POLICY CHANGES: On 3 November 2015, the LDS church quietly released policy updates to the leaders of stakes and wards that did three things: it emphasized that sexual cohabitation gives greater weight to a consideration of a disciplinary hearing for a member involved in homosexual relations; it added gay marriage to the definition of apostasy, which carries a mandatory disciplinary hearing; and it restricted certain priesthood ordinances from children living with parents involved in homosexual cohabitation. [source]
COMMENTARY: This policy change came just four months after gay marriage was legalized in the United States, but almost fifteen years after it was legalized in the Netherlands. And during those fifteen years, no policy action was taken while gay marriage was legalized in 16 other countries, until after it was legalized in the US. Huh. It’s almost like the church is an American institution directed by old white dudes still steeped in their own prejudices rather than a global church led by inspiration and revelation from an all-knowing God. But what do I know? I’m just another apostate.
