Mormons on Prop 8
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon church), I wanted to explain some points about our involvement in the passing of Proposition 8. Some misconceptions have gone virulent. Here are a few official newsroom blurbs on our involvement:
1. "The California Supreme Court recently ruled that same-sex marriage was legal in California. Recognizing the importance of marriage to society, the Church accepted an invitation to participate in ProtectMarriage, a coalition of churches, organizations, and individuals sponsoring a November ballot measure, Proposition 8, that would amend the California state constitution to ensure that only a marriage between a man and a woman would be legally recognized. (Information about the coalition can be found at http://www.protectmarriage.com/)".
2. "On June 20, 2008, the First Presidency of the Church distributed a letter about 'Preserving Traditional Marriage and Strengthening Families,' announcing the Church’s participation with the coalition. The letter, which was read in Latter-day Saints’ church services in California, asked that Church members 'do all [they] can to support the proposed constitutional amendment.'”
4. "The focus of the Church’s involvement is specifically same-sex marriage and its consequences. The Church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference."
5."The Church has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a husband and a wife united in the bonds of matrimony."
6."The Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility towards homosexual men and women. Protecting marriage between a man and a woman does not affect Church members’ Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people."
7. "As Church members [decided] their own appropriate level of involvement in protecting marriage between a man and a woman, they [were to] approach this issue with respect for others, understanding, honesty, and civility."
These are a few applicable excerpts from the official LDS Newsroom release (which can be found at the Official LDS Newsroom).
One more point that has been misconstrued:
8. The Mormon church did not "buy" the election. Our church has been firm concerning its position on same-sex marriage, continuing to promote the institution of husband and wife union. (And as a church concerned with raising families, a union which cannot biologically produce children seems quite contrary to that purpose, among other moral contradictions). The Church did encourage members to contribute their resources - both time and money - to this cause. There was no threatening, membership in our church was not denied based on whether or not one participated in this effort. All the money contributed to this effort was donated by individuals - the Church did not donate a single dollar to the Yes on Prop 8 campaign. (More information on this can be found at this ABC News page).