Mormons React to New LGBT Policy With Typical Response
Earlier this week, John Dehlin released a picture he received of changes to the LDS church handbook. The new policy updates the definition of apostasy to include LDS members in same-sex marriages, and bans naming and baptizing children whose parents are in same-sex marriages. The story was quickly picked up by most media outlets, including the Washington Post and New York Times. Facebook and Twitter feeds lit up as the story started trending around the globe. And, of course, LDS apologists started weighing in, with everything from the Top Nine Myths about the changes to “seriously, we don’t hate the gays… seriously” blog posts.
After being born in the LDS church, I stopped attending about 15 years ago and had my name removed from the records in 2008. But with family and friends still active members, its impossible to not notice changes. Watching this sort of reaction from the faithful is nothing new. For years, members of the church have performed intellectual back flips trying to defend their church’s history and the words and choices of their leaders.
The argument LDS members are making in favor of the new LGBT policy basically boils down to protecting children from confusion, which is the same argument used by those who stand against same-sex parenting in the first place. Despite research to the contrary, members apparently believe children with gay parents are easily confused and irrational. Thus, the church must protect these children from the message they get at home contrasted with the message they get at church. The confusion they’ll experience is simply too much for their membership.
Buuuuulllllllshit. There are two very simple reasons this policy change was made:
- Children of same-sex parents are naturally going to accept gay marriage; and
- Children are more accepting of gay rights if they have friends who are gay.
By preventing children from same-sex relationships from obtaining church membership, it becomes clear that church leaders are trying to stem the rapid rise of acceptance of gay rights among young people. This change to the LDS handbook is protectionism of anachronistic doctrine, and nothing more.
The church is facing a strange period in its history. More people have access to information about church history and its ever-changing doctrine. As a result, conference talks urge members to “doubt your doubts” and to “give Brother Joseph a break” (two of the more ridiculous notions I’ve ever heard). The church is also attempting to explain some of its more controversial topics; garments, seer stones, and angels with swords commanding Joseph Smith to marry more wives (apparently, non-traditional relationships were not confusing to children in the 19th century) to name a few.
With each new doctrinal change, the faithful trot out their defense of the leadership, which usually includes people like me getting told “We’ve known Joseph Smith married a 14 year old for years. This is nothing new.” But this time, however, people are taking notice. Gay marriage is mainstream, and targeting the innocent children of these relationships is simply unacceptable. After watching this happen time and time again, I’m left wondering when defense of the church will become untenable.
