Mormon Church Backs Gay Rights Bill

Salt Lake City First in Utah to Ban Bias Based on Sexual Preference

(AP)  The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation, an endorsement that helped gain unanimous approval for Salt Lake City laws banning discrimination against gays in housing and employment.

The Utah-based church's support ahead of Tuesday night's vote came despite its steadfast opposition to gay marriage, reflected in the high-profile role it played last year in California's ballot measure that barred such unions.

"The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," Michael Otterson, the director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.

Passage made Salt Lake City the first Utah community to prohibit bias based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Under the two new ordinances, it is illegal to fire someone from their job or evict someone from their residence because they are lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender.

Utah lawmakers tend to quickly fall in line when the influential church makes a rare foray into legislative politics. So Tuesday's action could have broad reaching effects in this highly conservative state where more than 80 per cent of lawmakers and the governor are church members.

"What happened here tonight I do believe is a historic event," said Brandie Balken, director of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah. "I think it establishes that we can stand together on common ground that we don't have to agree on everything, but there are lot of things that we can work on and be allies."

But the church has pointed out an inherent dispute it has with the gay lifestyle. Mormonism considers traditional marriages central to God's plan. Gays are welcome in church, but must remain celibate to retain church callings and full membership.

It's strong support for Proposition 8 in California last year drew a sharp reaction from gay rights supporters nationwide, with many protesting outside temples that singled out Mormons as the key culprits in restricting the rights of gay couples.

Since then, however, Utah's gay community has sought to engage church leaders in quiet conversations to help foster better understanding, said Valerie Larabee, executive director of the Utah Pride Center.

"I thought this conversation would never come to be while I was here in Salt Lake City," said Larabee, adding that the discussions have "shifted her perspective of what's possible" and could foreshadow a different relationship between the two sides.

But addressing the council on Tuesday, Otterson said the endorsement is not a shift in the church's position on gay rights and stressed it "remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman."

Church support for the ordinances is due in part to the way the legislation was drafted to protect those rights. Exceptions in the legislation allow churches to maintain, without penalty, religious principles and religion-based codes of conduct or rules.

"In drafting these ordinances, the city has granted common-sense rights that should be available to everyone, while safeguarding the crucial rights of religious organizations," Otterson said Tuesday.

Previous Utah legislation that sought statewide protections for the gay community did not contain those exceptions.

And although this was the church's first public endorsement of specific legislation, it is not the first time the church has voiced support for some gay rights. In August 2008 the church issued a statement saying it supports gay rights related to hospitalization, medical care, employment, housing or probate as long as they "do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches."

Last year, church leaders were silent on a package of gay rights bills known as the Common Ground Initiative, dooming them from the start.

[urazcorsy]

"But the church has pointed out an inherent dispute it has with the gay lifestyle. Mormonism considers traditional marriages central to God's plan. Gays are welcome in church, but must remain celibate to retain church callings and full membership."

To add clarity, anyone (including heterosexuals)having sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage would not receive a church calling if it were known and would not be allowed to enter sacred LDS temples which to some is the definition of full membership.

[urazcorsy]

"But the church has pointed out an inherent dispute it has with the gay lifestyle. Mormonism considers traditional marriages central to God's plan. Gays are welcome in church, but must remain celibate to retain church callings and full membership."

To add clarity, anyone (including heterosexuals)having sexual relations outside the covenant of marriage would not receive a church calling if it were known and would not be allowed to enter sacred LDS temples which to some is the definition of full membership.

[SS_433]

Sex is Evil. With our current technology, no one ever needs to have sex again to reproduce, not to mention for pleasure. I'm sure some way can be figured out so as to not need an orgasm to collect the sperms. That's right, NO MORE ORGASMS!

[SS_433]

(there goes the "sex is just for reproduction" argument)

[formrusmcsgt]

The Mormon church for the first time has announced its support of gay rights legislation...
---
These dogma drones can't make up their minds.

Just last year they bought and paid for Proposition 8 in CA.

[realamericanman]

I think is is sad that American people would put down the church because of standing up for and supporting the thing they belive. They are giving the gay people what they want without compromising there core beleifs .
Its called a compromise. This dose not mean they support homosexuality. It means They support human rights, and the United States Constitution Witch is a document written by men that were inspired by god to do so. Gay people are welcome in the church, as are all people. I have never been around people that have had such strong core belifes and stand up for them. We do not hate homosexuals, but we beleive there making a choice that goes against our core belive that marriage is between man and a woman and gods plan as described in the bible. If you belive what the bible says how can you say same sex marriage is ok . The catholic church agrees with us but nobody defiles there temples.

[millibug]

This is just another manifestation of the signs of the times we're
living in. More corruption breeding on top of corruption.

[Imlistening]

Yesterday Iranians were in the streets chanting "Death to no one". Islamic leaders are contemplating scapping jihad and the Mormons are willing to pass a gay anti-discrimination law. O.K. everybody SMILE...take a deep breath. Ssshhhh. If you are very quiet you can hear the sound of reason returning to the planet. Let's try not to drown it out.

[rwassel]

"Under the two new ordinances, it is illegal to fire someone from their job or evict someone from their residence because they are lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender."

Wow. Good job. You really took a courageous step here. Congratulations on not being blatantly bigoted.

[thesevenveils]

And this is coming from a church which until less than 30 years considered "Negros and people of color unfit for membership" to their church. Remember their all white, all pure fundamentalist brethren in Texas.

The Mormon church if given the latitude, endorses a government similar to that of Iran. Theopolitical, run by church elders.

[mopar1956]

The Morman church will be around long after you are gone and why? because it is based on true principles. Something you obviously don't have.

[thesevenveils]

True principles of what? Something made up by a failed Sciefi writter like Ron Hubbard? Why was this kook driven out of the US proper into far away territories? Why again is the Mormon church the only church in the US to take up arms against the US? And why as soon as Utah was made a state did the Mormon church take over the government of the state as a theocracy instead of a democracy?

Perhaps the Moronban had better read the writting on the walls:
NO More Theopoliticaians!

[thesevenveils]

In other words, Mormon lawyers told the Mormon elders that if they opposed this bill they would violating the constitution and open themselves to litigation which could cost the church millions of dollars. This money could be better spent supporting their heaven's gene pool experiment headquarter in Texas.