The Facts:1. Mormons make up only 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 750,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 36 million.
2. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then out of a total of 5,661,583 yes votes, LDS voters made up 4.4% of the Yes vote and 2.3% of the total Proposition 8 vote (11,050,301).
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign (except for a nominal, and legal, in-kind donation of $2,078.97, to cover the travel expenses of leaders coming from Utah for a meeting). Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.
4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $36 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.
5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.
6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.
7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.
8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).
9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.
10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.
11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that Churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.
12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted. **Hang tight, folks. More info coming. I did not write these facts, a man named Kevin Hamilton did. I do not know him personally, just his name, but these facts are floating around the Internet, in e-mails and on blogs, like wildfire. So, I decided to research them (and tweak a few since I believe they were written before the final vote count). If the media wants to use these facts, they would need to contact Mr. Hamilton.Please also note Mr. Hamilton's disclaimer that accompanied the original text:"Any errors are mine and in no way reflect official Church policy or doctrine." I wholeheartedly agree. If you would like official church statements about anything regarding Proposition 8, please direct your inquiries to the LDS Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
SOURCES
1. http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/contact-us/usa-californiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_by_population
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008)
3. http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10842051
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008)
5. Here’s just a couple:Legalization of same-sex marriage threatens parental rights:Parker v. Hurleyhttp://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1815825713http://www.conservapedia.com/Parker_v._HurleyLegalization of same-sex marriage threatens religious freedoms:Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association v. Bernstein and Pesterhttp://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/sep/07091902.html
6. http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/individual/#CAI01
7. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/70-of-african-a.html
8. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/70-of-african-a.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#val=CAI01p1
9. http://www.protectmarriage.com/about/organizationhttp://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resource.php?n=282http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/5050/story?id=6137237&page=1http://www.forward.com/articles/14521/http://510report.org/2008/11/08/fremont-muslims-vote-for-prop-8/
10. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705260852,00.html
11. http://www.usconstitution.net/const.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state_in_the_United_States#cite_note-0http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/aprqtr/pdf/26cfr1.501(c)(3)-1.pdf
I got this from a facebook group and wanted to publish the facts.
~Emilie
Monday, November 10, 2008
Recent Happenings
My source is a reliable LDS sister on the mountain. I think it is worth the read. Sending you information on some of the happenings last night at the LA Temple. Ben Hansen, who is one of our Young Adults from our ward, was up there. Scary times.-----------------------------------As additional information for those who missed the news, Mormons have been targeted by the gay community in California as having been the main impetus behind the passing of Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage in the state. Although the population of the state voted on the passing of the constitutional amendment, I will proudly agree that most of footwork was carried out by us. It's funny that our opposition knows where the credit is due, but that's another topic for another day. In light of the gay community's frustration in the passing of the proposition, our temple came under attack. I was at the Los Angeles Temple assisting in the security efforts and it was quite an experience. Our temple is safe and no damage was done on the grounds. It was a sight I never expected to see. At one point we had let in about 20 police vehicles through the gates because they were afraid their vehicles would be damaged as civilian cars were being vandalized. I removed the Utah plates from my truck just so I could drive through the mess and park blocks away. My roommate and I traveled on foot after we had changed out of our dress shirts and ties so as not to be targeted.Two full squads of LAPD in riot gear set up their base inside the temple grounds while SWAT vehicles and hundreds of officers followed the crowds run up Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards. I've heard that the crowd was estimated to be over 2,500. When I arrived, all of the gates were shut and a small group