BYU and LGBTs

                The liberty principle for today concerns the right of religious people to practice their religion without being forced to condone the LBGT agenda. The battle between LGBTs and religion has been ongoing for a couple of years. LGBTs continue to attack religious institutions and are now attacking BYU.

                Cheryl Chumley posted an article for The Blaze titled “LBGTs vs. First Amendment: the Fight for Religious Freedom Ratchets.” She claims that “The skirmishes around the nation centered on rights for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders are not really about rights for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders. They’re about the decimation of the First Amendment and the destruction of traditional family. And the latest local battle to drive a wedge in the national norm is in Utah, where 25 groups dedicated to advancing the LGBT rights’ movement have signed on to a letter urging the Big 12, which is considering a team expansion, to turn a blind eye on Brigham Young University.”

                The coalition claims that “[BYU] actively and openly discriminated against its LGBT students and staff. In fact, through its policies, BYU is very clear about its intent to discriminate against openly LGBT students, with sanctions that can include suspension or dismissal for being openly LGBT or in a same-sex relationship…. Given BYU’s homophobic, biphobic and transphobic policies and practices, BYU should not be rewarded with Big 12 membership.”

                Chumley continues her article by explaining that BYU is a private university and is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU “does in fact have policies regarding homosexual relations,” but it also has policies governing heterosexuals. All administrators, employees, and students at BYU are required to “be honest,” to “live a chaste and virtuous life,” and to “participate regularly in church services.” They are expected to demonstrate moral values of the gospel of Jesus Christ in their “daily living on and off-campus.”

                The Church’s stance on gender and sex is summed up in “The Family – A Proclamation to the World.” The fourth paragraph of the proclamation states: “… We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.” This statement means that all sexual relations are to be within a lawful marriage between man and woman.”

                The proclamation says in paragraph 7, “The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity….”

                The policies at BYU are founded on Church doctrine. The LGBTs may be able to keep BYU out of the Big 12, but they will not change Church doctrine because it is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.