Utah Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Chooses Mormon Values Over His Party's, Shuns 'Gay Marriage'

[WillParkinson]

Utah Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Chooses Mormon Values Over His Party's, Shuns 'Gay Marriage'

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Peter Cooke said on Monday that he opposes same-sex marriage and civil unions, as well as "abortion except in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother", telling voters that he was aligning with the LDS church and "Utah values" rather than those of his party, the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Cooke said his opposition to gay marriage stems from his faith ­— he is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has actively opposed same-sex unions in California and elsewhere — but he supports a state law that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation, which the church has also supported.

"To me gay marriage is part of my religious belief and I support that and I respect other religious beliefs and I support and love those who are in the gay community," Cooke said. "I think what needs to be done in Utah is for us to all live together, be compassionate. That’s what the Democratic Party is showing."

Cooke said he made the statements in order to have a "substantive debate" with his opponent Gov. Gary Herbert.

Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2012/08/utah-democratic-gubernatorial-candidate-chooses-mormon-values-over-his-partys-shuns-gay-marriage.html#ixzz23WrZ4ouo

[Panasonic]

1. Can't the UT Democratic Party replace this moron?

and expel him to the Republican Party where he belongs?

[joeybee12]

2. Is this the best the Utah Dems can come up with?

I bet it probably is. Still sucks, though.

[bushisanidiot]

3. Is this quote correct?

"To me gay marriage is part of my religious belief.."

mormon leadership is trying very hard to market their church as "compassionate" toward gays while not actually accepting that gay people actually exist. they refer to our "problem" as "same sex attraction" that is something that needs to be overcome. They are not compassionate. They are just changing their wording to make is seem that way. They still do not believe we deserve equal rights and they NEVER WILL!

As an ex-mormon who left that church when she figured out she was a lesbian and whose mormon brother will not speak to her, I would challenge EVERY SINGLE MORMON to question whether it is worth it to put their CHURCH ahead of their own families.

A church that expects you to disassociate yourself from your family and friends because they are not mormon and will not consider converting, is no church at all. IT IS A CULT!

[riderinthestorm]

4. He "supports" and "loves" the GLBT community sooo much he has to keep them as second class citizens

Loves them soooo much they must be kept down, even as they're allowed to "live" amongst those Mormons who will be "compassionate" in their bigotry....

[kestrel91316]

5. He is a Utah TBM. IMHO that makes him a FAKE Democrat.