of members had to remain outside the grounds as the direction was to turn away others who had come to assist. After about a half an hour two sister missionaries ran up the drive to the East gate. I would have made more jokes with them, asking them trivia questions to prove they were LDS before opening the gate, but they were obviously nervous and had left on their name tags as they wandered the streets. When the crowd turned back towards the temple from West Hollywood, we opened the gate to those members still outside so they would not be trapped in the crowd. The officers inside the temple grounds made a line on the front lawn by the fence. At one point, with 7 news and police helicopters overhead, the crowd began to climb the fence and it looked like there was going to be a lot of trouble. We had it seemed a good forth of a Polynesian ward there so it could have gotten very interesting very fast.With lines of motorcycle cops with sirens wailing up and down the street with the latest outbreak, helicopters continually circling with spotlights cutting through the sky, and the crowd roaring being led my megaphones shouting every synonym they could think of that went along with "evil"...it almost seemed like the very end was at hand. My dad called me every few minutes to give me updates from live news through the Internet because we did not have TVs and the police did not even seem to be informed on the movement of the crowd up and down the streets. I relayed these updates directly to the head of temple security so we could anticipate when to be ready. My friend and I joked about what would happen if we were caught in the middle of the crowd rushing up the lawn. We decided that because we were still single without much luck in finding wives, it might be to our advantage to go without a fight and die as a martyrs. If I remember correctly, that's a free ticket to the Celestial kingdom and I'm sure there's plenty of girls there to chose from without the dramas of dating.While I was there, I was not aware of anyone actually breaching the fence, but we were asked to move far across the parking lot as they were anticipating the need to shoot tear gas canisters. I never thought I would see the day when police officers would sit perched on the spire of our temple as lookouts. All of this happened at about 7:30 pm. It should be remembered that most likely many of the law enforcement were not in favor of our stance on Proposition 8, but nevertheless, the men and women were there doing their duty and protecting our property. For that we are grateful. And yes, there was an incident with some of our members who had gone to remove the protest signs from the front fence. One of the protesters did initiate physical contact with one of our sisters so the details are uncertain as to whether the response was fully justified. The lesson to be learned is that it's important to anticipate and avoid such confrontational situations. Remember the world is watching our reaction and the media is everywhere. In the end, when we keep our cool, the video footage speaks the truth regarding which side is really intolerant and appears hateful when we simply do not respond or do so in a loving and controlled manner.In all the commotion, I had the chance to sit alone by the side of one of the fountains and take in all that was happening. It may seem strange to say, but despite the adrenaline rushing in my blood ready for the next incident or next bit of news from my dad; I felt a tremendous peace. It came over me in a wave as I looked up at the spire topped with Angel Moroni. I can testify that I felt the presence of others protecting the temple tonight..those we could not physically see. I would even go as far to say that I felt the presence of someone personally related to me who was there for my safety. We were not alone. We were protected and our Father in Heaven is mindful of our efforts and willingness to withstand persecution. As I later read a quote from Brigham Young, it made more sense why this did not have to be a fearful experience- exciting yes, in a urgency sense, but very clarifying as we were able to glimpse into things as the really are, truth as is really exists, the adversary's war as it really is raging. I wish everyone of you reading this could have been there just to be reminded as I was how real this war is. The great sadness is that so many of our brothers and sisters are unknowing participants, manipulated and deceived by the grand schemer of it all. The issues may be presented as complex, but the adversary's agenda was as clear as day. Be prepared friends and family, it's bound to get much worse before it gets better, but take council from a prophet:"You that have not passed thro' the trials and persecutions, and drivings with this people from the beginning, but have only read them, or heard some of them related, may think how awful they were to endure, and wonder that the saints survived them at all.—The thought of it makes your heart sink within you, your brain reel, and your body tremble, and you are ready to exclaim, 'I could not have endured it.' I have been in the heat of it, and never felt better in all my life; I never felt the peace and power of the Almighty more copiously poured upon me than in the keenest part of our trials. They appeared nothing to me." ( Deseret News Weekly, 24 Aug. 1854, 83). (L. Aldin Porter, "'But We Heeded Them Not'," Ensign, Aug 1998, 6) -Brigham Young
PROPOSITION 8: A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THERE
There are typos! I just don't have time right now to go through and fix all of them.
