Church support for Respect for Marriage Act shows what a tangled mess religion and politics make (Rick Bowmer | AP photo) In this Jan. 3, 2018, photo, the angel Moroni statue, silhouetted against the sky, sits atop the Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. My wife tells me that one of the most difficult messes to untangle are necklaces thrown into a jewelry box. Many a garage houses a box full of bungee cords, or tie-downs, that rival a breeding ball of snakes in difficulty to separate. While the support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the pending congressional Respect for Marriage Act is a tangled mess, its support is easily unraveled and explainable. The LDS Church strategy since 2008 has been clear: oppose same-sex marriage and support “gay rights.” The LDS Church, my church, has supported gay rights since its opposition to same-sex marriage during Proposition 8 in California. That support rolled into the chamber of the Salt Lake City Council shortly thereafter and similar nondiscrimination laws spread throughout Utah municipalities over the next few years – none of which would have happened without the blessing of the LDS Church. […]
