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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 10:21 AM Apr 2013

Mormon Church Abandons Its Crusade Against Gay Marriage

Prop. 8 backlash has led the Latter Day Saints to soften their treatment of LGBT church members.

—By Stephanie Mencimer | Fri Apr. 12, 2013 3:00 AM PDT


Last month, hundreds of boisterous protesters converged in Washington, DC, as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of California's anti-gay marriage initiative, Proposition 8. Faith-based groups were on prominent display: the Methodists supporting marriage equality, the Westboro Baptists suggesting (per usual) that "God hates fags," the Catholics both for and against gay marriage, clergy of all stripes. But one group that wasn't there in any official capacity was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—a.k.a. the Mormons—which perhaps more than any other religious group was responsible for getting Prop. 8 passed in the first place.

In the five years since the LDS church sent busloads of the faithful to California to canvass neighborhoods, and contributed more than $20 million via its members to support the initiative, it has all but dropped the rope in the public policy tug of war over marriage equality. The change stems from an even more remarkable if somewhat invisible transformation happening within the church, prompted by the ugly fight over Prop. 8 and the ensuing backlash from the flock.

Although the LDS's prophet hasn't described a holy revelation directing a revision in church doctrine on same-sex marriage or gay rights in general, the church has shown a rare capacity for introspection and humane cultural change unusual for a large conservative religious organization.

"It seems like the [Mormon] hierarchy has pulled the plug and is no longer taking the lead in the fight to stop same-sex marriage," says Fred Karger, the LGBT activist who first exposed the church's major role in the passage of Prop. 8. "The Mormon Church has lost so many members and suffered such a black eye because of all its anti-gay activities that they really had no choice. I am hopeful that the Catholic Church cannot be far behind."

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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/04/prop-8-mormons-gay-marriage-shift
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Mormon Church Abandons Its Crusade Against Gay Marriage (Original Post) DonViejo Apr 2013 OP
Maybe they will have a new revelation very shortly. nt truebluegreen Apr 2013 #1
Yeah, they may get a separation of church / state update... pinto Apr 2013 #2
BS! This is false FreeState Apr 2013 #3
I agree... DonViejo Apr 2013 #4
Agreed. William769 Apr 2013 #5
The Mormon Church is pretty much going to have to recognize and sanction marriage before Zorra Apr 2013 #6
Yup. +1 Fearless Apr 2013 #7

FreeState

(10,553 posts)
3. BS! This is false
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 05:05 PM
Apr 2013

This is exactly what the Mormon church wants you I believe. It's not true.

This article is all sweet and nice, but it's extremely naive. There is a document that was released from the church's efforts in Hawaii saying that they didn't want to get too far out in front of the issue, lest the Mormon church reap too much negative attention. The document said to let the Catholic church lead the charge and take the heat because it's more established and more well-liked.

That was under President Hinckley (1995 - 2008). Under President Monson (2008 - present), they got a little full of themselves and thought they could pull Prop. 8 off unharmed. They figured most people were against marriage equality anyway.

The article says that the church worked with the Family Acceptance Project to create a booklet aimed at Mormon parents of gay children, but this is not true. A single lay member of the church worked with this project. The booklet says nowhere on it that it has any association with the church, which means that thought it is aimed at Mormons, most Mormons will disregard it because it doesn't come from the church.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/01/20/mormon-plausible-deniability-antigay-effort/

With respect to Prop. 8 campaign, key talking points will come from campaign, but cautious, strategic, not to take the lead so as to provide plausible deniability or respectable distance so as not to show that church is directly involved.


“Get that? The LDS Church intentionally worked to hide behind the scenes to disguise their involvement in the public realm,” Rosen wrote. “The LDS Church is well aware that the general public does not have the most favorable opinion of them. Attention on their involvement could have hurt their cause, namely passing Prop 8.”

Other documents introduced into evidence — over the objections of lawyers defending Proposition 8 — showed that the Catholic Church “played a substantial role in providing volunteers and money to get the measure qualified for the ballot,” the Times reports.

Documents also showed that the Mormon church provided “financial, organizational and management contributions” to the Prop 8 effort, which passed with a bare majority of the California vote in the 2008 election.

Zorra

(27,670 posts)
6. The Mormon Church is pretty much going to have to recognize and sanction marriage before
Sat Apr 13, 2013, 11:19 PM
Apr 2013

I ever believe a single word they say after Prop 8.

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