The Mormons have been targeted for persecution by the NO on 8 campaign. Since losing the battle, they have taken to the streets and have been leveling attacks at the Mormon church. While their message focuses on hate by Mormons, they don’t see their own hateful behavior.
Who hates who?
The pro-life movement has lost three times to enact parental consent in California, though I think this time we have gotten closer than in the last two elections. Yet not during one of those times did we take to the streets and challenge the proposition. We didn’t like the voter results-we still don’t-but instead of calling names and intimidating those we disagree with, we recoup, we lick our wounds and we try again. In fact there is a whole lot more riding on Proposition 4 then there is for Proposition 8. At least in my book. The unborn child lost their right to life….again! What did the gays lose? Nothing. Since under the domestic partnership law any two people can register and receive the same rights as those of a married couple. Their rights are still intact, the unborn child’s right to live is still up for grabs.
The Mormon Church is an easy scapegoat for the losers in this campaign. Because we take our civic duty seriously and that angers them. According to Yahoo News! “In Salt Lake City, a crowd of about 2,000 chanted “Separate church and state” and waved rainbow flags outside the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which encouraged its members to work to pass the amendment by volunteering their time and money for the campaign. Some protesters held signs with messages like, “Mormons: Once persecuted, now persecutors.” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081108/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_marches
So let’s look at the truth instead of the vicious lies of the Left:
1) The separation of church and state is NOT in the Constitution. The Constitution forbids the state from establishing a national religion, it says nothing about individuals in a church voting their collective conscience! A church is free to express their beliefs within the public arena. There was nothing remotely illegal about the church’s participation in the Proposition 8 campaign. There were also marriage amendments in Florida and Arizona that also passed but you don’t see the people in those states resorting to such blatant bigotry. There are Mormons in Florida and Arizona and I am sure they worked to pass those gay marriage bans as well. The Mormons are not the only people who voted in California for traditional marriage. A lot of other faiths did as well as well as those with no faith. The gay community is saying we are taking away their right but there is no right to marry in the Constitution. There is a right to freedom of speech, which they are trying to take away by saying we shouldn’t as citizens been involved in the Prop. 8 campaign. Though they are entirely within their rights to vote no on it, we are not allowed to offer differing views. There is a right to freedom of religion (And guess what you don’t need to look far to find those rights, they are the FIRST AMENDMENT!!!) and as such we are free to exercise those religious values wherever we see fit. Even in the voting booth.
2) It is ironic that they don’t want the state involved in religious matters since they seem to want the state involved in everything else. They want to state to “affirm their love.” They want the state to mandate teaching of homosexuality from K-12. They want the state to grant them benefits as they would a married couple. But all of a sudden it is separation of state and church. That being said, though the church backed Proposition 8, it never once forced anyone to work on the campaign or give money to it. All of that was done of the members own free will. Some members were even against Prop 8. I knew of one personally. Though even my most liberal ward members were backing the proposition. So each member was able to make up their own mind. They weren’t penalized if they didn’t participate. They weren’t denied temple recommends or have any of their callings stripped from them. It was a strictly voluntary and if the Mormon church raised the most money for Yes on 8, it is only because we believed in it so. When it comes down to it, they would deny us the right to believe what we want. As you can see, their answer is not to earn new rights but to strip the rights of Mormo
ns away. Along with the right of the 52% of Californians who voted for the Constitutional amendment.
3) Then there is that sign that says: Mormons: Once persecuted, now persecutors.” Hmmm, if that is the case why aren’t Mormons going to your places of worship and harassing you? So why aren’t we calling for a boycott of West Hollywood, San Francisco and other predominantly gay areas like you are doing with Los Angeles and Utah? If we are persecuting you, why are we not calling for any pro-gay church that contributed to No on 8 campaign to have their tax exempt status pulled, like you are doing with the church? It is not the Mormon Church that are doing the persecuting. However, I have no fear of the boycott in regards to the Church. So to the 52% who supported the amendment-let’s do a buycott! Whether you are Mormon or not, spend some time in beautiful Utah if you can. Go skiing, do some hiking, have some fun. Even if you are not a member, drop the church a line and let them know you appreciate everything they did to help pass Proposition 8. If we do that, their boycott won’t even register as a blip the Church’s radar. We are the fastest growing church in the world and there has to be a reason. And I can tell you why, liberalism has failed and people want the truth and that is found in our church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. May those who are persecuting the church now come to see the errors of their way and accept the Lord, Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Only then will they know true and everlasting happiness. Something homosexuality can never supply.
As I close this article, I do so with a heavy heart but also with untold joy. It is disheartening to see such vile hatred targeted at the Mormon Church. This church has done more for me than I could ever repay. They have given me purpose, respect, honor and love. I have been accepted without conditions, I have comforted when I needed comfort. I have been treated like a daughter of God and their beloved sister, so it is with great sadness that I must witness such obvious evil displayed for my church, my brethren, my sisters. However, there is also joy, for I have seen God work and he has brought to pass his eternal Plan of Salvation even in the midst of Babylon. Even with Satan’s army ready to take down God’s children, we passed Prop. 8-for that I have joy. I also know at the end of this trial, I shall be stronger. I shall be able to withstand anything and stand for God. I will be blessed and I know more people will learn about the Church and join. What Satan tried to use to destroy, God will use to restore! It won’t be the church that falls but those who seek to destroy Christ’s covenant people. We shall grow exponentially because of this, so thank you for bringing more to Christ. We couldn’t have done it without you.
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