Three sets of parents of homosexual children have asked leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to re-evaluate four pamphlets that address homosexual issues because they believe the material is antiquated and may promote fear, ignorance and even violence against gays.
"To Young Men Only," "To the One," "A Letter to a Friend" and "For the Strength of Youth" are the pamphlets named by the six members of the church.
"These pamphlets have for decades formed a significant part of the understanding within the LDS Church of the issue of same-sex orientation," said David E. Hardy, who organized a Friday morning news conference with five other parents at his Salt Lake office. "We believe that many in our community are unaware of their specific content.
"These pamphlets contain hurtful and damaging language that promotes fear and entrenches ignorance of the realities of this issue. They cause parents to condemn and turn against their gay children, destroying real families, and drive our gay children to self-loathing, despair and suicide."
Hardy said he'd like the church to update or discard the four pamphlets, which range in age from 10 to 29 years, or reaffirm that everything they contain is current, correct and official.
Gary Watts, a Salt Lake physician who has some gay children, said he and his wife, Millie, also have a concern about the pamphlets and have been working for 10 years to get more accurate information dispensed to church members.
"Too often our pleading for more understanding and more responsible information seems to fall on deaf ears," he said. "We have written numerous letters and engaged several general authorities in conversations expressing our concern about the content of these pamphlets, but have seen no tangible results from our efforts."
The LDS Church had no comment on the news conference. However, past church statements have declared homosexual relations as grievous sins akin to fornication and adultery.
"At this point, we don't know what else to do other than try to make this a public issue through our press conference," Hardy said.
Ted and Kay Packard, parents of a homosexual child, also support the efforts and believe the pamphlets themselves aren't so much of a problem as they are representative of attitudes within the church.
Watts also said the bottom line is that no one can read these pamphlets and conclude that homosexuals are good people.
Hardy said reaction to his crusade has had mixed results from church members to whom he has talked.
His wife, Carlie, said a particular problem is that the LDS Church uses lay leaders who rely on these pamphlets because they lack professional training. She also believes homosexual problems in the church are met with these pamphlets rather than with compassion.
E-mal: lynn@desnews.com