Saying the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' stance on homosexuality is spurring bullying and the subsequent suicide of Mormon youths, a Valley support group is taking some high-profile action.

Interest high among Mormons in new Gilbert temple

It will be distributing information and lighting candles as a protest at the Arizona Mormon Temple grounds in Mesa during the kickoff of the annual holiday lights display Nov. 26.

"We've decided that when the Mormons turn on their Christmas lights, we'll light our candles, too," said Bobby Parker, a Mormon and leader of Phoenix Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender Coalition for Mormon Action. "Then we'll read about a gay Mormon who has committed suicide, and, in remembrance of that life snuffed out, we'll blow out our candle."

Parker said his group and supporters of other organizations will be protesting recent remarks by the church's second-highest leader, Elder Boyd K. Packer, who called homosexuality "impure and unnatural" and something God would never render on anyone.

Within weeks, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received a petition with some 150,000 signatures gathered through efforts of the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay civil-rights organization.

In his sermon Oct. 3 to the church's 180th Semiannual Conference in Salt Lake City, Packer said: "Some suppose that they were born preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn tendencies toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Why would our heavenly Father do that to anyone? Remember he is our father."

The text of his remarks on the church's website contained some changes: the word "tendencies" was changed to "temptations" and the question about God's motives was removed altogether. Such post-talk editing of remarks is a common practice for the permanent record is commonly done for clarity, a church spokesman said.

Lighting ceremonies at the Mesa temple will be 6 to 9 p.m. just south of its Visitors Center, 525 E. Main St. The event draws as many as 20,000 people.

Colorful lights fill the trees, hedges, walls and shrubbery and shine nightly through Dec. 31, with as many as a million people visiting the grounds for what has been called one of America's most popular holiday lighting displays.

Cindy Packard, newly named Arizona spokesman for the church, said she was unaware of the planned demonstration until contacted by The Republic.

"They hadn't called the church to talk about it," she said, adding that the church will do nothing to impede the group from passing out literature or talking to light-display visitors on sidewalks.

"We are trying to point out to the Mormons that Packer's speech was just horrible, and the fact that they changed it afterwards doesn't make a difference," said Parker, who served decades in church roles and came out as gay four years ago at age 62.

"I was immediately recommended by my LDS church leader to a Mormon therapist for reparative therapy, which I rejected," he said. "There was nothing to repair."

Having spent "a lifetime in the closet," Parker said he often slipped into deep despair, contemplated suicide and an "agonized over the coming-out process."

He said many of his longtime Mormon friends and family members have ostracized him as they seek to maintain good standing in the church.

Parker said he had originally considered a more formal demonstration in Pioneer Park, across from the temple grounds, but that the city's permit process was too cumbersome.

"We will have to limit our actions to the sidewalks, which are free-speech areas," Parker said. "I spent more than 1,000 nights at the Visitors Center training young Mormons to be the best missionaries."

Cards will be handed out with information on Affirmation.org, a support organization for gay Mormons, and the Trevor Project, a national anti-bullying and suicide-prevention program and hotline.

Packard, the church's Arizona spokesman, said the church in Salt Lake City provided a strong response to the Human Rights Campaign's statements and petition.

Michael Otterson, managing director of public affairs, called on church members of all ages to "be especially sensitive to the vulnerable in society and be willing to speak out against bullying or intimidation whenever it occurs, including unkindness toward those attracted to others of the same sex."

He called on LDS members to "carefully consider whether their attitudes and actions toward others properly reflects Jesus Christ's second great commandment - to love one another."

Otterson reconfirmed the church's opposition to same-sex marriage and its support of gays and lesbians in housing and employment. Those with same-sex attractions "but stay faithful to the church's teachings can be happy during this life and perform meaningful service in the church," he said.