Mormon church wants more compassion for gays

[TrogL]

Source: Associated Press

Mormon leaders unveiled a new website Thursday encouraging church members to be more compassionate in discussions about homosexuality.

Church officials insist they haven't changed the Mormon teaching that marriage is only between a man and a woman and that same-sex relationships are sinful. However, the website includes an appeal to gay and lesbian Mormons to stay in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
...

"We must not judge anyone for the feelings they experience," church authorities wrote, saying homosexuality "should not be viewed as a disease or illness."





Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/us/article/Mormon-church-wants-more-compassion-for-gays-4096810.php

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http://www.mormonsandgays.org/

[oldhippydude]

1. sounds like its about time for another revelation

[markpkessinger]

32. Or a shake of the Etch-a-Sketch n/t

[Botany]

2. Then don't sponsor anti gay laws or "clinics" like the one in Utah that "cures the gay."

n/t

[jtuck004]

3. Uh, how about fuck you, you condescending bastards?

I really don't care what you do inside your community with consenting adults, but when you start bringing it out on the streets we share it's a different thing all together.

[alp227]

25. I have the perfect song for the LDS church

"It's Too Late" by Carole King

[AllyCat]

4. So are they going to apologize and make amends to all people

affected by Prop 8 that they ardently fought?

[alp227]

26. Isn't it too late?

See reply 25.

[closeupready]

5. 'God wants gay people to suffer'?

Wow. Can't believe that 21st Century people take that silliness seriously.

[Caeser67]

6. All It Takes Is A Loss

And everyone "evolves." Too late, WE have moved FORWARD without you.

[Panasonic]

7. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........................

This *soon* after the Prop 8 debacle?

I'm not gay, and I find this highly suspicious.

If anyone's buying this - I got a neat little bridge to sell ya... (and I'm in the right state for a change)

[PSPS]

8. ... and don't forget your wallets, suckers!

[msongs]

9. you're still degenrate scum but we are going to be superficially nicer to you. thanks a lot nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. 8: The Mormon Proposition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8:_The_Mormon_Proposition

8: The Mormon Proposition is an American documentary that examines The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its support of California Proposition 8, stating that the church has been actively involved in the denial of LGBT human rights. The film was written by Reed Cowan, directed by Cowan and Steven Greenstreet, and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. It was released on June 18, 2010 by Red Flag Releasing (RFR).

Synopsis

Director Reed Cowan, who is a former Mormon missionary, "planned on making a film about gay teen homelessness and suicide in Utah, but switched his focus to Mormon ideology because of how it contributes to the homophobia that causes these problems".[1] The film focuses on the wealth and power of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and how the Church uses the National Organization for Marriage to advocate for denial of rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans. It states that LDS Church leader Thomas S. Monson asked to ensure the passage of the controversial California Proposition 8. It also states that many homeless people in Utah are LGBT teens who were abandoned by their radical Mormon parents.

According to the New York Times, the film "uncovers the classified church documents and the largely concealed money trail of Mormon contributions that paid for a high-powered campaign to pass Proposition 8", noting that "Mormons raised an estimated $22 million for the cause."[2]

[tidepooler]

11. It doesn't go far enough, but...

...at least it is some improvement.

Still, the fact that they would expect people to deny their own sexuality - especially considering their history of polygamy - is not very realistic. Other church groups take this same, "love the sinner, hate the sin" stance. Would these people be willing to deny their own sexual urges? Would they be willing never to have sex again in their lives? Would they deny themselves the feelings of intimacy and love that we need as human beings?

I'm glad to hear they are making progress by having the conversation. That's a far cry from burying one's head in the sand and pretending homosexuality isn't real or doesn't exist, but they have a lot of work to do. Mormons themselves have experienced discrimination and condemnation from other religious groups. They should know better.

How about this...we will extend forgiveness to the Mormons if they also refrain from having sex or involving themselves in intimate relationships with other human beings. Seems fair to me.

[Voice for Peace]

18. they see homosexuality as a series of naughty urges which

a person should resist, not act upon -- at least most of the time.

Or at the very least, for pete's sake, people should keep their
naughty pleasures a secret.

Most who believe homosexuality is a choice have that belief
precisely because they themselves experience same-sex
attraction. They just are afraid of it in themselves, and
repress it, my opinion.

[closeupready]

24. As a gay person, I concur 100% with everything

you've posted here.

[d_r]

22. when the let gay folks be scout leaders

I'll believe the Mormon's are genuine in this.

[TDale313]

12. So, I think I've got this right...

They officially don't have a problem with gay men and lesbians so long as they never, ever, ever act on their same sex attractions. Cause they still condemn sex outside of marriage, and still don't accept same sex marriage.

