Mormon church leaders are calling for measures that will protect the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people, but not fall short of respecting other people's religious beliefs.

In a very rare press conference, the church leaders said people "must all learn to live with others who do not share the same beliefs or values."

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Despite the new campaign, the church insists it is not changing its doctrine and still believes in the law of God that marriage and sex should be between a man and a woman.  The church stressed it opposed and still opposes gay marriage.  It just wants to be more compassionate and accepting toward the LGBT community.

Three elders from a high-level Mormon body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued the statement. 

"We must find ways to show respect for others whose beliefs, values and behaviors differ from ours while never being forced to deny or abandon our own beliefs, values and behaviors in the process," a church elder, Jeffrey R. Holland said.

"Accommodating the rights of all people - including their religious rights - requires wisdom and judgment, compassion and fairness," Holland added.

But the Mormon leaders still want religious beliefs and honor codes strictly protected and followed, such as celibacy among gays and lesbians.  The church also wants legal protections for their members who work in government and health care, who would object to certain actions, such as a physician who would refuse to perform an abortion, or conduct an artificial insemination for a lesbian couple.

It is still not clear how church members would react to the new campaign.  But observers say the move could have an impact on politics.

The announcement was welcomed in Utah, where most of its lawmakers are Mormons.  Same sex marriage is also legal there.

"What the LDS church did today was historic," said Democratic state Senator Jim Dabakis, a Mormon who is openly gay. "This was a bold, strong, principled statement ... today we are seeing the fruits of civility and respect."

Gay-rights group Equality Utah also cheered, saying LGBT rights can indeed co-exist with freedoms of religious individuals.

But the campaign failed to get the nod of some advocates.

Rev. Russell Moore of the Southern Baptist Convention called the Mormon leaders "well-intentioned, but naive".

Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the Human Rights Campaign, called it "deeply flawed."

James Esseks, who directs the LGBT project of the American Civil Liberties Union, opposed the campaign saying the protection of religious freedom "does not give any of us the right to harm others, and that's what it sounds like the proposal from the Mormon church would do - it would allow a doctor to refuse to care for a lesbian because of his religious beliefs, for example".

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