But a new poll conducted by Dan Jones and Associates indicates that most Utahns would side with Utah churches and against Utah law. Some 54 percent of those polled said churches should not have to register with the state. Only about 31 percent believe the registration is a good idea.

"The poll just proves what I've always known: that the people of Utah have good sense," said Dee Rowland, legislative liaison for Utah's Catholic Diocese. "I long for the day when legislators will listen to their constituents."

To date, only three churches have registered, even though the law went into effect last July, state Bureau of Criminal Identification director Nanette Rolfe said. There is no penalty for not registering; however, civil or legal action against a person who takes a concealed weapon into a church with a no-gun policy cannot be triggered if the church has not registered, Waddoups said.

None of the three registered churches is from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the LDS Church did not participate in the December press conference with other faiths. The church did not respond for a request for comment on the issue made by the Deseret Morning News.

Sutliff said Thursday that she and others will continue to talk to legislators in hopes of finding someone willing to take the issue back to Capitol Hill.

And churches will continue to practice "civil disobedience," said the Rev. David Henry, pastor of Wasatch Presbyterian Church.

"This is not just about the constitutional right, and it's not just about politics," Henry said. "It really has to do with us as churches expressing the creation of a different kind of community. Not one that is based on some mutual deterrent like in the Cold War policy, but rather based upon our relationship between one another as human beings and between us and our God.

"We don't think we should have to go to a Web site to register our free space, which is the historical definition or understanding of sanctuary."

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E-mail: jdobner@desnews.com