Mormon Resignations Put Support for Gays Over Fealty to Faith

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long opposed same-sex marriage, but has angered a few members with a new directive on how it should deal with Mormon families headed by wedded gay and lesbian couples.

The Church also affirmed that all children living with same-sex parents or guardians will be barred from being baptised or becoming Church members for the entirety of their childhood, and until they “disavow” their parents’ relationship.

“When a child living with such a same-gender couple has already been baptized and is actively participating in the Church the provisions of Section 16.13 don not require that his or her membership activities or priesthood privileges be curtailed.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last summer to make gay marriage legal nationwide, church leaders wanted “to draw a firm line and encourage consistency among local leaders”, the Friday news release said.

” … which I think is definitely a sign of how many people really support the LGBT population and don’t like what (the church) is doing to families”, she said. The policy says that being “in a same-gender marriage” is considered apostasy, or having renounced the church, and therefore, grounds for excommunication.

The new policy has been sparking protest from Mormons and members of the LGBT community across the country, and the Mormon’s First Presidency issued a statement responding to the criticism of the new policies, which can be found here. I haven’t been active for 17 years. It emphasizes that children can avoid being punished for who their parents love if they quit the parental home.

They said the church is “holding firm to the doctrinal position of right and wrong” and extending love to all while its leaders navigate the complexities of diverse societies and rapidly changing social circumstances.

“I’ve read a lot of history on the church since I got here, and there isn’t much I’ve been impressed with”, McNamara said. Mansfield said. “Even if you’re strictly within the church’s teachings, it still has been wounding to people across the spectrum in a way I could see stalling or ending these collaborative efforts”.

“The astounding effect has been the measure of individuals who are confounded and pained and exasperates and, to be honest, rebuffed”, Mormon researcher Patrick Mason told Reuters.

We perceive it as tearing families apart and making children choose a religion over their parents, said Brenner Zeller, 24.

The church affirmed its doctrine that marriage is between a man and a woman in an online update November 5 to its handbook of instructions for local leaders – stake presidents and bishops.

“It is hard for people to leave the Church”.

It is one of the biggest ironies for LGBT people: for many years, we were warned of the detriments our prospective children would face if we chose to have them. But in Utah, where the LDS Church is such a dominant force, the recent events have unleashed especially powerful emotions.