Damned Mormons

[Edwardo Piet]

Ah bigotry eh? Also know as : being a total cunt.

[Clueless Morgan]

New Mormon policy on gay families is dividing even the faithful; church clarifies stance
http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/31...y-families
[Video in link]

A new LDS Church policy toward gay families triggered an avalanche of emotional responses from faithful Mormons trying to understand why children in such unions won't be eligible for a naming blessing, baptism or mission call without the approval of the faith's top leaders.

"I worry for the church that this may cause more hurt than it helps," he [Philip Barlow, professor of Mormon history and culture at Utah State University] said. "The issue has enough potency to further tear at the social fabric of the church over time."

He believes LDS leaders are concerned that if they don't "deepen the boundary" on gay marriage in this way, it will become more accepted among Mormons going forward, a slippery-slope argument bolstered by the nation's rapid acceptance of gay marriage in the past decade.

In a blog post on "A Well-Behaved Mormon Woman," he wrote that the policy "has the effect of not putting children at the center of a conflict between their household and the teachings of their church."

"It allows family autonomy and reduces conflict and secrecy," he argued. "For the prospective member, it helps them not have to lose vital family relationships (and, if they are under 18, food and shelter)."

This argument, also presented by Christofferson, doesn't fly with Jana Riess, a columnist at Religion News Service and a Mormon convert.

She believes there are softer ways to handle any dissonance between a child's home life and religious views, which would be better dealt with by bishops, not a hard-and-fast policy.

She also views the rule as counter to the teachings of the family-centric faith, including that children are not responsible for their parents' transgressions.

"I come from a family where my father had mental illness. There were a lot of problems and issues with my father. One of the most freeing aspects of LDS theology to me is that I'm only responsible for my own sins. I don't have to pay the price for what my father did."

Riess also complained that the new policy is selective and inconsistent because it ignores other types of families.

"It is very, very interesting," she said, "that we don't have anything like this for children who are born out of wedlock in heterosexual relationships."

In a blog item, she also noted the children of murderers can receive a blessing and be baptized.

"I'm really sad about this," she said, because the faith has been making strides toward accepting gay people. "It feels like this is kind of a slam in the other direction."

It also makes her wonder. She knows top Mormon authorities have said members can remain in good standing and support gay marriage, but if people in such unions are apostates, then to what degree do church leaders consider gay allies, like herself, to be apostates, too?

"That is pretty devastating," Riess said.

Christofferson addressed this.

"The church, of course, doesn't attempt to practice mind control and people have varying opinions," he said. "It is only a problem if there is advocacy and people lobby and advocate against the standard and the very clear and expressed position of the church."

In other words, you can have all the differing opinions you want, but you just can't talk about them or advocate for them if they differ from what church officials say.

[vorlon13]

I'm assuming the new rule was not prefaced with the standard Mormon commencement:

Thus saith the Lord,

[Clueless Morgan]

I have seen nothing to the effect of this being a "revelation" or that it is "prophecy" - it has been reported as a change to the church handbook.

Also,
http://www.scribd.com/doc/288685756/Chan...5-28003-29

When a Disciplinary Council May Be Necessary
Serious Transgression
. . . It includes (but is not limited to) attempted murder, forcible rape, sexual abuse, spouse abuse, intentional serious physical injury of others, adultery, fornication, homosexual relations (especially sexual cohabitation), deliberate abandonment of family responsibilities, . . .

Handbook 1, number 6.7.3 is also to be updated immediately as follows (addition is highlighted): When a Disciplinary Council is Mandatory
Apostasy
As used here, apostasy refers to members who:

1. Repeatedly act in clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders.
2. Persist in teaching as Church doctrine information that is not Church doctrine after they have been corrected by their bishop or a higher authority.
3. Continue to follow the teachings of apostate sects (such as those that advocate plural marriage) after being corrected by their bishop or a higher authority.
4. Are in a same-gender marriage.
5. Formally join another church and advocate its teachings.

So if you "forcibly" rape and then attempt to murder your spouse the church looks upon that as something that MIGHT NEED disciplinary attention.  But if you're in a loving, committed marriage with someone of the same sex as yourself it is MANDATORY that you receive disciplinary attention.

WTF Mormons?  REALLY?

And this also happened:
[SLC Mayoral Candidate*] Jackie Biskupski responds to LDS Church policy change regarding children of same-sex couples
http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news...ex-couples

Jackie Biskupski released the following statement:


   “The conversations I have had over the past 24 hours, regarding the LDS Church policy to exclude children living in same-sex households from membership, have been with people of all walks of life, both Mormon and non-Mormon. The common theme is both shock and concern for children—not just those directly impacted—but all children in our community who are witnessing a form of injustice that no child should experience.
   
