Reader comments
Calls about Prop. 8 not imminent

I'm sure that there will be plenty of comments from the left, arguing that the church should stay out of this political fight. They will quote "separation of church and state" and call for the revocation of the tax exempt status of the church because it "puts its nose into politics". They will say to "stop forcing your religious values on us".

But you will never hear those arguments when any church supports a cause that the left agrees with. Whether it be environmental protections, better support for the poor, more compassion for illegal immigrants, or speaking against the death penalty; you will never hear those outcries when the church takes a position they support.

does those other item deny U.S. citizens guaranteed by the constitution? nope.

We would say that but they won't post our complaints. They don't want to look stupid.

What about the religious opportunity of the "right not to fight in wars" instead of sanctioning and glorifying wars as Patriotic?Or the right of a child to grow up and choose religious freedom to say "No to war", wars mandated by politicians and approved openly by church leaders. Where is the call against current actions? Why such a deafening sound of silence, when a shout for freedom of choice is suppressed. Let us turn our attention to the LDS Bible Dictionary under the heading of "Jonah". Quote "The writer is apposing a narrowmindedness that would confine the Love of God to a single nation. He shows that Jehovah reigns everywhere,over the sea and the land;even in the heathen world ..." I suspect we doubt that as a pepole. The role of the ancient prophets were to warn the pepole of impending disasters and calamities.Where are our spokensmen today? Are they silent on these issues?We seem to get the message after events have taken their toll on the people. Iraq,Katrina,the Depression etc. Bring back Paul,James and John, give us those who once taught in boldness and in truth not leaders who participated in wars with biased political views.

Yes, unfortunately you are right. People only champion views of their preferrances. I personally believe that Prop 8 is a bad idea not because I approve of gay marriages. No, I believe no religious or secular body should make hate mongering and a disinfranchisement of any group into a good thing. The only thing Proposition 8 protects is intolerance and bigotry. Before you flame me as an "evil godless creature" know that by choice I follow no religion however my lifestyle is indistinguishable from any group mormon or otherwise. I do not pray, however I am all for protecting children, I do not drink or smoke, I use only the milder curse words such as "darn". I disapprove of prop 8 because it is wrong to decide that your way is right for any one besides you person.

pardon. No religeous or secular body should NOT make hatemongering into a good idea

I just do not agree with Brethren on this one.

My neighbors when I was in grad school in Cambridge Mass were a gay couple. When one of the guys lost his job, he was able to go on his partner's health insurance. I just don't see the problem with that.

There are gay people in SLC who contribute to our society, pay taxes, etc. And there is no such thing as a second-class US citizen.

This matter is none of our business. I wish the Church would stay out of it.

i agree selective outrage!!!

I guess I'm 'left'. I don't mind that the church has an opinion. I don't mind that the church has an expectation that its' followers and believers go along with whatever the old white guys in salt lake dictate. But, I don't want to have the church in the public arena. Whether they are doing something I agree with or not. In the end, they're just mormons. They're not society as a whole. They don't speak for me. I want freedom of, and most decidedly from, religion. If we're going to have religious dictates as public policy, I want more say as to which one wins, and which mormons lose.

The Church made a reasonable statement when it said that they were more concerned about the impact on children, and freedoms of speech and religion being impacted. The church doesn't hate someone becuase they are gay (which is what the church is accused of in most of these threads).

Do we really want gay pedophiles to be able to adopt children? (I didn't say that all gays are pedophiles, but MANY MANY pedophiles prey on children of the same sex). Do we want government sanctions on church programs because we refuse to marry gay couples in our church? Do we want judges legislating from the bench and forcing us to do something we voted against? Democracy is at stake here...

Proposition 8 seems to be more like protecting our beliefs and our rights than it does about wheather or not gays get to wed.

Protect our rights. Protect our children. Protect marriage. Protect democracy. Vote yes on proposition 8.

To all of you that plan on posting hateful things to my response all I have to say is... you're entitled to your opinion, even if it is WRONG.

I agree that the Church has the right to express its opinions and to encourage its members to vote a certain way. I even think its appropriate to voice fears that members of the Church will find themselves in trouble for claiming homosexuality is a sin. That is also why I think it is somewhat curious that the Church leadership is so harsh on those members who publicly disagree with the Church's official position on this and other matters. Isn't freedom of political expression a two way street?

Speaking of "tax exempt" status, somebody should look into the tax exempt status of B. Obama's group, ACORN--clearly a partisan group claiming non-partisan status.

Though I generally agree with Selective Outrage, this is really not a right vs. left issue. It's about the best interests of children, and the right and the left should care about that. Any church has not only a right but a responsibility to weigh in on that.

I applaud the LDS Church for excercising its rights under (and in support of) the Constituion.

Just so you know, I am an attorney, a member of the Church, and I am proud to be a Democrat, and I support many of the issues that you listed (although not all), but I am strongly in favor of the Church position on this issue. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue - but a moral, gospel issue. I have gone out and walked door to door on many Saturdays to support Proposition 8. So I ask that you do as we were asked: contact your friends and family members who can vote in California to vote for this initiative. But don't use this to attack those of us in the Church who have different political beliefs from you.

I attended the broadcast. It's very powerful knowing the church supports this and touched on the most important aspects of this campaign. I just don't understand how people don't get the FACT that we are all male & female C R E A T E D by a male and a female. ???? My kids get that. No matter how much someone try's to justify it, find loopholes, change it or re-define it - it is still the same.

THIS IS the churches to fight - political or not. And it's not all about religion either. Education is KEY here to understand the consequences that will happen and the importance of voting YES on November 4th.

None of our business----- You miss the point. As it stands right now, gay couples HAVE all of the civil rights you point out, they just don't have the right to use the word MARRIAGE. They can have civil unions and get healthcare, hospital visits, etc.

I suppose you think we should stay out of abortion too? After all, I know some good people that have had abortions, and they too pay taxes and contribute to our society, so who cares if they have abortions. We should just stay out of it. If not for religious truth, where would we be? I'm not comparing homosexuality with abortion, merely pointing out that we CANNOT stand by and do nothing.

Did anybody during this broadcast quote this from the LDS scriptures by the way?

Doc & Cov 134: 9: We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.

I am a Mormon and I totally agree with Proposition 8. In 2000, Prop 22 passed only to have the 4 Judges in Calif deem it to be wrong. The will of the people being voted down? Hmmm...interesting. Prop 8 now is on the ballot to restore and protect marriage as being between a man and a woman. Restore..bring back...and protect..make sure its position is secure.
I am an old fashioned guy and I adhere to what the Brethren in SLC have said...that Marriage is ordained of God and is to be between a man and a woman only. Why shouldn't The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints take a position that threatens the sanctity and the very definition of marriage.

Hi, as a californian, I would like to say: mind your own business utah. Seriously. Do you want us to start pouring money into utah politics because we disagree with your supreme court? We live in a federal system. Get your own house in order.