fROM: HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

Mr. Packer, I hope you will cease putting young people in real peril and acknowledge the scientific truth: Sexual orientation cannot be changed, nor should it be.

The recent suicides of several gay teenagers have made national headlines. Yet this is the moment – of all moments – that a top Mormon leader decides to broadcast a verbal rampage against gays to millions of viewers.

I couldn't believe it either. Boyd K. Packer, the second-highest leader in the Mormon Church, said in a sermon broadcast to millions yesterday that same-sex attraction is "impure and unnatural" and can be overcome, and that same-sex unions are morally wrong.

Do we need more proof than the suicides of teens as young as 13 that words like these can do unimaginable damage?

We cannot stay silent. By speaking out together, we can show the Mormon Church hierarchy that it has literally risked the lives of children by inciting their tormentors. And we can ensure that the young people who heard this sermon know that it is scientifically wrong and profoundly misguided.

Add your name to our open letter debunking Boyd Packer's lies.

Speaking before 20,000 people and broadcasting to millions more, Packer said same-sex unions are morally wrong and "against God's law and nature" – and that the church hierarchy would continue to support marriage bans like Proposition 8 (which was funded largely by Mormons).

It makes me physically sick to think how many young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender kids had to sit in those pews and listen to that venom.

Comments like these are exactly what makes young LGBT kids think there's no way out but suicide – that their parents will reject them, that their communities will shun them, and that living openly will bring pain or violence – that even God looks on their very identity as a sin to be "overcome."

And these lies fuel the bullying, harassment, and violence that plague our schools.

Packer's lies have been disproven over and over again by science and by the spiritual experience of Americans who know their LGBT neighbors and care about them. We know sexual orientation cannot and should not be changed and that two people falling in love is beautiful, not evil.

But unless we refute these lies whenever groups like the anti-LGBT National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and the Mormon Church repeat them – whether through letters like this or projects like HRC's www.NOMexposed.com – we risk another young person hearing them and believing that LGBT people are "defective." And that belief contributes to violence and suicide.

Help us speak out so young people understand the truth – and so that Mormon leaders know that spreading this poison puts lives at risk.

Americans are sick of the Mormon hierarchy trying to dictate what they should believe. They know commitment and love when they see it. That's why they are turning away in droves from limitations on their friends' and neighbors' freedom to marry.

Thank you for helping take a stand for the truth.

Sincerely,


Joe Solmonese
President

60% agree with Packer. .make your voice heard and get that percentage down! on the right side of the news story you can vote to agree with KKK Packer or if you don't lets get that 39% of not agreeing with him higher! Get our voices heard!

Good for the Human Right Campaign! Somebody has to call out the homophobic pricks on their evil! There is a place to sign the petition on the webpage if you follow it through.

BKP is an ass.

HH =)

I want to sign petition and send to my friends.

https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=945

I didn't find it "above" either, but it was easy to find on the HRC site.

Thank you!

“This is a moment where every one of us — parents, teachers, students, elected officials and all people of conscience — needs to stand up and speak out against intolerance in all its forms,”

I signed the petition and posted the link on my Facebook.

He is probably secretly enjoying all the havoc his words have caused, and as far as gays killing themselves because of his words...He couldn't care less.

The protests are not really about changing Packer's mind. Protests serve several functions. One function they spread a message. Look at this petition, people are spreading it around via face book, posts to discussion boards, etc.. Lots of people are becoming aware of what BKP said because of this. Another is to put people in power at the LDS on notice that there will be a strong reaction to the things they say about gays in conference. In the past, LDS conference talks have largely been ignored by the press outside of Utah. The LDS could speak to their faithful without to much worry about too much critical response. They are now finding out that this is no longer the case when they speak about gays.

No, this is not about convincing Packer of anything.

How I wish I had known there were others speaking out against the church while I was still in. That would have eased my final years in the church.

Questioning and ex mormons need to be more public. It will help so many others who don't yet dare to speak up for themselves.

I agree MJ. This is not about changing Packer's mind, this is about spreading the message and teaching a lesson. The church has worked so hard to smooth things over and Packer's honesty about the attitude the church REALLY holds is going to show the world what has really been going on all along.

But strangely enough, there are so many Mormons who really do think this is about protesters wanting to change Packer's mind. There are also Mormons who think this fiasco is going to help THEIR cause. No wonder they can't get a handle on their own PR. They have no idea how things are working.


http://www.mormonapologetics.org/topic/51552-elder-packer-is-called-upon-to-apologize/

My favorite stupid line: "I am listening now. It's a very good talk. I hope they protest so people will look it up."

Oh, people are going to look it up, but the church is not going to come out smelling like roses. Mormons are so out of touch with reality.

I'm still trying to get past masturbation being next to murder in significance as a sin. The F-ed with me something terrible and still does.

Packer advocated violence against gays many years ago. One of the young men convicted of Matthew Shepard's beating death was a young Mormon Priesthood holder. Packer's pamphlet back then was a MAJOR issue:

http://www.affirmation.org/news/2000_46.shtml

I saw this on the board and had to sign it too. Festering toads like Packer can't be allowed to get away with remarks like that.

it totally disgusted me to read what he had said..... I couldn't bring myself to watch the video.... it made me very angry and sad.