LDS Church Leader Makes Controversial Comparison During Speech

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LDS Church Leader Makes Controversial Comparison During...

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Reported by: Cristina Flores

Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009 @11:41pm CDT

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During a speech on what he said is the attack on religious freedom and Christianity in America, Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Days Saints said Mormons are being intimidated today much like African Americans were as they fought for civil rights.

Oaks cited as an example the “backlash” after the LDS Church and its members gave millions of dollars to support California’s Proposition 8, which led to a ban on same-sex marriage in that state. Oaks said church members were fired, their businesses vandalized and boycotted for supporting the ban. During his speech, Oaks called the incidents “violence and intimidation.” He added, “….they are like the well-known and widely condemned voter-intimidation of black in the south that produced corrective federal civil-rights legislation.”

Will Carlson of Equality Utah, an advocacy group that supports same-sex marriage, calls Oaks’ comments “ridiculous,” saying “Fortunately there is protection against religious discrimination, but it is completely legal to fire someone for being gay or transgender.” Carlson pointed to the killing of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming, who was gay. He also pointed to the recent beating of D.J. Bell, a South Salt Lake man who is also gay.

Oaks said he made the speech because he feels certain social forces are trying to silence the voice of religion in public debates. He feels religious freedom rights are threatened. Carlson said “I think it is irresponsible for Dallin Oaks to say that he is losing his rights when he led an effort to remove the rights of thousands of (gay, lesbian, transgender) Californians.”

In his speech Oaks encouraged LDS Church members to stand up for their freedom of religion/expression, but to show patience and love toward others. He said church members should not expect that a person subscribe to a certain set of religious beliefs in order to qualify for public office.

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