Top Mormon Official Condemns Kim Davis, Calls for End to Fight Against LGBT Rights

[KamaAina]

http://www.advocate.com/religion/2015/10/21/top-mormon-official-kim-davis-wrong-same-sex-marriage-valid

Apostle Dallin H. Oaks, second in line to the presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a former Utah State Supreme Court justice, told a gathering of believers that renegade Kentucky clerk Kim Davis is abusing the principle of religious freedom to justify her anti-LGBT stance, and urged conservative activists to stop trying to overturn LGBT nondiscrimination laws....

Government officials "are not free to apply personal convictions — religious or other — in place of the defined responsibilities of their public offices," Oaks told the group, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. "A county clerk's recent invoking of religious reasons to justify refusal by her office and staff to issue marriage licenses to same-gender couples violates this principle."

Oaks's speech, titled "The Boundary Between Church and State," came at the Second Annual Sacramento Court/Clergy Conference yesterday. The LDS church has remained silent on the controversy until now, but Oaks's high ranking position as part of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles could be inferred to be the church's position.

"Believers should acknowledge the validity of constitutional laws," Oaks told the conference attendees. "Even where they have challenged laws or practices on constitutional grounds, once those laws or practices have been sustained by the highest available authority, believers should acknowledge their validity and submit to them."

[randys1]

1. Wow, if the FLDS hated the LDS before, imagine now!

[Hydra]

2. Hell might be freezing over, but the LDS church knows when to back out of a losing fight

There's basically no LBGT hate left here to tap in Utah. They've done untold damage to people over this issue, but they may well reverse course and pretend it never happened now.

The tipping point is beyond passed, happy to say.

[jberryhill]

3. The Mormon God changes opinions from time to time

Polygamy, admitting blacks to the priesthood... It usually happens when it is politically expedient to do so.

[The CCC]

9. The Mormon God changes opinions from time to time

Not really exclusive to LDS(Mormons). The God of the Bible changes his mind from time to time.
Polygamy is still part of LDS doctrine. Just its earthly practice is temporarily suspended.
By 1978 there was little to no political demand for a change. It has been LDS belief that African Black males had or would someday get the Priesthood.

[eggplant]

4. When even the LDS says you've crossed the line, you've really crossed the line. n/t

[houston16revival]

5. Wax Hot, Wax Cold

on the Mormons but I will say this:

They understand oppression more than some other Christian denominations

and anyone who can make a case for the realpolitik of compromise is at
least thinking even if the mind remains half open

Governments do what they must do, and personal religious beliefs are something
we may disagree with but we do respect the religious beliefs of others as we
would like to be respected

This whole controversy is about not recognizing normal boundaries: where
do one's religious beliefs end and where do others' begin? And what is the role
of a non-theocratic state in that equation?

I think if religious leaders of various denominations hashed this out they would
concur with Mr. Oaks.

Kim Davis is backed by zealots and wackos.

[KamaAina]

6. Nice!

Welcome to DU!

[closeupready]

7. K&R, though I still don't like the hateful dogma of their religion, and its history.

[niyad]

8. your image is absolutely correct.

had no idea when I met him all those decades ago that he is such a prominent figure in the lds.

[NurseJackie]

10. Does Mr. Oaks have an appointed position? An elected position? Is it a position for life?

Or is he likely to be fired, voted-out, or replaced at someone else's whim?

[KamaAina]

11. Being a Gentile, I have no idea.

Actually I am a Gentile twice over, being neither Mormon nor Jewish.

And welcome to DU!

[NurseJackie]

12. Thank you.

[morningfog]

20. His position is for life, except that he may

move up to higher positions when others die.

[NurseJackie]

21. Thanks for the info.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

13. Latter Day Saints proving to be a very American religion

First they say they are infallible, yet change doctrine re: blacks and now after pushing CA'S Proposition 8, completely backtrack.

I'm confused, but they are going in a better direction for the good of the country and not adherence to an invisible deity.

[NonMetro]

14. He's Stating Something All Religious Denominations Once Held In Common

Even the most extreme fundamentalists once understood there can't be freedom of religion unless there is a separation of church and state. Kim Davis, Mike Huckabee, and Ted Cruz, are all guilty of undermining freedom of religion in this country.

[Dont call me Shirley]

27. Spot on, NonMetro!

[dae]

15. Impressive.

Love the "HELL" sign, could someone possibly put flying pigs above it!?!

[KamaAina]

16. How could pigs fly in icing conditions?

[NastyRiffraff]

26. If pigs could fly at all

I doubt that icy or any other condition would make a difference! Cheers

[Dont call me Shirley]

28. Meet Hamlet, the flying pig...

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=https://www.seminoleimmokaleecasino.com/specialty-balloons.htm&h=226&w=226&tbnid=zUyhRpDgHEfhrM:&docid=qqHdNTa1VLwUnM&hl=en-US&ei=kUMtVtKZKMX--AGel4DYBQ&tbm=isch&ved=0CFMQMygrMCtqFQoTCJKmleLC3sgCFUU_PgodngsAWw

[KentuckyWoman]

17. The LDS church has always stood for obeying the law.

Yes they'll fight with $Millions to influence the law making. But once it's the law they'll get in line. Not a big deal to them. Surely this is proof of the end times leading up to Jesus showing up in Independence MO.

[FreeState]

18. Danites (cough, cough) n/t

[frizzled]

19. Mormon marriages should be banned for a while; it'd only be fair, really.

nt

[Bluenorthwest]

22. Apostle Oaks speaks clearly on the side of the rule of law and of justice, unlike Pope Francis who

never speaks clearly, who seems to despise the rule of law. How many chances did Francis have to say something similar to what Oaks has said about Davis?

[ibegurpard]

23. The Mormons know the score

They aren't too much farther down on the list from "teh gays" as groups despised by the bible - thumping fundamentalist "christians." They also know when it's time to start adapting. It's all for PR for them.

[FreeState]

24. Probably more importantly they know they are dying

the Church that is. Their growth rate in the US is at zero. The areas where their growth rate is higher are experiencing low retention and attendance. The church has hit is prime and pinocle, its on its way out.

[progressoid]

25. Yep, like when they decided that dark skin was not a punishment from God

Kind of hard to keep recruiting Black people to play sports for BYU while the Church officially declares them cursed.