   “As a faith community, the LDS Church has done so much good in promoting the strength of the family, that it is hard for many of us to accept a policy that would tell a child who wishes to seek spiritual guidance from the Church, that they should look elsewhere simply because of their parents. Our community has also come so far in the last year to bridge the gaps between us, that this new policy feels confusing to many.  
   
   “The LDS Church is entitled to live in its doctrine and to make policy decisions that reflect the teachings of their faith, but I hold onto hope that a move in this direction will not last long.  As a mother of a young son—who will grow up in this community—I want him to feel welcome wherever he goes and judged based on the content of his character, not on his mother’s sexual orientation. My son will make many important decisions in his life and if he chose to become a member of the LDS Church, I would support his choice, and I would hope he could find acceptance in his faith community.“

* Jackie has not been officially announced as the winner:
http://www.good4utah.com/news/top-storie...l-just-yet

Salt Lake City, Utah- (ABC 4 Utah) – Salt Lake City will have to wait a few more weeks for an official winner in the race for mayor.

Challenger, Jackie Biskupski has a four and a half point lead after election night, but Mayor, Ralph Becker is not conceding the race.

That means it will now move into the canvasing process and won't be official until November 17, 2015.

If officially elected, Jackie would be the first lesbian mayor of a city in Utah.

[Minimalist]

Some of the "stockholders" are getting upset.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/mormons-...apostates/

Mormons plan mass resignations over ‘kick in the stomach’ decision to label gay members ‘apostates’

I sense a soon-to-be-forthcoming revision from planet Kolob.

[vorlon13]

'revision' is such a harsh word.

True, all the revelations were revised, and the Book of Mormon, and Doctrines and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price, and even History of the Church, (even in places it was made up in the first place), but still, oh, I dunno . . . . .

[Clueless Morgan]

Some of the "stockholders" are getting upset.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/11/mormons-...apostates/

Mormons plan mass resignations over ‘kick in the stomach’ decision to label gay members ‘apostates’

I sense a soon-to-be-forthcoming revision from planet Kolob.

Not necessarily. There's speculation that this is a sort of "cleaning the house" move - pear down the congregation to the true believers, the ones who are so deep in and so invested that they will rationalize anything in order to stay and let those liberal-minded jack-Mormons leave so that the purity of the church isn't spoiled by their lecherous presence... (Kinda like when Jim Jones moved the people's temple to Guyana - he didn't care that uncommitted members didn't come, he was interested in keeping a hold of the true believers...)

Even if that's not the case, the LDS church has such a deep and long-standing tradition of hostility toward the LGBT community that I have a hard time seeing them modifying this change to the handbook anytime soon. If/when it gets changed, it will be after a period of years when it has fallen off of most news outlets' radar. They've gotten themselves in a little pickle by having the change leaked rather than being able to quietly insert it into the handbook and implementing it on a case-by-case basis without anyone really finding out. If they change the policy now they'll look like hypocrites and they can't have that.

[Minimalist]

It seems mormons are just as stupid and backward as ever.

http://www.rawstory.com/2016/01/repent-t...-with-god/

‘Repent’ the gay away: Wife of Mormon leader tells gays to pray for ‘sexual harmony’ with God

Wendy Nelson, the wife of a top Mormon official, asserted recently that LGBT people should “repent” to have their “sexual feelings be in harmony” with God’s law.

I might be wrong but that sounds suspiciously like "fuck god."

[vorlon13]

"God's Law" is somewhat of a funny phrase coming from a Mormon. Considering how pliable and flexible all His past pronouncements have been, using the word 'law' is a misnomer. Even 'suggestion' seems too rigid for how Mormons look at His pronouncements, er, how they view Him looking at His pronouncements . .

[Clueless Morgan]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mormon-leade...-from-god/
Mormon leader says policy against gay marriage was word from God

A high-ranking Mormon leader says the church policy against same-sex marriage was a revelation from God.

Apostle Russell M. Nelson, head of the religion's governing body and next in line for the Mormon presidency, said in a worldwide speech Sunday that Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Thomas S. Monson received instructions regarding same-sex couples directly from God.

"Each of us during that sacred moment felt a spiritual confirmation," he said, reports CBS affiliate KUTV. "It was our privilege as apostles to sustain what had been revealed to President Monson."

In the words of a facebook friend:

"I find it interesting that we now find out this was a revelation received by Monson, which was declared by Nelson, after being "clarified" by Church PR, after explained by Christofferson, after published by an apostate, after leaked by an anonymous source, after published in a document most most members can't see.

God's work is mysterious indeed."