So I have me some thoughts and feelings regarding Prop 8. This post is not about them.
Over the past several days I have observed the protests directed at the Mormon church, (some more vitriolic then others):
and as a Mormon I feel compelled to point out that
1.) Not every Mormon voted for Prop 8. In fact the vast, vast, vast majority of them had absolutely nothing to do with it, so sending them all to hell doesn't seem altogether fair (and is a tad hypocritical no?). And you know what else? Sending those to hell who did vote for it is just silly. Freedom of religion, speech and the democratic process. Hmmm...as far as I see no Mormon violated any of these things. But thanks for all the excuses to type hell. Damn it feels good.
2.) Well...he says it better:
Catholic Bishop Decries Religious Bigotry Against Mormons
SACRAMENTO - 7 November 2008 - (This news release was issued by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento) The following statement was released today by Bishop William Weigand, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento and former Bishop of Salt Lake City, in response to attacks on (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) for supporting California’s Proposition 8, defending the traditional definition of marriage:
“Catholics stand in solidarity with our Mormon brothers and sisters in support of traditional marriage — the union of one man and one woman — that has been the major building block of Western Civilization for millennia.
“The ProtectMarriage coalition, which led the successful campaign to pass Proposition 8, was an historic alliance of people from every faith and ethnicity. LDS were included — but so were Catholics and Jews, Evangelicals and Orthodox, African-Americans and Latinos, Asians and Anglos.
“Bigoted attacks on Mormons for the part they played in our coalition are shameful and ignore the reality that Mormon voters were only a small part of the groundswell that supported Proposition 8.
“As the former bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, I can attest to the fact that followers of the Mormon faith are a good and generous people with a long history of commitment to family and giving to community causes.
“I personally decry the bigotry recently exhibited towards the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — coming from the opponents of Proposition 8, who ironically, have called those of us supporting traditional marriage intolerant.
“I call upon the supporters of same-sex marriage to live by their own words — and to refrain from discrimination against religion and to exercise tolerance for those who differ from them. I call upon them to accept the will of the people of California in the passage of Proposition 8.”
SOURCE: Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
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Me again:
When all is said and done, members of the Mormon church, (not the Church itself) donated a great deal of money towards Prop 8 and were encouraged by church leaders to support the passage of the proposition. In the end only a very tiny percentage of them got to vote, not all of them voted yes, and none of them as far as I am aware, stood with a gun to the head of anyone in a voting booth to make them vote "yes". While there will no doubt always be disappointing exceptions in every group of people, I have no doubt that the vast majority of Mormons were respectful in their campaigning. The process was a democratic one and whether we like it or not, the people have spoken. Most of those people were not Mormon. I would also like to point out the following from a statement given by the Mormon church:
It is disturbing that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is being singled out for speaking up as part of its democratic right in a free election.
Members of the Church in California and millions of others from every faith, ethnicity and political affiliation who voted for Proposition 8 exercised the most sacrosanct and individual rights in the United States — that of free expression and voting.
While those who disagree with our position on Proposition 8 have the right to make their feelings known, it is wrong to target the Church and its sacred places of worship for being part of the democratic process.
Once again, we call on those involved in the debate over same-sex marriage to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other. No one on either side of the question should be vilified, harassed or subject to erroneous information.
The church also said this as part of this statement when Proposition 8 passed (my emphasis added)Such an emotionally charged issue concerning the most personal and cherished aspects of life — family, identity, intimacy and equality — stirs fervent and deep feelings.
Most likely, the election results for these constitutional amendments will not mean an end to the debate over same-sex marriage in this country.
We hope that now and in the future all parties involved in this issue will be well informed and act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility toward those with a different position. No one on any side of the question should be vilified, intimidated, harassed or subject to erroneous information...........Allegations of bigotry or persecution made against the Church were and are simply wrong. The Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward gays and lesbians. Even more, the Church does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the traditional family or the constitutional rights of churches.
Yo, I'm back:
So we all have the rights to our (sometimes super strong) feelings on this matter. But let's remember that this is America. And if there's one thing American's pride themselves on, it is the right and privilege to vote their conscience. Californians did so. And hatred? Does not solve anything. Ever.
Thank you.
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8 comments:
I was SHOCKED when my sister, in Washington, told me there were picketers outside her stake building when she went to church on Sunday. She felt bad for them - chillin' in the rain while she was in a nice dry church - but she was angry at the same time. The little children attending church probably no idea why people were standing outside the church with hateful signs. My mother made a good point to my sister - some people just like to picket. It makes them feel important and like they accomplished something.
Well said.
Whether or not we agree with Prop 8 the fact remains that the church and its members are as entitled to campaign for a cause that they believe in as any other group. They do not deserve to be vilified and abused and have their property attacked for merely exercising a democratic right.
If anybody is guilty of bigotry and hatred it is the perpetrators of these actions and is an extreme example of hyprocrisy.
It needs to be pointed out that the people of California originally voted against the legal recognition of same sex unions as "marriages" and this democratic decision was overturned by a court decision. Prop 8 has essentially restored the will of the people.
Note to anonymous post and runners who obviously missed this:
I don't post anonymous posts. If you have something to say, have the courage to put your name behind it. Without your name, it is meaningless.
I certainly don't post mindless, obscene posts as much for my own self respect as for the group you appear to be representing.
I respect them enough not to have someone as apparently hateful,bigoted and intolerant as yourself represent them. I'm sure they would thank me for it. If you clean up your language and address me respectfully with your name attached I would be happy to post your views.
Well said, babe. I think you stated this beautifully.
In a democratic society the Church is free to organize and fight to strip rights from our brothers and sisters.
They, in turn, are free to protest and picket.
Don't want the protest? Don't fight to take away their rights! Annoyed as I am with the church's involvement, I hope that the "unruly", "misguided", or "unfair" protests will remind the church that this was a bad idea.
Hey Soxy
Just a note: this is not a debate about whether or not the church should have become involved in the passage of Prop 8.
Read points 1 and 2 again ;)
You feel like you deserve to be called a bigoted Mormon who should go to hell? :P
I wonder why Soxy Pirate is "annoyed" that the church became involved in something that is very clearly referred to in the bible. Perhaps that makes it a religious matter, and therefore allows religious bodies to be audacious enough to have and state an opinion?
I think you have expressed yourself very well. Well done.
Love,
Marmie.
Marmie,
The biblical marriage is one where the woman (or women) become property of the man. But even if the measure in California had been aimed at protecting the "biblical marriage" (which it obviously was not, thank goodness) the church's stake in matters "religious" can easily be dealt with through "religious" means.
The church deals with the "religious" issue or the word of wisdom through religious means, i.e., from the pulpit, in worthiness interviews, etc. They needn't be concerned with the public policy debate over this religious issue (word of wisdom) because their very nature as a religious institution makes them fit for enforcing their own interpretation.
Could not the same be said of homosexuality and gay marriage?
So my annoyance has nothing to do with them addressing a "religious" matter. I'm annoyed because they dealt with a religious matter through political means.
With respect,
Soxy
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