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Loading ...Mormon church says bishop acting alone in civil union fight
03.05.2009 10:20am EST
(Chicago, Illinois) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says that an Illinois bishop was acting alone in sending an e-mail to members of his ward urging them to oppose a civil union bill before the state legislators.
But the Utah-based denomination has not ruled out becoming involved in the issue in the future.The e-mail, sent to at least one LDS ward in Illinois, was authorized by Bishop Chris Church of the Nauvoo, Illinois, 3rd Ward, and was sent out by that website’s ward administrator.
It urges members of the church to call their local legislators and tell them to oppose the bill. The e-mail claims that civil unions would “empower the public schools to begin teaching this lifestyle to our young children regardless of parental requests otherwise.” It goes on to also claim that “it will also create grounds for rewriting all social mores.”
The e-mail raised the concerns of national LGBT civil rights groups. The Mormon Church was instrumental in the passage of anti-gay measures in a number of states.
It was heavily involved in the Proposition 8 campaign in California, a voter-based initiative that prohibits same-sex marriage in that state, a similar constitutional amendment in Arizona and the defeat this year of a package of LGBT rights bills in Utah called the Common Ground Initiative.
The e-mail prompted the Human Rights Campaign to issue an alert to its members.
“It is irrefutably clear that the LDS Church is fighting an anti-gay crusade throughout the nation, targeting any form of equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community,” said Bruce Bastian, a member of the board of the Human Rights Campaign and former member of the LDS Church. “Church leaders want nothing more than to do their hateful work in secrecy, but the time has come to shine a light on their insidious efforts. If the LDS Church won’t tell the truth, we will.”
But Thursday, the LDS Church’s National Public Affairs Office said the e-mail was not part of a coordinated effort by the Mormon Church but an isolated act. Still, it did not rule out future involvement if the civil union bill appears to gain support in the legislature.
“As is widely known, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of traditional marriage,” the LDS statement said.
“The Church has not taken a position on any legislation currently being considered by the Illinois State Legislature. The Church did not send an e-mail to its members in regards to House Bill 2234, although a false report to the contrary has been circulated. An e-mail was sent from a local Illinois church leader to his congregation — one of 129 congregations in the state — who was free to express his own views.”
Michael, My older brother has walked your same path as an RM and leaving the Church due to SSA issues. I understand the difficulties to some degree. I still love my brother and have a great relationship, but in all honesty he is selfish and unhappy. He has told me that more than once. He’s a perpetual boy. I understand his struggles with SSA, but as he acts out on it his happiness suffers. You will always know in your heart that homosexual relations are morally wrong. You were baptised, you had the Spirit in your life. You stood there with your fellow missionaries and bore testimony of the restored Gospel. Those memories won’t go away. You were happy then because you had the Spirit. Now you resort to temporal things and substance use to provide counterfeit happiness. Bitter ex missionaries are a dime a dozen. Bitter ex missionaries are living a hard life because they are sinning against a greater light. This is your life Michael…you only get one. What are you doing to prepare to meet God? If you’re not happy only you can change that. You should know that spewing anti-Mormon rhetoric about polygamy, etc. isn’t going to stop the work from progressing. Every day almost 1000 people become members of the LDS Church. Although we miss you, your resignation won’t stop the church from moving forward.
Oh these churches…
First point: most Mormons are very nice people and are not anti-gay in the way gays are used to experiencing it. But they believe our relationships to be immoral and will not tolerate same-sex marriage or civil union based on this belief. They refuse to consider this a fight for LEGAL equality, which is what it is for most gay folk. Not much anyone can do about that, it’s a MORAL issue for them, not a LEGAL issue.
As for violations of tax-exemption requirements, the answer to that would have to come from a judge – neither side of this debate will find common ground. And that answer would likely depend on the judge. It’s safe to say that no (godless) European country would ever permit the financial support Prop 8 received from tax-exempt organizations. Nor would Canada, Australia, or NZ. I only mention these countries due to their similar legal traditions and worldviews – they are democracies, and their majorities are of European descent, like the USA.
The separation of church and state is under serious assault, with Christians (the majority religion) leading the battle to tear down the shifting wall that keeps us from becoming a theocratic republic. Religion’s influence over government has reached a point most Western democracies would consider absurd.
The comforting thing about all of this: when you’ve got the churches riled up like this, you’re obviously moving in a direction that shores up the separation of church and state. Otherwise, they’d be quiet and spend their money on local businesses trying to survive the economic mess we’re in. If they’re bellyaching, it’s because we’re winning hearts and minds. Prop 8 passed on a thin margin. 2%. Imagine if churches hadn’t gotten involved. So, while the situation is frustrating, it seems to be going in our favor.
