Epiphany regarding gays and the LDS church.

It suddenly dawned on me that the reason the LDS church is spending so much money and energy to reverse and stop gay marriage around the country is their experience with the civil rights movement of the 1960's and their restriction of African-Americans holding their priesthood. The mounting criticism of their doctrine in the face of a changing nation regarding equality, pressured them through criticism of being the last mainstream organization that still discriminated against African-Americans. So in 1978, over 10 years since the civil rights movement, they felt compelled from a public relations point of view to change their doctrine. But not all in the leadership accepted the change of doctrine. Changing doctrine is difficult because it might be seen as validation that the religion is false, if the prior doctrine was declared the word of God. If God is perfect, then the doctrine must be perfect. To change would be to admit the doctrine is imperfect, thereby God is not perfect.

Revelation was an acceptable way for their followers to accept this change, the same as they did about polygamy. "God in his infinite wisdom changed his mind." For polygamy it was that it would not be required here on earth so Utah could become a state, but still required in heaven. For African-Americans, it was that Cain's and Ham's sins have been forgiven and the curse lifted. How convenient for both of these revelations, polygamy change for statehood and African-American and the priesthood for public relations.

This PR fear is driving them to fight hard this time to make sure they do not have to change doctrine about gays and start to accept married homosexuals into their church and temples. But this does not make sense since they have the right to do as they wish without government intervention. However, they need growth in membership to have growth in revenue. If like the civil rights movement of the '60, they find themselves the last hold out, then they again have a public relations problem. Public relations should not be the reason a religion changes doctrine that is suppose to come from God directly. Revelation does not explain why the curse of Cain  and Ham is now lifted during the civil rights movement. See the article below about their official position until the revelation and final acceptance by all the leadership.

This article originally appeared in The Salt Lake City Messenger, Issue No. 39, July 1978) Bruce R. McConkie, who now serves as an Apostle in the Mormon Church, made these remarks concerning blacks in his book Mormon Doctrine:

"Negroes in this life are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. (Abra. 1:20-27.) The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them... negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but this inequality is not of man's origin. It is the Lord's doing, is based on his eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of Spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate." (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pp. 527-528)

Utah sanctions slavery

The Great Compromise of 1850, allowed California into the Union as a free state while permitting Utah and New Mexico territories the option of deciding the issue by "popular sovereignty". In 1852 the Utah Territorial Legislature officially sanctioned slavery in Utah Territory. At that time, Brigham Young was governor, and the Utah Territorial Legislature was dominated by church leaders. The Utah slavery law stipulated that slaves would be freed if their masters had sex with them; attempted to take them from the territory against their will; or neglected to feed, clothe, or provide shelter to them. In addition, the law stipulated that slaves must receive schooling. There are conflicting accounts of whether or not slaves could end their bondage by their own choice.

Utah was the only western state or territory that had slaves in 1850. In 1860, the census showed that 29 of the 59 black people in Utah Territory were slaves.When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Utah sided with the Union, and slavery ended in 1862 when the United States Congress abolished slavery in the Utah Territory.


Most Recent Statement on Homosexuality by the LDS Chruch:
The president of the LDS church, President Thomas S. Monson, has stated church members can disagree politically with the church's opposition to same-sex marriage, but if the disagreement turns into an apostasy situation, that would be inappropriate. Is this statement again a PR move to hold onto the more moderate and liberal members of the church? The ...into an apostasy situation... is an interesting statement. I assume it has enough meaning to warn a member that you better be careful if you are an advocate for same-sex marriage and not speak out too loudly or become an activist, that I assume could be an apostasy situation. Thus it is OK for religion to interfere in government, but not for government to interfere in religion. This is in direct conflict with the First Amendment of our Bill of Rights in our Constitution. How can they justify this conflict and support the ideal of freedom?


The standing policy of the church is that homosexuality is a "grievous sin" for which you can be excommunicated, if you have sexual relations with a person of the same sex, but you are welcome into the church, if you do not act on your attraction of love for another of the same sex.  Is that illogical or what!

Prominent church member Harry Reid has supported same-sex marriage and has maintained good standing in the church.