12 months ago
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - There's backlash against the LDS church over Proposition 8. LDS members in Utah, even some entire families are leaving the church because of its opposition to gay marriage. It isn't easy but Linda Stay is resigning from the LDS church and is doing so because the church opposes gay marriage - like the one her son Tyler is in. "It's very clear to me that many, many people are resigning over this gay marriage issue and the church's involvement in it," said Andrew Callahan. The last time Utah saw Callahan, he was delivering petitions to the LDS church. But now, on Callahan's Web site there is a new section. It's reserved for those resigning from or leaving the LDS church. And Callahan tells the story of one heartbroken woman in California. "She doesn't want to be associated with the bigotry and she doesn't want, in any way, to be responsible for teaching the young children to be bigots," Callahan wrote. Callahan estimated on his Web site he's heard from hundreds of resigned or resigning LDS members. This includes not just Stay but also nine other members of her family. Callahan also said it includes his 16 year old daughter - but not yet him. "I am disgusted as everyone else, but because they asked me to resign, I don't want them to feel they got what they wanted," he said. Callahan's Web site also includes a link to something called mormonnomore.com. The site includes step by step instructions for leaving the LDS faith. Callahan noted that since the Salt Lake Temple protest Friday, more than 200 LDS members on his Web site have decided to leave the church. Because of the private nature of resignations, the LDS church says it is not commenting on this story.
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