Reader comments
Trial delayed for ex-LDS official

Wow , this really bows me away.

This is the first time I heard about this aspect of George Lee's life. I hope and pray that he get's the emotional and spiritual help he needs to get back on track.
Many of us in my family were so happy when he was made a Seventy and heart broken when he had to be excommunicated. We lived among the Lamanites when I was a boy and we loved them.
He needs our love, our prayers and our forgiveness.
:(

How did the church allow for this news to get out??!

What do you mean "allow it"? The Deseret News is owned by the church and I have found they have given voice to many articles and opinions regardless or not of whether it was good for the church. Even so I do not understand how anyone would think this could be negative for the church that an EX member of the church has gotten in trouble with the law.

The church is not in the practice of covering things up. The church is small so most things never hit the mainstream media. This time we're more in the spotlight so it's now news. I wouldn't be surprised if Romney opponents grab this and run with it.

Being that he was a member of the first quarum of the 70s this is both rare and serious. I do not disagree with the excommunication sentence.

Each disciplinary court is handled in private, and even in the case of a member of high profile, like Elder Lee, the church would not go into the specifics of what sins were committed.

However, since Elder Lee did break the law, this has become a matter of public record, and that is why this can be reported freely.

Where are the lamanites. Certainly not on the reservations that George Lee comes from. This was a farce.

This will not be picked up by Romney's foes because they could care less about Mormonism. The LDS church is not a big deal outside of utah and idaho. Get over yourselves.

If no one cares about Mormonism, then why is it the only topic discussed about Mitt Romney? Do you watch the news? Or read the paper? If you did, you'd see why this is a "big deal" when it comes to politics.

The church is a "big deal" in every part of this country and the world. Bigger than your little mind will acknowledge, anyway.

As a person who has lived in several states, I agree that most people outside of Utah don't care about the Church. Most don't know a thing about it and don't really care to know. The media is not a representation if the average citizen.

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's church. But the people that make up the church are not perfect. But we are trying to follow the Lord's example. Some make mistakes,but most try to a little to do a little better each day. If more people lived this way the world would be much better off

I also was disciplined and no one knows why but a very few priesthood members It was at a time when it was announced to the ward priesthood only. It happens and then forgotten. So if anyone wants to dig into matters like this, give it up because its none of your business anyway. I am now rebaptized and am treated fine by those who knew.

This is a perfect example as to why we MUST keep our eyes on the Savior. Man is fallible. When we look to man, we WILL be let down.
However, if we keep our eyes on HIM he will never let us down.
That goes for ALL leaders in the church as well as those in our families and friends as well. President Hinckley as well as all general authorities of the church as working out their salvation with fear and trembling. If they were not they would not be among us still!
Thank God for the blessings of forgivness through the Atonement of the Son of God!!

Ken, Amen.

I was a 13 year old kid when he got excommunicated. How was his excommunication announced to the church at the time?

The attempted sex abuse was not why Elder Lee was excommunicated. He was excommunicated in 1989 and the attempted abuse did not occur until 1994, 5 years later. The details of his disciplinary court are and will remain confidential.

This isn't "new" news. Lee was convicted in 1994 and was registered until 2001. Great short-term memories.

Clearly you have never left the Utah nest. The church is NOT a big deal outside of Utah, Idaho, and maybe Arizona...I live on the east coast and nobody cares about the Mormon religon. Granted Mitt Romney has brought our religion into the spotlight, but overall people still think we are polygamists. Anyway, don't make comments that you can't support (i.e. without living outside the walls of Utah). More importantly, it is sad that someone like Mr. Lee committed such disgusting crimes, LDS or not it is disgusting. Bottom line here is that this man was a "ranking" memeber of the church at the time he comitted these crimes, so this should be reported about...plus c'mon people this is a Utah/LDS newspaper, of course this would make headlines.

A few of you seemed to have missed a major detail. He was excommunicated before he was charged and convicted of being a sex offender - 5 years before.

Are you kidding? Anyone that messes with a little child should go to jail for a long long time. This kind of stuff makes me sick!

For those who are not politically savy, Romney is only giving this speech because he losing support to Mike Huckabee. Huckabee is a Baptist Minister, which is mainstream christianity. Much easier for evangelicals to support a man with a religion they understand. Romney is seeking to normalize his mormon status to put him back on par with Huckabee.