PROPOSITION 8: A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THERE
I am going to attempt the impossible: I want to try todiscuss Proposition 8 in an honest, equitable manner.To demonstrate the divisiveness of the issue, let me firstpoint out that I could only call it "Proposition 8." If I'd called itby its original name, "Proposition 8: California Marriage ProtectionAct," you would think that I want you to vote "Yes on 8." Afterall, who wouldn't want to protect marriage? If I'd called it by its new name, asdetermined by California's attorney general and legislative analyst in July,"Proposition 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry," youwould think that I want you to vote "No on 8." After all, who wouldwant to eliminate someone's rights?And, to demonstrate how far-reaching its effects, I didn'teven need to call it "California' s Proposition 8." No matter wherethis email goes, to any of the 50 states that may have propositions up forvote, I'm confident people will know which state's "Proposition 8" I'm talkingabout.Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times describes the Proposition withpoetic imagery: "it is raging like a wind-whipped wildfire inCalifornia." More poetic still...from an article in Monday's SanFrancisco Chronicle:"Michelle Sundstrom and her husband gave $30,000 to theYes on 8 campaign and put a sign on their home. But in response, two womenparked an SUV in front of their home, with the words 'Bigots live here' paintedon the windshield. Sundstrom believes such responses must come from deep placesof pain-and that gays and lesbians are entitled to the same rights asheterosexuals, just not the word marriage. Any animosity toward gays or lesbians is wrong, shesaid."There must be such deep, deep, deep hurt; otherwisethere couldn't be so much opposition," she said. "They've livedwith this. I guess we're getting a taste of where they live."Wow. Perhaps all this craziness and hate-slinging isactually getting us somewhere. A heterosexual Mormon couple has a "Bigotslive here" sign parked in front of their house, and what's their response?"They've lived with this. I guess we're getting a taste of where theylive."And she didn't just say "deep hurt." She said"deep, deep, deep hurt." I know the depth of that pain. I grew up Mormonand gay back in the 1970s. That was when we were shunned, ridiculed, bruised,battered, and discriminated against by nearly everyone, religious or otherwise.We hid in the closets because it hurt too much to come out. People who did comeout were called perverts, child molesters, predators, queer, sick, you name it.For those of us who were Mormon, it was even worse. We were attracted to thesame sex, yet Mormon doctrine stated we were supposed to get married only to amember of the opposite sex. It is a direct conflict between the two strongest,most significant desires in life.When I was in college, I met a woman with whom I thought I'dspend the rest of my life. But after a couple of years, we broke up. That waswhen I had this feeling, an impression, to talk to my bishop. I had no idea whohe was because I hadn't gone to church in years.That bishop used the power of the priesthood in my behalf,just as the divine plan had been laid out. He met with me for almost threeyears as I struggled and faltered. Suicide was a very real threat. I feelblessed, or lucky, or both, not to be among the many who have already pulledthe trigger. I wasn't suicidal because of the Church's unwavering stance onmarriage, however. I hadn't been forced to believe, or guilted into it. I hadnot been brainwashed. My testimony came from the heart.In time, my spiritual identity began to gain strength overmy sexual identity. Iwas finally able to choose the right. But it was a troubling choice. I had nodesire, whatsoever, to spend a lifetime with a man - much less an eternity. Sothat left me with celibacy. To this day, sacrificing same-sex relationships isthe greatest sacrifice I have made.Years ago, a friendsaid: "The sacrifice of a loved one for an attempt to live righteouslycannot go unnoticed. The loss is real, the sadness is real, in a world where sofew things are real." Now, the loss and pain are being publicly recognizedby Church leaders. In a fireside for Latter-day Saints in California, ElderQuentin L. Cook said, "There are faithful temple-worthy members of theChurch who struggle with this great challenge, often in silence, fear, andgreat pain. Our hearts go out to these good brothers and sisters even as weuphold the divine truths the Lord has revealed about marriage."Back when I wasstruggling with same-sex attraction, I couldn't find any LDS resources thatdealt specifically with the issue. I'd insist, "The Church doesn'tunderstand. They don't even care enough to help." Finally I realized theChurch I was critizing was not just "they", it was also "I". Andperhaps "I" should quit complaining and start writing. So I did. Thetitle of my book sums it up: Born That Way? A True Story of Overcoming Same-SexAttraction. Few people were offering hope back then for people who wanted toovercome same-sex attraction. I felt compelled by the spirit to provide hopefor