Monthly Archives: July 2026

Where the Bodies are Buried.

The Ugly Underbelly of “Peacemaking” is a narrative about how prominent Latter-day Saints have used their authority and stature to compromise, or accommodate, on gay rights and same-sex marriage. This narrative is true.

Part 1 dived into the evolution of Dallin H. Oaks (i.e., President Oaks) from a contender for religious freedom to accepting trade-offs through compromise and accommodation for gay rights and same-sex marriage – specifically through his rigorous defense of the 2015 “Utah Compromise” and the 2022 federal legislation, the Respect of Marriage Act. This new view of these rights has grown to a full-throated campaign from President Oaks. He has named this campaign to compromise on and accommodate gay rights and same-sex marriage, “Fairness for All.” The concept of his campaign is simple: Rights of religious freedom should not be a zero-sum game – they must be shared with gay rights and same-sex marriage. read more

The Constitution has nothing to do with compromise. It has everything to do with order.

The United States Constitution created endless opportunities for interpretations and legal opinions. But what is not open for debate is the history of America immediately preceding the Constitution and culminating first in the Declaration of Independence. That history is clear.

The establishment of the United States and the crafting of its founding documents was about creating a familiar order and nothing else. A new America required a familiar order of government – built upon many of the ideas of the old order the colonists left behind. read more

Something happened to Dallin H. Oaks between October 8, 2013 and April 16, 2014. On October 8, 2013, then-Elder Oaks attended a Sutherland Institute dinner and presentation at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. In attendance was another apostle and dozens of Utah A-listers all gathered to hear a presentation about how Utah could avoid gay rights and same-sex marriage.

The gist of the presentation was that, in Utah, religious freedom beats gay rights every time and that gay rights diminish religious freedom every time. Elder Oaks was exuberant over the presentation and stayed after the event for another 45 minutes sharing his excitement. read more