They are angry because they have been playing a touch and go game with their partners for a long time. It is understandable that they would be angry with anyone that does not agree with them. Although understandable I'm not saying I agree with this at all. I'm glad that the first presidency choose to intervene otherwise we may have all been part of being forced to witness something in our local church buildings we do not agree with. I can guess pretty well that they have probably been fueled by several anti-Mormons that want to use the issue as a means to attack the church.
Edited: Nephi on 8th Nov, 2008 - 5:36pm
The Church in Utah is having a very hard time. Thousands of people gathered yesterday in Temple Square protesting the passage of California's Proposition 8 and they're angry with the Church because of it's involvement.
At one point, things got a little out of hand when these people clashed on the streets with those who support it. The police controlled the situation. Later in the afternoon, the Church released another statement:
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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. |
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Utah faces boycott after Mormon work for Prop 8 By BROCK VERGAKIS - 23 hours ago SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's growing tourism industry and the star-studded Sundance Film Festival are being targeted for a boycott by bloggers, gay rights activists and others seeking to punish the Mormon church for its aggressive promotion of California's ban on gay marriage. It could be a heavy price to pay. Tourism brings in $6 billion a year to Utah, with world-class skiing, a spectacular red rock country and the film festival founded by Robert Redford, among other popular tourist draws. "At a fundamental level, the Utah Mormons crossed the line on this one," said gay rights activist John Aravosis, an influential blogger in Washington, D.C. "They just took marriage away from 20,000 couples and made their children bastards," he said. "You don't do that and get away with it." |
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Tonight's demonstration in Salt Lake City followed a similar protest Thursday at the LDS Temple in Westwood, Calif., near Los Angeles. Now several national gay activists have proposed boycotting Utah and challenging the LDS Church's tax exempt status. "The main focus is going to be going after the Utah brand," John Aravosis, an influential Washington, D.C.-based blogger, told the Associated Press. "We're going to destroy the Utah brand. It is a hate state." |
I received this via email today (no link):
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In the aftermath of the recent election, we may find ourselves oddly on the defensive regarding our support for the Yes on Proposition 8 cause. Our young people have been especially subject to mean spirited comments by high school friends and teachers. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We did nothing wrong. In fact, we did everything that a civic minded American can and should do. I have put together a few facts that help me to appreciate our position better. For example: 1. Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California . There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million. 2. Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote. 3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating. 4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country. 5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported. 6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8. 7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8. 8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic). 9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California . Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members. 10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views. 11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that Churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church as always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature. 12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted. |
Here is an interesting happening: Members leaving the church because of Prop 8? Are they serious?
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Please help us spread the word to all those considering resigning their membership (or even who have already resigned over this issue). The better we are able to track the numbers who are resigning because of this issue, the stronger our case will be that changes are needed within the Mormon Church. Please ask all those you know who are resigning to register that resignation at Signing for Something. Source 2. [I removed the site address - Farseer] So far the resignations are flooding in, but we need to make sure we can track every single one, so we need to let people know about the mass resignations and ask them to register their resignation at Signing for Something. Here are just a few suggestions of things you could do to help spread the word. Send e-mails to Mormons (even those who aren't sympathetic to our cause) telling them about the Mass Resignations that are "pouring in" and being recorded at Signing for Something Many inactive members are citing this issue as the impetus for them to finally resign, so targeting inactives might be especially useful. Post comments on Mormon or DAMU blogs and mention the mass resignations that are being recorded at Signing For Something Post comments on other blogs and websites that would be interested in this issue Add links to Signing for Something on your websites & blogs Visit media outlets that have been covering the backlash against the Mormon Church, and make comments in their various comments sections about the mass resignations and Signing for Something ... Additionally, we are collecting ward and stake rosters |
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Ephesians 4: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: |
Due to the very specific way the Church is being targeted I would say the driving force behind all of this 'revenge of the ninjas' goes a lot deeper than any care over Proposition 8.
Rather off topic, but... FarSeer: have other churches made official statements to their congregations in California about this? |
WOW! That is so crazy--and collecting church wards and rosters? That could be done with any member online. In fact on our ward website we can access the whole stake. I can imagine that there will be some people unhappy about that. As ward missionaries we have some people we know not to contact. I cannot imagine going after those people just to see if that could be the final reason to resign. Wouldn't it be great if those members were that way about REACTIVATING them?
This sounds to me like it could be one of the "splitting of the church" issues. If there really is that many members who would leave because of this--I wonder just how many there are or if they are just talk.