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A Ten Year Assessment October, 2005 Ten years ago, the LDS Church issued a document known as the Proclamation on the Family. In the most recent general conference Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve gave us a painful reminder that the Proclamation continues to be used not to build up families, but to attack and condemn families which do not conform to the model currently embraced by the LDS Church. Specifically, Elder Ballard condemned the “sabotaging” of families and lamented that “in the name of ‘tolerance,’ the definition of family has been expanded beyond recognition to the point that ‘family’ can be any individuals on any gender who live together with or without commitment or children or attention to consequence.” Furthermore, by comparing the Proclamation on the Family to Moroni’s Title of Liberty, Elder Ballard suggested that the LDS Church is waging war against gay and lesbian families all over the world. Ten years ago, the LDS Church didn’t need a proclamation to protect the family. The teachings of Church leaders had already established the central role of the family in society and in God’s plan. However, LDS leaders did need a proclamation to justify the aggressive political campaign that they were carrying out against same-sex families. The Proclamation on the Family also provided the foundation for some of the most offensive statements Church leaders have ever made against gays and lesbians. For example, during a Christmas 2003 devotional, President Hinckley reminded his audience that “the family is under attack” and added that “Sodom and Gomorrah, and the sinful practices observed therein, became examples of that which was evil and abominable in the sight of God.” In March 2004, Deseret Book President Sheri L. Dew publicly condemned a part-LDS gay family for marrying and adopting two twin infants; Dew also suggested a comparison between those do nothing to oppose same-sex marriages and those who did nothing to oppose the rise of Hitler. Today Mormon families across the world are torn between the ideal of showing unconditional love to their gay children and the Church’s campaign against gay families and marriage equality. This campaign has produced pain, divided scores of families, and raised the number of suicides among gay and lesbian Mormons. We find it tragically ironic that a Church which is ostensibly committed to protecting the family is also be so aggressively engaged in attacking and condemning scores of gay and lesbian families who are faithful to each other and love their children. As gay and lesbian Mormons, we too grew up in LDS homes where we learned about the importance of the family. We do not wish to destroy anyone’s family. But we wish that LDS leaders would stop using the Proclamation on the Family to attempt to destroy ours. Olin Thomas, Alyson Bolles, James Morris, and Hugo Salinas Executive Committee Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons |
www.affirmation.org