Mormon leader says view on gay marriage unchanged

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is reiterating the faith’s belief that marriage should be reserved for relationships between a man and a woman, while suggesting that gay members can still find a place in the religion.

Neil L. Andersen spoke Saturday during a church conference in Salt Lake City about the importance the faith’s belief about marriage and states that a person’s God-given gender is an essential part of a person’s eternal identity.

He acknowledged that not all church members fit within the proclamation’s boundaries.

The faith this week repealed policies that banned baptisms for children of gay parents while clarifying the religion’s doctrinal opposition to same-sex relationships wasn’t changing.