Mormon church opposes ‘unbalanced’ LGBT nondiscrimination measure

By Brady McCombs The Associated Press

5 years ago

President Russell M. Nelson and his wife Wendy, wave as they leave the morning session of a twi ... — President Russell M. Nelson and his wife Wendy, wave as they leave the morning session of a twice-annual conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

FILE – This Aug. 4, 2015 file photo, flowers bloom in front of the Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is repealing rules unveiled in 2015 that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and made gay marriage a sin worthy of expulsion. The surprise announcement Thursday, April 4, 2019, by the faith widely known as the Mormon church reverses rules that triggered widespread condemnations from LGBTQ members and their allies. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

FILE – In this Nov. 14, 2015 file photo, Sandy Newcomb poses for a photograph with a rainbow flag as people gather for a mass resignation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is repealing rules unveiled in 2015 that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and made gay marriage a sin worthy of expulsion. The surprise announcement Thursday, April 4, 2019, by the faith widely known as the Mormon church reverses rules that triggered widespread condemations from LGBTQ members and their allies. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is coming out against a comprehensive nondiscrimination bill that faces long odds in Congress.

The faith said in a statement Monday that the Equality Act is “unbalanced” and “fundamentally unfair” because it would strip key religious freedom protections. The Southern Baptist Convention and Catholic Church are among other denominations that oppose the measure.

The legislation would add gender identity and sexual orientation to existing federal nondiscrimination laws covering such realms as employment, housing, education, and public spaces and services.

The Utah-based faith says it favors “reasonable” measures to protect LGBT people’s access to housing, employment and public accommodations, but that such efforts shouldn’t erode the right for people to live and speak freely about their religious beliefs.