Mormon church enters Calif. gay marriage fight

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is asking California members to join the effort to amend that state's constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

A letter sent to Mormon bishops and signed by church president Thomas S. Monson and his two top counselors calls on Mormons to donate "means and time" to the ballot measure. A note on the letter dated June 20 says it should be read during church services on June 29, but the letter was published Saturday on several Web sites.

Church spokesman Scott Trotter said Monday that the letter was authentic. He declined further comment, saying the letter explains the church's reasons for getting involved.

The LDS church will work with a coalition of churches and other conservative groups that put the California Marriage Protection Act on the Nov. 4 ballot to assure its passage, the letter states.

In May, California's Supreme Court overturned a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, saying gays could not be denied marriage licenses.

"The church's teachings and position on this moral issue are unequivocal. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the formation of families is central to the Creator's plan for His children," the four-paragraph letter states.

"We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to ensure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman," church leaders say in the letter. "Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage."

California Mormons _ there are more than 750,000, according to a church almanac _ have heard and heeded similar calls from their leaders before.

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In 2000, a letter from the pulpit asked members to give time and money in support of Proposition 22, a ballot measure prohibiting California from legally recognizing gay marriages performed outside the state. It passed but was later struck down by the courts.

The LDS church also fought same-sex marriage legislation in other states during the 1990s. As recently as 2006, it signed a letter to Congress seeking an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The latest letter is a disappointment to members of Affirmation, an international support group for gay, lesbian and transgender Mormons. Last month, Affirmation called on the church not to meddle in California politics.

"This initiative will hurt so many people," executive director W. Olin Thomas said in a statement Monday. "The California law affects civil marriage; it has no effect on any religious institution or official."

Affirmation leaders are scheduled to meet with the head of LDS Family Services, a church social services agency, in August to begin a conversation meant to bridge the divide between Mormonism and gay members hurt by church teachings that homosexuality is a sin.

It will be the first meeting between any arm of the church and Affirmation, which was formed in secret in the 1970s by students at the church-owned Brigham Young University in Provo.

"We're not going to let this stand in the way," Affirmation spokesman David Melson said. "The church has said they are open to finding new avenues and new solutions to minister to gay members, and we are taking them at their word."

___

On the Net:

http://www.lds.org

http://www.affirmation.org

Comments

[nutty4tahoe]

OK, that's it. The Mormon Church should immediately lose its tax exempt status. They're not the only ones, many others have entered the political arena as well, however, this will work for starters. I am sick and tired of churches foisting political views on their flocks and, of course, expecting them to vote a certain way as well as advocate as in this case. Additionally, what sheer hypocrisy from the religion that once (and still does in many areas) advocate bigamy. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

[adavis08]

How can the Mormons talk ? Their followers at the polygamous ranch in Texas say it all. Statutory rape of young girls is much worse than two people of the same sex marrying.

[N8Ma]

Not the church mentioned in this article. They are two separate entities.

[66rock]

NA8Ma --- don't know where you live but I live in the middle of Mormon country and believe me, LDS says that they no longer believe in polygamy but they say it with a wink and a nod.

They "changed theri stand on it because of the presure from the US government so they could become a state, no other reason.

Changed the stand on black members for the same reason, from pressure.

But their Beliefs have been and will always be the same. They don't change.

[mergina]

Oh yeah, multiple wives, mormons really have room to criticize. I wish ALL RELIGIONS would vanish from the face of the Earth. It would eliminate most of the problems on the planet, most of the hatred, most of the bigotry, and it sure would be nice not to see or hear these self righteous hypocrites everywhere.

[chatombreux]

This is a blatant violation of the law that forbids churches from participating in political agendas - but, the Mormons aren't afraid. They have so many members holding high office in Washington, DC, no one will ever threaten to pull their tax exempt status. If they did, they'd lose their membership in the church. But, let a little podunk preacher spout off in church about a candidate, and the Men in Black are knocking at the church door with "cease and desist" orders in hand (most likely, they're Mormons, too). The LDS church is FAR too politically powerful and needs to be stopped!!

[MartyGee]

The Mormon Church used to teach that if a black person converted to LDS in time they would become white. I assume most people reading this won't believe it. Look it up!
It was still being taught when George Romney was considering running for President in 1959 (reported in Newsweek Magazine).

