Did the Mormons get involved with funding Prop 8 out of spite?

[justiceischeap]

Here's proof they were funding the damn thing:

President-Prophet Thomas Monson, the leader of the Mormon Church, clearly does not read history. If he did, he'd know that he and his apostles could not stand behind the stone walls and parapets of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, shoveling cash and lies into California without consequences. The Mormon Church's members have contributed some $22 million into Prop 8, a vicious campaign here in California seeking to strip fundamental marriage rights from same-sex couples, making them permanent second-class citizens.

President-Prophet Monson seems to like "separate but equal," but seems a little touchy when he is called on leading such a campaign. Over the last two weeks, the Courage Campaign Issues Committee has tried to get President-Prophet Monson to stop breaking the Ten Commandments (in this case, number nine, "thou shall not bear false witness") and blackmail. As I wrote last week, the Church has been party to both in countenancing television ads that lie and in allowing a leading Mormon to write letters attempting to blackmail donors to the "No on 8" Campaign.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-jacobs/mormon-church-on-prop-8-w_b_140804.html

Over at DailyKos there's an internal memo from the LDS, dated 1997, about their intent to get involved in stripping homosexuals of their civil, equal, human rights.

However, in Chief Justice Ronald M. George's majority opinion, he added the following footnote (it's # 52):

"We emphasize that our conclusion that the constitutional right to marry properly must be interpreted to apply to gay individuals and gay couples does not mean that this constitutional right similarly must be understood to extend to polygamous or incestuous relationships. Past judicial decisions explain why our nation’s culture has considered the latter types of relationships inimical to the mutually supportive and healthy family relationships promoted by the constitutional right to marry."

Emphasis mine

So the Chief Justice rules that this right does not extend to polygamous relationships. I wonder who that would piss off? Possibly the Mormon Church?

In further reading of his opinion he states that "Although the historic disparagement of and discrimination against gay individuals and gay couples clearly is no longer constitutionally permissible, the state continues to have a strong and adequate justification for refusing to officially sanction polygamous or incestuous relationships because of their potentially detrimental effect on a sound family environment."

The above quote makes me think that Prop 8 hasn't a leg to stand on. Maybe I'm reading his opinion wrong but it makes me feel slightly better about our chances in California.

[Jed Dilligan]

1. Not entirely. They are trying to become popular enough with other

fundies that one of their own can become president and REALLY destroy the country and Constitution.

[justiceischeap]

4. I remember reading that as well

But I think there's a lot of merit towards the spite angle as well. I've posted on here previously about them wanting to gain legitimacy amongst the other crazies but this is another aspect that I think plays into it.

[bushisanidiot]

5. Fundies don't trust them, luckily. They believe mormons are a cult.

and rightly so.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. "cult" = "religion different from mine." -nt

[Jed Dilligan]

9. "religion less than 200 years old" = "cult"

[justiceischeap]

10. Nah, I wrote a paper for my theology class in college

Those that study cults agree they are cult-like. It's not just a "my religion is better than yours" kinda thing.

[Jed Dilligan]

8. Hey! Something I have in common with fundies.

[bushisanidiot]

2. All that tithing money used to promote hate. I can't imagine God is very pleased with them.

I hope they pray about what they've done and ask for forgiveness.
Personally, as a recovering mormon myself, I plan on praying for them so that one day they can over-come their hatred of those who are different from them. They also have an intense hatred of catholics. It's a very sad religion.

[xchrom]

3. the majority of mormons are quite simply social conservatives.

it's not that there may not be resentment over polygamous marriage -- i just don't think
most mormons world is dissimilar to conservative baptists, catholics, presbyterians, etc.

[yardwork]

6. I intend to find out and make myself a problem for them.