Controversial protest of LDS Church sparks uprising from members in the church.

Salt
Lake City, UT – Sharp division in the state of California and the
relenting onslaught of LDS volunteers, organizers, and fund raisers
ultimately meant the end of marriage equality in the state but sparked
a much deeper debate within the halls of the Mormon Church that has
found its way to the echelons of Salt Lake City. While leaders claimed
victory in the polls, they are only now beginning to feel the backlash
from their aggressive campaign for Prop. 8 in the form of a grass-roots
protest, ExcommunicateTheChurch.com

“There is a revolution brewing within the Mormon Church that I don’t’ think the leaders were expecting,” says protest organizer, Jason Beckett. “When we launched the campaign, I assumed we would see people from outside the church voicing their issues, but we’ve seen a very strong response from active members who feel the church over stepped the bounds.”

During the high-pressure weeks leading up to the California vote, members were instructed by church leaders in Salt Lake through letters read from the pulpit of all meeting houses in the state. In part, the letter read, “…do all you can to support the proposed amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman.”

Seth M. Densen, a member of the LDS Church and activist for Mormon rights took issue with the stance of the church and ultimately threw his support behind the Excommunicate The Church protest sending an email to organizers that read, “the last year has been very rough for me with regard to prop. 8 and the Church’s role which I do not agree with.”

Along with the Excommunicate The Church protest, Mr. Densen has joined hundreds of LDS Church members in petitions, open letters, and emails condemning the breach of integrity many members experience from their leaders. “Our protest is giving a voice to a large population of the LDS Church that feel ignored,” said Mr. Beckett when asked about the response from church members. “What we set out to do was bring attention to the actions of these particular leaders, we had no idea that the side-effect would be to empower the sub-culture of the church and give them another way to let their opinions be heard.”

Many observers complain that the LDS Church seems to cultivate an environment where members do not feel free to express decent or opinion. Protests, petitions, and campaigns like ExcommunicateTheChurch.com give these people a chance to be heard, and feel like they are taking action to effect change.

“We’re not holding our breath for the church to change it’s ways,” comments Mr. Beckett, “but if people use this protest as a way to wake up and take control of their own destiny rather than sit back assuming some guy in Salt Lake is watching out for them, great! That’s all we want in the end.”

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