Former “American Idol” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music" target="_blank" rel="noopener">contestant</a> David Archuleta said that a few &#8220;dozen&#8221; fans in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a> left one of his concerts after he shared his <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lgbtq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coming out</a> story.
The 31-year-old musician told the story to <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2022/12/02/american-idol-david-archuleta-fans-walk-out-concert-queer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TMZ</a>, saying he gave an account of his coming out story during a break between songs. Archuleta claimed that this inspired the exodus. Then he shared an email he allegedly exchanged with the venue manager. In it, the employee expressed disappointment over Archuleta choosing to talk about his sexuality onstage.
&#8220;I do not believe that, that concert was a setting for that to happen,” the email read in part. “We have some very upset patrons that I will [be] dealing with today. I would hope in the remaining concerts, that would not be allowed.”
The musician then told TMZ that he has no intention of keeping quiet about his sexuality or coming out story.
Archuleta came in second place on “American Idol” during season seven in 2008, just behind that season’s winner David Cook. He grew up in a Salt Lake City suburb and was raised <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/mormonism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mormon</a>. He came out as gay to his family in 2014, but in 2021 admitted that he wasn’t sure of his sexuality, giving a rundown of his thoughts via a lengthy <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQB0FNtlLrs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> post.
He talked more about struggling with his faith and how it related to his sexuality. 
“There are people experiencing the same feelings of being LGBTQIA+, (i know that’s a lot of letters that a lot of people don’t understand, but there are a lot of unique experiences people feel and live that make them feel isolated and alone that are represented) who are wrestling to follow their beliefs that are so important to them, just as I have,” Archuleta said in the post.
“Idk what to make of it and I don’t have all the answers,” Archuleta continued, before asking that readers show compassion to people who are LGBT. 
The post concluded with the “American Idol” contestant saying, “You can be part of the LGBTQIA+ community and still believe in God and his gospel plan,” Archuleta added.

88th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade

Singer David Archuleta Talks About Queer Experience In Conservative Utah. Here’s How The Audience Responded.

Singer David Archuleta Talks About Queer Experience In Conservative Utah. Here's How The Audience Responded.

LGBTQ

Mormonism

Music

Social Issues

U.S.

Utah

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Utah</a> state representative told a Mormon bishop not to report a church member’s sexual abuse, advice that led to seven years of rape and abuse committed by the church member against his own daughters, according to new lawsuit documents.
State Rep. Merrill Nelson (R-UT), a prominent lawyer for the Mormon church, allegedly answered the first call from a help line when Bishop John Herrod told him that Arizona church member Paul Adams had admitted to sexually abusing two of his daughters. For more than two years, Nelson communicated with Herrod and another bishop who knew about the abuse allegations, according to <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22277029-mormon-church-help-line-call-logs">call records</a>, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-lawsuits-utah-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-government-and-politics-9f1607f4d308248ebf12dc32f70376ec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Nelson told Herrod “that he could be sued if he reported, and the instruction by counsel not to report Paul [Adams] to the authorities was the law in Arizona and had nothing to do with Church doctrine,” according to the plaintiff’s filings. However, as the AP reported, Arizona law allows blanket immunity for those who report child sexual abuse or neglect.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), commonly known as the Mormon church, issued a <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-provides-further-details-about-arizona-abuse-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> in August challenging an AP <a href="https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> from earlier that month and explaining the church&#8217;s actions.
&#8220;In late 2011, Paul Adams made a limited confession to his bishop about a single past incident of abuse of one child,&#8221; the church&#8217;s statement read. &#8220;The bishop then called the help line, where he was advised about how to fully comply with Arizona’s reporting laws. In compliance with that counsel, from that time forward, the bishop repeatedly tried to intervene and encourage reporting.&#8221;
The church went on to explain that it counseled Adams to &#8220;repent and seek professional help&#8221; and asked him and his wife Leizza to report the abuse which they refused to do. According to the statement, church leaders encouraged Adams to move out of his home, and he did temporarily. Following his confession to the bishop, Adams rarely communicated with or attended the church, the statement said. The church also said it did not learn &#8220;the extent of the abuse&#8221; until 2017, four years after Adams was excommunicated.
The sex abuser’s two daughters and one of his sons are trying to gain access to records from the Mormon church, but the church has refused them based on confidentiality. After a county judge ruled in the victims’ favor to see the records, the Mormon church took the case to the Court of Appeals.
According to the new records, Nelson talked with Herrod and one other Mormon bishop from November 2011 to February 2014 after Adams had been excommunicated from the church. Roger Van Komen, manager of the church’s southeast region family services department, said in a deposition that the lawmaker discussed Adams’ abuse with Herrod in those communications.
Adams, who admitted to a pornography addiction, was going to counseling sessions when he reportedly told a bishop that he abused his daughters. Herrod was then reportedly instructed by the church’s lawyers not to contact authorities.
“They said, ‘You absolutely can do nothing,’” Herrod <a href="https://apnews.com/article/Mormon-church-sexual-abuse-investigation-e0e39cf9aa4fbe0d8c1442033b894660" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> law enforcement.
Adams raped one of his daughters for up to seven years, while also abusing his infant daughter and recording the abuse to post on the internet. The father of six was finally arrested in 2017 after New Zealand law enforcement officials discovered a video Adams had posted online. He killed himself in custody before his trial.
Adams’ wife Leizza served more than two years in prison for child sex abuse charges, and the couple&#8217;s two daughters and son filed a lawsuit in 2021, alleging that the church covered up their parents’ abuse. Before the new lawsuit records had been filed, Nelson told the AP that the church’s help line “did operate as intended.”
“The bishop called the help line and was advised no duty to report it to civil authorities. In fact, could not report because of the clergy privilege,” Nelson said. “It is intended and always has from the beginning been intended to to help victims get the help they need through social services, professional counseling, medical help, legal help, law enforcement.”
Nelson refused to comment on the new records after they were made public.
This article has been updated to include a statement from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Mormon Temple

