All right. Yes. The world, the nation, the state of California is fraught with the passing of Proposition 8. Have you heard about it? That little anti-anti-discrimination proposition that amends the constitution of California to ban marriage between same-sex partners? That little amendment that won by a narrow majority? That one? Yes. Of course you've heard about it.

We've all heard about it.

Some of us, some of me, have been involved in working against Prop 8 (before the election) and since November 4 have been protesting the passing of the proposition. My personal feelings about the heteronormativity of marriage aside, my sense of morality and justice is deeply affronted by this obstruction of civil liberty. I'm also a bit outraged that this bill was passed as an amendment (requiring a simple majority) rather than a revision to the California constitution on what basically counts as a technicality. The latent bigotry and homophobia that created and endorsed Prop 8 disgusts me.

The proposition is also rather un-Christian. I'm not religious, though I have studied religion, and I'm not going to get into any Bible-thumping or quotes from Deuteronomy or Leviticus that "proves" that God hates the gays because I could come right back with citations about David's love for Benjamin in the Old Testament, or John, the "apostle Christ loved" in the New Testament, not to mention a fair amount of homoerotica throughout the entire Christian biblical text. And what would that prove? Semantics, my friends. Semantics. Western civilization has already seen a number of once-mandated Biblical law slip to the wayside, become socially and even morally acceptable as our culture grew more and more liberal and more and more progressive. (Remember when you couldn't get a divorce without special permission from Church officials?) Let's not throw Bible verses at each other, friends. Let's think, though, what it means to be Christian. For many Christians of all denominations, Christianity is a faith of love and humility, a religion that asks its faithful to reserve judgment, to look inward on one's own sins. It's the religion of turning the other cheek. It's one of the many religions of the Golden Rule.

Here's the thing: many Christians, including Mormons, feel that discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual identity is inherently wrong. These Christians were and are against Proposition 8.

So maybe you can imagine what it might be like to see fellow No-on-Prop-8 peeps protesting outside your place of worship, holding up signs that mock your church's history, signs that are downright hateful. It's the direct collision of social morality and religious morality in opposition to each other. It's an especially confusing, depressing, and claustrophobically narrow view of morality for those who do not differentiate between the two and who believe that anti-gay discrimination is wrong.

Listen, I hope I'm not implying that No-on-Prop-8 protesters are the sole cause of this confusion. It's equally disheartening to hear bombastic, hateful sermons from leaders in whom you've put your faith and trust. But you know? The queer community, we're an inclusive bunch. The very acronym LGBTQ implies a broad, expansive, and accepting notion of sexuality and sexual orientation. What I'm trying to get at is this: why are we focusing on protesting against churches? Why are we targeting Mormons? Why are we purposely setting up a near-impossible decision for religious Christians? Why are we asking them to choose between their church and gay rights? Why aren't we meeting with pro-gay rights church leaders from all denominations? Why aren't we networking with gay rights advocates and religious leaders to present a religiously tolerant attitude toward protest against Prop 8? Why aren't we assembling outside of state buildings and courthouses? Why aren't we holding candle-lit vigils inside churches and temples? Why aren't we bombarding our congressmen with letters and emails? Why are we pointing fingers of blame instead of including as many people as we can in protest against the passing of this proposition?

I know why Mormons are being targeted, of course, and I understand the ultimate irony of the whole business (Mormons having to create their own state, originally, in order to marry freely). But I do not see how accusing Mormons of bigotry will do anything to advance our cause.