The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints released a document
detailing its objection to gay-marriage last month. The
press release followed a public statement made by the
church supporting California's Proposition 8,
which would ban same-sex marriage if approved by voters in
November. The document, titled "The Divine Institution of
Marriage," has garnered both praise and derision from
Affirmation, a group of gay Latter-day Saints, reports
Deseret News in Salt Lake City.
"This is
by far the Church's most affirming statement of both
human and civil rights of gay people since the
issuance of 'God Loveth His Children,'
which acknowledged that being gay is not a disease or a
sin," David Melson, Affirmation's media
spokesperson said.
The Mormon
Church's press release was written to clarify its
position on gay-marriage, specifically Proposition 8.
In June, the First Presidency of the Church announced
its partnership with Protect Marriage, a coalition of
churches sponsoring Prop 8, in a letter calling all
California Mormons to "do all [they] can to support
the proposed constitutional amendment."
While the
Church's document does not condone gay marriage, it
takes a less aggressive stance on domestic
partnership. ""The church does not object to
rights (already established in California) regarding
hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and
employment rights, or probate rights," the
statement said.
Affirmation did
take issue with a statement in the church's document that
said "strong families, headed by a father and mother,
are the anchor of civilized society."
Affirmation's press release maintains the position
that "marginalizes families headed by widows, single
parents, adoptive parents, grandparents or foster
parents and ignores the church's own history honoring
polygamous marriage," reports Deseret
News.(The Advocate)
