Why LDS Support of Prop 8 was Both Illegal and Immoral

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:05:26 -0400

Today California’s Supreme Court announced that they will uphold Proposition 8. Can you imagine such legislation coming up for a vote and being upheld if it were pertaining to any other "minority" group? Can you imagine a ballot initiative calling into question whether people with disabilities could marry, or people of any specific ethnic “minority,” or people of certain religious affiliations? Can you imagine, just for example, a ballot initiative denying Mormons the right to marry? It would be unthinkable. It would be laughable. And if, in some bizarre manifestation of latent discrimination, prejudice, and injustice, such a referendum did make it onto a state ballot, it would undoubtedly fail, and miserably.

Speaking of Mormonism, I was astonished and amazed at the vehemence with which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints supported Proposition 8. Not only was their support of the measure narrow-minded, intolerant, and immoral, it was, in fact, illegal. As a 501(c)3 organization, exempt from paying state and federal taxes, they are required to abstain from participating in political affairs. The law states that not-for-profits cannot “participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” And just in case someone might argue that a ballot initiative isn’t necessarily a “poliltical campaign,” the law also prohibits non-profits, such as the LDS Church, from “carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation.”

I am amazed that the language of this law is so clear and straight-forward and that the Mormon Church so blatantly and unapologetically violated it. In a letter boldly posted on the Church’s own website, distributed to its leaders, and read by thousands of bishops over the pulpit on June 29, 2008, LDS officials state that “A broad-based coalition of churches and other organizations placed the proposed amendment on the ballot. The Church will participate with this coalition in seeking its passage. Local Church leaders will provide information about how you may become involved in this important cause. We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman.”

One morning in November, shortly after Proposition 8 passed, I was having coffee with a group of friends. “Why does the Mormon Church think that they can get away with such blatant violations of the 501(c)3 laws?” I asked. An older woman at our table looked up and replied sadly, “Because they can.” Apparently, she’s right. For decades the LDS Church has gotten away with mixing church and state (especially in Utah) and supporting political agendas with impunity. In a just world, the Mormon Church would pay the consequences, which would include having their 501(c)3 tax-exempt status revoked, at the very least. (Several lawsuits have now been filed to that end, but in my view, an unholy alliance between Priesthood-Powers-that-Be and Political-Powers-that-Be will most likely ensure that the LDS Church remains above the law and exempt from the legal consequences of breaking it.)

But not all of the battles in this war are being waged in courtrooms, and in the arena of public opinion, the LDS Church has suffered grave losses. Hundreds (if not thousands) of members have already left the Mormon Church to protest its support of what has become known as “Proposition Hate.” Hundreds of these newly-ex members have published their letters of resignation on the website SigningforSomething.org. 86% of people who visited the site and responded to a survey posted there said that the organization’s outspoken support of Proposition 8 has negatively affected their view of the LDS Church.

SigningForSomething.org was initially created only as a tool for dissenting LDS Church members to coordinate their efforts against the measure and voice their support for the LGBT community. The man brave enough to claim ownership of the domain name is Andrew Callahan, who dared to believe that his life-long membership in and devout loyalty to the LDS Church would shield him from their retribution. He was wrong. Despite that fact that he is a High Priest, and has held numerous other prestigious callings in the Mormon Priesthood (such as Bishop’s First Counselor, Counselor in the Stake Mission Presidency, Elder’s Quorum President, and Sunday School President, among others) Brother Callahan is now being threatened by LDS Church leaders with excommunication.

Ironically, the LDS Church’s prophet himself, Joseph Smith, preached separation of church and state, and LDS scripture states very plainly that “We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.” (Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 134:9)

Shame on the LDS Church for supporting Prop 8, and shame on the California Supreme Court for upholding it!

KT Rush's Open Salon Blog

Why LDS Support of Prop 8 was Both Illegal and Immoral