WASHINGTON — An apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stood alongside other religious leaders here Monday supporting the proposed federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage as the Senate began debate on the controversial measure.

Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, participated in a press conference with the Alliance for Marriage, a group that supports the ban. Elder Nelson also met with President Bush at the White House just before giving a statement in support of a constitutional amendment.

"Together we share a duty to preserve marriage and family as established by God," Elder Nelson said. "The time has now come when a constitutional amendment is needed in this country to protect our divine inheritance. Such action does not reduce our regard for individuals who choose to live by other standards. But it confirms our conviction that marriage is the foundry for social order, the fountain of virtue and the foundation for eternal exaltation."

Elder Nelson joined the Rev. Lois Poag-Ray, of the Pilgrim African Methodist Episcopal Church, Jesse Miranda of Alianza de Ministerios Evangelicos Nacionales, Rev. Bonnie Camarda, Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia, and Nathan Diament of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America at a press conference calling for the ban's passage.

"While those of us here today represent a broad spectrum of religious diversity, we are firmly united in our declaration that marriage of a man and a woman is ordained of God. The sanctity of marriage and family constitutes the spiritual undergirding of lasting and successful societies," Elder Nelson said.

The LDS Church's governing First Presidency sent a letter to be read at sacrament meetings last month urging members to call their senators to support the pending amendment.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who is LDS, said he will vote against the amendment, although he does believe marriage should only exist between a man and a woman.

Reid listed several other issues facing the country, such a rising gas prices, the war in Iraq, the national debt and other problems, saying that the Senate should be debating other things.

"For me it is clear the reason for this debate is to divide our society, to pit one against another," Reid said. "This is another one of the president's efforts to frighten, to distort, to distract and to confuse America. It is this administration's way of avoiding the tough, real problems that American citizens are confronted with each and every day."

He said he will vote no because "it is not a measure meant to bring America together. Rather, it is an effort to cover and conceal the issues necessary to make America more competitive, caring, considerate and stronger."

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