SALT LAKE CITY – Mormon leaders once again used their biannual conference Saturday to outline the faith’s commitment to the belief that marriage is an institution exclusive to a man and a woman.
L. Tom Perry, a high-ranking church leader, cautioned Mormons not to be swayed by a world filled with media and entertainment that makes the minority seem like the majority and tries to make mainstream values seem obsolete.
Perry said strong, traditional families are the basic units of a stable society, a stable economy and a stable culture of values. He said The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ would continue to be a leading voice on the issue.
“We want our voice to be heard against all of the counterfeit and alternative lifestyles that try to replace the family organization that God Himself established,” said Perry, a member of the faith’s Quorum of the Twelve.
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The quorum is a governing body of the church that is modeled after Jesus Christ’s apostles and serves under the church president and his two counsellors
The conference kicked off Saturday without the usual welcoming address from church President Thomas S. Monson, 87, who officials said chose to reduce the number of speeches he’s giving this time.
He was present at the conference, walking in on his own power. He is scheduled to give speeches later Saturday and again on Sunday. He also missed a meeting this week with President Barack Obama, who was in Utah for a visit.
During his speech, Perry recalled participating in the Colloquium on Marriage and Family in November at the Vatican with other faith leaders. He noted that there exists a shared belief among many faiths about the importance of marriage being between a man and a woman.
What sets Mormon belief apart, Perry said, is their belief that marriages and families are forever.
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