Mormon Church makes same-sex couples apostates, excludes children from blessings and baptism [View all]

[cleanhippie]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a new policy in its handbook stating that children living in a same-sex household may not be blessed as babies or baptized until they are 18.

The policy change, which also states that those in a same-sex marriage are to be considered apostates, was confirmed Thursday by church spokesman Eric Hawkins.

“Church handbooks are policy and procedural guides for lay leaders who must administer the church in many varied circumstances throughout the world,” Hawkins said in a statement. “The church has long been on record as opposing same-sex marriages. While it respects the law of the land, and acknowledges the right of others to think and act differently, it does not perform or accept same-sex marriage within its membership.”

The LDS Church, popularly known as the Mormon Church, teaches that marriage is an institution created by God for one man and one woman. Before Thursday’s change, the church’s policy was that same-sex marriage may require discipline. Now that same-sex marriage is legal throughout the country, the church decided to identify those in a same-sex marriage as apostates, or people who renounce their faith.

Mormon children are normally blessed as infants and entered into the LDS Church records. Most Mormon children are baptized around age 8, an act that Mormons believe is a covenant with God and essential to salvation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/11/05/mormon-church-to-exclude-children-of-same-sex-couples-from-getting-blessed-and-baptized-until-they-are-18/?tid=sm_fb

Great job, LDS! You've just created a whole generation of anti-religious kids. This is wonderful news!

If only the RCC had the cajones to just come out and say it too...