SALT LAKE CITY -- More than 1,000 people have signed an online petition requesting that all six guest performers at this year's set of Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concerts cancel their appearances.
The petition is in response to the LDS Church's recent policy change, which prohibits the children of same-sex couples from becoming members of the LDS Church while they are living with their parents.
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is world renown for beautiful performances, but, when LDS gay dad Scott Fausett looks at these singers, he says he sees something totally different: hatred and bigotry.
"They represent a church that is very hurtful to children of gay parents, and I would like to see a couple of performers to at least make a stand," Fausett said.
Fausett is among those who created an online petition on the website, change.org, asking for all six guest performers--Laura Osnes, Erin Morley, Tamara Mumford, Ben Bliss, Tyler Simpson and Martin Jarvis--to cancel.
"I have talked with multiple performers, one of them I know is really considering what to do, if they are going to pull out or not," Fausett said.
In three days, more than 1,000 people have signed their names, and many left powerful messages, all of which are forwarded on to the performers.
Some of the messages included:
"The policy will rip apart families. It is very opposite of what a God and a church are supposed to do."
"The Mormon Church is hateful towards gays and is using the children as leverage to blackmail gay couples."
Fausett said this petition isn't about him, it's about LDS children all over the world being raised by gay parents.
"These kids need love and understanding, not bullying and ostracized by their own church that they love," he said.
FOX 13 News reached out to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, but they had no response regarding this petition.
FOX 13 News also reached out through emails and phone calls to those six guest performers, but only received a "no comment" or no response at all.
