EXCLUSIVE: LDS Church invites gay activists and Dustin Lance Black to Christmas Concert

Updated: 12/21/2010 1:14 am | Published: 12/20/2010 5:35 pm

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - In the spirit of the season, the LDS Church is reaching out to the gay community.

ABC 4 News has learned that the Church invited several prominent gay leaders to its Christmas concert this weekend, including Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black.

Black, a screenwriter, won an Oscar for the movie, "Milk."

Saturday, at the LDS Church's Christmas concert, he and a handful of Utah gay activists were VIP guests.

ABC 4 picked up the scent for this story after seeing a picture on Facebook.

In this picture are Bruce Bastian and Jim Dabakis, both prominent Utah gay activists.

In the middle is Oscar winner, Dustin Lance Black.

Black grew up in a Mormon household.

In a lengthy phone conversation, Black told ABC 4 that it was "a honor" to see the concert and an, "extraordinary act of goodwill."

He also told us a conversation has been started between the gay community and the Church and that, “both sides are trying to find common ground.”

ABC 4 News is also being told that the Church has met previously with both Black and Bastian, one of the founders of WordPerfect.

This, reportedly, to get more information about gay issues.

Now, in response to our story, the LDS Church issued the following statement:

"The Church frequently extends invitations to social events to community leaders representing a variety of views, beliefs and organizations."

But our sources indicate the LDS Church might also be willing to make even more of an outreach in the future.

This could, perhaps, include helping to provide homeless gay youths with shelter and support.

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Tsulu - 1/6/2011 4:38 AM

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You are all nuts!!! I am an open GAY LDS member. I do not hide it at all. I am respected in the LDS church. I have been given many heavy responsibilities without discrimination. There may be some white, blond guy out there that gets more harrassment at church than me. But that is not because he is gay. It is just dumb people. I feel a lot of hate in these posts. Grow up and learn to forgive and be more accepting of all people and all faiths, just like the ones in my ward and stake. At the age of 50 having been out since 18, I think I can say that I have never lived wiht a more accepting people. Those outside the church are still ignorant and not accepting. From here, it sounds the opposite: the world is wonderful to gays and the church is not. I have found it the opposite in my short 30 years of being out and open. I am happy and do not recall a time I have regretting being gay or LDS. Good luck on your rampages guys.

DifferentLight - 1/5/2011 1:03 PM

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I am an LGBT Mormon with an active temple recommend and I am very glad to see the Church do this. I have always felt love from the leadership on this issue, and I hope they continue acts of goodwill and love for my community, even those who are not Mormon or living its standards.

jason76 - 12/24/2010 6:22 AM

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jake44 - The church teaches that homosexuality is a choice or curable mental illness. This position is still held by some leaders in the LDS church. The church teaches that regardless of the cause of homosexual orientation, one can and must avoid homosexual relations. The LDS church uses electric shock therapies and conversion therapy to try and change peoples sexuality, EX-Mormons who are gay have spoken out and claimed thats what they experienced. Do a google search Jake44, you will be very surpised at what the LDS church is involved in and has done.

jason76 - 12/24/2010 6:07 AM

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The LDS church is one of the reasons why gays and lesbians have very little rights and face discrimination. The LDS church disgusts me.

jake44 - 12/22/2010 2:36 AM

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Chino - The church has never taught me to hate anyone. I have been taught my entire life to learn to love others, not as a requirement though, but as a genuine expression of respect and caring for someone I may or may not know. I am still learning and I will continue to make changes in my perceptions but not because someone else has to "make progress" first. I will change or submit if it is the right thing to do.

KFrazier - 12/21/2010 6:47 PM

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Chino, the answer to your question is simple. This is just a PR move for the church. These VIP's that were invited are powerful and influential voices in the gay community who have mormon ties. They're the ones who can do the most damage. The gays who continue to attend church have already shown they're submissive and won't make noise against the church out of fear. Two of the people in the picture who's names were not mentioned in the story are Brandie Balken, Exec. director of Equality Utah, and Troy Williams, who writes incredibly scathing articles about the church, and has been nationally published numerous times. This amounted to nothing more than a nice photo op for the church, but when all gay (and straight) members who are just sick of the hypocricy stand up and fight, then LDS inc. will start to take it seriously.

BobNN - 12/21/2010 11:55 AM

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Having the church provide support for homeless gay youth sounds like the worst possible next step. Why do you think those kids are homeless? If "support" means money given by the church to gay organizations, fine.

Chino Blanco - 12/21/2010 9:47 AM

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jake44 - As long as we agree that the task of any religion ought to be to teach us whom we're required to love, not whom we're entitled to hate, I won't object to your opinion or your faith (with a nod to Rabbi Harold Kushner and Carol Lynn Pearson for the assist with the phrasing). kaibab - I join you in applauding the activists who accepted the invitation. I'll join in applauding "the local church" once more progress is actually made on the local level. As soon as all gay Mormons can participate in their local ward without sacrificing their personal dignity and potential, it will all be good.

kaibab - 12/21/2010 9:19 AM

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I think this is a very positive story. It's nice to see the local church take this step. It's also nice to see Bruce, Dustin and the others accept the invitation. Keep the discourse open, and change WILL happen.

jake44 - 12/21/2010 8:34 AM

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Chino, No offense taken. As a straight, married, RM, father of 6, I too am happily raising my family. I have not seen the abuse in the church you speak of, however I believe it exists, but not because of flaws in the church - its in the flaws of its people. I have misplaced my loyalties its true, but not in the way you suggest. Because of the "decrepit waxworks running LDS inc.", I changed my own personal treatment of those in the gay community - I finally recognized my flaws instead of trying to focus on what "I" considered to be flaws in other people. Disrespect and abuse are born from imperfect people who are unwilling to change or who have been unsuccessful in their effort to change. We all fit that description in one way or another. I don't believe the sacrifices that any faithful member of church, gay or straight, makes due to faith are meaningless. I will marvel along with you at how gay members have to cope when they make such difficult sacrifices for their faith. In my unqualified opinion, there is a good reason for such sacrifices.

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