“I resigned today”, said Paul Pratt, one of the protesters.
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Church officials say local leaders may ask for guidance from senior leaders when situations fall outside the new guidelines.
In a surprising January news conference, the church – a longtime opponent of same-sex marriage – supported job, housing and public accommodation protections for gays and lesbians. Coordinators of the event say that although tensions were running high, ultimately the ability to resign has been a relief for most of the people.
Under a new policy at the Church of Latter Day Saints, youngsters raised by parents of the same sex aren’t allowed to join until adulthood. The resignations were prompted by the Mormon church policy barring the children of married same-sex couples from receiving baptism.
“I am stunned right now at how I’m being labeled and how my children are being marked”, said Kitchen, of Gilbert, Arizona. Two-year missions spent proselyting in other states and countries are a rite of passage for young men in the faith.
“After all the years of different policy changes and people excluding people for not believing the same things, I’ve just never had a strong balance”. Members of the church found to be in a same-sex relationship are also subject to church discipline.
The policy changes have lit a fire for Mormons who already had other uncertainties, Swallow said. “I know a lot of gay people who have agreed to let their children participate at church”.
“I haven’t told them yet, I’m going to tell them tonight”. It also bars the children of gay members from joining the church until they’re 18 and pass a series of church requirements.
“Our concern with respect to children is their current and future well-being and the harmony of their home environment”.
The ruling resulted in a national backlash from LGBT groups, left Utah Gov. Gary Herbert “puzzled” and led the Utah Division of Child and Family Services to file a petition for a stay of the order from Juvenile Court Judge Scott Johansen.
“We’ve actually had participation nationally in our event”, said organizer Lauren Elise McNamara, ” on our online event people have RSVP’d internationally and have been posting pictures of when they been taking theirs to the mailbox all week”.
Another protest called the “Utah Rally for Love, Equality, Family, & Acceptance” was planned for planned for Saturday, November 21.
The resignations come the same week Salt Lake City is expected to elect its first openly gay mayor (they’re still tallying the votes). “The newly added Handbook provisions affirm that adults who choose to enter into a same-gender marriage or similar relationship commit sin that warrants a Church disciplinary council”.
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Earlier this year, Pope Francis said in a sermon that Roman Catholic priests should not refuse baptism to anyone who seeks the sacrament. Still, bishops are the top authorities in their dioceses and can make such decisions on their own.
