The Mormon Church is losing members, gay and straight, over its recent attack on LGBT families.
As expected, on Saturday, hundreds of Mormons rallied in a Salt Lake City park adjacent to the worldwide headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, filled out forms, supported each other, and began the process of officially resigning from their church.
The Mormon Church is under fire after creating a new policy that declares people in same-sex relationships “apostates” subject to excommunication, and banning children raised by same-sex couples from being baptized.
Attorney Mark Naugle says he processed 1830 resignation letters on Saturday – all pro-bono.
“All of your letters went out in today’s mail. 1830 (Eighteen hundred and thirty). Not all of those were from Saturday, but the majority were. You guys are the greatest! Thank you for standing up for what is right!!,” he wrote on a Facebook page that organized the mass resignation event.
Those resigning were people directly and indirectly affected by the Mormon Church’s new policies, which were published as updates to the Mormon Handbook and were not intended to be made public.
RELATED:Â Amid Mass Resignations, Mormon Leaders Try, Fail To Soften New Rule On Children Of Same-Sex Parents
Some have posted responses they’ve received from the LDS Church after mailing their resignation letters, like this one, which was sent before Saturday’s rally, apparently trying to make the resignation process harder:
Many who have resigned naturally are feeling a sense of loss. Brooke Swallow, one of the resignation event’s organizers, on Facebook wrote:
“Behind the scenes, many people who resigned yesterday are experiencing devastating sanctions from their Mormon families and neighbors. Please send words of encouragement!”
On Saturday there will be another rally, the “Utah Rally for Love, Equality, Family, & Acceptance.”
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Image by Brian Palmer via FacebookÂ