Church of Latter Day Saints supports new law proposal to protect same-sex marriage

[Blue3]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/mormon-church-comes-support-same-222005071.html

What a change from 2008 and Proposition 8.

[Kuumo]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

[Blue3]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

[Kuumo]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

They haven't changed theologically; same-sex marriage is still prohibited in the faith. The leaders of the Church probably just saw that civil same-sex marriage was here to stay after Obergefell and didn't see it as worth fighting against as long as it was limited to the secular sphere. It's possible that they are also trying to improve their retention of younger members who may be more accepting of LGBT people. A significant number of LDS Republican politicians in Utah like Governor Cox seem more interested in promoting pro-business policies than culture war issues, so it's likely that in spite of their personal opinions on homosexuality, the leaders of the Church no longer see pushing their agenda on social issues as worth the trouble, especially considering the corporate boycott of North Carolina in the wake of HB2.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I showed this to a good ex-Mormon friend of mine, who in the past had predicted that the church would begin to perform same-sex marriages by the end of the decade. Didn't surprise him at all. And he was very well-acquainted with the church in his childhood-early teen years - including baptisms of the dead.

The church remains theologically opposed, but they could and likely will shift on that very soon. I mean, the church has shifted on basically everything else since its founding.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

They haven't changed theologically; same-sex marriage is still prohibited in the faith. The leaders of the Church probably just saw that civil same-sex marriage was here to stay after Obergefell and didn't see it as worth fighting against as long as it was limited to the secular sphere. It's possible that they are also trying to improve their retention of younger members who may be more accepting of LGBT people. A significant number of LDS Republican politicians in Utah like Governor Cox seem more interested in promoting pro-business policies than culture war issues, so it's likely that in spite of their personal opinions on homosexuality, the leaders of the Church no longer see pushing their agenda on social issues as worth the trouble, especially considering the corporate boycott of North Carolina in the wake of HB2.

There's also a fairly consistent Mormon theological current on upholding the secular legal and social system of the day as long as it doesn't involve direct attacks on the Church, even if that system doesn't comport with Mormon teaching.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

They haven't changed theologically; same-sex marriage is still prohibited in the faith. The leaders of the Church probably just saw that civil same-sex marriage was here to stay after Obergefell and didn't see it as worth fighting against as long as it was limited to the secular sphere. It's possible that they are also trying to improve their retention of younger members who may be more accepting of LGBT people. A significant number of LDS Republican politicians in Utah like Governor Cox seem more interested in promoting pro-business policies than culture war issues, so it's likely that in spite of their personal opinions on homosexuality, the leaders of the Church no longer see pushing their agenda on social issues as worth the trouble, especially considering the corporate boycott of North Carolina in the wake of HB2.

There's also a fairly consistent Mormon theological current on upholding the secular legal and social system of the day as long as it doesn't involve direct attacks on the Church, even if that system doesn't comport with Mormon teaching.

How was this the case during Prop 8?

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

They haven't changed theologically; same-sex marriage is still prohibited in the faith. The leaders of the Church probably just saw that civil same-sex marriage was here to stay after Obergefell and didn't see it as worth fighting against as long as it was limited to the secular sphere. It's possible that they are also trying to improve their retention of younger members who may be more accepting of LGBT people. A significant number of LDS Republican politicians in Utah like Governor Cox seem more interested in promoting pro-business policies than culture war issues, so it's likely that in spite of their personal opinions on homosexuality, the leaders of the Church no longer see pushing their agenda on social issues as worth the trouble, especially considering the corporate boycott of North Carolina in the wake of HB2.

There's also a fairly consistent Mormon theological current on upholding the secular legal and social system of the day as long as it doesn't involve direct attacks on the Church, even if that system doesn't comport with Mormon teaching.

How was this the case during Prop 8?

I mean at that point they were just so vituperatively homophobic that they prioritized that instead.

[pbrower2a]

Consistent with the direction the Church has been taking in recent years. The LDS Church is also the reason Utah is the only solidly Republican state with a law explicitly prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment.

How do they theologically explain the shift from 2008, where they were the #1 organizing factor against same-sex marriage nationwide, to this, just 14 years later?

1. The LDS Church seeks converts, and although homosexuality is not the ideal, perhaps becoming a Mormon might lead one to heterosexuality.

2. Violence toward homosexuals is lawlessness, something Mormons find an abomination. Mormons are tough law-and-order people. Criminal sanctions are severe. Selective tolerance of violence is just too risky for their community.

3. Discrimination on grounds of race, religion, or sexual proclivity isn't pro-business, Mormons are pro-business in economics.

4. Mormons have solid traditions. It may seem paradoxical, but those who really believe in something can more easily decide when to stop with any social reform. Toleration of homosexuality for consenting adults appears in a culture (not only Mormon) becoming much more repressive on sexually-charged issues, including child porn, child molestation, human trafficking, date-rape, and domestic violence. What used to be looked at as examples of 'boys will be boys' is, aside from homosexuality strictly among consenting adults, isn't to be tolerated anymore. (The jury is out on abortion and contraception).