Mormons and Proposition 8.

Every time I try to move past my deep resentment of the Mormon church they do or say something that stirs those coals up again and deeply offends, angers or frustrates me. I'm talking about Proposition 8 (which I strongly opposed) in California that passed, which outlaws gay marriage. It turns out that Mormons poured massive amounts of money into the campaign pushing this proposition, which amounted to between 40 to 70% of the funding!!!

Being ex-Mormons my wife and I received these chain emails from Mormon friends and family saying that if proposition 8 fails then Mormon churches would be forced to marry those evil gays. Even a high ranking leader in the LDS (Mormon) Church fed this lie, "Elder Clayton said the church's support for Prop. 8 did involve concerns over 'the potential loss of religious liberty.'" This so-called "leader" knew that religious liberty was in no way in danger with gay couples marrying in California. "Opponents have emphasized that same-sex marriage being legal does not mean churches are required to perform gay weddings."

While the LDS money to support Prop 8 came from its members the church itself was directly involved in encouraging them to donate and campaign. "The church largely stays out of politics. But in this case, the Salt Lake City-based church has sent letters, held video conferences and in church meetings asked for volunteers to support the campaign."

I think it is way past time that we get serious about yanking the tax exempt status away from these religious organizations that use their influence and status to engage in politics. I get really irritated when religions can't stay within the bounds of their own organization and especially when it comes to legal rights. No one is going to take away their right to marry or not marry whom ever they want and if they do then I will be the first one to defend the right of those religious organizations. So how does the LDS church try and defend using it's organization for political means, which is supposed to be against the law? "As for Proposition 8, "we consider this to be a moral issue," Clayton said." So in other words, it's a "moral issue" not a "political issue." Um, excuse me but most political issues have morals somehow involved. So how can you separate the two?

However, I am incensed that these same religious organizations who only have the right to express their religious freedom thanks to the U.S. Constitution are now working to limit the rights of other people. They claim that they are fighting against marriage because the word marriage is "sacred" (It's just a word people!!!) And is that why half of all marriages end in divorce? If the term marriage should only be used by religious organizations then why don't they try and outlaw marriages performed by a judge or ship captain? I'll tell you why, because one involves homosexuality and one does not.

"In a statement, the LDS Church said it does not object to domestic partnership or civil union legislation "as long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches." As for Proposition 8, "we consider this to be a moral issue," Clayton said. "We're not anti-gay, we're pro marriage between a man and a woman."

And:

"Allegations of bigotry or persecution made against the Church were and are simply wrong. The Church's opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward gays and lesbians."

Well that is some real mental gymnastics because by being only for marriage between a man and a women then you are anti-gay because they don't usually tell you why they think that gays should not be allowed to marry. They consider gays to be immoral and evil so if you think that of someone would you consider that being for someone or against someone? Denying them the same happiness found in marriage is pretty anti-homosexual. Imagine how Mormons would feel if there was a campaign to say that they don't have a right to marry? That would be discriminatory and anti-Mormon. And condemning homosexuals for being who they are is pretty damn hostile.

And the final thing that I find puzzling is that a majority of African-Americans and Latinos voted for the amendment to ban gay marriage. I don't understand one minority group denying rights from another minority group. It wasn't too long ago when inter-racial marriages were illegal.

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