In a recent Twitter debacle, April Wilde Despain and her husband sparked a contentious debate when they displayed a flag bearing a text-loaded Mormon Family Declaration during Pride Month. The flag, which drew many views and reactions, contained statements expressing their religious beliefs on marriage and family.
Homophobic Declaration
April and her husband stood proudly next to the flag, covered in a wall of text containing homophobic declarations and asserting their beliefs about marriage and family, which got more than eight hundred thousand views.
Only Between a Man and a Woman
The declaration, which was released by prominent LDS Church members in 1995, makes claims that marriage is only legitimate in God’s plan if it is between a man and a woman.
Family Values
The flag goes on to say that any departure from what it considers to be “family values” would result in “calamities prophesied by ancient and modern prophets.”
They Have Their Own Flags to Rival the Rainbow
April wrote online, “We heard June was the month to hang up flags celebrating our personal beliefs about gender, sexuality, and identity. We, therefore, hung up ours.”
Mixed Reactions
The Mormon couple’s post received a barrage of mixed reactions almost immediately in response to April’s reply to Pride Month with a single flag-bearing wording that is so tiny that it is scarcely readable at a distance.
Get a Life Outside the Church
One user commented, “This is what happens when your only source of amusement in life is the church,” and another user added, “I guess you misunderstood how flags are intended to work. They serve as rapid distinguishers because you can’t print an entire story on a flag.”
Some People Loved Their Flag
On the other hand, one supporter wrote, “Your current flag is a vast improvement over the seven flags that a clown attempted to have planted in your yard.”
Were They Available to Buy?
Several other supporters commented, asking where they could get a flag like that.
Check Out Who You’re Wearing on Your Chest
Some others pointed to the husband’s T-shirt, which featured members of the New Zealand musical comedy team Flight of the Conchords, known for supporting the LGBT community.
Banners or Weapons?
April has already responded to the flood of mocking in many comments by referring to pro-LGBT Pride banners as a “weapon” against homophobes.
Don’t Bring Elton Into This!
She then referenced Elton John after posting another picture of an American flag that had been raised next to the Mormon statement.
The Creator’s Plan
April wrote, “A new day, a new pair of tapered sweatpants and cargo shorts. We believe that the family is at the heart of the creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of his children and that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained by God.”
The post Controversial Mormon Family Declaration Flag Sparks Heated Debate During Pride Month first appeared on Wealthy Living.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Brent Olson. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
