Is the Mormon Church About to Endorse Protections for Gays and Lesbians in Salt Lake City?

[FreeState]

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/mormon-church-to-shift-on-gay-policies.html

IS THE MORMON CHURCH ABOUT TO ENDORSE PROTECTIONS FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS IN SALT LAKE CITY?

The Salt Lake City Council is holding public hearings this evening on an ordinance involving housing and employment protections for gay and lesbian residents, the Deseret News reports:

"The public can comment Tuesday during a Salt Lake City Council hearing on the ordinances, believed to be the first of their kind in Utah. The ordinances would make it illegal to fire or evict someone because of their sexuality. 'For the capital city to take this step is huge,' said Will Carlson, public-policy director for the gay and lesbian advocacy group Equality Utah. 'It would send a message, not only to residents, but across the country.' The ordinances would establish a process within the city for tenants and employees to file discrimination complaints based on sexual orientation."

Towleroad has heard from several sources that representatives from the Church of Latter Day Saints are going to attend the hearings and have a "monumental" announcement to make — which we've heard may be an endorsement of the ordinance.

This is also being reported by the filmmakers behind 8: The Mormon Proposition, who say that Mitt Romney saw their film and put pressure on the LDS Church to "extend an olive branch to the gay community to try and deflate the anticipated negative press" that would come from its release.

Given LDS history, there's plenty of reason to be skeptical about this, but we'll have more on this if and when it happens...

and

http://www.bilerico.com/2009/11/lds_changes_sides_on_salt_lake_city_human_rights_o.php

LDS Changes Sides on Salt Lake City Human Rights Ordinance?
Filed by: Bil Browning
November 10, 2009 5:45 PM

Tonight's Salt Lake City city council meeting to pass a fully inclusive human rights ordinance might come with a pleasant surprise from the Mormons.

The LDS church previously opposed the ordinance, but according to my sources they will announce at tonight's meeting that they've flipped positions. While the church won't go so far as to endorse the measure, they will withdraw their opposition.

Why? My sources say top LDS leaders got stern warnings from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney; the politicians are concerned over a recent spate of negative publicity over the church's support of Prop 8.

Michael Westley, Media & Special Events Coordinator, confirmed that the Utah Pride Center had also heard the information. "We've heard it as well. We'll have to see if it really happens," he said.

Both Romney & Reid have supported employment protections for the LGBT community previously. The city council meets at 7pm Mountain.

[Raster]

1. Let me guess: the prophet, seer and revealator had another "vision"

"...top LDS leaders got stern warnings from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney; the politicians are concerned over a recent spate of negative publicity over the church's support of Prop 8."

Ah, yes. Takes me back to the late 1970's and the church's stand against Blacks holding the priesthood. And then lo and behold: a vision!!!

[MichaelHarris]

2. the loss of

tax exempt status scares the shit out of them

[Raster]

3. Of course it does. The church is a business.