|
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long opposed
same-sex marriage, but has angered some members with a new directive
on how it should deal with Mormon families headed by wedded gay and
lesbian couples.
The policy, approved last week by leaders of the church, which
claims more than 15 million adherents worldwide, added same-sex
marriage to the list of acts considered to be a renunciation of the
faith and thus subject to church discipline, including
excommunication.
It also prohibits natural or adopted children of gay married couples
from being baptized in the faith until they turn 18, leave their
parents' home and personally disavow same-sex marriage or
cohabitation.
Church leaders elaborated on the policy on Friday, saying the
withholding of baptism would apply only to children whose primary
residence is with a same-sex couple.
For children who have already been baptized, the provisions do not
curtail their membership activities of priesthood privileges, the
leaders said.
At least 750 demonstrators will gather on Saturday afternoon at a
Salt Lake City park across the street from the headquarters of the
church, organizer Lauren Elise McNamara said on Friday.
Most of them will collectively mail their letters of resignation
there, while hundreds more are expected to mail them from elsewhere,
she said. Because resigning from the church is a complicated
process, an attorney will be on hand to help with the paperwork,
said McNamara, who converted to Mormonism as an adult and plans to
resign along with her husband.
[to top of second column] |
Critics of the church say its policy targeting the children of
same-sex couples is unfair, and that it is bound to set some family
members against each other.
The policy follows a landmark ruling in June by the U.S. Supreme
Court that legalized same-sex marriage.
"We don't want to see anyone leave the Church, especially people who
have been struggling with any aspect of their life," Eric Hawkins, a
spokesman for the church, said in an email.
The church this year announced support for U.S. laws protecting gays
and lesbians from discrimination in housing and employment.
(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles; Editing by Daniel
Wallis and James Dalgleish)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
