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Mormon Church Facing Backlash From Policy Change On Children Of Gay Couples

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — There's a strong reaction to a major policy change from the Mormon church banning children of same-sex couple from being a part of the faith.

The decision came through on Thursday, and there's been an outcry of rejection from the LGBT community.

Sacramento resident Joshua Behn is gay and grew up Mormon. He calls the latest move a betrayal.

"It's just one more wedge that's being put between my friends, family, and it hurts," he said.

The policy states that "a natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the couple is married or cohabitating may not receive a name and a blessing."

The children?" he said. "This is taking it a step further using children as human shields."

But it goes further, saying children who live in a same-sex household may not be baptized. It's not until a child is 18, no longer lives in the household and "specifically disavows the practice of same-gender cohabitation and marriage," could that happen. Even then, the church would have to approve it.

Behn says his father, who is very active in the church in Utah, is even troubled by this.

"He sees it as deliberately targeting now, and he can't shake that," he said.

A church spokesman issued a statement on the changes, saying, "The church has long been on record as opposing same-sex marriages. While it represents the law of the land, and acknowledges the right of others to think and act differently, it does not perform or accept same-sex marriage within its membership."

Church members were active in the 2008 Proposition 8 campaign in California that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. That measure won at the ballot box, but was overturned by a federal court in a decision that was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013. Previously, the church helped pass 2000's Prop. 22 in, another measure struck down by courts.

The church also announced in its decision on Thursday that people participating in a same-sex marriage are subject to excommunication.

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