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Gay Rights and the Mormon Church: Intended Actions, Unintended Consequences Hardcover – April 19, 2019

by Gregory A Prince (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 84 ratings
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The Mormon Church entered the public square on LGBT issues by joining forces with traditional-marriage proponents in Hawaii in 1993. Since then, the church has been a significant player in the ongoing saga of LGBT rights within the United States and at times has carried decisive political clout. 

Gregory Prince draws from over 50,000 pages of public records, private documents, and interview transcripts to capture the past half-century of the Mormon Church’s attitudes on homosexuality. Initially that principally involved only its own members, but with its entry into the Hawaiian political arena, the church signaled an intent to shape the outcome of the marriage equality battle. That involvement reached a peak in 2008 during California’s fight over Proposition 8, which many came to call the “Mormon Proposition.”

In 2015, when the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land, the Mormon Church turned its attention inward, declaring same-sex couples “apostates” and denying their children access to key Mormon rites of passage, including the blessing (christening) of infants and the baptism of children.

Prince's interview with KUER: https://radiowest.kuer.org/post/gay-rights-and-mormon-church

Prince's Q-Talk with Equality Utah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcnVagLY-lM&feature=youtu.be

Prince's interview with the Press: https://conta.cc/2HHmeTm

Princes's event with Benchmark Books: https://youtu.be/Daz-TFldZDA
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    University of Utah Press
  4. Publication date
    April 19, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1607816636
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1607816638
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is a complicated story, involving tangled legal issues and intricate political maneuvering. Prince is always aware of how the political and the legal affected actual lives. The story is fast-paced and engaging.”
—Richard Lyman Bushman is Gouverneur Morris Professor Emeritus of History at Columbia University and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
 
“A meticulous documentation. Prince’s survey of Mormon pronouncements on LGBT issues appears to have left no stone unturned.”
—Val Holley, author of 25th Street Confidential: Drama, Decadence, and Dissipation along Ogden’s Rowdiest Road

"This is a book everyone has been waiting for. To have all of this information in one place—information which has previously been tucked away here and there in random internet document leaks and blog posts—is truly, truly valuable.”
—Joanna Brooks, author of The Book of Mormon Girl: A Memoir of an American Faith and coeditor of Decolonizing Mormonism: Approaching a Postcolonial Zion

“Offers important materials and timelines for the Church’s involvement in LGBTQ issues and pro­vides an important outline of events, along with references to important documents that allow the reader to dive deeper into the subject.”
—BYU Studies Quarterly
 

“This is an important book in the constant, complicated, and dynamic dialogue regarding homosexuality and modern Mormonism. Further, this compendium of ‘actions’ and ‘consequences’ will be immensely useful in the discussions yet to come.”
—Dialogue

About the Author

Gregory A. Prince's avocation in history has led him to write dozens of articles and three books, including the award-winning volumes David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism (coauthored with Wm. Robert Wright) and Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Utah Press (April 19, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1607816636
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1607816638
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.56 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 84 ratings

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Gregory A. Prince

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
84 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nicho
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone curious about Mormonism's changing doctrines.
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
Gregory Prince has thoroughly researched and compiled the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) and it’s engagement with LGBT issues. It is without a doubt the most complete resource for those looking for the changing views of Mormon leadership in regards to LGBTs.

This book includes numerous quotes from top church leaders from the past 50 years. It includes such gems as:

The Bishop’s Training Course and Self-Help Guide (1970) - Regarding homosexuality, “Though many have been told it is incurable, that is not true.”

Spencer Kimball and Apostle Mark Petersen (1970) - “REMEMBER: Homosexuality CAN be cured, if the battle is well organized and pursued vigorously and continuously.”

Spencer Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness - “The sin of homosexuality is equal to or greater than that of fornication or adultery.”

Spencer Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness - “Masturbation evolves often into mutual masturbation...and then into total homosexuality.”

Apostle Boyd Packer - “There is a falsehood that some are born with an attraction to their own kind, with nothing they can do about it. They are just ‘that way’ and can only yield to those desires. That is a malicious and destructive lie. While it is a convincing idea to some, it is of the devil. No one is locked into that kind of life.”

Spencer Kimball and Apostle Mark Petersen, Hope for Transgressors - “If they will close the door to the intimate associations with their own sex and open it wide to that of the other sex, of course in total propriety, and then be patient and determined, gradually they can move their romantic interests where they belong. Marriage and a normal life can follow.”

Spencer Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness - “Certainly it can be overcome, for there are numerous happy people who were once involved in its clutches and who have since completely transformed their lives. Therefore to those who say that this practice or any other evil is incurable, I respond: ‘How can you say the door cannot be opened until our knuckles are bloody, till your head is bruised, til your muscles are sore? It can be done’...Let this individual repent of his perversion, force himself to return to normal pursuits and interests and actions and friendships with the opposite sex, and this normal pattern can become natural again.”

