SALT LAKE CITY -- More than 1,000 people have signed an online petition requesting that all six guest performers at this year's set of Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concerts cancel their appearances.
The petition is in response to the LDS Church's recent policy change, which prohibits the children of same-sex couples from becoming members of the LDS Church while they are living with their parents.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is world renown for beautiful performances, but, when LDS gay dad Scott Fausett looks at these singers, he says he sees something totally different: hatred and bigotry.
"They represent a church that is very hurtful to children of gay parents, and I would like to see a couple of performers to at least make a stand," Fausett said.
Fausett is among those who created an online petition on the website, change.org, asking for all six guest performers--Laura Osnes, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Ben Bliss, Tyler Simpson and Martin Jarvis--to cancel.
"I have talked with multiple performers, one of them I know is really considering what to do, if they are going to pull out or not," Fausett said.
In three days, more than 1,000 people have signed their names, and many left powerful messages, all of which are forwarded on to the performers.
Some of the messages included:
"The policy will rip apart families. It is very opposite of what a God and a church are supposed to do."
"The Mormon Church is hateful towards gays and is using the children as leverage to blackmail gay couples."
Fausett said this petition isn't about him, it's about LDS children all over the world being raised by gay parents.
"These kids need love and understanding, not bullying and ostracized by their own church that they love," he said.
FOX 13 News reached out to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but they had no response regarding this petition.
FOX 13 News also reached out through emails and phone calls to those six guest performers, but only received a "no comment" or no response at all.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
SALT LAKE CITY -- More than 1,000 people have signed an online petition requesting that all six guest performers at this year's set of Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concerts cancel their appearances.
The petition is in response to the LDS Church's recent policy change, which prohibits the children of same-sex couples from becoming members of the LDS Church while they are living with their parents.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is world renown for beautiful performances, but, when LDS gay dad Scott Fausett looks at these singers, he says he sees something totally different: hatred and bigotry.
"They represent a church that is very hurtful to children of gay parents, and I would like to see a couple of performers to at least make a stand," Fausett said.
Fausett is among those who created an online petition on the website, change.org, asking for all six guest performers--Laura Osnes, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Ben Bliss, Tyler Simpson and Martin Jarvis--to cancel.
"I have talked with multiple performers, one of them I know is really considering what to do, if they are going to pull out or not," Fausett said.
In three days, more than 1,000 people have signed their names, and many left powerful messages, all of which are forwarded on to the performers.
Some of the messages included:
"The policy will rip apart families. It is very opposite of what a God and a church are supposed to do."
"The Mormon Church is hateful towards gays and is using the children as leverage to blackmail gay couples."
Fausett said this petition isn't about him, it's about LDS children all over the world being raised by gay parents.
"These kids need love and understanding, not bullying and ostracized by their own church that they love," he said.
FOX 13 News reached out to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but they had no response regarding this petition.
FOX 13 News also reached out through emails and phone calls to those six guest performers, but only received a "no comment" or no response at all.
Wow! That would really send a strong message if all of them declined to participate!
No precept or claim is more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
“If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.”
― Harlan Ellison
It seems that Americans love petitions. If one is not politically correct, expect a petition to come your way. It is rather infantile. Pity the fool that decides to do something that is not thought proper by the thought police.
I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. Joseph Smith We are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all…” Joseph Smith
Gunnar wrote:Wow! That would really send a strong message if all of them declined to participate!
This new policy and associated petition creates a dilemma for those guest artists. Turning up and performing will be seen as tantamount to voicing in favour of the policy.
This could go as far as people withdrawing their funds from Mormon financial institutions etc. Given the level of feeling over this, I'd be surprised if it doesn't start to hit the Church's pocket pretty soon.
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
Gunnar wrote:Wow! That would really send a strong message if all of them declined to participate!
This new policy and associated petition creates a dilemma for those guest artists. Turning up and performing will be seen as tantamount to voicing in favour of the policy.
This could go as far as people withdrawing their funds from Mormon financial institutions etc. Given the level of feeling over this, I'd be surprised if it doesn't start to hit the Church's pocket pretty soon.
I too!
No precept or claim is more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
“If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.”
― Harlan Ellison
Gunnar wrote:Wow! That would really send a strong message if all of them declined to participate!
This new policy and associated petition creates a dilemma for those guest artists. Turning up and performing will be seen as tantamount to voicing in favour of the policy.
This could go as far as people withdrawing their funds from Mormon financial institutions etc. Given the level of feeling over this, I'd be surprised if it doesn't start to hit the Church's pocket pretty soon.
It could. But shouldn't a religion be allowed to practice their faith without a threat of a boycott of an event. Or to pressure performers to decline their invitation? So, what penalty should these performers experience if they do perform? Should social pressure dictate a person's behavior or an organizations behavior. Should these performers be boycotted if they hold a concert?
I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. Joseph Smith We are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all…” Joseph Smith
Gunnar wrote:Wow! That would really send a strong message if all of them declined to participate!
This new policy and associated petition creates a dilemma for those guest artists. Turning up and performing will be seen as tantamount to voicing in favour of the policy.
This could go as far as people withdrawing their funds from Mormon financial institutions etc. Given the level of feeling over this, I'd be surprised if it doesn't start to hit the Church's pocket pretty soon.
why me wrote:It could. But shouldn't a religion be allowed to practice their faith without a threat of a boycott of an event. Or to pressure performers to decline their invitation? So, what penalty should these performers experience if they do perform? Should social pressure dictate a person's behavior or an organizations behavior. Should these performers be boycotted if they hold a concert?
I don't think the performers should be penalized for accepting the invitation to perform with them. It should be their choice whether or not to do so. If I were one of them, I don't think I would perform with an LDS sponsored event. But even if I did, I would make no secret of the fact that I strongly disapprove of this homophobic bigotry, even if that caused my invitation to perform for them to be withdrawn. Still though, it must be admitted that the Tabernacle Choir itself is a highly admirable and talented group of performers. They were not responsible for implementing this policy, and they don't deserve to be penalized for it either. I wonder, though, about the possibility of some choir members themselves resigning out of disgust for that unjust and hateful policy.
No precept or claim is more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
“If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; but if you really make them think, they'll hate you.”
― Harlan Ellison
why me wrote: But shouldn't a religion be allowed to practice their faith without a threat of a boycott of an event.
No. You can practice your religion (assuming it follows laws of land) without threat of prison. You cannot practice your religion free from all consequences.
Should KKK be allowed to practice their beliefs without threat of boycott of an event or protest?
~Those who benefit from the status quo always attribute inequities to the choices of the underdog.~Ann Crittenden ~The Goddess is not separate from the world-She is the world and all things in it.~
if any perform is gay- i belioeve strongly they will cancel. how abt gay motab or orchestra at temple square gays- could be resigning.
i know laura osnes is a born again christian and in an interview with db ceo sherri dew, laura was trying to explain grace and sherri just could not get it. laura is stage cinderalla plus lots of other shows.
If the church rescinds this policy, it will either be a result of the backlash within the membership or a realization that the policy is causing serious legal or PR problems. A non-LDS friend of mine weighed in with me:
My main question does not concern the morality so much as the feasibility. Assume for the sake of argument that the policy is a good idea (I just said,” assume"). Even so, honestly, does anyone believe that the policy can endure five or ten years in the face of the total cultural wall of hostility and outright hatred that it will inspire?
It is almost inviting state and city legal sanctions against the LDS church as a hate group, and I am not kidding.
I don't know what motivated this new policy, but what a mess. People I considered to be stalwarts in the church are now on the fence. Was this an intentional effort to shed "weak" members? The whole thing is just so bizarre to me.