"We are convinced that this is the only measure that will adequately protect marriage from those who would circumvent the legislative process and force a redefinition of it on the whole of our society," the letter reads.

Signatures on the letter include leaders from the Baptist, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox and Lutheran churches, two rabbis and officials from religious groups like Focus on the Family, led by founder James Dobson. A complete list of signers is posted on the Web site for the Religious Coalition for Marriage.

A federal amendment would echo what took place in Utah in 2004, when 66 percent of voters passed Amendment 3, which changed the Utah Constitution to specifically ban gay marriages.

Utah's only gay state senator, Scott McCoy, D-Salt Lake, said the recent letter is an attempt by Republicans to rescue their "pitiful" place in the polls right now by pandering to their right-wing, religious-fundamentalist base.

"Honestly, that's what this is about," McCoy said Monday. "This is an attempt at electoral distraction."

McCoy added that for every church represented on the letter, there is a faction of that church that believes the exact opposite.

Inactive LDS members Millie and Gary Watts co-chair Family Fellowship, a support and education group for an estimated 1,700 LDS families with gay and lesbian members. The Watts are parents of six children, including a gay son and lesbian daughter.

"I feel badly that the (LDS) church has to again re-emphasize its belief that marriage is between a man and a woman," Millie Watts said. "It hurts. It may unite other families, but it hurts my family."

Rather than frown upon gay relationships, Watts would like to see society and its churches spend more time on encouraging monogamy and helping to fortify relationships, gay or otherwise.

Valerie Larabee, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center, said she wasn't surprised by the recent letter. "I wish that we would pay more attention to helping people than hurting people," she said.

Larabee said the letter contributes toward gay and lesbian people not being treated equally. "If you alter the Constitution," she added, "you're not going to have equality."

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com