State Lawmaker Advised Mormon Bishop Against Reporting Church Member Who Sexually Abused Daughters, Lawsuit Filings Say

Utah State Rep. Merrill Nelson Advised Mormon Bishop Against Reporting Church Member Who Sexually Abused Daughters, Lawsuit Filings Say

Child Sex Abuse

Crime

Lawsuit

On Wednesday, the predominantly Mormon Brigham Young University (BYU) removed same-sex behavior from the student handbook honor code, instead opting to simply say &#8220;all forms of physical intimacy&#8221; outside of marriage. The change stands in line with the Church of Latter-day Saints&#8217; recently released <a href="https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/2/18/21142831/mormon-church-new-handbook-instructions-changes-latter-day-saints-lds">new General Handbook.</a>
&#8220;The updated honor code no longer includes a section on same-sex behavior,&#8221; reported <a href="https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/2/19/21144529/byu-honor-code-mormon-church-lds-updates-honor-code-homosexual-behavior-lgbtq">Deseret</a>. &#8220;That section had proscribed &#8216;all forms of physical intimacy.&#8217; Under the code, each member of the BYU community continues to commit personally to &#8216;abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman.'&#8221;
&#8220;The code continues to say specifically that all sexual misconduct is not permitted,&#8221; continued the report. &#8220;Based on the new church handbook, that would include same-sex relations. The handbook states that &#8216;the Lord’s law of chastity is abstinence from sexual relations outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.'&#8221;
All Latter-day Saint educational institutions, including BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, BYU-Pathway Worldwide, and LDS Business College will make the change in compliance with the church&#8217;s general handbook.  The previous honor code stated the following:
<blockquote>
One’s stated same-gender attraction is not an honor code issue. However, the honor code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the honor code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings.
</blockquote>
Students were, however, confused by the new code&#8217;s lack of specificity regarding how same-sex couples should conduct themselves on campus. On Twitter, BYU clarified that the same rules apply.
“In speaking with Honor Code Office Director Kevin Utt this afternoon, we’ve learned that there may have been some miscommunication as to what the honor code changes mean,” the administration said. “Even though we have removed the more prescriptive language, the principles of the Honor Code remain the same. The Honor Code Office will handle questions that arise on a case-by-case basis. For example, since dating means different things to different people, the Honor Code Office will work with students individually.”
According to <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/byu-honor-code-mormon-lgbtq-homosexual-behavior_n_5e4e2839c5b630e74c50576c">HuffPost</a>, LGBTQ advocates welcomed the Honor Code change, viewing it as a sign of progress.
&#8220;Less than a year ago I joined my student body in protesting BYU’s honor code, a policy that banned same-gender romantic relationships,&#8221; celebrated student Matty Easton on Twitter. As of today, homosexual relationships are now treated the same as heterosexual ones at BYU. Girls and gays, we did it!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Less than a year ago I joined my student body in protesting BYU’s honor code, a policy that banned same-gender romantic relationships. 
As of today, homosexual relationships are now treated the same as heterosexual ones at BYU :’) 
Girls and gays, we did it! ❤️🌈 <a href="https://t.co/67VGLC3mgU">pic.twitter.com/67VGLC3mgU</a>
&mdash; Matty Easton (@easton_matty) <a href="https://twitter.com/easton_matty/status/1230247454580203521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In recent years the cultural debate has centered on whether or not religious institutions violate the civil rights of students and faculty by demanding they live according to such codes of conduct. Marcia McCormick, a professor of law and gender studies at Saint Louis University, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/can-religious-school-fire-gay-teacher-it-s-complicated-n1046291">argued to NBC News</a> that such institutions can be sued if Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act were to be interpreted as including sexual orientation.
“Title VII has an expansive definition of religion — not just of beliefs but also practices,” she explained. “There are a lot of rules in a lot of religions about how people ought to behave when it comes to what it means to be male and female, or to sexual or romantic activity.”
The Supreme Court has taken up consolidated cases this term that could decide whether Title VII indeed covers sexual orientation.

