Mormon Church Issues Statement Praising Music Festival Benefitting LGBTQ Youth

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints drew applause from LGBTQ media watchdog group GLAAD on Wednesday after they issued a statement praising the upcoming LoveLoud Music Festival set to take place later this month in Orem, Utah.

The move to publicly praise the Festival's mission is the latest effort by the church to encourage compassion and acceptance despite maintaining doctrine that says that Mormons who are in same-sex relationships are apostates, and can be excommunicated.

A statement released by the Church on Wednesday read:

We applaud the LoveLoud Festival for LGBT youth's�aim to bring people together to address teen safety and to express respect and love for all of God's children. We join our voice with all who come together to foster a community of inclusion in which no one is mistreated because of who they are or what they believe.

We share common beliefs, among them the pricelessness of our youth and the value of families. We earnestly hope this festival and other related efforts can build respectful communication, better understanding and civility as we all learn from each other.

The LoveLoud Festival is the brainchild of Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds. Reynolds, who identifies as Mormon, created the concert in response to the the alarming statistics of teen suicide and particularly LGBTQ teen suicide in Utah. He is the recipient of the Trevor Project's 2017 Hero Award.

GLAAD was quick to praise the statement released by the Church on Wednesday.

"This powerful statement of support from the LDS Church today sends a life-changing - and in many cases, life-saving - message to Mormon youth and other people of faith that we can love and accept LGBTQ people�because�of our faith - not in spite of it," said Zeke Stokes, Vice President of Programs at GLAAD. "Dan and Imagine Dragons have created an unforgettable event that will send a message of hope to LGBTQ youth, and one of acceptance to the world."

In recent years, the current leadership of the traditionally conservative Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an institution that was instrumental in the passage of California's Proposition 8 which outlawed same-sex marriage in the Golden State, has made an increased effort to reach out to LGBTQ members.

In 2016, the Church unveiled the "Mormon and Gay" church website which includes articles, teachings, videos and stories from church members who identify themselves as gay and lesbian. However, despite efforts to reach out, the doctrine of the Church still maintains that same-sex relationships are a sin.

The LoveLoud Music Festival will take place on Saturday, August 26 act Brent Brown Ballpark in Orem, Utah. Scheduled to perform are: Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, Krewella, Nicholas Petricca of Walk the Moon and Joshua James.

For tickets and information, visit www.loveloudfest.com