Skip to main content
Cougar Questions

Cougar Questions: 'What are your thoughts on the recent LDS press conference?'

Ari Davis

Joshua Chappell, media arts, Mesa, Arizona

“I kind of like how they opened up and said, no, we do support equality. If there are gays being bullied in school or harassed we are all for them receiving equal treatment like everyone else.'

 width=

Adam Ratigan, mechanical engineering, Hayden, Idaho

“I agree that we should give people the ability to, within reason, live the way that they would like as long as it doesn’t infringe on the rights and liberties of other people.”

Ari Davis

Meagan Carroll, chemical engineering, Houston, Texas

“It was pretty much Elder Oaks and someone else talking about non-discrimination and the LGBT community and how that ties into religious freedom. I think it’s great that they’re starting to take more of a stand on that kind of thing.”

Ari Davis

Haleigh Gomez, statistics, Sandy, Utah

“I thought it was really awesome. I think lots of people get confused and think we’re anti-gay, but we’re not. We want to be us; we’ll let you do you, but let us do us. I thought it was really cool and a lot about tolerance and accepting other people.”

Ari Davis

Camille Walker, music education, Corvallis, Oregon

“I thought that the community's reaction was really positive to what the Church said instead of taking it and being like, ‘Oh, they’re not going to sponsor this or that.’ The Church kept a firm stance on, ‘This is still our belief, but obviously we’re not going to discriminate.’”

Ari Davis

Cheyenne Gregory, psychology, West Jordan, Utah

“I think it’s a really good thing, because the Church is trying to take a middle ground. Everybody deserves rights, and we just need to be respectful of each other.”

Ari Davis

Bruce Larson, chemical engineering, Idaho Falls, Idaho

“I think it’s good that the Church is recognizing that we can accept other people and give them their agency to do what they need to do but still have our own values.”

Ari Davis

Landon Jensen, marketing management, St. George, Utah

“I really like that Elder Oaks came out and said we should not be discriminatory against anyone, even though we may disagree with what they practice or what they do. I feel like it’s a really good application of loving the sinner but hating the sin.”

Ari Davis

Jonathan Pike, history, Provo, Utah

“I think that it’s nothing new. The Church has had this position for quite a while, and this is just making it more apparent where the Church stands. I’m in full support, and I think it’s wonderful.”