FLAG

Brigham Young University Removes Homosexual Behavior From Honor Code Agreement

Education

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made a suprise reversal of policy by declaring that same-sex couples will no longer be considered &#8220;apostates&#8221; and can now have their children baptized into the faith, reports <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/04/us/mormon-lgbt-policy/index.html">CNN</a>.
Speaking at a conference in Salt Lake City, Dallin Oaks, member of the church&#8217;s <a href="https://www.lds.org/church/leaders/first-presidency?lang=eng" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">First Presidency</a> said that same-sex marriage will now be considered a &#8220;serious transgression&#8221; and no longer treated as a betrayal of the faith. By doing this, the Mormon church hopes &#8220;to reduce the hate and contention so common today.&#8221;
&#8220;Previously, our Handbook characterized same-gender marriage by a member as apostasy,&#8221; Oaks said in a statement. &#8220;While we still consider such a marriage to be a serious transgression, it will not be treated as apostasy for purposes of Church discipline. Instead, the immoral conduct in heterosexual or homosexual relationships will be treated in the same way.&#8221;
The church clarified that it has not changed any significant doctrines on marriage, calling all LGBT Mormons to live a chaste life. Children of LGBT parents can be blessed by a member of the Mormon priesthood as a baby and then be baptized at age 8 if the parents give permission and consent to raise the child in the faith.
The decision comes at a time when various U.S. congregations of faith have been reviewing policies regarding the LGBT community. The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/17/presbyterian-church-changes-constitution-to-include-gay-marriage/">changed its constitution</a> to allow same-sex marriage in 2014, followed closely by the <a href="https://www.episcopalchurch.org/lgbtq-church">Episcopal Church in 2015</a>, which had already been relaxing its policies on same-sex unions as far back as the early 2000s.
Since the Evangelical community has no uniform body, the shift in acceptance on same-sex unions has largely been on a per-pastor basis. In 2013, former Mars Hill pastor Rob Bell <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2013/03/hear_rob_bell_support_same-sex.html">came out in favor</a> of same-sex marriage shortly after his book &#8220;Love Wins&#8221; caused a shockwave throughout the evangelical world due to its Universalist themes.
&#8220;I am for marriage. I am for fidelity. I am for love, whether it&#8217;s a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, a man and a man,&#8221; Bell said. &#8220;And I think the ship has sailed. This is the world we are living in and we need to affirm people wherever they are.&#8221;
In 2015, Bell <a href="http://www.tonycampolo.org/for-the-record-tony-campolo-releases-a-new-statement/">was later joined</a> by Evangelical leader Tony Campolo, who reversed his longterm stance against homosexual actions and same-sex marriage.
&#8220;I have concluded that sexual orientation is almost never a choice and I have seen how damaging it can be to try to &#8216;cure&#8217; someone from being gay,&#8221; Campolo said. &#8220;As a Christian, my responsibility is not to condemn or reject gay people, but rather to love and embrace them, and to endeavor to draw them into the fellowship of the Church.&#8221;
Campolo compared Evangelical opposition to homosexual actions and same-sex marriage to past transgressions by Christians, even mentioning those who supported slavery. &#8220;I am old enough to remember when we in the Church made strong biblical cases for keeping women out of teaching roles in the Church, and when divorced and remarried people often were excluded from fellowship altogether on the basis of scripture,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Not long before that, some Christians even made biblical cases supporting slavery.&#8221;
Various Christian universities have simultaneously dropped opposition to same-sex unions. Most recently, Azusa Pacific University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/45459/christian-university-reverses-ban-same-sex-paul-bois">announced</a> that same-sex relationships are allowed on campus.

