I find it interesting that the Mormon Church went to great lengths to not only openly support the passage of Proposition 8, but financed an advertising campaign urging voters to support it which included messages to voters, believe it or not, such as if gay marriage is permitted, kindergärtners are likely to be educated on gay sex acts. The ads were filled with lies and deceptions, particularly at the last minute, and opponents did not have adequate time to respond.
From Alternet News: Why the Prop 8 Gay Marriage Ban Won
From the Deseret News – LDS official lauds work for California’s Prop. 8-Elder Clayton says leaders ‘grateful for the sacrifice’
Elder L. Whitney Clayton, a member of the church’s Presidency of the Seventy who helped lead the church’s support for Proposition 8, told reporters during a press conference Wednesday that he doesn’t have a total for how much money was donated by Latter-day Saints. He did say it was "considerable and generous" and that church leaders are "grateful for the sacrifice" made by members who participated in the campaign.
Yet when it comes to other "moral" issues (the LDS church’s defense on Prop 8 is that it is a "moral" issue) such as the act of killing in war, and in particular the illegal war and occupation of Iraq, the LDS church remains silent.
I cannot find any declaration or statement against the Iraq War from the LDS church. So why, then, is it permissable to remain silent on killing and the violation of human rights by the U.S. and other countries in war and occupation, while supporting efforts to violate human rights on other issues? Could it be that the LDS church has hidden financial benefits to profits from war?
And now, thanks to this campaign to violate the rights of human beings in America, Utah faces a boycott of its tourist industry which will affect citizens adversely.
And shame on other religious communities for marching in step with the LDS church.
The LDS church has overstepped its stance on "moral" issues by bringing this issue into the political arena – an issue that should remain out of politics- thereby violating the principle of separation of church and state. By virtue of its support on the gay marriage issue in the realm of politics, it has demonstrated to the world that an institution’s values can be imposed on a population of people with the right amount of money to influence how people should vote throught the pscyhological impacts of advertising.
Dee's 'Dotes~Anecdotes of a Green Activist 
They do not deserve tax free status.
Good point about the war too.
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Of course the church doesn’t want to be held accountable for their actions and is doing everything to frame any condemnation of the LDS church for their actions as religious persecution. In response to demonstrations the church is stating that the LDS church is being “singled out for speaking up as part of its democratic right in a free election”. While this is true, the fact that the LDS church was responsible for 22 million dollars and 77% of the total Yes on Prop 8 contributions (according to Californian Against Hate) makes them an obvious and fair target. Demonstrators are simply exercising their freedom of speech and assembly which just as much a part of the democratic process as voting. This will stick to the LDS church for along time. They might as well get used to it.
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