Letter: The bishop’s interview should change immediately

I read The Salt Lake Tribune editorial, “The LDS Church should revise the bishop’s interview,” on Dec. 18. I totally agree. The recent tidal wave of revelations of many people being sexually harassed in a professional area certainly bolsters the sentiments in The Tribune’s editorial.

For years, I have failed to see how the bishop’s interview does much good other than being almost akin to a Roman Catholic confessional. I believe in confessing my sins (which thankfully are mostly garden-variety transgressions) to Almighty God — and not to a mortal man.

Having an older man in an ecclesiastical role having free rein to inquire of the sexual desires or inclinations of such a young and vulnerable person is unseemly and simply gives the bishop salacious “intel.” Granted, it could be used to counsel toward repentance, but the bishops would be better-advised to be more generic and also allow a lady of the Relief Society present for such questioning.

Dispensing good counsel is one thing, but in our changing times (in which things could be easily misconstrued at best and enabling predators at worst), the bishop’s interview should change immediately.

James A. Marples, Provo