Mormon Church Says Children Of Same-Sex Couples Can Be Baptized

On Tuesday, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church), which has more boys in the movement than any other religious denomination, announced it would sever its partnership with the Boy Scouts of America. Mormon boys comprise almost 20% of the Boy Scouts&#8217; 2.3 million youth members, as <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/05/09/mormon-church-breaks-all-ties-with-boy-scouts-ending-100-year-relationship/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.59944acd1413">The Washington Post</a> reports.
The church released a <a href="https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/multimedia/file/bsa-joint-statement-may-8.pdf">joint statement</a> with the Boy Scouts of America that stated:
<blockquote>
In this century of shared experience, the Church has grown from a U.S.-centered institution to a worldwide organization, with a majority of its membership living outside the United States. That trend is accelerating. The Church has increasingly felt the need to create and implement a uniform youth leadership and development program that serves its members globally. In so doing, it will be necessary for the Church to discontinue its role as a chartered partner with BSA. We have jointly determined that, effective on December 31, 2019, the Church will conclude its relationship as a chartered organization with all Scouting programs around the world.
</blockquote>
The Mormon Church has been vitally involved with the Boy Scouts since 1913; any boy who is part of a Mormon congregation automatically becomes a Boy Scout. The Mormon Church has taken issue with the direction the Boy Scouts organization has taken in recent years, among them the decision to include openly gay troop leaders in 2015 and the decision last week to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2018/05/02/boy-scouts-drop-the-boy-as-they-welcome-girls-to-scouts-bsa/?utm_term=.0da6d34f8a30">change its flagship name</a> to Scouts BSA as a result of last year&#8217;s decision to allow girls into the program.

Mormon Church Cuts Ties With Boy Scouts

Boy Scouts

The British Columbia Supreme Court <a href="http://www.weny.com/story/35959649/canadian-polygamous-leader-found-guilty-of-having-25-wives">found two men guilty</a> for violating Canada&#8217;s polygamy laws. Both men identify as members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and believe that their polygamous marriages were done in observance of their faith. 60-year-old Winston Blackmore was married to 25 women at one time while 53-year-old James Oler was married to five women at the same time. Under Canadian law, both men have to serve five years in prison for violating these laws.
The Mormon Church <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/the-manifesto-and-the-end-of-plural-marriage?lang=eng">disavowed</a> polygamy back in the late 19th century after facing scrutiny from the United States government. Church President Wilford Woodruff wrote the following proclamation in the subsequent <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/od/1">Manifesto</a>:
<blockquote>
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.
</blockquote>
However, various adherents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, including the Fundamentalists with which both Blackmore and Oler identify, broke off from the Church and continued to practice polygamy despite its illegality in the United States and in Canada. Following his indictment, Blackmore said:
<blockquote>
I&#8217;m guilty of living my religion and that&#8217;s all I&#8217;m saying today because I&#8217;ve never denied that. Twenty-seven years and tens of millions of dollars later, all we&#8217;ve proved is something we&#8217;ve never denied. I&#8217;ve never denied my faith. This is what we expected.
</blockquote>
Blackmore is expected to appeal the decision. In British Columbia, the Supreme Court is a trial court and any subsequent appeals will be brought forth before the British Columbia Court of Appeal. However, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that the anti-polygamy laws did not violate the religious freedoms protections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Follow Elliott on <a href="https://twitter.com/ElliottRHams">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ElliottRHams/">Facebook</a>.
This article was corrected to point out that the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a sect of the Mormon Church, but rather a rogue entity that cut ties with the original Latter-Day Saints church in opposition to the 1890 Manifesto.

