Slater noted that many of the groups promoting themselves at the conference in Warsaw are ministries of religious organizations. Those that aren't, even if the members or leadership are religious, are more likely to gain the confidence of advocates from a different religious background.

The look and tenor of the Warsaw conference have been conspicuously Christian, though organizations from Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist and other cultures are strongly interested in pro-family advocacy.

"We promote the right of religion but do not promote particular religious values," Slater said. "There is a delegation here from Thailand. They have a member who will be a U.N. delegate. She signed our petition. She was thrilled to find our organization because it was not tied to a particular religious sponsor."

The most inquisitive delegates at conferences like the Warsaw congress come from countries where a social issue that is new to them is more advanced elsewhere. Lithuanian delegates studying homosexual political issues, for example, were looking for statistically backed information that could be added to a faith-based position, Slater said.

The sponsorship ties are more evident at the World Family Policy Center at Utah's Brigham Young University, which is also present in Warsaw. Executive director Scott Loveless said his organization is effective in the pro-family advocacy arena because it contributes valuable social data. Under the larger umbrella of the worldwide congress, "people can find a full range of possibilities."

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