New Mormon Prez Vows to Stay the Course

Church says it won't drop opposition to gay marriage

(NEWSER) - The Mormon church has come out in support of gay rights legislation for the first time in its history, backing a pair of Salt Lake City ordinances passed yesterday by the city council protecting gays from discrimination in housing and employment. "The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," the church's spokesman said. More»

(NEWSER) - Gay and straight protesters covered each other in kisses today outside Salt Lake City’s Mormon Temple, USA Today reports. The rally—inspired by a gay couple who were handcuffed and cited Friday for smooching on church property—was organized to condemn the Mormon ban on "offensive, indecent, obscene, lewd or disorderly speech, dress or conduct.” More»

Group of dissenters launch campaign urging church to stop its political advocacy

(NEWSER) - A group of Mormons is campaigning to get the church to cease its aggressive activism against gay marriage, the Salt Lake Tribune reports, with the so-called Committee for Reconciliation calling for church leaders to soften their uncompromising stance on the issue. They say the church’s attitude has helped take rights away from homosexuals and damaged many Mormon families. More»

PR throwdown goes nationwide

(NEWSER) - With the fight over gay marriage moving east, activists in favor of legalization are aiming to discredit a primary opponent: the Mormon Church. Stunned by the effect of Mormon fundraising and canvassing in the passage of California's Proposition 8, two groups are running ads attacking Mormon involvement in the issue, the Washington Post reports. One ad run on newspaper web sites in three states reads: “The Mormons are coming! The Mormons are Coming!” More»

New law knocks down barriers, hands-off policy in restaurants

(NEWSER) - Under a new law that went into effect yesterday, restaurants that sell alcohol no longer need to separate patrons from the people serving them drinks, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “Not having these barriers is going to save us a lot of time, especially with out-of-state visitors who constantly ask what it is and why it's there,” one owner said of the “Zion curtains,” which are usually glass barriers. More»