others with struggles similar to mine.The secular resourcesdid more harm than good. Back then, the only claims you heard from the"experts" were: "Sexual attractions are a permanent part of whoyou are. They're indelible, unchangeable, and unavoidable. " Fortunately,the "experts" are now realizing that, just like other aspects of who we are,sexual attractions are influenced by genetics, environment, upbringing,experiences - all of it. Nature and nurture are no longer pitted against eachother.I've had the uniqueopportunity to witness the journey of many people who struggle with same-sexattractions. In 1990, I volunteered as a phone counselor - originally referredthrough Evergreen, an organization established to help Mormons who face thistrial. Over the span of almost 20 years, I've seen some Latter-day Saints getmarried in the temple, and others work to remain celibate - either because theyhave not found a spouse yet, or because they have not developed attractionstoward the opposite sex. I also have friends, who once had very strongtestimonies, who tried desperately to bring their lives into accordance withgospel principles, but finally gave up. At least for now.THIS IS SO IMPORTANT:Some people, no matter what they do or how hard they try, will never findthemselves attracted to the opposite sex, in this life. They deserve our utmostrespect. So do those who identify as gay or straight or bisexual or none of theabove. They all deserve our respect.It's not difficult forme to understand how the body of the Church in California has become dividedover this issue. I have felt divided, too. Our family lived in California in2000, when the Defense of Marriage Act came up for vote the first time. Myhusband and I were sealed together for time and all eternity, and our childrenwere born under the new and everlasting covenant. We, as an eternal family,were and are the direct beneficiaries of the Church's unwavering stance onmarriage. What once created angst so severe I considered suicide has led me toa life I never thought possible. One in which I have been happily married - toa man - for 15 years.However, I know alltoo well what it's like to be discriminated against. "Eliminating" someoneelse's rights seems wrong. And up until this past week, it seemed to go againstmy sense of fairness, democracy and justice as a citizen of the United States.It also seemed to run contrary to the core of my faith - the second greatestcommandment - to love one another.Despite my apprehensions in 2000, my husband and I acted infaith and supported Proposition 22 because the prophet asked us to. I hate toadmit this, but it wasn't until this week that I was finally able to reconcilethe opposing viewpoints I continued to debate with myself. I finally realizedwhy the leaders of the Mormon Church have been taking such an active role inall this. It happened when I read a National Public Radio report entitled "WhenGay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash". It says, "In recent years, somestates have passed laws giving residents the right to same-sex unions invarious forms. Gay couples may marry in Massachusetts and California. There arecivil unions and domestic partnerships in Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, NewHampshire and Oregon."I was astonished when I read: "So far, the religious groupsare losing." They listed examples such as Catholic Charities in Massachusetts.They had to pull out of the adoption business because they refused to adopt tosame-sex couples. Even individuals' religious rights are being revoked. A womandeclined to photograph a same-sex couple's commitment ceremony, saying herChristian beliefs prevented her from sanctioning same-sex unions. She was foundguilty of discrimination.When I read that article, it was like a light bulb went on.More importantly, I also felt a spiritual confirmation that the prophet trulyis prophetic. Here is the impression that came to me as I read:It's not that the Mormon Church is trying to get intopolitics. It's that politics is trying to get into the Church. And not just our church. Any churchor congregation or individual who believes that only a marriage between a manand a woman is ordained of God.I'm sorry I couldn't see what the prophet could see-untilthis week. I'm sorry I'm not sending this letter out till now. And I'm sorryfor my apathy - for being "lukewarm". Why, just last week I thought it was onlya matter of time before same-sex marriages became legal everywhere. How wrong Iwas.Yes, we're behind in the polls. Yes, it's the Friday beforeElection Day. So PLEASE, email this letter to anyone and everyone you thinkcould benefit from it - as quickly as possible!Unfortunately, someone has to lose with Proposition 8.Somebody's right to something will be limited at the end of the day on Tuesday.I, for one, do not want it to be my right to worship as I please.Sincerely,Erin EldridgeP.S. For those who would like to respond to this letter -whether in anger or frustration or support - I will do my best to respond toevery email I receive. But please, be patient. All our kids are still at homeand I work part time. Email riverwalk8@gmail. com.
