The Church of Latter Day Saints last week announced a new policy regarding gay couples and their children. The Church now labels married same-sex couples as apostates and bars their children from a naming blessing, baptism or mission call without the approval of the faith’s top leaders. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that late Friday, Mormon apostle D. Todd Christofferson explained in a church-released video that the organization doesn’t want “the child to have to deal with issues that might arise when the parents feel one way and the expectations of the church are very different,” and that the children can still join the faith when they become adults.
Sunday, dozens of people stood outside Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City to protest the LDS Church’s new policy.
The National LGBTQ Task Force called the policy “deeply painful” and contradictory. “Millions of LGBTQ families of faith and their allies will find this announcement deeply painful – as it casts the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a denomination that actively excludes families. This decision also contradicts the widely reported words of Mormon leader Dallin H. Oaks who recently condemned the use of religion as an excuse to discriminate against LGBTQ people. We would ask the leadership of the Church to settle this conflict by publicly clarifying whether they stand for non-discrimination against LGBTQ people as pronounced by Mr Oaks or for the discrimination that is exhibited in this new homophobic policy. We urge all denominations to practice spirit and do justice for each and every person, each and every family in their congregations. Don’t exclude and reject; welcome and affirm,” stressed Rev. Rodney McKenzie, Jr. the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Director of the Academy for Leadership and Action.
DO ALL RELIGIONS HAVE TO VICTIMIZE CHILDREN ? Peace…………….Dominic 🙂