* 150 quit church in rare show of defiance
* Cite disagreements over such issues as polygamy, gay
marriage
* Church calls resignations "sad"
(Adds Mitt Romney's presidential run, paragraph 14)
By Jennifer Dobner
SALT LAKE CITY, June 30 (Reuters) - A group of about 150
Mormons quit their church in a mass resignation ceremony in Salt
Lake City on Saturday in a rare display of defiance ending
decades of disagreement for some over issues ranging from
polygamy to gay marriage.
Participants from Utah, Arizona, Idaho and elsewhere
gathered in a public park to sign a "Declaration of Independence
from Mormonism."
"This feels awesome," said Alison Lucas, from West Jordan,
Utah, who took part in the rally amid soaring temperatures. "I
don't know if I would have had the courage except in a group."
The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
is known for its culture of obedience, and the mass ceremony was
a seldom-seen act of collective revolt.
After gathering in the park, participants hiked a half-mile
up nearby Ensign Peak, scaled in 1847 by church President
Brigham Young to survey the spot where his Latter-day Saints
would build a city.
At the top, those gathered gave three loud shouts of
"Freedom," cheered, clapped and hugged.
"It's been a hard journey and this is a symbolic end," said
event organizer Zilpha Larsen, of Lehi, Utah. "I just hope that
it boosts people up and helps them feel more comfortable in
their decision."
The church bills itself as the one "true" Christian faith,
and its theology promises families eternal relationships among
those who remain faithful, sealing those gifts through special
religious rites.
Among the reasons cited by those resigning are the church's
political activism against gay marriage and doctrinal teachings
that conflict with scientific findings or are perceived as
racist or sexist.
Others cite inconsistencies in the Mormons' explanation of
its own history, including the practice of polygamy. The church
renounced plural marriage over a century ago as Utah was seeking
statehood.
Asked about the resignations, a church spokesman said the
church loves and respects each member.
"People make their own decisions about the direction they
will follow in life," spokesman Michael Purdy said in an email.
"While there are very few who take this action, it is sad to see
someone choose to leave. We wish them well."
The most recent figures show the Mormon church claims 14.4
million members worldwide. The number of those resigning from
the church are not publicly reported.
Among prominent Mormons is Mitt Romney, the presumptive
Republican presidential nominee facing off against President
Barack Obama in November. Should he win office, Romney would be
the first Mormon elected to the White House.
'WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL'
Some leaving the church Saturday did so with trepidation, as
Mormon culture often stigmatizes those who fall away, leaving
some without social or business connections.
"It's hard, so we have to be very careful," said Robin
Hansen, a participant who said she quit over a "culture of
abuse" which she believes is cultivated by church teachings
promoting obedience.
Hansen said her husband had not joined her in leaving the
faith because he works in a church-related business and could
lose his job if he doesn't maintain his membership.
To resign from the church, Mormons must submit a formal
letter asking their names be removed from church rolls, a church
instructional handbook for lay leaders published on the Internet
in 2010 shows.
On Saturday, participants filled a basket with their letters
for mailing by Larsen, who split with the church over doubts
about the veracity of a translation of ancient Egyptian writings
which are included in sacred Mormon texts.
A sixth-generation Mormon, Kris Fielding, 35, traveled from
Phoenix for the resignation event in part to represent those who
do not yet have the courage to do so, he said, including his
wife, who worries about reaction from their families.
Married in a Mormon temple, Fielding said the couples shared
disaffection from their faith is tied in part to their local
church leader's response to questions Fielding had about
polyandry and polygamy - taking multiple husbands and wives - in
the early church.
"I went to him looking for a faithful perspective. He called
my wife and told her she needed to find a new husband," Fielding
said.
He said he felt relief after his decision.
"The monkey's off the back ... I don't feel like I have to
explain myself or the positions of the church any more."
(Editing by Tim Gaynor and Doina Chiacu)
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