LOVE IS LOVE: Polygamous Men Convicted For Having 25 Wives

Canada

Polygamy

A self-described &#8220;huge leftist&#8221; teacher says she has been informed by Brigham Young University-Idaho that she will not be hired back as an adjunct instructor next year because of an announcement she posted on Facebook condemning the stance of the Mormon Church on homosexuality and transgenderism.
Ruthie Robertson, 22, is a Mormon who was teaching as an adjunct instructor at BYU-Idaho, a private university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). In honor of LGBT Pride Month, Robertson decided to post a lengthy &#8220;official announcement and declaration&#8221; of solidarity with the LGBT community on Facebook (full text below). The sentiments expressed in the post stand in direct opposition to the views of the church and the school&#8217;s <a href="https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=26">Honor Code</a>, which forbids &#8220;homosexual behavior.&#8221;
Though the post was private, visible only to friends, it found its way to the university&#8217;s administrators, who made clear that she should take it down or potentially not be hired back. Robertson refused and has now lost her contract with the Mormon school, which she believes has treated her unfairly. 
Robertson&#8217;s post begins with her condemnation of the Mormon Church for its stance on homosexuality:
<blockquote>
In honor of LGBT Pride Month, I thought I would reveal some things in the name of authenticity.
I&#8217;m currently a member of the LDS Church. This organization has openly and forcefully opposed same-sex relationships and legalized same-sex marriage. They pushed members in California to fight against Prop 8, and had a policy claiming that same-sex relationships were a sin and discouraged individuals from participating in them. In the past, the Church was a facilitator for adoptions. They ended this part of the organization to avoid having to deal with adoption requests from same-sex couples. In November 2015, they took their stance further by labeling same-sex couples in the Church as apostates, meaning those found in these relationships would have a disciplinary hearing to determine their membership status; they can either end their engagements in this sinful life, or be excommunicated. The policy also prevents their children from joining the Church until they are 18, with the condition that they disavow their parents life style. For an organization that places so much importance on the family unit, this policy sure seems to be attacking a form of that unit.
</blockquote>
Robertson then moves on to the Old Testament, arguing that the LDS position on homosexuality is based on a few &#8220;hateful verses&#8221; that are ultimately cherry-picked among a slew of other &#8220;archaic&#8221; tenets and customs, like various purity practices. 
<blockquote>
Most Christian faiths label homosexuality as a sin based on archaic writings. A few hateful verses in the Old Testament have led to hundreds of years of prejudice, hatred, violence, and pain. If we&#8217;re going to follow the Old Testament, and use it to justify a hateful stance, there are several other things we need to start condemning and punishing. 
</blockquote>
&#8220;What I&#8217;m trying convey is that we like to pick and choose from the scriptures, and if we choose to use the Old Testament as a defense for condemning homosexuality &#8230; there&#8217;s a whole lot more we need to be condemning as well,&#8221; she writes. Rather than the Old Testament, she contends that the Book of Mormon, which she says &#8220;never once mentions homosexuality,&#8221; should be the ultimate authority. 
Robertson then makes her &#8220;official&#8221; declaration that homosexuality is &#8220;natural&#8221; and thus not &#8220;sinful,&#8221; as is the official stance of her employer:
<blockquote>
This is my official announcement and declaration that I believe heterosexuality and homosexuality are both natural and neither is sinful. I will never support the phrase &#8220;love the sinner, hate the sin&#8221; because that &#8220;sin&#8221; is part of who that person is. Homosexuality and transgenderism are not sins; if God made us, and those are part of who we are.. then God created that as well. I realize that my views counter the current day policies of the LDS Church, but I hope that over time the Church will come to see the harm these policies have. Church History shows that the Church has rescinded policies before that weren&#8217;t doctrinal, and that weren&#8217;t inspired by the Lord. I hope that this will some day apply to the stance on the LGBT community. I will always and forever stand up for the equality of the LGBT community. Sexuality and gender are not binary, they are on a spectrum and that&#8217;s how we were made.
</blockquote>
To Robertson&#8217;s surprise, her post condemning the policies and moral tenets of her employer resulted in her contract not being renewed.
<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Mormon-university-instructor-fired-after-Facebook-11298707.php">The Washington Post</a>, which spoke with Robertson, says she describes herself as a &#8220;huge leftist living in a completely red state&#8221; who is thus used to being controversial. While she knew her post would get some pushback from her Mormon friends, she &#8220;never expected to be fired because of it,&#8221; the Post reports.
Here&#8217;s the sequence of events as described by the Post:
<blockquote>
Robertson was not friends with any of her students on Facebook, and made sure to keep the post private. But she said one of her Facebook friends reported the post to her department head and another sent an email to the school&#8217;s president.
The following day she met with administrators, who she said implied that if she did not take down the Facebook post, she would lose her job. She refused, standing by her beliefs and maintaining that she never expressed her political or social opinions in the classroom. The school officials told her to pray about her decision.
