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Legislating Immorality
National Review Online ^ | Editors - NRO

Posted on 11/25/2008 8:28:11 PM PST by JustTheTruth

Last week in a Denver suburb, someone lit a Book of Mormon on fire and dropped it on the doorstep of a Mormon temple, presumably as a statement about the church’s support of Proposition 8 in California, an initiative that amended the state constitution to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In a move that may make gay-rights supporters’ heads spin, the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

The outbreak of attacks on the Mormon church since the passage of Proposition 8 has been chilling: envelopes full of suspicious white powder were sent to church headquarters in Salt Lake City; protesters showed up en masse to intimidate Mormon small-business owners who supported the measure; a website was created to identify and shame members of the church who backed it; activists are targeting the relatives of prominent Mormons who gave money to pass it, as well as other Mormons who are only tangentially associated with the cause; some have even called for a boycott of the entire state of Utah.

The wisdom of hate-crimes legislation aside, there is no doubt that a lot of hate is being directed at Mormons as a group. But why single out Mormons? And why now?

Dozens of church bodies — including the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Christian bishops of California, and a wide variety of evangelicals — supported the proposition. It’s also worth considering that, while gay-rights advocates cannot discuss same-sex marriage for more than 30 seconds without making faulty analogies to Jim Crow-era anti-miscegenation laws, some 70 percent of blacks voted for Proposition 8. While there have been a few ugly racist statements by gay-rights supporters, such vile sentiment has been restricted. Not so the hatred directed at Mormons, who are convenient targets.

To date, 30 states have voted on initiatives addressing same-sex marriage, and in every state traditional marriage has come out on top. But somehow the fact that Mormons got involved during the latest statewide referendum constitutes a bridge too far? In truth, Mormons are a target of convenience in the opening salvo of what is sure to be a full-scale assault on much of America’s religious infrastructure, which gay activists perceive as a barrier to their aspirations. Among religious groups, Mormons are not the biggest obstacle to same-sex marriage — not by a long shot. But they are an easy target. Anti-Mormon bigotry is unfortunately common, and gay-rights activists are cynically exploiting that fact.

There are no websites dedicated to “outing” Catholics who supported Proposition 8, even though Catholic voters heavily outnumber Mormons. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not remarkably strident in its beliefs on the subject. So far, no gay-rights activist has had the brass to burn a Qu’ran on the doorstep of a militant mosque where — forget marriage! — imams advocate the stoning of homosexuals.

Churches oppose same-sex marriage in part because it represents an implicit threat to freedom of conscience and belief. California already had one of the broadest civil-unions laws in the country. There was little in the way of government-sanctioned privileges that a state-issued marriage license would confer. But the drive for same-sex marriage is in practice about legislating moral conformity — demanding that everybody recognize homosexual relationships in the same way, regardless of their own beliefs.

Freedom of conscience, or diversity of belief, is the last thing the homosexual lobby will tolerate: In New Mexico, a state civil-rights commission fined an evangelical wedding photographer $6,637 for politely declining to photograph a gay commitment ceremony. In California, the state Supreme Court ruled unanimously against two San Diego fertility doctors who refused to give in-vitro fertilization to a lesbian owing to their religious beliefs, even though they had referred her to another doctor. And just this week, evangelical dating site eHarmony, which hadn’t previously provided same-sex matchmaking services, announced it had been browbeaten into doing so by New Jersey’s Division on Civil Rights and the threat of litigation. The first 10,000 same-sex eHarmony registrants will receive a free six-month subscription. “That’s one of the things I asked for,” crowed Eric McKinley, who brought the charges against eHarmony.

Where do they go from here? Gay activists are already using the legal system to try to revoke the tax-exempt status of the Mormon church. If you believe that churches and synagogues, priests and rabbis won’t eventually be sued for their statements on sexuality, you’re kidding yourself. Chai Feldblum, a Georgetown University law professor and gay activist who helps draft federal legislation related to sexual orientation, says that, when religious liberty conflicts with gay rights, “I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.” A National Public Radio report on the conflict noted that if previous cases are any guide, “the outlook is grim for religious groups.”

Given their cavalier disregard for the freedom of conscience, it’s little surprise that the gay lobby is equally disdainful of democracy: They began pursuing legal challenges to Proposition 8 practically before they were done tallying the votes. Lamentably, the state attorney general defending the will of the people will be former Jerry Brown, the liberal former governor who was an open opponent of the measure and tried to sabotage it. The legal challenges will be heard by the same state Supreme Court that overturned California’s previous law forbidding gay marriage back in May. There’s a real possibility the will of the people will be spurned a second time, democracy be damned. They’ve already burned the Book of Mormon. The First Amendment is next.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: California
KEYWORDS: ca2008; gayhate; homosexualagenda; moralabsolutes; prop8
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To: fwdude
I was sickened that he mandated homo-marriage

It isn't called "homo-marriage" it is called a "fudge-pact"

21 posted on 11/26/2008 5:04:48 AM PST by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit (Bomb Liechtenstein!)
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To: JustTheTruth

The gays are the new nazis and the Mormons the new jews.


