Thousands Of Gays Have Had It (OFFICIALLY) With The Mormon Church, Are Leaving En Masse
From the outside it can see strange—crazy even—to be part of a religious tradition that rejects you. For those born into a faith, though, simply walking away easier harder said than done.
But when the Church of Latter Day Saints announced last week that people in same-sex relationships are now apostates and their children cannot be baptized without literally denouncing their parents, it set off a firestorm of outrage among LGBT and allied Mormons.
In an op-ed in the Washington Post, National Center for Lesbian Rights director Kate Kendell announced her decision to leave the Mormon Church.
Kendell, who stomached the LDS' involvement in Prop 8 and other institutional homophobia over the years, blames the church's "gratuitously cruel and stigmatizing treatment of children" for her departure.
The new policy declares children of same-sex couples cannot be baptized until they turn 18, are living on their own, and have disavowed their parents' relationship utterly.
"It is impossible for me to be a part of a religion that would attack its own members and punish them by denying their children involvement in the church," wrote Kendell.
"The move is as clever as it is draconian. Members seeking to live lives of integrity as openly LGBT people must not only leave the church, but take their children with them. It requires a particular streak of evil genius to manufacture such a 'Sophie’s choice.'"
A Facebook group with nearly 1,000 members has announced a plan to march around the Church's Temple Square and mail formal letters of resignation to the LDS Church in protest of its attack on LGBT families.
Attorney Mark Naugle is helping participants in the process—which is quite involved. Naugle says he's also working on the resignations of 1,400 other Mormons besides those attending Saturday's event.
Members of the Mormon church have made overtures to the LGBT community in recent years, donating to LGBT homeless shelters and supporting anti-discrimination laws. Whether this policy represents a schism in the church, or a declaration of their true colors remains to be seen.
"I can’t help but think how crushing this news is to everyone who had begun to believe that they could both love their church and love themselves or their LGBT family," wrote Kendell.
We can't help but agree.
