What do you think about the Mormon church funding the campaign against equality in marriage?

They were perfectly within their rights to do so.





There were many organizations and churches supporting prop 8.





There were other organizations funding and fighting the fight against it.





At then end of the day 53% of California voters voted to pass prop 8. Very few of them were LDS.What do you think about the Mormon church funding the campaign against equality in marriage?
If they funded it, then that would have been international news.


If the Mormon church funded any political cause, then they would be in danger of a loss of tax shelter.





The church did not put a dime into the campaign, but many, many members of the church did. California already recognizes civil unions, which are the same as marriages in the eyes of the law. Changing the wording to marriage means a civil union ordained of God, which a vast majority of religions are vehemently opposed to. To accept that would take a rewriting of scripture and abandonment of faith for many.





With all of that said, has Prop 8 not have been worded in the way that it was in Massachusetts where churches were forced to close many charities and stop allowing all weddings in chapels, then I think there would have been far less opposition. Same goes for the initiatives in other states that failed.What do you think about the Mormon church funding the campaign against equality in marriage?
I have mixed emotions about the LDS church support of prop 8. I have no problem that they persuade their members to act...they can. Many churches do the same on a variety of issues. They took some heat...shows backbone.





And I have no idea why this is so important to them. I don't see the institution of the family being threatened by this. Why not invest in education rather than legislation?





The LDS church spent $93 million on humanitarian aid last year while spending $1.5 billion on economic development. Wouldn't helping others be more important?





LDS leaders ask members to pray about what they ask them to do, but at the same time local leaders say that if you don't get the answer the ';prophet'; is giving, the problem is you, not him. I have many personal examples of this as a former member. Really, they love their central authority model in spite of the track record of their leaders.





Many people are hitting are leaving the LDS church over this. Might I suggest that the overwhelming evidence against Smith's claims are a much better reason than abuse of central authority on a non issue? Then again, any reason can be a good reason. Don't forget that the LDS church excommunicated 6 intellectuals for telling the truth in the early 90's. Now that's a good reason to get out.






It was the state of California that voted. Not the Mormon church. The majority won like everything else that is voted in. It is not wrong to support what we believe in. Why should it be overturned for the few who want to change society and force their beliefs on the majority? It is not about feelings toward the gays and lesbians it is about defining marriage.
What percentage of the black population donated millions of dollars in support of Prop. 8? There's a difference between voting yes and being asked to give all you can of your ';time and means'; to help convince people how to vote.


What the LDS and other Christians did is despicable.





Added: Huge eye roll to the idiots who compare gay marriage to marrying someone/something other than a consenting adult.
I can't believe so many people think that this is about money? This is about protecting God's word. You can not put a price on that.


Believe me people, that money will do a fine job being pumped through our needy economy. Also, what's with all this talk about spending that money in a better way. Do you people not know that the Mormon church has one of the best welfare systems in this country. And that every time disasters strike the Mormons are one of the first groups there to help.
i say they have just as much right to fund the campaign for what they believe as a person might fund a presidential campaign or any other cause... is there something about them being mormon that bothers you.. how come people aren't attacking catholics for the same reason they believe the same thing as far as marriage goes...
To me marriage is between a man and a women they need to define it as that come up with something different I am fine with gays who want to marry if you allow someone who is married to someone of the same sex to marry why stop there why don't you let crazy people who want to marry there dog and so forth
get the facts:


1. Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California. There


are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.





2. Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates


that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.





3.The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated


no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.





4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.





5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case


law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.





6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los


Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.





7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.





8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs(assumed to be primarily Catholic).





9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10


million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.





10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faithaccords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with ';civility, respect and love,'; despite their differing views.





11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, ';Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...'; The phrase ';separation of church and state';, which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.





12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned,


and we voted.





With that being said, I hope we can continue to work toward a solution that provides equal rights for all of our neighbors--gay, straight, white, black, foreigner or redneck-- while protecting our religious freedoms and the definition of traditional marriage. And, most of all, may we love one another, regardless of our faith and/or beliefs.
Try doing research like this person.





http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;鈥?/a>





The opposing side of 8 earned more money. Obviously that wasn't and issue as to why it passed.



It's not about equality in marriage. It's about reinventing %26amp; redefining marriage.





I'm not for or against gay marriage. It won't affect me either way but let's be honest about what the debate is really about.
As the question above you points out, 70% of the black population voted yes. Why is everyone coming down on the LDS church?
I'm grateful they did, they are working to protect the sanctity of marriage.
I've heard that the Mormon church didn't fund any of the campaign to keep marriage from being redefined. What's your source?
Typical of bigots, you would think the LDS understood what it is like to be a hated minority.
I think they should be worrying about bettering society properly, i.e. in other ways.





Harriet
Fair enough. At least the Mormon church understands that true marriage is between a man and a woman and a woman and a woman and a woman and a woman....