LDS General Conference Disrupted

LDS General Conference Disrupted

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -April 4, 2014 -Gephardt Daily 

There was a brief disruption during second session of the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Saturday.

During what is effectively a voice vote sustaining of the Presidency and other top leaders, a standard process done in every general conference, there was a vocal outburst in the congregation.

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During the sustaining of the First Presidency of the church, when President Deiter L. Uchtdorf asked for any opposed to the sustaining to indicate by raising their right hand, there were a vocal objection and a group of people shouted “Opposed.” Uchtdorf calmly acknowledged the objection and proceeded with the meeting.

The objection was repeated for the sustaining of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the counselors to the Presidency of the Twelve.

According to Bradley Hales Clark, a member of the Tabernacle choir, the disruption was not altogether unexpected.

“As we were preparing the music we were told briefly that there may be a disruption,” Clark told Gephardt Daily.

A group called “Any Opposed?” has issued a press release. The group put out a call to action on www.anyopposed.org on March 31, 2015, that read in part:

“Tickets for the semi-annual conferences are distributed by the church through local priesthood leaders as well as the Conference Center’s ticketing office. Typically members must be in good standing and enjoy certain levels of trust with their priesthood leaders before a request for tickets will be granted. As such, it is often difficult for individuals who wish to express concerns to secure Conference tickets.”

“In terms of the procedure for casting the opposing vote, we recommend you stand, raise a hand, and shout “opposed” each time the opposing vote is asked for. We invite you to vote your conscience as to which sustaining(s) you oppose.  It is our hope that the votes will be acknowledged during the conference session, but cannot predict what will occur. Participants are admonished to be respectful and dress appropriately, and not say anything other than “opposed.”

After the objections, the guest choir and congregation joined in singing the hymn “We Thank Thee O God For a Prophet.”