22 posted on 11/26/2008 5:09:38 AM PST by KosmicKitty (WARNING: Hormonally crazed woman ahead!!)
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To: Elsie

I’m not sure I get the gist of your argument here (but then it’s 0530 where I am and my brain may not have kicked it. But if you are equating Mormonism and homosexuality, I reject your equation. However you might disagree with its tenets, Mormonism is life-affirming and a positive influence in the lives of its adherents and society at large. Homosexuality is life-destroying and a negative influence in the lives of its adherents and society at large. If you are implying that Prop 8 is harmless, well, there are probably a thousand threads at this site to refute that argument.


23 posted on 11/26/2008 5:37:05 AM PST by caseinpoint (Don't get thickly involved in thin things)
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To: JustTheTruth

“The words of Ignatius of Antioch, the early bishop and martyr, are worth remembering. He said, ‘Our task is not one of producing persuasive propaganda. Christianity shows its greatness when it is hated by the world.’” Charles Chaput, Render Unto Caesar.


24 posted on 11/26/2008 5:48:34 AM PST by bboop (obama, little o, not a Real God)
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To: pankot

I recall Obama’s repition of the phrase, “I feel a righteous wind behind us...” just before the election. The only righteous wind his term is ushering in, is one of judgment—and that’s a wind to be feared.


25 posted on 11/26/2008 7:47:31 AM PST by AnalogReigns
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To: Frantzie

“Mormons are good people and they have been treated horribly. Mitt was constantly harrassed for being a Mormon. Sickening.”

Thank you. We Mormons sure took a lot of abuse even right here on this site. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

In a way, it is very telling that the anti Mormons and the anti Prop 8 people find themselves in bed with each other. Very telling.


26 posted on 11/26/2008 8:35:07 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Tzimisce

When you consider what a small group we (Mormons) are in California, it is very interesting that the gay community targets us. Very interesting.


27 posted on 11/26/2008 8:37:12 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: goldstategop

It wasn’t about winning, it was about taking a stand.

Please note: Have you heard of one politician (for example, Harry Reid) condemning the violence and hatred perpetrated against Mormons? I have not. By the way, Harry Reid is a MINO (Mormon in Name Only) but he should still condemn the violence against Mormons. And yes it is a hate crime.


28 posted on 11/26/2008 8:40:17 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi

“The three of us agreed that we are in the beginning of a new dark age and these attacks are a sign of it.”

I’m there with you.


29 posted on 11/26/2008 8:41:45 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: JustTheTruth

They are going to keep pushing, without considering the long-term consequences.

Eventually, someone’s going to start pushing back.


30 posted on 11/26/2008 8:42:18 AM PST by B Knotts (ConservatismCentral.com)
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To: fwdude

The courts in Massachusetts and in California MANDATED gay marriage - Mitt Romney did not. A governor of a state has to abide by the court. (Duh.)

(Here come the anti’s.)


31 posted on 11/26/2008 8:45:08 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: caseinpoint

The anti Prop 8 and the anti Mormons are in bed with each other. Hating Mormons is what they do.


32 posted on 11/26/2008 8:47:01 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: Saundra Duffy

Yeah it is really sickening and I am not Mormon. Many people here do not like Mitt due to liberal stances as gov of MA. They have a point. I like Mitt and was a huge for Tom Tancredo and Tom threw his support to Mitt.

The MSM media were far worse making an issue of Mitt being a Mormon. It was incredible bigotry. MSM creating rifts with Mitt and Evangelicals. I think the MSM realized Mitt probably could have won. he was almost public enemy #1 for the MSM. I think Fred as Pres and Mitt as VP would have been a great team.

I almost wish Mitt would run for Gov of MI because if he could turn that disaster around - he could walk on water (pardon the religious analogy).


33 posted on 11/26/2008 9:23:03 AM PST by Frantzie
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To: Frantzie

“The MSM media were far worse making an issue of Mitt being a Mormon. It was incredible bigotry. “

Agree. But what really hurt was that this very site was used as a platform for anti Mormon, anti Mitt vitriol. I never dreamed it could happen. I have been posting since 1998 and was involved in every heavy battle. Yep, it hurt a lot when anti Mormons were allowed to infest this place with their lies and hatred. It should have been a clue when the anti’s teamed up with the MSM. Hello!

Anyway, thank you for your thoughtfulness.


34 posted on 11/26/2008 10:33:07 AM PST by Saundra Duffy (For victory & freedom!!!)
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To: caseinpoint
I’m not sure I get the gist of your argument here...

It's along the lines of...

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72ykDjgaL1c

35 posted on 11/26/2008 10:44:47 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: AnalogReigns
I recall Obama’s repition of the phrase, “I feel a righteous wind behind us...” just before the election.

If there is a wind behind me; dogs yelp and canaries fall!

36 posted on 11/26/2008 10:45:53 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Saundra Duffy
Very telling.

WHAT does it TELL; IYHO?

37 posted on 11/26/2008 10:46:38 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Saundra Duffy
(Here come the anti’s.)

What kinda bait you usin' today?

38 posted on 11/26/2008 10:47:39 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Saundra Duffy
Hating Mormons is what they do.

Oh... THAT same ol' kind.

Havin' any luck?

39 posted on 11/26/2008 10:48:33 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Saundra Duffy
Yep, it hurt a lot when anti Mormons were allowed to infest this place with their lies and hatred. But their love and TRUTH was really upset us!

--MormonDude(I just LOVE them Gentiles - too bad they are all going to hell.)

40 posted on 11/26/2008 10:50:05 AM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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