PROPOSITION 8: A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN THERE
I am going to attempt the impossible: I want to try todiscuss Proposition 8 in an honest, equitable manner.To demonstrate the divisiveness of the issue, let me firstpoint out that I could only call it "Proposition 8." If I'd called itby its original name, "Proposition 8: California Marriage ProtectionAct," you would think that I want you to vote "Yes on 8." Afterall, who wouldn't want to protect marriage? If I'd called it by its new name, asdetermined by California's attorney general and legislative analyst in July,"Proposition 8: Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry," youwould think that I want you to vote "No on 8." After all, who wouldwant to eliminate someone's rights?And, to demonstrate how far-reaching its effects, I didn'teven need to call it "California' s Proposition 8." No matter wherethis email goes, to any of the 50 states that may have propositions up forvote, I'm confident people will know which state's "Proposition 8" I'm talkingabout.Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times describes the Proposition withpoetic imagery: "it is raging like a wind-whipped wildfire inCalifornia." More poetic still...from an article in Monday's SanFrancisco Chronicle:"Michelle Sundstrom and her husband gave $30,000 to theYes on 8 campaign and put a sign on their home. But in response, two womenparked an SUV in front of their home, with the words 'Bigots live here' paintedon the windshield. Sundstrom believes such responses must come from deep placesof pain-and that gays and lesbians are entitled to the same rights asheterosexuals, just not the word marriage. Any animosity toward gays or lesbians is wrong, shesaid."There must be such deep, deep, deep hurt; otherwisethere couldn't be so much opposition," she said. "They've livedwith this. I guess we're getting a taste of where they live."Wow. Perhaps all this craziness and hate-slinging isactually getting us somewhere. A heterosexual Mormon couple has a "Bigotslive here" sign parked in front of their house, and what's their response?"They've lived with this. I guess we're getting a taste of where theylive."And she didn't just say "deep hurt." She said"deep, deep, deep hurt." I know the depth of that pain. I grew up Mormonand gay back in the 1970s. That was when we were shunned, ridiculed, bruised,battered, and discriminated against by nearly everyone, religious or otherwise.We hid in the closets because it hurt too much to come out. People who did comeout were called perverts, child molesters, predators, queer, sick, you name it.For those of us who were Mormon, it was even worse. We were attracted to thesame sex, yet Mormon doctrine stated we were supposed to get married only to amember of the opposite sex. It is a direct conflict between the two strongest,most significant desires in life.When I was in college, I met a woman with whom I thought I'dspend the rest of my life. But after a couple of years, we broke up. That waswhen I had this feeling, an impression, to talk to my bishop. I had no idea whohe was because I hadn't gone to church in years.That bishop used the power of the priesthood in my behalf,just as the divine plan had been laid out. He met with me for almost threeyears as I struggled and faltered. Suicide was a very real threat. I feelblessed, or lucky, or both, not to be among the many who have already pulledthe trigger. I wasn't suicidal because of the Church's unwavering stance onmarriage, however. I hadn't been forced to believe, or guilted into it. I hadnot been brainwashed. My testimony came from the heart.In time, my spiritual identity began to gain strength overmy sexual identity. Iwas finally able to choose the right. But it was a troubling choice. I had nodesire, whatsoever, to spend a lifetime with a man - much less an eternity. Sothat left me with celibacy. To this day, sacrificing same-sex relationships isthe greatest sacrifice I have made.Years ago, a friendsaid: "The sacrifice of a loved one for an attempt to live righteouslycannot go unnoticed. The loss is real, the sadness is real, in a world where sofew things are real." Now, the loss and pain are being publicly recognizedby Church leaders. In a fireside for Latter-day Saints in California, ElderQuentin L. Cook said, "There are faithful temple-worthy members of theChurch who struggle with this great challenge, often in silence, fear, andgreat