The reality of life, is that maybe one person will see this letter, because it doesn’t agree with what you are spouting here, it won’t make it to the “Church Headquarters.” I am not gay, but I support gay marriage. It seems to me that a church telling it’s members that they must vote a certain way in order to be a good church member takes away a fundamental that God gave us, free will. Now for a church to take a public stand is one thing but to force your members to do the same is morally wrong. I could go over the REAL facts of Prop 8, but I know that they will go in one ear and out the other, I know that the church isn’t going to change their mind, but intolerance for a group who is simply trying to practice what they believe in, is wrong and I think that the church was run out of several states because people didn’t agree with them. It wasn’t that long ago that African Americans weren’t treated equally in your church, will it be the same with Homosexuals? If by chance this letter does make it onto the website or into somebody’s hands, please, just check out noonprop8.com go into with an open mind and at least hear the other side of the story, don’t just blindly follow your church leaders, open your eyes, and choose your own path, if it’s the same one then that’s fine, but at least make an informed choice.

Please spread the word!

= EQUALITY ROCKS !!!

Unite for an evening of LOVE and ACCEPTANCE,
Music and Support for our Gay and Lesbian community

WHAT: Candlelight Gathering

WHEN: Sunday Nov 2, 6:00 pm

WHERE: Vernon Worthen Park
300 S 400 E - St George or
Salt Lake City Library Plaza 200 E 300 S

Want to feel like you’re making a difference……then make one!

NEWS RELEASE, OCTOBER 30, 2008

As the LDS Church attempts to exclude gay people from the right to marry, a group of Mormon mothers are stepping forward in support of their gay children and the larger gay community.



At the mothers’ urging, PFLAG, Equality Utah, the Pride Center, the Inclusion Center, Affirmation, and the Human Rights Campaign have joined together and scheduled a candlelight gathering for all supporters of homosexual friends and neighbors this Sunday evening, November 2nd, 6:00 p.m. at the Vernon Worthen Park in St George. This is in conjunction with an event in the Salt Lake City Library plaza at 6:00 p.m.



The gathering is open to the general public, gay, straight, Mormon and non-Mormon alike and is intended to be a positive pro-community show of support, love and inclusion.
There will be a short program featuring Mormon mothers. Candles will be provided for everyone following the program and there will be a candlelight procession around the city block of the park. 



This event is free. Everyone sympathetic to gay civil rights is encouraged to attend. The sponsoring groups foster equality for all people.

Contact Linda Stay 435-674-0994

While I disagree with your position of the particular issue, I support your right to speak out on it, and I am in agreement with you regarding the Mormon Church’s leadership being in it for themselves. While all organizations, and religious ones in particular, have this to some extent, the Mormons are somewhat of a cult by definition, and being able to excommunicate is a key factor of being a cult. What I really wanted to say to you is, that it is the second mouse that gets the cheese. This requires that there be a first mouse. You are that mouse, and can be proud of it.

Mormons believe the historical studies of Fawn Brodie to be debased and untrue. Regardless, I submit that she published accounts of the early Church that are based on historical documents and scholarly research. I have to believe her research and writing are more accurate than not, as her subject matter came from reputable sources, diaries, legal records and even Church-owned documents.

That said, I am not surprised the Church has dictated to its members how to vote on Proposition 8. Indeed, Joseph Smith (founder of the Mormon Church) and his brother Hyrum directed the early Saints to vote according to God’s word, which they claimed to supply as His mouthpieces and conduits to mankind. I offer the following from Ms. Brodie’s writings:

“Then Hyrum Smith amazed the Nauvoo electorate by announcing publicly that he had received a revelation from God that Hoge was the proper candidate to receive the Mormon vote. The day before the election Joseph (Smith) mounted the platform and broke his silence: ‘The Lord has not given me a revelation concerning politics…As for Mr. Walker, he is the Whig candidate, a high-minded man…he is an old friend, and I’ll vote for him.’…But before concluding he (Smith) added significantly: ‘Brother Hyrum tells me this morning that he has had a testimony to the effect it would be better for the people to vote for Hoge; and I never knew Hyrum to say he ever had a revelation and it failed. Let God speak and all men hold their peace.’”