It was this type of direction and counsel from top LDS leaders that caused self-loathing, broken marriages, and suicides among members who exhausted themselves trying to cure their homosexuality, and ultimately failed.

The LDS Church’s misguided and inaccurate stance on LGBT issues is a sure sign that the leadership isn’t inspired by a divine, all-knowing being, but is instead lead by men who voice their own personal, biased opinions. This book illustrates the actions the LDS Church leaders have taken to spread misinformation and bigotry against the LGBT community, and highlights the far-reaching damages that their lies have caused. It is a must read for anyone looking to research the ever-changing doctrines of the Mormon church.
53 people found this helpful
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Scott Sandberg
5.0 out of 5 stars Condition of the item
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2023
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The book came well protected and was in great shape
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Eric F. Facer
5.0 out of 5 stars An Enlightening and Disturbing Account of the LDS Church's Approach to Gay Rights
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2019
Verified Purchase
The esteemed American jurist Louis D. Brandeis once said: “Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.” Greg Prince, with this book, shines a bright light on the evolution over the past 50 years of the LDS Church’s doctrinal and political response to LGBT issues, revealing an institution that struggles to reconcile its policies and beliefs with changing societal attitudes and scientific understanding of same-sex attraction. What it reveals is often not pretty, but it is enlightening and informative; it prompted me to rethink my views on a few matters.

Prince’s book addresses this subject not chronologically, but topically, devoting separate chapters to particular events (e.g., the Proposition 8 campaign in California), church pronouncements (e.g., the Exclusion Policy), and legislative initiatives and seminal legal cases. But it’s the personal experiences of the gay individuals who are members of a church they love but that often doesn’t love them back that are the most riveting, gut-wrenching, and unforgettable parts of the book. Highly recommended for those interested in this subject.
16 people found this helpful
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Christopher Fuller
5.0 out of 5 stars Greg Prince does it again, tackling a controversial LDS subject with skill, unrivaled reader gah, and objective reporting.
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
This author writes in a strait forward style, easy to read, while explaining complex religious and scientific concepts. He is an excellent story teller. He is a believing Mormon, so he knows the inside of the faith. He is an excellent researcher with an advanced science degree, so he does not hide from facts or science. He is a gifted and empathetic listener, who then relates people’s personal stories without embellishment, so the reader truly feels the pain, sorrow, and utter frustration experienced by the person(s) sharing their stories. Yet he also presents the church’s side with objectivity and respect. But like a skilled legal advocate, he knows that his factual story-telling, when done effectively, need not be accompanied by commentary or argument - the facts are powerful enough, standing alone, to communicate the message.
2 people found this helpful
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Admgator
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for Historically Accurate Hoodwinking!
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
Prince is a fair researcher and author. I appreciated his list of sources. Having lived through most of the history sited, especially ERA, Prop 8, and all the propaganda and fear tactics that were used, I had no clue, as a member of the LDS church, how we were manipulated and, yes, hoodwinked! What an eye-opener! Everyone should read this book, not just Mormons. The tactics used by Protestants, Catholics, and Evangelicals, with the financial backing and organizational skills of the LDS was stunning in their combined opposition to civil liberties and gay marriage.
6 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for members of LDS church, especially Bishop StakePres YW & YM Leaders Missionaries Q70
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2019
Verified Purchase
So important for people to understand how and why the Mormon/LDS church came to their teachings and lack of knowledge and compassion about this issue. This book will inform not only members of their church who have family that are LGBTQ, it can also help all Latter Day Saints to become more loving and less judgmental towards LGBTQ people. It’s NOT a choice, and there is no “gay agenda”. Love one another ❤️ Read this book with an open heart and mind.
6 people found this helpful
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James Hollender
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opener About Church Behind the Scenes
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book brought to light clarity about how the church often does things that they shouldn’t be involved in, and then tries to hide the truth. The Lord manages to forgive and forget, but the church apparently doesn’t always believe in the forgetting portion, especially with respect to LGBT members. And it is in no way able to accept that it’s policies have often been the cause of suicides. You never know what is revelation or their own bigotry speaking.
8 people found this helpful
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Alan Blodgett
5.0 out of 5 stars LGBT - Mormon Experience
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
Excellent read. Well researched, superb writing style, balanced and informative.
I am an 85 year old gay man and DNA Mormon. All my life I have hoped for fellowship in the church without the need to be closeted about my basic feelings. This book describes progress being made by church leaders in understanding people like me and offers hope.
I highly recommend this book.
31 people found this helpful
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