A week later, after Robertson still had not taken down the post, one of the administrators called her to inform her she would not be returning to teach classes in the fall. The university would allow her to finish classes through the rest of the semester, which ended Tuesday. But beyond that, her contract was terminated.
</blockquote>
While a BYU-Idaho spokesman confirmed to the Post that she would not be teaching next semester, he said the university does not comment on personnel matters. 
Robertson acknowledges that her views on homosexuality conflict with her employer, but believes the university should not have fired her. 
&#8220;Nothing in the contract says you can&#8217;t privately disagree with something with the church,&#8221; she told the Post. &#8220;There is nothing in the contract that says I can&#8217;t express my personal opinions on my Facebook.&#8221;
She also told the paper that she has considered leaving the church and worries that her opposition to its stance might result in excommunication.
The Post notes that responses to the fallout have been mixed, with some commending her for being willing to stand by her beliefs, while others have defended the actions of the university. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s perfectly ok to fire someone who you don&#8217;t believe represents the mission of your company, university, or organization,&#8221; one person said. 
Below is Richardson&#8217;s initial, unedited Facebook post, followed by the revised version (via the <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/5524063-155/byu-idaho-professor-is-fired-over-lgbt">Salt Lake Tribune</a>),:
<blockquote>
Ruthie Robertson&#8217;s initial, unedited Facebook post (provided by Robertson)
In honor of LGBT Pride Month, I thought I would reveal some things in the name of authenticity.
I&#8217;m currently a member of the LDS Church. This organization has openly and forcefully opposed same-sex relationships and legalized same-sex marriage. They pushed members in California to fight against Prop 8, and had a policy claiming that same-sex relationships were a sin and discouraged individuals from participating in them. In the past, the Church was a facilitator for adoptions. They ended this part of the organization to avoid having to deal with adoption requests from same-sex couples. In November 2015, they took their stance further by labeling same-sex couples in the Church as apostates, meaning those found in these relationships would have a disciplinary hearing to determine their membership status; they can either end their engagements in this sinful life, or be excommunicated. The policy also prevents their children from joining the Church until they are 18, with the condition that they disavow their parents life style. For an organization that places so much importance on the family unit, this policy sure seems to be attacking a form of that unit.
Most Christian faiths label homosexuality as a sin based on archaic writings. A few hateful verses in the Old Testament have led to hundreds of years of prejudice, hatred, violence, and pain. If we&#8217;re going to follow the Old Testament, and use it to justify a hateful stance, there are several other things we need to start condemning and punishing. Leviticus 19:19 tells us we can&#8217;t wear clothing of two kinds of material&#8230; so, basically every clothing item ever has to be burned. The next time you see someone wearing clothes(which is always&#8230; so, you&#8217;re welcome for the opportunity to show your spiritual superiority), check the tag to see the materials it&#8217;s made from. If it&#8217;s more than one, tell them they should desire to walk around naked rather than wear clothing made of more than one material! Women, in Leviticus 15, we learn that God purposely made us unclean. When we menstruate, we are unclean for those 7 days. Oh, and anyone or anything that touches us during that time is unclean as well. You aren&#8217;t allowed to go to church at that time because you&#8217;ll corrupt everything there with your blood flow. Oh, and you know how God also gave us the ability to grow a human inside of us? Well, after a woman has a child, she has a period of impurity and cannot be touched. If it&#8217;s a boy, she&#8217;s unclean for 40 days. If it&#8217;s a girl, she&#8217;s unclean for 80 days. As a female, you also are not allowed to read from the scriptures (wait&#8230; how am I supposed to know about my impurity rituals then?! I need to know how to make myself pure after my period!..too bad). You also cannot preach in a church (can I use this excuse next time I&#8217;m asked to speak in church?) None of this is archaic, sexist, or totally illogical at all though, right? God commanded these things, so we need to make sure we make these into policies as well!
What I&#8217;m trying convey is that we like to pick and choose from the scriptures, and if we choose to use the Old Testament as a defense for condemning homosexuality&#8230; there&#8217;s a whole lot more we need to be condemning as well. The Book of Mormon is supposed to be the keystone of the Church, right? It never once mentions homosexuality. What is does mention is that God disposed the practice of polygamy, and the Nephites are brought to repentance for practicing it&#8230;. yet, Joseph Smith said God commanded him to practice it. We can&#8217;t keep picking and choosing what kind of God we worship, and we can&#8217;t keep picking and choosing which commandments of his are to be enforced or not.
This is my official announcement and declaration that I believe heterosexuality and homosexuality are both natural and neither is sinful. I will never support the phrase &#8220;love the sinner, hate the sin&#8221; because that &#8220;sin&#8221; is part of who that person is. Homosexuality and transgenderism are not sins; if God made us, and those are part of who we are.. then God created that as well. I realize that my views counter the current day policies of the LDS Church, but I hope that over time the Church will come to see the harm these policies have. Church History shows that the Church has rescinded policies before that weren&#8217;t doctrinal, and that weren&#8217;t inspired by the Lord. I hope that this will some day apply to the stance on the LGBT community. I will always and forever stand up for the equality of the LGBT community. Sexuality and gender are not binary, they are on a spectrum and that&#8217;s how we were made.