I still like Mormons as individuals – they don’t foam at the mouth like evangelicals when gayness is brought up. But I’m not stupid enough to think we’d ever agree on much when it came to sex and the law. That’s not enough of a reason for me to hate Mormons. I’m definitely angry that they seem to be spending a lot of money on ensuring that their definition of marriage is the only one that should be permitted by the nation. If I get taxed while expressing my political views (through money, which is somehow equivalent to “free speech” in our nutty land), I don’t see why the LDS’ efforts to persuade people to disagree aren’t taxable either. Can’t have it both ways… Unless unfairness is the American way… Oh. wait. Unfairness IS the American way.
Roymondo – lets be clear, I don’t “suffer” SSA (Same-sex attraction) and how dare you, who does not know me, state that I am counterfeiting my happiness. I was born gay, have always been gay, was gay when I served a mission, was gay when I was baptized etc. and I was miserable because I was being taught that there was something wrong with the person I was created to be, that I was and that I am. It is the hatred and fear of the religious right that claims to have a monopoly on morality that creates the internal hatred that your brother suffers, and no wonder – look what he faces with you. If you believe as your church teaches that God is ominpotent, he made me exactly as designed. I embrace fully who I am as a human being, as a father, as a husband, and as a GAY AMERICAN. You talk as if being gay is a curse, it is anything but and since coming out and living an honest life I have never been happier, nor have my children as they reap the rewards of a fulfilled and contented father. I am sorry that your brother still cannot accept himself and love himself. I daresay that has to do with people like you telling him that he is ill (suffering SSA). HE IS NOT what he is suffering is intolerance from those who claim to be Christian but have no Christlike attributes.
What am I doing to meet God? If I believed that one existed, I would say that I am closer to God now than I ever was living a lie. I live my life with integrity, morality, and most importantly HONESTY. I set an incredible example to my two daughters who my husband and I have raised since they were tiny. I am a good citizen. I am gainfully employed. I pay my taxes. I try to treat others the way that I want to be treated – which means that I treat them with equality and I honor what you call “Free Agency”….I allow people the right to choose for themselves what path is best for them without having a sense of religious superiority…that Roymondo is what I am doing. I am not taking aways people “agency” or civil rights as you are advocating.
Just so you can sleep, yes, the church gains many members, but retains few of those converts. The church knows full well that over 70% of converts leave – look it up love and spare me your condescending “we miss you” crap…you only want lemmings who are to stupid to question the ridiculous nature of your church. The difference between us is that I believe unlike you that you have the right to choose. You on the other hand want to force your views on the rest of us. I would never want to deny you the right to follow the lunacy of your religious choice but I demand the right to live my life as I see fit and in this country that include full marriage equality!
The Mormons have an ignorant and unhealthy view of human sexuality – rooted in their bizarre magical belief systems that have no credibility. Yet, they are not alone… “traditional” catholics, concervative Christians, many orthodox Jews, most Muslims… they won’t be happy until everyone else is miserable. Talk about the power of brainwashing.
Roymondo – Tax exempt organizations are prohibited from taking part in electoral politics, lest they lose their tax exempt status.
So let them start paying taxes.
Posted by Roymondo:
“Homosexuals are not winning anyone over to their cause.”
The trend in our country is towards the support of gay civil rights and equality. Your above statement is blatantly and historically wrong.
Equality for gays is coming in spite of the evil that you do in the name of your religion.
“You claim to be victims but you act like spoiled brat children throwing a tantrum.”
In other words “You are waging an effective campaign that will soon silence our voices of intolerance and are threatening our Utah Theocracy.
We think you should shut up and accept the fact that we want you to remain second class citizens and don’t bother us about rights and equality for sinners!”
Forward religious freedom and equality. Suck it Bin Laden.
“You win hearts and minds by kindness..just some advice.”
Yes, but your campaign is all about “Give us your hearts and minds or we’ll burn your huts down!”
Denying equality is kindness?
Denying families the right to exist is kindness?
A Utah state senator openly attacking gays and being praised for it by his fellows is kindness?
Yours is the “kindness” of the Auto de Fay.
Eddie in LA/ The Mormons do not participate in Electoral Politics. i.e. they don’t endorse candidates. Prop 8 was not Electoral Politics. Before you say something incorrect again you should learn about tax exemption laws.
