LDS Tries to Heal Post Prop 8 Rifts

Diane Oviatt held her sobbing gay son in a darkened kitchen as he poured out years of grief at the secret he had been carrying for 18 years and wondered how he would get to heaven without marrying.

These were among the anguished stories several Mormons shared during emotional church services Oakland LDS Stake held last summer to heal rifts caused by the faith’s activism in the Golden State on behalf of traditional marriage.

In June 2008, the LDS First Presidency asked all California Mormons to give their time and money to Proposition 8, a ballot measure striking down gay marriage. Many members did so with gusto, circulating petitions, raising money, sending e-mails to church lists and putting up lawn signs.

That left other Bay Area Mormons, particularly those with gay friends and relatives, feeling embattled and alienated. Some stepped away temporarily from church; others left for good. Those who remained often felt at odds with fellow believers.

‘What’s the point of going on?’

“I assured [Ross] of our love and understanding, our unwavering support and loyalty, but when, in absolute despair, he said, ‘What’s the point of going on? I can’t ever marry in the temple and have a family. How do I get to the celestial kingdom? What happens to me?’ I had no answers. I still don’t.

“I could not advise him to keep coming to church, to hope for peace in the next life. There are graveyards full of young Latter-day Saints who have tried.

“I choose life for my child. I would rather have him alive, living an authentic life, true to who he is, than to live a stalwart steadfast lie that backs him into a suicidal corner.”

Diane Oviatt

More at: Salt Lake Tribune!

Do Mormons Fear Possible Taxation?

So, if you read my post, chances are you’re familiar with the fact that in 1978 former President Jimmy Carter threatened the LDS church with taxation if they didn’t stop preaching segregation, and low and behold, within a matter of weeks the leaders of the church had revelations that being Black was no longer a punishment from God and Black people should be treated as equals.

Well, there’s been a lot of news as of late about how attitudes around LGBT issues have been changing in the eyes of the Mormon church…generally stating they’re gradually becoming more accepting…yet not completely, of LGBT equality.

The latest…on a post at GayPolitics:

A new statewide poll finds Utahans dramatically more open to gay rights measures than they were a year ago, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, with two-thirds of respondents saying they support employment non-discrimination laws for their LGBT fellow citizens. The findings come on the heels of the Mormon Church’s official support for a Salt Lake City non-discrimination ordinance last fall:

“This isn’t a gradual change of attitudes. This is a fairly dramatic jump,” says Matthew Burbank, chairman of the University of Utah’s political science department. “Clearly, the fact that the LDS Church was officially endorsing this position had an impact on people.”
A similar number of respondents, 66 percent, also say they support expanding Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination policy — the first of its kind in Utah and already mimicked in Salt Lake County — throughout the state.

“This isn’t a gradual change of attitudes. This is a fairly dramatic jump,” says Matthew Burbank, chairman of the University of Utah’s political science department. “Clearly, the fact that the LDS Church was officially endorsing this position had an impact on people.”

A similar number of respondents, 66 percent, also say they support expanding Salt Lake City’s anti-discrimination policy — the first of its kind in Utah and already mimicked in Salt Lake County — throughout the state.

Now one may ask, and in case no one does I will. Why the sudden changes in attitude? Could it be the younger more progressive Mormon congregation in Utah is has seen the light and their visions are having an impact on the entire LDS community? Possibly, but probably not.

As I’ve said in other post, as ignorant as many Republicans and conservatives are, they’re not stupid…and neither are the Mormons. I believe they really do see the future, and not in the vision from God sort of way, but rather in the LGBT rights are inevitable sort of way, and I think that unlike most other American citizens who live in the United States of Amnesia, they remember 1978 all too well, and with President Obama in the White House, perhaps this change of attitude is more of a preventative measure than a broadening of acceptance.

Talking About “Pacts With the Devil”

I’m sure by now you’ve heard about how Pat Robertson blamed the recent earthquake in Haiti on their so-called ‘pact with the Devil’.

Well, now I’m going to turn this one around a bit.  This time instead of a religious right nut talking about pacts with the Devil, I’m going to say I’ve found a real pact with the Devil, perhaps between to Devils, or probably the closet thing you could get to such.

According to an AP post on the New York Times:

Utah lawmakers will not consider a law that would ban discrimination against gay men and lesbians in the workplace and in housing, and will instead spend the next year studying the issue, key lawmakers said Friday.

In exchange, opponents of gay-rights legislation will drop any effort to prevent local governments from passing their own nondiscrimination laws this legislative session.

And…

In Utah, few law changes occur if the church disapproves. More than 80 percent of state lawmakers are Mormon, including Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican.

Mr. Herbert has said he disapproves of discriminating against gay men and lesbians, but that he does not think it should be illegal.

So as comforting as it is to know the Governor of Utah wouldn’t himself discriminate against LGBT citizens, he doesn’t think it should be against the law to do so? How is this in any way, shape or form right? It’s not! And the state’s lawmakers are going to drop thinking about making it illegal to discriminate, so individual municipalities can decide whether or not they want to allow discrimination?

