Affirmation - LDS support for LGBT Mormons

[calrichmond]

It's a sad time for LDS gay people and their families. Although the Mormon Church looked as if it were softening its practices towards LGBT people, there has been a HUGE setback.

 

The church's new policy was leaked recently. Mormons who participate in same-sex marriages will not be viewed as apostates, and the children of LGBT parents will not be baptized at 8, as other Mormons are, and must wait until they're 18. Before they are baptized into the church, they are required to denounce their parents' union.

 

The Mormon Church is often thought of as a "family church", and this policy is now dividing Mormons. Most LDS people feel it's harsh, and there was a protest in Salt Lake City where over a thousand members resigned their membership. It's unusual for Mormons to speak to the press and criticize the church's policies, but it's happening in Salt Lake and elsewhere.

 

Previously the church admonished members to not discriminate against gay and transgendered people. Church leadership supported a non-discrimination proposition in a recent Salt Lake election. Gay Mormons felt the church was making incredible strides towards its relationship with gay members. A member of the quorum of 12 (top leadership) released a statement that the church could not support Kim Davis or any other official who refused to recognize the court's ruling.

 

Affirmation is a support group for gay and transgender Mormons. It's policy is to work within the system and support gay Mormons who wish to remain in the church. Many members of Affirmation have recently decided to exit the church due to this new policy.

 

What people often forget about Prop 8 is that there were many brave LDS members who openly confronted church leadership over its involvement in these elections. Thousands of Mormons resigned their membership as a sign of protest. We thought the church was learning its lesson and working towards acceptance. I guess we were wrong.

[seaboy4hire]

Do as we say not as we do seems to be their mantra

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ honcho]

After admonishing Mr. Miniver about dragging politics into the Theatre forum, I hesitate to speak my mind

here a little, but being reckless will do so anyway:

 

Thousands of Mormons resigned their membership as a sign of protest.

 

While touched, humbled and honored by the support of our allies, I can't help but wonder if staying in the church

and attempting to change it from within might be the better strategy. The loss of thousands of open-minded

mormons now disenfranchised from speaking or influencing in whatever channels the church of LDS has might

possibly do a lot of harm.

[AdamSmith]

While touched, humbled and honored by the support of our allies, I can't help but wonder if staying in the church

and attempting to change it from within might be the better strategy. The loss of thousands of open-minded

mormons now disenfranchised from speaking or influencing in whatever channels the church of LDS has might

possibly do a lot of harm.

One has to observe that historically, the LDS church has tended to update its dogma less from internal pressure than from the leaders' judgment that external social disapprobation is costing them in the marketplace.

[+ Tygerscent]

It's a sad time for LDS gay people and their families. Although the Mormon Church looked as if it were softening its practices towards LGBT people, there has been a HUGE setback.

 

The church's new policy was leaked recently. Mormons who participate in same-sex marriages will not be viewed as apostates, and the children of LGBT parents will not be baptized at 8, as other Mormons are, and must wait until they're 18. Before they are baptized into the church, they are required to denounce their parents' union.

 

The Mormon Church is often thought of as a "family church", and this policy is now dividing Mormons. Most LDS people feel it's harsh, and there was a protest in Salt Lake City where over a thousand members resigned their membership. It's unusual for Mormons to speak to the press and criticize the church's policies, but it's happening in Salt Lake and elsewhere.

 

Previously the church admonished members to not discriminate against gay and transgendered people. Church leadership supported a non-discrimination proposition in a recent Salt Lake election. Gay Mormons felt the church was making incredible strides towards its relationship with gay members. A member of the quorum of 12 (top leadership) released a statement that the church could not support Kim Davis or any other official who refused to recognize the court's ruling.

 

Affirmation is a support group for gay and transgender Mormons. It's policy is to work within the system and support gay Mormons who wish to remain in the church. Many members of Affirmation have recently decided to exit the church due to this new policy.

 

What people often forget about Prop 8 is that there were many brave LDS members who openly confronted church leadership over its involvement in these elections. Thousands of Mormons resigned their membership as a sign of protest. We thought the church was learning its lesson and working towards acceptance. I guess we were wrong.

Isn't it always a "bad time", (for Mormons, Christians, Jews, Baptists, Athiests, people of any color or creed), when their peridgm efforts are based on racism, sexism, oppression, violence, bigotry, hate, ethnic or cultural prejudice/objection~?

It ain't just the Mormons... Look at our political house and parties~

Lots of "bad time" going on there~

Religion has taken over our country via political climate and perceived morals/ethics...

While we are provided freedom of religion, it wasn't meant to mean freedom to take over the country and governing powers~

That same religious-political oppression imposed in Europe is why the Europeans left to find freedom and conquer North America at the Indiginous people's expense~

Tyger~

971.400.2633

tygerkink@yahoo.com

 

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[OneFinger]

IMHO the Mormon Church's latest move is a direct attack on children. And, it's an attack gay fathers trying to get joint custody. For a child in such a joint custody relationship they are not allowed baptism until the age of 18. And, they then have to renounce the lifestyle of the gay co-parent.

 

I certainly don't think this is an "innocent" event. I think it is a well-calculated "chess move" by old, bitter, and controlling men. Shame on them.

[MikeyGMin]

I am not trying to defend the LDS church. I was raised in the Church and I am a complete and utter apostate who rejects them lock stock and barrel. However, there is some warped logic to the policy. The church has never claimed it was not authoritarian. Growing up I was constantly reminded that scripture is not a smorgasbord from which you can pick and choose.

 

Their beliefs on being gay haven't really changed. They have only moved towards "hate the sin and not the sinner." Now with state sanctioned gay marriage they are in a bit of a bind. It is absolutely an unwelcoming policy towards the children of gay parents, but what are they supposed to do? Tell these children on Sunday that being gay is wrong, that their parents marriage is invalid, and then send them home to those parents with all that potential guilt and baggage?

 

All they are really saying is that when you are grown you can decide for yourself. That's because we all know that eight-year-olds shouldn't be asked to make adult decisions. I don't know any Mormons who practice shunning, so even if they decide to join the church later they won't be asked to cut off ties with their parents. (Although why they would want to join such an unwelcoming church I'll never know.)