SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Mormon Church chided its members Tuesday to consider whether their attitudes toward all people — including gays — followed Christian principles, responding to activists' demand that a church leader withdraw anti-gay statements.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay civil rights organization, delivered a petition letter carrying 150,000 signatures to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' headquarters, asking leader Boyd K. Packer to retract his statements in an October 3 sermon that same-sex relationships are unnatural and can be overcome.

Packer, 86, is the second-highest ranking Mormon church leader and the next in line for the presidency of the 13.5 million-member faith.

Activists said such rhetoric is harmful, factually inaccurate and can result in the kind of bullying that leads some lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth to attempt suicide.

At least four gay teens killed themselves last month across the country after reportedly experiencing anti-gay bullying and harassment.

In an official church statement about an hour after the activists delivered their petition, spokesman Michael Otterson called those deaths tragic.

"We join our voice with others in unreserved condemnation of acts of cruelty, or attempts to belittle or mock any group or individual that is different — whether those difference arise from race, religion, mental challenge, social status, sexual orientation, or for any other reason," Otterson said. "Such actions simply have no place in our society."