The Roots of the LDS Church’s Opposition to Same Sex Marriage – CounterPunch

June 12, 2022by nicholas jacobsen

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or Mormon church) works to maintain the public image of a loving-Christian religious group while simultaneously acting as an anti-queer international political organization. If youre at all familiar with the church, youre probably aware of their pro-nuclear family / anti-LGBTQIA2s+ politics. What you may not be as aware of is how their current anti-queer beliefs, practices, and policies are tied to 1) their past polygamous practices, as both are rooted in settler-colonial eugenic ideologies, and 2) the World Congress of Families, a known hate group founded and funded by Russian oligarchs.

Polygamy was seen as uncivilized and thus not-white by many in the late 19th century United States. In President Hayess 1880 State of the Union, he called out Mormon polygamy proclaiming that marriage and the family relation are the cornerstone of our American society and asking Congress to reorganize Utah Territory to allow more intelligent and virtuous immigrants'' in.

Immigration, marriage, and the family were as central to the rhetoric and politics of this Euro-settler-nation then as they are now. Settler-colonialism destroys to replace and intelligent and virtuous immigrants who become married and reproductive Euro-settler-couples are essential to the replace half of this equation.

Read over 400 magazine and newsletter back issues here

Make a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation and enjoy access to CP+. Donate Now

Support our evolving Subscribe Area and enjoy access to all Subscribers content. Subscribe

More here:

The Roots of the LDS Church's Opposition to Same Sex Marriage - CounterPunch