Fair points. I can't say I understand the relationship of the church to BYU, except by reference to the BYU mission statements -- "Brigham Young University--founded, supported, and guided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints..." So if there is reputational or other capital that BYU derives from its sponsorship, then it redounds to the benefit of...the Church, I would presume. Presumably, some who might attend the IIW and who become aware of the LDS perspective on a variety of issues could have a conflict in either accepting benefits or confering benefits back to the church via BYU.

I am not objecting, per se, to BYU's sponsorship; they are free to do as they wish, of course. I am suggesting that IIW's *accepting* BYU's sponsorship could raise a question for attendees who may become aware of LDS's views on social issues, and prefer otherwise. The fact that this is a technical session that has nothing to do with any particular social issue is germaine, I agree. But if the Church held deeply offensive social beliefs it would at some point be immaterial whether this was merely a technical session or a session to discuss those beliefs.

It may be disingenuous, therefore, to suggest that there is no connection between BYU and LDS of consequence to IIW participants, and that the fact that this is a technical session makes such a connnection, should it exist, irrelevant. It's up to individuals to decide whether LDS = BYU *enough* that LDS's views on social issues would create discomfort or a conflict for some who would attend IIW as an event underwritten in part by BYU, and from which the LDS stood by implication to gain.