Hundreds rally to protest Mormon Church’s new anti-gay rules

The updated handbook also included a new policy that children whose primary residence is in the home of a same-sex couple can not be baptized until they turn 18 and disavow same-sex marriage.

The rally came one day after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stood behind the policies issued on November 5, while providing more explanation and clarifications.

In a statement, the church’s governing First Presidency said on Friday that they had been obligated to act for the welfare of both adults and children in setting out the new policy.

This policy is problematic to a few because they fear for the well-being of children from same-sex couples, who will ultimately have to choose between their parents’ lifestyle or their church’s doctrine.

The Church clarified that children of gay parents won’t be prevented from attending services.

After calls for mass resignations from the church, over 1,500 people have announced their resignation in protest of the new anti-gay policies.

An informal poll of people who had joined the event’s Facebook page revealed that the vast majority who were resigning Saturday or planned to mail in their letters later either marked “I haven’t believed [in church theology] for years” or were “Inactive”.

“We had an incredible turnout”, Naugle said, according to CNN. Although the Mormon Church has long opposed same-sex marriage, it had endorsed an anti-discrimination law in Utah and criticized a Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

The change to Mormon policy would not effect children who had already been baptised. Same-sex marriage may be legal, but it’s still a serious sin in the eyes of the church. Ultimately the Church endorsed a bill to create statewide LGBT protections in Utah, but only because they contained exemptions broad enough to allow all LDS entities to still discriminate.

Long queues formed around tables set up on the steps of the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as lawyers and notaries helped people fill out the forms required to leave.

During the last year, members of the gay community praised an openness from the church unseen since the 1970s, referred to among more liberal church members as the Camelot Years. “We hope that church leaders will reconsider this hurtful and deplorable policy”.

Church officials were not immediately available for comment. “It is a well-thought-out one and it is not taken lightly”, said Brooke Swallow, one of the organizers of the Saturday protest. That’s why so many, as hard as it may be felt it was the right decision to walk away from the religion.

“We’re supposed to love our children like God loves us”, said Teresa Schofield.