proscribed, but your list is more or less correct. Also, you cannot pay tithing.

Actually, what you're describing is encouraged (assuming you're not a danger to the community, etc.). Part of the desire when someone is disciplined in this manner is that they return to full fellowship, and regular participation in church functions is definitely a plus in that respect.

I remember a broker I knew back in the 80's that got ex'd for adultery. He probably wouldn't have now days. Anyway he shows me this letter that says he can't pay tithing, he paid about $50,000 a year. The letter though said he would be more than welcome to pay the $50,000 to a general fund, he just couldn't call it tithing.

I am not sure it is a factual statistic, but I have heard several times that only about 10% of ex'ed members return to the church. If that is the case, our batting average for "helping people repent" isn't too good.

Sort of like knee-jerk blaming parents for the mis-deeds of their children.

It would be interesting to see how many excommunicated members actually wished to "get back into the good graces", but were unable to and compare that against the 10% or whatever the actual success rate figure is.

Just as a hypothetical, perhaps only 20% wanted to be back in full fellowship and the actual success rate is 50%.

We have a gentleman that I home teach who was ex'ed and now is in good standing except they won't give him the priesthood back so he can't go to the temple.... I know he pays tithing (I once was the financial clerk) and its been several years since his sin (I don't know what it was). Every time I try and get this going (him and his wife want to go to the temple) my bishop says "that he has talked to the Stake Prez and that they are waiting on Salt Lake". How long does this dude have to wait? He is a member in full standing.

A member of the Twelve quoted five percent in one of our Stake Conferences. BYU Sociologists have compiled that information for Church leaders.

Indeterminate.

It often depends upon the nature of the sin.

A couple of thoughts:

- I have attended the rebaptism of an excommunicated member. Very emotional experience.

- There is no doctrine that says children under the age of 8 are to be prevented from taking the sacrament. Mike's original comment made it sound like a prohibition does exist and we just are lazy about enforcing it.