Stand up for humanity, love people because of who they are&#8230; not despite who they are. Trump can break the tradition of June being LGBT pride month, but I&#8217;m still going to celebrate it.. this month and every month to follow. #LGBTPrideMonth
Robertson&#8217;s revised, unedited Facebook post (provided by Robertson)
In honor of LGBT Pride Month, I thought I would reveal some things in the name of authenticity. I&#8217;d like to preface this by saying that, as an employee of BYUI, my views do not reflect the school or LDS Church. These are my personal beliefs, and they have no place in my classroom nor will they ever. Students often approach me and ask my opinion on certain matters of the Church, and I always diplomatically discourage the discussion and tell them to seek their own truths rather than a professors. My students know that I expect respect and love for all, no matter their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, etc. and that&#8217;s the most I&#8217;ve said on the following subject.
I&#8217;m currently a member of the LDS Church. This organization has openly and forcefully opposed same-sex relationships and legalized same-sex marriage. They pushed members in California to fight against Prop 8, and had a policy claiming that same-sex relationships were a sin and discouraged individuals from participating in them. In the past, the Church was a facilitator for adoptions. They ended this part of the organization to avoid having to deal with adoption requests from same-sex couples. In November 2015, they took their stance further by labeling same-sex couples in the Church as apostates, meaning those found in these relationships would have a disciplinary hearing to determine their membership status; they can either end their engagements in this sinful life, or be excommunicated. The policy also prevents their children from joining the Church until they are 18, with the condition that they disavow their parents life style. For an organization that places so much importance on the family unit, this policy sure seems to be attacking a form of that unit.
Most Christian faiths label homosexuality as a sin based on archaic writings. A few hateful verses in the Old Testament have led to hundreds of years of prejudice, hatred, violence, and pain. If we&#8217;re going to follow the Old Testament, and use it to justify a hateful stance, there are several other things we need to start condemning and punishing. Leviticus 19:19 tells us we can&#8217;t wear clothing of two kinds of material&#8230; so, basically every clothing item ever has to be burned. The next time you see someone wearing clothes(which is always&#8230; so, you&#8217;re welcome for the opportunity to show your spiritual superiority), check the tag to see the materials it&#8217;s made from. If it&#8217;s more than one, tell them they should desire to walk around naked rather than wear clothing made of more than one material! Women, in Leviticus 15, we learn that God purposely made us unclean. When we menstruate, we are unclean for those 7 days. Oh, and anyone or anything that touches us during that time is unclean as well. You aren&#8217;t allowed to go to church at that time because you&#8217;ll corrupt everything there with your blood flow. Oh, and you know how God also gave us the ability to grow a human inside of us? Well, after a woman has a child, she has a period of impurity and cannot be touched. If it&#8217;s a boy, she&#8217;s unclean for 40 days. If it&#8217;s a girl, she&#8217;s unclean for 80 days. As a female, you also are not allowed to read from the scriptures (wait&#8230; how am I supposed to know about my impurity rituals then?! I need to know how to make myself pure after my period!..too bad). You also cannot preach in a church (can I use this excuse next time I&#8217;m asked to speak in church?) None of this is archaic, sexist, or totally illogical at all though, right? God commanded these things, so we need to make sure we make these into policies as well!
What I&#8217;m trying convey is that we like to pick and choose from the scriptures, and if we choose to use the Old Testament as a defense for condemning homosexuality&#8230; there&#8217;s a whole lot more we need to be condemning as well. The Book of Mormon is supposed to be the keystone of the Church, right? It never once mentions homosexuality. What is does mention is that God disposed the practice of polygamy, and the Nephites are brought to repentance for practicing it&#8230;. yet, Joseph Smith said God commanded him to practice it. We can&#8217;t keep picking and choosing what kind of God we worship, and we can&#8217;t keep picking and choosing which commandments of his are to be enforced or not.
This is my official announcement and declaration that I believe heterosexuality and homosexuality are both natural and neither is sinful. I will never support the phrase &#8220;love the sinner, hate the sin&#8221; because that &#8220;sin&#8221; is part of who that person is. Homosexuality and transgenderism are not sins; if God made us, and those are part of who we are.. then God created that as well. I realize that my views counter the current day policies of the LDS Church, but I hope that over time the Church will come to see the harm these policies have. Church History shows that the Church has rescinded policies before that weren&#8217;t doctrinal, and that weren&#8217;t inspired by the Lord. I hope that this will some day apply to the stance on the LGBT community. I will always and forever stand up for the equality of the LGBT community. Sexuality and gender are not binary, they are on a spectrum and that&#8217;s how we were made.
Stand up for humanity, love people because of who they are&#8230; not despite who they are. Trump can break the tradition of June being LGBT pride month, but I&#8217;m still going to celebrate it.. this month and every month to follow. #LGBTPrideMonth
</blockquote>

