I'm UK based and I've decided to write to my local member of parliament regarding the changes and expressing my concern at the blatant discrimination going on. Ask him to raise it with the relevant minister in the cabinet.

See what happens from there.

As the Mormon church is a registered charity in the UK I wonder what the charity commision would have to say? As soon as all that tax free money is threatened I imagine they will be backtracking!

I so want this! I want financial ramifications. I would love their tax exempt status( in the US) to be revoked. I want protests at BYU games. I want every news outlet to rake them over the coals.

Just to be precise here. The "Mormon Church" is not registered as a charity in the UK.

Legally speaking in the UK there is no such entity as TSCC, by whatever name they use. At most the church is a group of 400+ "unincorporated associations" (the wards and branches) with very imprecise legal structure.

The registered charity to which you are referring is probably The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Great Britain). This is an unlimited company, registered in England at Companies House, and registered as a charity in England with the Charity Commission. I stress England because different laws and registration requirements apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland which are part of the UK. The laws of England usually also apply in Wales.

The registered charitable company mentioned above, owns the real estate of the church in the UK, receives its tithes and offerings under a tax advantaged arrangement and its purpose is to assist the church in its mission. It is NOT the church. It is owned by the President of the church through either the "Corporation of the President of...." or the "Corporation of the Presiding Bishopric of...." both corporate soles incorporated in the USA.

Legally speaking I do not think the Mormon Church exists anywhere. It is a vast group of corporate entities, trademarks and unincorporated associations.

Long winded way of saying this latest discrimination adopted by the church does not, of itself, necessarily effect the UK charity. However, the fact that the charity is supporting and receiving donations on behalf of an entity that does discriminate in this way may bring the charity's charitable status into question. The same question applies because the Supreme Court (of the UK) and the European Court of Human Rights have already decided the 2 temples in the U.K. are not for 'charitable purposes'.

Maybe we should keep a look out for action against them in the future. Certainly the threat of removing tax advantages will prompt a new "revelation" just as it did in the 1978 so called revelation and the 1990 changes to temple ordinances.

What about Monson being President of the Corporation of the COJCOLDS? So the Corp he's President of is not a registered charity in UK? What about elsewhere?

This is an excellent idea

I'm sending the info to the Charities Commission. Also my own MP.

Wiggy Briggy

what is the discrimination exactly that OP is concerned about? Women cant' hold ecclesiastical office? polygamy is banned? gays are banned? tithing is sent to America?

I contacted a well known human rights group when the policy was announced, to see if there were any implications for the Church under the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.

The group replied that the usual response would be that exemptions on grounds of religious conviction were accepted under the law. However, they did suggest I contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Might do so, out of interest.

I am not entirely sure that the answer you were given was correct.

If a church decided to ban people who were disabled, or black, or Irish (for example) then I am unsure if "grounds of religious conviction" would be acceptable under current equality legislation.

Fair point. I will take another look at it all.