On Tuesday (Nov 11th, 2009) the Salt Lake City Council passed ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and educational institutions. Being that these ordinances involve equal treatment of gay and trans gendered individuals it is easy to assume that the LDS Church opposed them.
False
Yes, not only did the church not oppose them it actually gave it's support on the issues. You heard me right. The same church that supported a ban on gay marriage supported anti-discrimination laws for the same community.
Weird
That would be one word folks would use. Some groups used other words:
- Affirmation: "...applauds the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for endorsing the employment and housing non-discrimination act...It is commendable that the LDS Church is taking a step toward living up to its own teachings"
- Equality Utah: "This is a great step"
- Bishop Robinson (Gay Episcopal Priest): "And I think this may be the first gentle melting of what has been a pretty solid opposition on their part, and I really congratulate them for that."
Comin' Round
All this is fine and well. It doesn't surprise me a bit. Where I start running into a snag is when I hear statements like "the Mormon Church was at least at the very beginning of rethinking their stance," "it's nice to see them finally coming around," and my favorite "Proposition 8 was a big black eye for the church and now they are trying improve their image." This shows that most people don't know very much about the LDS Church.
The decision to support these ordinances fits right in with all our other doctrines. The late Prophet Gordon B. Hinckley has always counseled against hate and discrimination. In letters read in General Church meetings the leadership advocated to love our opposition. Even our own Articles of Faith state that people should be able to live according to their own conscience.
And the political stuff?
We have the unique opportunity in this country to not only vote our conscience, but to help persuade others to do the same. The LDS Church still does oppose gay marriage, as it always has. It still supports being civil with our brothers and sisters, as it always has. As for saving face, they don't care, they have never cared about what the rest of the world thinks about them. The LDS Church has never changed their doctrine to look good or to gain more members. They will, from time to time, become indignant or annoyed at other people's thoughts, but who doesn't. Such is the state of men.
Be aware.
It's actually quite funny that this view is thought to be a change - did they think that we previously did encourage discrimination? It has never been about discrimination and we have never advocated hatred, people are confusing the idea of doing what you want with discrimination. It makes it almost sound like a parent/child relationship "if you let me do what I want then you love me, if not, then you don't"
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't trust anything the Mormon Church does. Believe me there is a hidden agenda behind their support. They will lie, modify any statement to cover up what they really believe and do!
ReplyDeleteI love the statement "hidden agenda." It implies that they are a powerful secret organization that plans to take over the world. I'll have to make a post about Lay Clergy to better illustrate this.
ReplyDeleteIf you think the LDS church works like any other government or church then you apparently do not understand how the LDS church works.