pain. Our hearts go out to these good brothers and sisters even as weuphold the divine truths the Lord has revealed about marriage."Back when I wasstruggling with same-sex attraction, I couldn't find any LDS resources thatdealt specifically with the issue. I'd insist, "The Church doesn'tunderstand. They don't even care enough to help." Finally I realized theChurch I was critizing was not just "they", it was also "I". Andperhaps "I" should quit complaining and start writing. So I did. Thetitle of my book sums it up: Born That Way? A True Story of Overcoming Same-SexAttraction. Few people were offering hope back then for people who wanted toovercome same-sex attraction. I felt compelled by the spirit to provide hopefor others with struggles similar to mine.The secular resourcesdid more harm than good. Back then, the only claims you heard from the"experts" were: "Sexual attractions are a permanent part of whoyou are. They're indelible, unchangeable, and unavoidable. " Fortunately,the "experts" are now realizing that, just like other aspects of who we are,sexual attractions are influenced by genetics, environment, upbringing,experiences - all of it. Nature and nurture are no longer pitted against eachother.I've had the uniqueopportunity to witness the journey of many people who struggle with same-sexattractions. In 1990, I volunteered as a phone counselor - originally referredthrough Evergreen, an organization established to help Mormons who face thistrial. Over the span of almost 20 years, I've seen some Latter-day Saints getmarried in the temple, and others work to remain celibate - either because theyhave not found a spouse yet, or because they have not developed attractionstoward the opposite sex. I also have friends, who once had very strongtestimonies, who tried desperately to bring their lives into accordance withgospel principles, but finally gave up. At least for now.THIS IS SO IMPORTANT:Some people, no matter what they do or how hard they try, will never findthemselves attracted to the opposite sex, in this life. They deserve our utmostrespect. So do those who identify as gay or straight or bisexual or none of theabove. They all deserve our respect.It's not difficult forme to understand how the body of the Church in California has become dividedover this issue. I have felt divided, too. Our family lived in California in2000, when the Defense of Marriage Act came up for vote the first time. Myhusband and I were sealed together for time and all eternity, and our childrenwere born under the new and everlasting covenant. We, as an eternal family,were and are the direct beneficiaries of the Church's unwavering stance onmarriage. What once created angst so severe I considered suicide has led me toa life I never thought possible. One in which I have been happily married - toa man - for 15 years.However, I know alltoo well what it's like to be discriminated against. "Eliminating" someoneelse's rights seems wrong. And up until this past week, it seemed to go againstmy sense of fairness, democracy and justice as a citizen of the United States.It also seemed to run contrary to the core of my faith - the second greatestcommandment - to love one another.Despite my apprehensions in 2000, my husband and I acted infaith and supported Proposition 22 because the prophet asked us to. I hate toadmit this, but it wasn't until this week that I was finally able to reconcilethe opposing viewpoints I continued to debate with myself. I finally realizedwhy the leaders of the Mormon Church have been taking such an active role inall this. It happened when I read a National Public Radio report entitled "WhenGay Rights and Religious Liberties Clash". It says, "In recent years, somestates have passed laws giving residents the right to same-sex unions invarious forms. Gay couples may marry in Massachusetts and California. There arecivil unions and domestic partnerships in Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, NewHampshire and Oregon."I was astonished when I read: "So far, the religious groupsare losing." They listed examples such as Catholic Charities in Massachusetts.They had to pull out of the adoption business because they refused to adopt tosame-sex couples. Even individuals' religious rights are being revoked. A womandeclined to photograph a same-sex couple's commitment ceremony, saying herChristian beliefs prevented her from sanctioning same-sex unions. She was foundguilty of discrimination.When