[kestrel91316]

13. They must have figured out their hate speech against gays was costing them $$$.

Because that's all they really give a hoot about.

[Swede Atlanta]

14. Bingo!!!

The Mormon church is a cult. Their beliefs and practices really transcend anything comparable with the belief that if you are a "good Mormon" you and your spouse (both of whom have to have been made "temple" Mormons through secret handshakes and a Mason-like ritual) will become Gods and have your own planet (hopefully not too close to the planet Kolob which is where the head God, Elohim lives). The wife is to be eternally pregnant giving birth to babies to fill up their planet.

But more than being a cult it is a business. It is all about financial wealth and material goods.

I'm sure the Mormon leaders have seen how American public opinion is rapidly moving in the other direction. The vast majority of Americans are opposed to oppression and ridicule of LGBT persons and support protections in employment, housing, etc. We are nearly to the point of having a majority of Americans ready to, at least tacitly, accept or support marriage equality.

In that "market" (and for Mormons humanity is a marketplace of new converts and tithes), their brand won't do very well, especially with the younger generations.

So I see this as a first step in a carefully choreographed "evolution" on the issue. Today they are saying don't be mean to LGBT persons and they aren't really sick.

If the population eventually moves to more substantially and affirmatively move toward supporting marriage and familial equality (some years off yet), I suspect there will be another revelation from Elohim to the Grand Poo-Ba of the "Disciples" that will say "its okay to let fags and lezzies marry one another" (I can use those terms because I am gay).

I truly believe this. This happened when the tide was against them on racial equality.

[tidepooler]

20. Agree. And they did this with polygamy too. n/t

[PFunk]

23. Yup.

They did the same thing concerning blacks as the civil rights struggle heated up before (though I can't prove this) public pressure/same forced them to change their stance to accept them into the church. I feel the same will eventually happen to gays.

[rurallib]

15. I believe that as much as anything Mitt said.

[mercymechap]

28. Ha,ha,

that's so true!

[Voice for Peace]

16. they still want to get their man in the white house.

will Mitt run again? probably not.. but they've likely recognized
that they've got some liabilities to deal with, before their white
horse prophecy can come true.

[KamaAina]

17. So are they going to contribute $25 million to the next effort to repeal Prop H8?

I'm waiting...

[Major Nikon]

19. Wow! Only 40 years after the mental health community figured this one out...

open mindedness almost breaks out spontaneously within the Mormon church leadership.

[d_r]

21. not to be cynical, but

phrases to google:
lying for the Lord
milk before meat

[mercymechap]

27. Are they feeling guilty for

pouring all that money into California in support of prop 8?

[Mr.Bill]

37. They just don't want to waste that much money again

on something that's going to be tossed out by the Supreme Court. And the court isn't going to be any more in their favor after the next four years.

[dballance]

29. I Guess They're Starting to See the Financial Benefit

The benefit of not completely and totally dissing same-sex couples since they have good financial resources they could use to tithe 10 percent of to the Mormon Mega-Corporation, oops I mean church. I suspect the "Prophet" will eventually have a revelation about same-sex couples just like the "Prophet" had a revelation about African-Americans when it was totally impossible in light of the movement of society and equal rights laws to not stop discriminating against African-Americans.


What bullshit. This is obviously their opening salvo to try to ensnare another segment of society that can donate their earnings to them.

[Mothdust]

30. they don't want gays to leave their church

Because the church would lose convenient door mats.

[David__77]

31. This is nothing new. They view homosexual relations as evil.

They are only stating a position that is also upheld by the Catholic Church.

Only fringe "charismatics" and that sort of crowd really thinks that homosexual ORIENTATION is "evil." And yet most of these churches indeed do think that homosexual relationships - sexual, loving relationships - are evil.

[NickP]

33. Not even a nice try...

Pretty sure the majority of LGBT Mormons are no longer Mormon. In a Church that seeks to take away their rights, I can't see why any would want to stay.

[jsr]

34. I can smell the sincerity

[Fire Walk With Me]

36. :)

[and-justice-for-all]

35. Ah whats the matter, has there been a dip in the ranks??

fuck them and their stupid dogma...Even though having my own planet sounds splendid, I'LL PASS.

[JudyM]

38. Ok, so it's not an illness... but it's a sin. So how is this an improvement? nt

[libodem]

39. About damned time

My friend graduated from, BYU.

She used to say, "Go to BYU, where the girls are girls, and the boys are, too!"

Remember the sting operations they had in the University rest rooms several years back? They are serious about keeping it clandestine.

Lighten up, it's a good thing, Francis.

[Initech]

40. The Latter Day Bigots can go eat shit.