Don’t state laws trump local ordinances or did I miss something in 5th grade Civics? There are so many things wrong with this I won’t even attempt to cover it as I’m sure you’re not ready to read a thesis length post, but I will say, this is exactly why anti-discrimination MUST be mandated by the top level of government…yes, the federal government. This is exactly why Civil Rights were not left up to individual states…if they were, some people would still not be allowed to vote in the country.

This is an outrage, and how the federal government can even permit legalized discrimination is beyond me. And no, this is not the fault of President Obama. I do NOT expect him to wave a magic wand and make it all go away. This is up to the lawmakers! This is up to our congress to take on!

Buttar(ing) Up Anti-Gay Conservatives with Lies

I suppose it just goes to show, not all politicians are really “politicians” in the regards they try to be well liked by everyone, and either out of ignorance, blatant stupidity or both, still haven’t learned that when you lie to the public to serve your own greater good, it always catches up with you! It does seem however that a growing trend amongst conservative politicians has been to pander to the religious right, and there doesn’t appear to be a better way of doing this than by hating the LGBT community.

Utah Senator Chris Buttars, known for his vehement opposition to equality has once again opened his mouth and inserted his foot on LGBT issues, and although I doubt it will influence him to do so, has again been asked to resign from public office. This time, not so much over his anti-gay hate and bigotry however…but this time from being caught in a bold-faced lie.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune:

At a Sundance Film Festival screening of “8: The Mormon Proposition,” filmmaker Reed Cowan called on the West Jordan Republican to step down because, Cowan said, Buttars is a “liar.”

During an interview which is featured in Cowan’s documentary, Butters refers to gay and lesbian Americans as “probably the greatest threat to America” and refers to gay households as “combinations of abominations”.

Now, again according to the post:

The filmmaker and former Salt Lake City TV reporter is upset that Buttars is “spreading lies” about the nature of the interview.

On Sunday, Buttars, who is LDS, told KUTV Channel 2 that he was deceived by Cowan and his crew because they wore Brigham Young University shirts and spoke of serving LDS missions.

“So I felt pretty comfortable talking to them,” Buttars told KUTV, “not knowing they were really after sound bites to try to make me look horrid.”

Cowan has released photos taken at the interview that show he and his crew were not wearing BYU logos.

“We can do better,” the filmmaker said, “than having a liar as a public servant.”

Cowan said Buttars — who also was asked to resign by the NAACP in 2008 after he compared a school-funding bill to an “ugly” and “black” baby — has become too big of a distraction at the Legislature.

“Where are his colleagues saying we can’t tolerate another session of being upstaged by Senator Buttars?” Cowan asked. “We are in an economic crisis. We have educational crisis. Senator Buttars is back on the air spreading lies and grandstanding.”

So, again, here’s a man who has built his political career, not on Buttar(ing) up the general public, but by flagrant displays of racism, bigotry and homophobia. The worst part of this picture however, he was elected!

Utah Mormon Leads Fight Against D.C. Marriage

It shouldn’t be news that the LDS church in Utah was instrumental in the passage of Prop 8 in California, which overturned the rights of LGBT couples to marry. The LDS church of Utah has had a voice, and a monetary interest, in marriage equality issue regardless of which state the debate has been in.

Well, it looks as though their not going to leave Washington D.C. out of their fight against equality.

This time, Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) is leading the fight to overturn D.C.’s decision to end marriage discrimination.

According to the Desert News:

Gay rights groups are flabbergasted that Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, is leading a charge to block gay marriage in the District of Columbia, since his family has some interesting gay and liberal ties.

After all, his father, John Chaffetz, wrote a complimentary book about a gay couple that competed in the “Amazing Race” reality TV show. And liberal, former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis (whose wife, Kitty, was once married to Chaffetz’s father) has been helping the young Chaffetz to pass legislation.

So gay groups are questioning in widespread Internet posts why Chaffetz, with such ties, could do such a thing. They wish aloud that he would listen to his more liberal relations, and stop his pledges to try to overturn a D.C. ordinance signed by its mayor last week to allow gay marriage.

Chaffetz told the Deseret News on Monday that such groups should not hold their breath for that.

“I see my position more as a support of traditional marriage than it is an attack on gay marriage. I think I have a core moral belief in traditional marriage, and I’m willing to stand up and stand tall for traditional marriage,” he said.

But why Chaffetz you may ask? Well, the answer is simple. Also according to the post:

Chaffetz explains, “I am the only member of my family who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am a convert.” He joined the church two months after he graduated from Brigham Young University, where he had been recruited as a football placekicker.

The way I see it, first this guys sells out to the LDS church for a football scholarship (I suppose letting Mormon’s pay for your education is OK) but now he’s selling out to the whole thought that a tax-exempt church should be allowed to fight against rights for tax-paying citizens. I can only hope this effort discredits Chaffetz.

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