Comments about ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’

You dont have to support them. You can still hate them all you want but they should have equal treatment under the law. Not too long ago people like you were protesting women and blacks getting equal rights in the work place and housing contracts.

Take a step back from your bible thumping and look at history. You will see that in the past people were claiming the downfall of culture because women could chose to wear pants and blacks were permitted to own land. None of theses things have degraded our culture, they have only helped the elevate it.

We are all humans. We all should have the same rights as any other human.

If it was up to you, homosexuality would be a crime, not just a sin. Your bigotry is not welcome in the United States of America.

Oh dear, what's a bigot to do?

The line of reasoning in this letter would also be used to excuse bigotry against people of different skin colors and religions.

Ezekiel 16:48-50 Explains that the sins of Sodom were that "She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.

For employment of for renting since they are private property landlords and employers should have the ability to rent out and hire and fire who they want. If they want to have apartment tenants with traditional family values they have right to rent them out that way.

There are family only apartments, and they have regulations on pets why not say you only rent out to married couples and not to cohabiters and on and on.

So, if you accept the Proclamation but reject this latest counsel, you're saying that you only listen to the Brethren when they tell you what you already want to hear?

Marvin, I know there's little or nothing I could ever do to change your mind about gay men and women as many people like you are convinced that they're doing God's work. I will just continue to live my life, be a good person, do well by my friends, family and neighbors and wait (and work) for the change I feel is inevitable. Little by little, and with growing momentum, people are recognizing the REAL truth about their gay neighbors and no longer feel threatened by them. I see it around me each and every day - even here in Utah. It's only a matter of time until your generation has passed and more inclusive (and truly Christ-like) values are embraced.

"Employers should have rights, and among those is the right to hire and fire whom they want. Landlords and all providers of shelter should have equal rights to provide service as they want. At one time I operated a bed and breakfast, making it clear that I only provided services to those who adhered to traditional family values."

So I can fire a Mormon because he's a Mormon? I can evict a Mormon because she's a Mormon? I didn't think so.

What happened to your B & B? Maybe the marketplace gave it a thumbs down.

Utah is billed as a "right to work state" and every employment contract I have seen here says the employer has the right to terminate employment at anytime with/without a reason. This new ordinance says this does not apply in SLC.

As I understand it, the new CITY ordinance has no bearing on the hiring or leasing of dwellings; it only applies after an employer has hired and a landlord has leased.

I agree it should be my property, for which I pay taxes and am responsible; my business for which I am licensed, pay taxes and am responsible should equal my way. In my experience, a person seeks me out to lease my property in which to live and/or my business in which to be employed; therefore, I should have the right, unless otherwise stated in our contract to terminate access to my property and/or my business.

Marvin, my head is spinning from your double speak. You say you have compassion for those who choose a different lifestyle but will never knowingly support them. How do you reconcile those two statements in a real and practical way.

Further, how do you reconcile that position to the gospel of Jesus Christ. And, how do you reconcile your position to the position that the inspired LDS church leadership has taken.

Marvin, I think the the pursuit of the right thing you have gone so far that you have lost sight of what is the right thing. You are not able to reach a proper balance between true principles.

For example, as concepts, the balance between justice and mercy is a very delicate thing. As is the balance between loving and accepting others and not judging them. You need to have more love and less judgment.

Hilarious. Nice troll letter. There is no way someone like the writer could be real.

So you are upset that the Church supports people who may be fabulous renters (pay on time, keep the place clean) and wonderful employees from being fired or kicked out because their sexual choices aren't "mainstream" How very Christlike of you--as a member of the Church I'm embarrassed by your opinion. I'm GLAD the Church stood up and supported this bill and I'm beyond angry that a bill like this even had to be passed.

Marvin, it's interesting to hear your vehement support for a world where you coud have been denied service or lodging or work for no other reason than you are not gay.

I am a member of the LDS Church and I also support the Proclamation to the Family. It's a difficult subjuect, but are you saying you wouldn't give a gay man or woman a place to sleep or eat if they needed it, or not hire someone who needs money and a job to live? The Savior I know and love wouldn't treat someone like that. Matthew 25:40 didn't say "except gay people" We may not agree with the lifestyle, but does that mean we hate and deny rights? We still need to love people. They may live their life in a way you don't agree with, but it doesn't lock doors to a church building where we need to befriend and love them and it certainly doesn't lock doors to human rights.

Clearly, Mr. Wharton is being ironic. No one could be so narrow and spineless without a smirk.

I am a faithful Salt Lake LDS member and was not in the least surprised by the church's decision in this matter. We are all "sinners" and we all struggle everyday to become better people. Heterosexual "sin" is as much as, if not more than, a catalyst to the breakdown of families as homosexual "sin". My own family was destroyed by my ex-husbands addiction to pornography. Should he have been fired fomr his job for this? No! Should he have trouble finding a place to live because of it? No! I know and love many gay people. They are good people who like anyone else are trying to find their way in a cold, cruel world. They deserve our love and respect and humanity regardless of whether or not we agree with the behavior. In the end, I believe God will judge pride and bigotry and hatred as being far more evil then homosexuality.

"Utah is billed as a "right to work state" and every employment contract I have seen here says the employer has the right to terminate employment at anytime with/without a reason. This new ordinance says this does not apply in SLC."

No, it doesn't.

Another hilariously ridiculous, yet tragic attitude.

How can "compassion" and discrimination co-exist?

Fifty years ago a person like this would say they have empathy for Blacks, but would not allow them in their restaurant.

This is as absurd as Gayle Ruzicka saying she hates the sin, but loves the sinner, then does everything she can to deny them rights. Give me a break.

"...why not say you only rent out to married couples and not to cohabiters and on and on."

Well, it may be possible to do that, because then you would not be discriminating against same-sex couples - all unmarried couples would be being treated equally. The problem then would be that same-sex couples would have grounds to argue that, not having the option to marry, they are being treated unequally under the law - which may lead to an advance of the argument for allowing same-sex marriage.