subject: A Historic Night In Salt Lake City For Mormons And The Gay Community [print this page] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has long taught that any sexual relations should be confined within the bounds of marriage between a man and a woman. Likewise, the institution of marriage between the male and female is one of the main components of society.
However, on November 10, 2009 at a Salt Lake City council meeting, the church stood arm in arm with the gay community in support of two nondiscrimination ordinances that were being proposed to secure basic rights for the gay community that were not previously instituted.
Those who are familiar with the LDS Church and its values should not be surprised by this step. While the church does not condone the act and will never support any legislation that proposes to legalize gay marriage, they have always said that those who are gay are also human beings and deserve rights and freedoms that are bestowed on any other individual.
What may be a little different about November 10, 2009 is that the church showed up personally to the meeting rather than issuing a statement. That may have been just what was needed as the two proposed nondiscrimination ordinances passed with a unanimous vote.
Those that were packed into the meeting stood and cheered for the decision of the Salt Lake City council. Many of them, who were gay, shared their stories of discrimination and heartache due to the laws that were currently on the books that did not seem to protect them. There is no doubt that this was a big step forward for gay rights activists; however, people should remember that the LDS Church has not backtracked on any previous stance-only enforced their long-standing belief in basic human rights for all.
These new ordinances represent a level of closure for the gay community in Utah. There are many people in Utah who are very compassionate towards those that are gay, but that has not been enough in the past to get any type of law or ordinance passed. The precedence set last night, however, changed the future.
The LDS Church has long been compassionate to its members who admit that they have been having gay relationships. While the gay lifestyle is not encouraged nor condoned, the church has helped these individuals who wanted to follow the teachings of the church.
Nonetheless, last night was a historic night in Salt Lake City as the two organizations stood side by side in the fight to preserve basic human rights of decency.
