Mormon Mass Resignation Held in Protest of Feminist's Ex-Communication

A crowd of about 100 protestors gathered in downtown Salt Lake City Thursday for a mass resignation from the Church of Latter-day Saints.

The act, which included a rally in a park across from Temple Square, was in response to the ex-communication of Kate Kelly — the founder of the activist group, Ordain Women — as well as other prominent activists of Mormon faith.

In addition to Kelly, who was ex-communicated in June for her belief that women should have the right to serve as ministers, the event also sought to draw attention to John Dehlin, an LGBT rights activist who may face the same fate for his views.

Organized by Micah Nickolaisen, the event collected letters of resignation from those concerned that the church does not welcome differences or diversity of opinion.

“The purpose of this sort of event, demonstration, protest, is to give voice to the people that are marginalized within the LDS religious community,” Nickolaisen told Fox 13.

“I’m particularly excited to be here today because the reason I initially stopped participating in the church is because of issues of gender and the way that women are treated in the church,” added Tamara Fox, a protestor who submitted a letter of resignation.

After a rally in City Creek Park, the protestors marched around Temple Square and deposited their letters in a nearby post office. Additional letters of resignation were collected online from the nearly 500 supporters of a Facebook event page, titled “This Is Not The Place.”

“Participants in this event are members of the LDS Church who find that their personal beliefs, perspectives, and hopes for change within the LDS community and institutions match those of the individuals who are facing Church discipline,” read a statement on the Facebook page. “As such, they feel the Church is sending a clear message that this religious community is not the place for Mormons like them.”