In a stunning move, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon Church) has announced it will support new federal legislation to protect same-sex marriage.
Church officials said they would back the Respect for Marriage Act, which is currently being considered in Congress. The bill would help safeguard same sex unions at the national level, should the Supreme Court overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges decision.
This surprise announcement marks the latest step toward LGBTQ+ acceptance by the LDS movement, and many cheered the news.
However, not everyone is buying it. Critics cite certain other policies that paint the Mormon Church’s view toward gay people in a less… favorable light.
Others claim LDS leadership has ulterior motives in supporting this legislation.
So what are we to make of this development?
Decades of Demonization
This about-face is remarkable for a number of reasons, but especially considering the Mormon Church’s not-so-ancient-history of mistreatment of its LGBTQ members – particularly gay youth.
As recently as 2019, the official LDS doctrine labeled gay couples as “apostates” and discriminated against them in numerous ways, according to sources within the Church. Among these claims:
- Any same-sex sexual relations could result in disfellowship or excommunication.
- Gay members had a red flag placed on their records that was visible to any local clergy leader – meaning they were “known” even if moving to a new town or a new church. This red flag was often used as a reason to ban such members from interacting with children or teens, essentially treating gay churchgoers as though they were pedophiles.
- Children with gay parents were banned from being baptized until the age of 18, at which point they had to condemn homosexual relationships.
- Gay youth were delayed from participating in mission trips, or denied the opportunity altogether.
Gay LDS members said it felt like they had a “scarlet letter.”
LDS Goes LGBTQ
In a matter of a few years, however, the Mormon Church seems to have changed its tune.
It has reportedly backtracked on some of its more severe anti-LGBTQ policies. And now it’s supporting same-sex marriage. Well, sort of. There's a caveat we'll get to in a moment.
Notably, the Church stopped short of condoning gay relationships (they still consider same-sex partnerships to be a violation of God’s commandments), but LDS leaders appear to concede that their hardline view of the past wasn’t working.
“We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding,” the church said in a statement.
What Does the Respect for Marriage Act Do?
If passed, the law would mandate that states respect the sanctity of all marriages (including same-sex unions), so long as the marriage was legal in the state where it took place. If that sounds confusing, check out our longer breakdown on the Respect for Marriage Act.
This week, the bill passed a crucial vote in the Senate. Tellingly, among the senators in support was Mitt Romney, a prominent member of the LDS Church:
What Are Critics Saying?
The main criticism being raised (both of the legislation and the Mormon Church’s support for it) is that it doesn’t go nearly far enough in securing LGBTQ rights.
Although the bill represents some serious concessions, LDS leaders haven’t budged on their underlying beliefs.
“Maintaining their position sitting on the fence. Acknowledging the federal right to marry — while reinforcing that they believe ‘real’ marriages should be between man/woman,” wrote one Twitter user, describing their reaction to the Church’s stance.
Others shared similar sentiments:
https://twitter.com/JohnHolbein1/status/1592939306506911745
The bill also includes protections for religious groups, which critics argue leaves the door open for continued discrimination.
“Hate it — it provides a legal shield for loads of anti-LGBT discrimination by people and institutions (all in the name of ‘religious liberty’),” another commenter pointed out.
Nonetheless, it’s impossible to deny there has been a serious policy shift in the Mormon Church in a relatively short span of time.
What is your reaction?
19 comments
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James Riggle-Johnson
Go figure. All that money spent to stop prop 8 in California, and now this. Hmm?
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Master Wolf KSC
I think it’s a good thing that the LDS Church has accepted a potential federal law the majority view on LGBTQ+ marriage.
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Lyle Roy Gleason
I don't think the Mormon Church accepts the Federal Court's rulings any more now than they did in Brigham Young's time. They just want to RIP the tithes out of the pockets of the LGBTQ community that they are forced to now recognize as a growing community worldwide! Cutting themselves off from a potential money source? HEAVEN FORFEND!!!
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Lyle Roy Gleason
Comment removed by user.
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Jean
Money talks, and B.S. walks. It's all about the money, money leads to power, power corrupts. They're just following the money. If people who have sex with sheep were shown to be more wealthy than those who didn't, churches would start building fancy pens so those people could bring their favorite sheep to church with them...
