Comments on: Same-sex Marriage and the Church

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:48:31 +0000

The church ‘campaigned from the pulpit’. Weekly services and ward rosters were used for fundraising and campaigning.

I am an ex-mormon who is very friendly to the church. This is unacceptable. I agree with those who say the LDS church should lose its tax-exempt status.

Religion is to enrich our lives not enforce its doctrine.

I fear the church will try to use the law to enforce its doctrine on me. I have been passive on homosexual rights until now. I believe I must stand for them if I am to retain my freedoms.I lived in Utah for a time and that state is a theocracy, I do not want my home to become like that.

Perhaps with our current fundamentalist president leaving office religion may receede from politics. I believe the LDS church would be positive force in society again if its lust for power and dogmatism where dropped.

Until that happens I believe I must protect my freedoms from it.

By: ckhutch

ckhutch — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:17:25 +0000

As a member and someone who works for the church, I am curious as to the steps the church will take in light of all the anger, protests, and disillusionment with the church. While we maintain that it is our right to support and vote according to our own convictions, others obviously didn’t see it that way. This is the third blow (along with the anti-sentiment for Romney and the FLDS raids) that has seemed to take the church off-guard. I never doubt the ecclesiastical leaders or their decisions, but it seems like PR and ICS departments are a little behind the curve.

By: Tim Malone

Tim Malone — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:28:25 +0000

Norris: The $20 million was contributed by individual citizens of the state of California as well as some concerned people from out of state. It did not come from the tithing funds of the church. Proposition 8 was not proposed or funded by the LDS Church – it was a coalition of churches and concerned citizens that put it together and that carried it to fruition.

Do you have any idea how much the church actually does contribute each month in providing for the poor and providing shelter for the homeless? It is in the millions. Add to that all the Fast offering donations from individual members that are used in your local area. We give more than any other people to assist the hungry and poor.

Nick: Elder Clayton reiterated a long-standing policy that disciplinary action in the church is handled by local leaders who know the individual best and can determine what is right in each case. We cannot judge the merits of good intentions or extent of apostasy from afar.

Larry: I appreciate the guidelines to keep our dialogs respectful, polite and accurate. It’s the last part that I am struggling with on my blog. So many have left comments lately that are simply not based on fact when it comes to the church’s involvement in this emotional issue. Thanks again for the links to the guidelines.

By: Phouchg

Phouchg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:32:40 +0000

I am grateful the church didn’t sit on the fence. This whole episode has convinced me to stop putting off what I should have done years ago…send in my resignation letter and return to the Episcopal church of my youth.

By: Clint Checketts

Clint Checketts — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:01:57 +0000

The Newsroom article was really a good read. Thanks for pointing me to it.

The article itself answers the question of ‘ecclesiastical wrath’. It encourages people to be understanding toward each other and to work together.

By: Nicholas S. Literski

Nicholas S. Literski — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:01:01 +0000

All that pretty talk of “understanding” rings hollow, when the Deseret News reports the following on the same day:

When asked about whether Latter-day Saints who publicly opposed Prop 8 would be subject to some kind of church discipline, Elder Clayton said those judgments are left up to local bishops and stake presidents and the particular circumstances involved.
“All we can say is that the LDS Church gives way to the spiritual discernment of local leaders in the handling of any matter that might involve the kind of question you have raised.”

It would appear that “understanding” may yet take the form of ecclesiastical wrath.

By: Norris Hall

Norris Hall — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:45:21 +0000

Rather than waste 20 million dollars to support a ban on Gay marriage why doesn’t the Mormon church do something useful like spend it to feed the poor or provide shelter for the homeless.

What kind of message does it send to nonbelievers when you spend money on gaudy temples and burn money on political campaigns while the poor go hungry.

Handing 20 million dollars over to television stations for anti gay ads is a big waste of money in a world of suffering