Mormon Leaders Call For Anti-Discrimination Laws for LGBT and Religious Communities

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Tuesday that it will be backing anti-discrimination laws for the LGBT community, as long as the laws also protect religious people from discrimination.

Leaders of the Mormon church held a rare press conference in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday announcing their decision to support anti-discrimination laws. The Mormon religion, along with other mainstream religions, has previously received scrutiny from the LGBT community due to its opposition to the practice of homosexuality, based on religious teaching.

During the press conference, Elder Dallin Oaks said that discriminating against religious people due to their beliefs is the same as discriminating against those in the LGBT community due to their sexuality.

"When religious people are publicly intimidated, retaliated against, forced from employment or made to suffer personal loss because they have raised their voice in the public square, donated to a cause or participated in an election, our democracy is the loser," Elder Oaks, a member of the church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles, said during the press conference.

"Such tactics are every bit as wrong as denying access to employment, housing or public services because of race or gender."

The church said during the press conference that it will support some housing and job protections for gays and lesbians if the same protection can be guaranteed for those who voice their opposition to behaviors they find to be immoral.

"Accommodating the rights of all people — including their religious rights — requires wisdom and judgment, compassion and fairness," Jeffrey R. Holland, one of the apostles, added in a statement. "Politically, it certainly requires dedication to the highest level of statesmanship. Nothing is achieved if either side resorts to bullying, political point scoring or accusations of bigotry."