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Good for them. A drop of sanity in a sea of delusional thinking.
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Daniel Gray
So what. The bill that the LBGTQ groups are so gung ho about getting passed is going to come back and slap them right in the mush. It clearly states that you CANNOT go into one state that allows this and then come back to your state that may not allow it and then say they have to honor it. Which is going to kill a lot of hopes of forcing this issue. Whoops.
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Tom
You're mistaken, Daniel. The Respect for Marriage Act would mandate that valid same-sex marriages be recognized as legal in all states but that only applies if the union took place in a state where same-sex marriage is legal.
In other words, if a couple lives in a state where same-sex marriage is not legal, they could go to a state where it is legal and get married there, under this law their state would be required to recognize their marriage.
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Daniel Gray
You had better go back and re read the bill as you clearly are wrong. here is a direct quote from the bill "Specifically, the bill repeals and replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage that is valid under state law." Which means in a nutshell that if a state does not recognize same sex marriage, then a gay couple going from say Idaho to California and getting married, cannot come back to Idaho and demand they recognize the marriage. So who are you going to believe, the bill itself or your opinions?
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David Cox
They need to read the real Bible. Roman 1... the story of Sodom. Jesus loves everyone but he gives you a new spirit (born again) read Galatians 5. If we want in the Spirit we will do the things pleasing to God.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
You realize of course that those are all just fables, myths, made up to scare people into obeying 'priests'
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
which god
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Mark Hannon
That's more modern thinking than we have here in the U.P. of Michigan at even the ELCA churches. They don't even allow gay ministers to work in their churches in the Great Lakes Synod.
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Stephen Mohlaloga Makgoathane
Minister STEPHEN MOHLALOGA MAKGOATHANE is directing a question to the MORMONS CHURCH and the LGBTO group;"Question"Are you saying irt your beliefs, there was absolutely nothing wrong if GOD would have brought or created another male for ADAM as a helper in the Garden of Eden, instead of a female?
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David Cox
Then none of us would be here because there would have been no offspring...duh
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Mary Haviland
this is blasphamy and goes against every thing they and the bible teaches, so that tell me they didnt think much of YHWYs laws in the first place, there is no room in my life to stay with a hypocricy chutch. just tell me where to unjoin and ill be doing it.
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Stephen Mohlaloga Makgoathane
Reverend STEPHEN TREVOR MOHLALOGA MAKGOATHANE (S.A) Let me bring this important fact to the attention of all Priests incharge of Churches and Circuits. If by any chance you Reverends happened to accommodate Gay couples/Lesbians for Blessing their marriages or acting as marriage counselors. Believe me or not, you going to loose up to 90% of your Church Congregation within 30 days of allowing such marriage having took place in your Church.That might as well affect your own marriage at home, your wife saying to you " Are you mad,?? etc' etc' You shall have to think again before taking that wrong route. Your wife can put only one condition to you and say" Show me or read for me a Bible verse that condones this helping hand or merciful action of yours. THERE IS NO BIBLICAL REFERENCE THAT SUPPORTS/CONDONE OR PROMOTES A GAY MARRIAGE IN THE HOLY- BIBLE. If they thinking to go to those States just to get themselves Marriage License and come back to a State that doesn't allow that,I would advise them to stay in that State that allowed them to get married, and not come back here. Did you ever imagined as a parent, your child telling you that she/he is Gay or intend to get engaged to a Lesbian, how you as a parent would you feel? Invitation of a Heart-Attack etc'. NOTE: Our lives involve other people too, also the public domain and example: Our work-place, Church, also our professions, our reputations can be affected etc' WATCH & THINK AGAIN. Thank you. Reverend Stephen Trevor Mohlaloga Makgoathane (S.A)
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Anthony D Harmon
so does that that mean they are allowing gays in the mormon church? i should say practicing gays ing the church.
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Anthony D Harmon
i know of a few mormons that were kicked out for being what they callled a practicing gay. is why i am asking.
If the Mormons are allowing there must be money to be made by the church. Mormons never let their religion get in the way of making money.