Michael/ I’m not doubting you’ve been prone to SSA your whole life. I am saying that it does not lead to happiness. You have 2 girls….because somewhere along the road you had to do something very heterosexual. We’re you any less of a homosexual when you procreated? Are you any less HETEROsexual now? Michael, you are a heterosexual man who is living in a homosexual relationship. Although I’m sure you have moments of happiness it isn’t lasting happiness. If you were gay as a missionary, you shouldn’t have been a missionary. Why did you make the choice to go on a mission if you were gay? My point here is that you can’t tell me you’ve been gay for life when you’ve lived as a heterosexual for the majority of it. Let me guess; you were oppressed by your Mormon parents who sold you into straighthood, and when you went to Senior Prom with a girl you had to drink from the “gay” drinking fountain. To live your lifestyle and be content with it I would agree that you would have to deny there is a God. If there is a God though (and I know there is) you better get your life together friend.
Don’t fuel Roymondo and other bigots. Don’t deal with any of them, they’re all just like Ann Coulter. Just ignore them. We’re never going to change extremist bigots, we have to appeal to the normal people in the middle and inform them of injustices.
A highly centralized, politicized organization like the LDS Church says the bishop was “free to express his own views”? Free to give the church leadership deniability, perhaps.
Anyway, I’m so glad HRC got them to respond. The LDS can’t look like the nice loving church folks *and* oppose civil equality. By forcing them to say where they stand, we are slowly returning the debate to civil freedoms and rights, not scary words.
@Roymondo – you are truly a sad idiot. Ummm…have you never heard of adoption? You make soooo many assumptions as if you know everything. You are a sad, scared little man who is trapped living your pathetic heterosexual lifestyle and are so miserable you want to force the same on the rest of us. Sorry…but some of us actually think and act for ourselves. You can keep your precious heterosexuality to yourself, continue wearing your sacred underwear (garments), keep your polygamny – I already have a husband thank you. Keep your blood atonements, do your sign of the nail with your secret name while pulling your wives through the veil, keep your washing/annointing (because there is nothing like old men putting oil on your naked body in the name of holiness – I’m not judging, I’m just saying) and keep baptizing those dead (do you count those in your church membership numbers, because I hear that my Jewish friends are thrilled with mormons baptizing their holocaust victims – NOT)…I’ll keep my fabulous gay community and what you think is my miserable, fabricated GAY life in all its perversions as I don’t need to justify my life to you or the rest of the bigots like you.
In this sort of context, there is no such thing as a Mormon with an individual opinion.
To Roymondo and the other Christians who are posting comments on this site : you continue to spout the “holy” bible as a means of denying people their civil rights: how much of the bible have you actually read? The book is full of all sorts of evil deeds that were perpetrated by or in the name of Yahweh. To provide just one example, the bible is in support of one of the most horrible practices that humans have ever devised to dehumanize each other: slavery (read for example Exodus 21:2-11, 26, 27-28, Leviticus 25:44-46, 1 Corinthians 7:21-24, Colossians 3:22-4:1, 1 Timothy 6:1-2, Titus 2:9-10, and 1 Peter 2:18-21), and before you go off on the arguement that slavery in the bible is different than slavery practiced elsewhere in history, consider, “As for the male and female slaves whom you may have…you may keep them as a POSSESSION for your children after you, for them to INHERIT as PROPERTY” (Leviticus 25:44,46). It is very hard to believe that if a loving god wrote the bible he/she/it would have forgotten to completely and utterly repudiate such a despicable institution as slavery while worrying incessantly over who one goes to bed with at night. More likely, the bible simply reflects the opinions of the fallible men who wrote it thousands of years ago. So please, stop throwing around chapter and verse as if this book is full of nothing but goodness. If you want to believe it, that’s fine, but do not try to make YOUR religion into LAWS that we all have to abide by because that is a violation of the separation of church and state.
If I tell people that an angel appeared to me, I’d be branded psychotic. And yet Mormons get a free pass. Religion ia all about getting free money and telling people who to hate. I agree with Eddie, churches need to be taxed at the highest possible rate.
I cannot understand why Mormons are against male to female sex change operations for people who would end up as heterosexual women.
Supporting them in this instance would only give them access to more wives.
At least Muslims have some sense about this by allowing them. They do polygamy more wisely relatively speaking.(Islam does allow up to four wives).
I believe Cleric or Imman is the most common occupation for post-op transsexual women’s husbands in the Middle East (especially in Iran)!
methinks your magic undergarments reek of foul smelling mormon SH*T Roymondo LMFAO!