A New Marketing Strategy

You may have heard about this story... A gay couple were walking through the main street plaza (a piece of land owned by the LDS Church, but allowing public access) in Salt Lake City, when one of the men, place his hand on the other man's back, and kissed him on the cheek. An article describing the event is here.

Church Security officials confronted the men, informing them that public displays of affection are prohibited on LDS Church property, and requested that the men leave. When the men pointed out that they had observed numerous other couples kissing and otherwise publicly showing affection for one another, the security guards took both men to the ground, hand-cuffed them, and then called SLPD, who responded with a couple of officers and issued citations to the men for trespassing.

Technically, I think everything was above board. The men were asked to leave, refused and in accordance to the law, met the definition of trespassing. But that doesn't mean it was right.

First, if I may waive my fifth amendment rights and proceed in the direction of self-incrimination.

My wife and I were married in the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City, adjacent to where the Main Street Plaza is now located. Following our marriage, we had pictures taken outside the east end of the temple, through-out the temple grounds, and on the grounds surrounding the various LDS Church office buildings. All of the locations for our pictures on that day were on LDS Church property.

We kissed numerous times, and not just little pecks on the cheek either. I believe a couple may even have included a little tongue touching!! Not only that, but we held hands, hugged and for all observing were the epitome of a couple publicly displaying our affection. And I believe I have pictures to prove it.

So bring it on Church Security! I want my citation, my order to remain off Church Property for at least 6 months and perhaps I too could be thrown to the ground and handcuffed. It's not fair that I should be denied these things.

All sarcasm aside though, I think I may have a theory on why this happened. I'm going to reference a blog post done by an LDS man from California which dealt with the assumption amongst Mormons that alcohol in any form, and particularly beer is considered to be prohibited. The entire posting is here

Mormons actually used to really enjoy their beer. The founder apparently drank beer regularly, including the night before he died. When the Salt Lake valley was originally settled, several large breweries, including one which now serves as home to Utah's Hogle Zoo where built to provide beer for the Mormons. So what happened?

I quote from the posting:

Over the next couple of decades, the Mormon people as a whole jumped on the Temperance bandwagon, and in 1919 Utah enthusiastically ratified the 18th amendment prohibiting all alcoholic beverages, including beer. Utah breweries closed down and before long all traces disappeared. In time, the descendants of the pioneers forgot they had ever existed. Land once occupied by the sprawling Henry Wagoner Company eventually became home to the Hogle zoo.

The Mormon support of prohibition had a positive effect on missionary work. We could boast to teetotaling Christians that we were way ahead of the curve on the evils of alcohol, having been hip to that scene as far back as 1833. With the hub-bub over polygamy having pretty much quieted down, the church was experiencing a re-branding. Missionaries were no longer fearsome devils come to steal your daughters; they were now those nice young men who didn't smoke or drink.

Looks like we'd found our gimmick.

After America came to its senses and repealed prohibition in 1933, many Christians no longer saw any harm in the occasional beer, but by this time Mormons were so proudly tethered to their image as the fermentedly free that they couldn't let go. It allowed us to remain a peculiar people, but now in a good way. Our image as strict non-drinkers was what was now defining us to the rest of the world. It was the thing that was getting us in the papers.

The big advantage to the Mormon Church was that change in policy, and re-branding allowed them to restart missionary efforts which prior to this had been steadily declining.

So what does this have to do with a gay couple being unfairly targeted, you might ask?

I have a theory... I've heard several reports lately that membership in the LDS Church is in fact declining. I don't have solid data to back this up, but I would be rather surprised if it wasn't.

Homophobia is a pretty big deal, especially amongst the more conservative Christian right. I know, I was raised that way. I still recall making some dumb comment when I was a missionary about going "Gay Bashing" when I got done with my 2 year tour.

The Christian right are terrified of Gay people, but they face a problem... As more or the organized religions adopt new policies accepting homosexuals into their midst, what are these people to do? Where can they retreat to, so their marriages and families will not be destroyed by the evil and horrible gays...?

I'm wondering if the LDS Churches vigorous support of Prop 8 and strong anti-homosexual agenda are not their way of standing out to Christian conservatives?

Let's be completely honest here, no open-minded, free thinking person would give Mormonism more than a passing glance, but a member of the Christian right, with their strong desire to impose their morality on others, might see this as a beacon.

I suspect that this may all be a rather clever marketing strategy. A re-branding if you will...