RECONCILIATION

PETITION REQUEST TO

THE FIRST PRESIDENCY OF THE CHURCH OF

JESUS CHRIST

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. " -Matthew  25:40

Petition Home Page

Personal stories, Rocky, Drew, Val & Ray

Gay & Lesbian Member Suicide List

We Can Change History For Gay LDS

Discussion of current LDS theology in “God Loveth His Children” pamphlet.

Lifetime Celibacy or Excommunication Policy

The Etiology of Homosexuality from Authoritative Latter-day Saint Perspectives, 1879-2006

A Revised History of Homosexuality & Mormonism, 1840-1980

Chronology Of Mormon / LDS Involvement In Same-Sex Marriage Politics

Mormons for Marriage supports marriage equality for all, and stands in respectful opposition to California Proposition 8.

Mormon Politics & Member Opinion

ABC News- Gay Mormons Face Excommunication  

Not Anti-Gay Enough to be a Mormon

Timothy Kincaid

February 25th, 2008

Peter Danzig isn’t gay - he’s a happily hetero husband and father of three. Nor is he an advocate for gay rights. And Danzig and his wife, Mary, were involved in their church, participating in the LDS Orchestra.

But Peter has been driven from the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints because of his position on homosexuality.

According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune, Danzig’s crime was writing a letter to the editor of the Tribune in support of Jeffrey Nielsen, a BYU adjunct professor who lost his job for publicly arguing that the LDS Church should not support an anti-gay marriage amendment.

In his letter, Danzig said that he was appalled at Neilson’s summary dismissal and at the Church’s efforts to have members write in support of an amendment that Danzig found “contrary to the Constitution and to the gospel of Christ.” He said:

I wish to express to Jeffrey Nielsen that I admire his courage and that I stand with him. I hope that rank-and-file members of the church as well as members of the lay clergy who also find this troubling will have the courage to step forward and let themselves be known. To do anything else would be to hide in the shadow of an injustice.

Peter and his wife were questioned and challenged and finally resigned the church rather than be excommunicated. Those not raised Mormon may not recognize the depth of anguish it can cause to be cut off from the church.

While the Church refuses to comment on the particulars of the story, they dispute Danzig’s tale.

“There is room in the [LDS] Church for honest disagreement regarding church positions,” LDS Spokesman Scott Trotter said. “Disagreement on doctrine only becomes an issue when a church member acts in open opposition to the church or its leaders.”

Disagreement on doctrine?

Support of civil legislation to deny the functions of the state to gay persons is a matter of doctrine?

Please take time to read this petition, as well as read the stories and links provided, and pass this information on to your friends and link to us if you have a website or blog.

We will deliver the Petition to Church Headquarters on the first anniversary of Proposition 8 being passed in California.

By signing the Petition and spreading the word about it, you will be sending a message to the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that it is time for reconciliation. More importantly, you will be showing support for those who have been harmed by Church policies and practices because of their sexual orientation.

To learn more about and gain an understanding of the official doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also known as the "Mormon Church" please visit their website at http://www.lds.org/

The Empowering Spirits Foundation (ESF) is a national grassroots based civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. ESF members engage in service-oriented activities in communities typically opposed to equal rights to foster positive dialogue and change toward equality.

"Gay, lesbian and bisexual teens and young adults have one of the highest rates of suicide attempts — and some other health and mental health problems, including substance abuse. A new study suggests that parental acceptance, and even neutrality, with regard to a child's sexual orientation could have a big impact in reducing this rate." -NPR, All Things Considered, December 29, 2008

Learn more about The Family Acceptance Project™

"I implore the students at BYU to re-assess their homophobic feelings," wrote Stuart Mathis in The Daily Universe shortly before committing suicide. "Seek to understand first before you make comments. We have the same needs as you. We desire to love and be loved. We desire to live our lives with happiness. We are not a threat to you or your families."

"Utah’s overall suicide rate is the 10th highest in the nation. Unfortunately, it is the leading cause of death for Utah males ages 15 to 19, who die at a rate nearly double the national average. It is the leading cause of death for adolescent males in Utah." -KUED.org Voices of Hope Discussion Guide

"Thank you, Carol Lynn Pearson, for reminding us that the task of any religion is to teach us whom we're required to love, not whom we're entitled to hate." - Rabbi Harold Kushner

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