These laughingstocks also sent missionaries to France who couldn't speak French!

[Jaybot]

Need a way to increase tax revenues with out putting the burden on the poor and middle class? Thank the Mormons for stepping up to the plate and offering a solution, it's time to start taxing religious institutions - all of them.

[robynuva]

I always find it interesting when people tell me the Bible is against homosexuality. Jesus never said a word about it, but He did specifically say divorce was a sin. Yet, no R's ever say anything about ending divorce in this country.

Divorce, (which is of course, everyone's right, as it should be) is much more detrimental to society than homosexuality or gay marriage.

[booker52]

The LDS church should butt out on this issue. I say no outside force should effect your union. If it does, it doesn't say much for your marriage!!!

[Chillinout]

BREAKING NEWS:

The California State Constitution, under pressure from the Mormons, has been amended to say:

"Marriage will now be defined as being between a man and a woman, and a woman, and a woman, and a woman......"

[mntnguy]

and the women can be as young as 13 as long as they are married to a man!

[nuglet304]

now we're getting marriage tips from the mormons? holy cow.

[moana]

Take away their tax exemption! That is how they started accepting blacks into the priesthood in 1978.

[NoLove4HillaryAnymore]

Because they don't agree with sodomy? please...next you want to execute people who disagree with you.

[luvobama]

Since when do you get to dictate what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own home? Stop thinking about other people's s@x lives. It's none of your business.

[BadCompany]

Sodomy is not something one has to "agree" with.
It's none of their business.

[jalapeno]

Uh...there is more to being gay than sodomy, which is also very common among straights, and none of your business anyway.

[chatombreux]

No - because they're using the church and church officials to involve themselves in the political debate of gay marriage. Just like they did with the ERA and not too terribly long ago with another issue in California. They were chastised for that, too, even though they denied using official channels to do it. This time, they're using official channels and it's illegal under IRS tax exempt laws. They need to back off. They are a multi-billion dollar corporation who refuses to account for the money they take in or admit to how many investments they have - they are a profit making organization and should be taxed accordingly. There's no way a gymnasium should be able to qualify as a church and be tax exempt - yet in Utah, the Deseret gym is tax exempt. When Ogden Utah withdrew its exemption status to be taxed, church members of the city were taken to task by church authorities and the exemption was returned within a week. The church WILL punish its own members to get what it wants. It doesn't deserve tax exempt status on ANY income that isn't given by church members themselves.

[Tommygun264]

Oh boy, the folks in magic underwear are going to tell me who I can and can't love, I'll get back to you when I care,

[PoliJunkie]

ROFLMO!

[realityczech4u]

Tommy, me boy, you can take a d in the a 24/7. Nowhere is it forbidden by law anymore. Society has 'progressed' beyond that. So you CAN 'love' whomever you please, but you knew that. What the Mormons are saying (along with millions of other Californians) is that the state should not reward you with it's official stamp of approval for doing it. Personally I wish the Mormons and other religious groups would either stay out of it or keep a lower profile. They make too easy a target for the 'scorned' to attack. Despite the general decline of society in this area over the past 40 years, I am confident that enough people still have an innate sense of morality and should stand up as individual citizens for what they believe is right., They should not let religion do their speaking (or thinking) for them.

[reggieb]

If churches want to interject themselves into politics they should start paying taxes.

[realityczech4u]

Yeah, that pesky ole First Amendment prevents you from shutting them up directly so it's on to the old 'starve 'em out' routine. Gotcha.

[Felicty]

All that intermarrying and inbreeding has further damaged their judgment.

[ikesambobby]

I agree. They have ALOT of nerve.

[realityczech4u]

You express a distaste for 'intermarrying' but I'll bet that miscegenation is just dandy with you.

[SteamRanger]

All the uproar would be gone overnight if our government would simply do its job of protecting minorities from discrimination by the majority. Basic civil rights are not up for discussion. If it had been left up to voters, would women be able to claim equal citizenship? How about blacks? It boggles my mind that this is even an issue.

Legislators, grow a spine and stand up for equality for ALL Americans. Show some integrity.