I read that article, it was like a light bulb went on.More importantly, I also felt a spiritual confirmation that the prophet trulyis prophetic. Here is the impression that came to me as I read:It's not that the Mormon Church is trying to get intopolitics. It's that politics is trying to get into the Church. And not just our church. Any churchor congregation or individual who believes that only a marriage between a manand a woman is ordained of God.I'm sorry I couldn't see what the prophet could see-untilthis week. I'm sorry I'm not sending this letter out till now. And I'm sorryfor my apathy - for being "lukewarm". Why, just last week I thought it was onlya matter of time before same-sex marriages became legal everywhere. How wrong Iwas.Yes, we're behind in the polls. Yes, it's the Friday beforeElection Day. So PLEASE, email this letter to anyone and everyone you thinkcould benefit from it - as quickly as possible!Unfortunately, someone has to lose with Proposition 8.Somebody's right to something will be limited at the end of the day on Tuesday.I, for one, do not want it to be my right to worship as I please.Sincerely,Erin EldridgeP.S. For those who would like to respond to this letter -whether in anger or frustration or support - I will do my best to respond toevery email I receive. But please, be patient. All our kids are still at homeand I work part time. Email riverwalk8@gmail. com.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
My Own Tender Mercy
This morning I woke up and thought through my day. I need to get my car registered, go to work, get caught up on my math homework, do my art project that is due tomorrow, get ready for the day, go to class, have a meeting with the Women's Chorus staff and then go to institute tonight. I said my prayers, and checked my email.
While I was on the internet, my friend Nicki asked if I could give her a ride to work. No problem! I looked for my keys in my backpack, where I ALWAYS put them. NO keys! Hmm... I checked all my coat pockets. NO keys! I cleaned my room. I cleaned the bathroom. I looked in my car. I looked in the kitchen, living room and even called Caitie and asked her to look in her coat. NO keys!! By this time I was starting to get worried. If I couldn't find them, I couldn't get my car registered, I couldn't go to institute, I wouldn't be able to drive my car! (I definitely need a spare key for my car)
I then smiled. I have had this happen before. I got down on my knees and prayed a very heartfelt prayer. I told Heavenly Father I was sorry I didn't think to pray for so long. I thanked Him for listening to my prayers all the time and told Him how much I love Him. I then asked if He could help me remember where I put my keys. I closed the prayer and sat down. I then remembered that the last time I had used my keys, I had placed them on the couch in the living room. I went to the living room and looked in the cushions on the couch. There were my keys. What a blessing! He just wanted me to sit down and talk to Him. I am so grateful for that. And I am so grateful for tender mercies in my life.
While I was on the internet, my friend Nicki asked if I could give her a ride to work. No problem! I looked for my keys in my backpack, where I ALWAYS put them. NO keys! Hmm... I checked all my coat pockets. NO keys! I cleaned my room. I cleaned the bathroom. I looked in my car. I looked in the kitchen, living room and even called Caitie and asked her to look in her coat. NO keys!! By this time I was starting to get worried. If I couldn't find them, I couldn't get my car registered, I couldn't go to institute, I wouldn't be able to drive my car! (I definitely need a spare key for my car)
I then smiled. I have had this happen before. I got down on my knees and prayed a very heartfelt prayer. I told Heavenly Father I was sorry I didn't think to pray for so long. I thanked Him for listening to my prayers all the time and told Him how much I love Him. I then asked if He could help me remember where I put my keys. I closed the prayer and sat down. I then remembered that the last time I had used my keys, I had placed them on the couch in the living room. I went to the living room and looked in the cushions on the couch. There were my keys. What a blessing! He just wanted me to sit down and talk to Him. I am so grateful for that. And I am so grateful for tender mercies in my life.
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