“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,” said Elder Dallin Oaks, a member of the church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles.
“Such tactics are every bit as wrong as denying access to employment, housing or public services because of race or gender.”
The Mormon church is one of several religious groups to complain about religious freedom coming under “attack” in recent years. The Catholic church and Southern Baptists, among other evangelicals, have sounded the alarm as well.
Oaks cited several examples on Tuesday, including:
The mayor of Houston subpoenaing sermon notes last year from pastors who opposed an equal rights ordination. The subpoena was later dropped.
Public pressure on a Mormon gymnast to step down as an Olympic liaison in 2011 because he had supported California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in 2008.
In 2014, Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich was forced to resign because he had donated money to support the passage of Prop 8.
“It is one of today's great ironies that some people who have fought so hard for LGBT rights now try to deny the rights of others to disagree with their public policy proposals,” said Oaks.
I would submit that Mr. Oaks and the organization he is speaking for are either obtuse or extremely naive if they do not understand what the LGBT agenda is truly about...
Sorry Mr. Oaks, you cannot "make nice" with these people.