This ‘Huge Leftist’ Teaches At A Mormon University. She Put Up A Facebook Post Supporting Homosexuality. She Was Fired.

Gender

Religion

Sexuality

Transgender

After Lou Dobbs of Fox News decided to malign presidential candidate Evan McMullin, who is threatening to win the state of Utah, by referring to him as a tool of the &#8220;Mormon Mafia,&#8217; the hashtag #Mormon Mafia trended on Twitter, with hilarious results.
Here is what triggered the avalanche of responses:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Look Deeper, He&#8217;s nothing but a Globalist, Romney and Mormon Mafia Tool <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MAGA?src=hash">#MAGA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericaFirst?src=hash">#AmericaFirst</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpPence16?src=hash">#TrumpPence16</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpTrain?src=hash">#TrumpTrain</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dobbs?src=hash">#Dobbs</a> <a href="https://t.co/WfjYzck2jt">https://t.co/WfjYzck2jt</a>
&#8212; Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/790024160160411648">October 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>
And here we go:
<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
When the FBI knock at their door they flush all their coke in the toilet <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> <a href="https://t.co/pOH51S0kB4">pic.twitter.com/pOH51S0kB4</a>
&#8212; Donald Dump (@realdonalddump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realdonalddump/status/791516128933650432">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
You&#8217;re gonna sleep with the fishes.
The only spare bedroom we have left has an aquarium in it. Hope that&#8217;s not a problem.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Eric Spencer (@JustEric) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustEric/status/791499171278778368">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> will sometimes leave the gun, but they will always leave you the cannoli.
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791622635754967040">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
A man who doesn&#8217;t spend time with his family can never be a real man. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791628888245796864">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;I know you drank the coffee, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/791633494745026560">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> The Sopranos <a href="https://t.co/TtUaihBEvQ">pic.twitter.com/TtUaihBEvQ</a>
&#8212; David Burge (@iowahawkblog) <a href="https://twitter.com/iowahawkblog/status/791640150472142848">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Nice car you got there in the driveway. 
Would be a shame if someone&#8230;. 
washed it and waxed for you&#8230; 
If you get my meaning.
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; ¡El Sooopèrr! &#1606; (@SooperMexican) <a href="https://twitter.com/SooperMexican/status/791507114908721152">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mormonmafia?src=hash">#mormonmafia</a> will shoot you and then frame your friends 
. 
. 
. 
.
Into the perfect scrapbook
&#8212; Sarah (@sarahrstevenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahrstevenson/status/791501083747028992">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;I&#8217;m gonna make him a Jello salad he can&#8217;t refuse.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) <a href="https://twitter.com/Heminator/status/791656602331779072">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Never take sides against the Tabernacle Choir again.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Jay Caruso (@JayCaruso) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/791628514902630400">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a> a group so secretive and exclusive, they send 60,000 missionaries out around the world to tell you all about it.
&#8212; Soy Juan Miller (@EveryTrumpFan) <a href="https://twitter.com/EveryTrumpFan/status/791484817909047296">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;We&#8217;re gonna send some people, we&#8217;re gonna send a couple of our people, and help clear the driveway.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Bigly Shoe (@TheOneSoleShoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOneSoleShoe/status/791484678955896833">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Gosh darn it, you messed with the wrong fellows this time, you nincompoop!&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Sunny (Mat) (@sunnyright) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunnyright/status/791482976827834368">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Two top consiglieri in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/utpol?src=hash">#utpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/eTXLfJqnol">pic.twitter.com/eTXLfJqnol</a>
&#8212; Ben Winslow (@BenWinslow) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenWinslow/status/791481863046955008">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

<div class="media_embed">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;Never take sides against the family in Scrabble again.&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MormonMafia?src=hash">#MormonMafia</a>
&#8212; Bigly Shoe (@TheOneSoleShoe) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOneSoleShoe/status/791479298431397888">October 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
</div>

After Lou Dobbs’ Tweet, #MormonMafia Hilariously Trends

Evan McMullin

Lou Dobbs

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