If the Church says that it has not and does not dictate to its members how to vote, its leaders have (I shall be kind) fibbed. In fact, from its earliest days, the Church and its leaders have commanded in both direct and indirect ways that members should adhere to certain political stances. Why we are all surprised that it (the Church) continues to do so today is what perplexes me when substantiation exists that indicates the Church has attempted to control the Mormon vote from early on.

I couldn’t agree more with Andrew Callahan that denying gays to marry is nothing short of bigotry. Those who cry out that gay marriage is a threat to traditional marriage are using this as an excuse to cover up their double standards. I am not gay.

I heard about this issue while listening to Andrew Callahan’s interview on the radio show, The Story.  I had many thoughts while listening to the interview, I wondered about the separation of church and state, and I wondered why on earth any heterosexual folks should feel threatened by gay marriage.

But at the end of the show I was reminded of the words of Martin Niemoeller, who wrote …

   ”In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;

   And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;

   And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;

   And then . . . they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one left to speak up.”

(Not that it should matter, but I’m a married, heterosexual, Protestant)

I am an active member, and have been all my life.

I was shocked when I heard that the church was getting involved in politics and putting pressure on it’s members to vote a certain way, when they have ALWAYS thought us that they are politically neutral and that Members should make their own decisions on how they should vote. I agree that they are wrong do put pressure on members to vote against proposition 8, not because I agree or disagree with it but because they should let the members use their free agency and decide for themselves how they want to use their constitutional right to vote. When it comes to politics the churches stance should follow what Joseph Smith taught “Teach them correct principals, and let them govern themselves.”

(From my blog…)

I have purposely chosen to avoid many conversations regarding the much publicized Proposition 8 battle in my home state of California. I call it my home state because when I moved from Utah in 2000, I knew in my heart that I had finally come home. I knew that this amazing place called California was where I could finally lay down the biggest burden I had carried around for 30+ years. And I knew that there would be people… my own LDS people… that would surround me and protect me when I finally decided to let go of my own self hatred and accept the person God created.

I have chosen to avoid these conversations because some of those people that I hoped would surround me and protect me… have now chosen to see me at their #1 enemy. I choose to avoid conversations with these people because it hurts… and I’m afraid.

It hurts because the few conversations I have had with some of my people have gone badly. Some of my people… the ones I love the most in my life… have told me I’m wrong. And bad. And wicked. And evil. And misguided. And ugly. And a danger to their family. To their kids.

And I’m afraid because for 32+ years I let these words into my mind. I let these words into my heart. I let these words fill my soul with torment. I let these words convince me that I was broken. That I needed to be fixed. That I was a bad person. That my feelings weren’t as righteous as their feelings. That somehow Satan had grabbed hold of my spirit, at the earliest of time, and led me down the path to destruction. I’m afraid because saying out loud that I am… that I exist… that I just want to be understood and loved… could mean eternal damnation. And the loss of these friends forever.

I’ve been afraid. But not anymore.

For 32 years, I was encouraged to share my thoughts, opinions, feelings, dreams. Because they were “right.” Good. Inspirational. Now I feel and am told to NOT share because I’m “wrong.” Because the way I have felt inside for my entire life is against God’s plan. But I can’t stay quiet.

So why say something now? Why have I chosen to speak out?

Because of love. Love for my Father for creating me… as is… broken parts and all. Love for myself… allowing me to be okay with me, just the way I am. Love for my best friend Steve, the one person in this world who loves me more than he loves himself. Love for my friends… who want me to be the best person I can be.

We live in a world that allows everyone the opportunity to share their opinion. To be different. We live in a world that encourages dissent when it goes against our beliefs. But also encourages us to follow the pack when the pack is in line with our values. But my values are just that… MY values. I spent my entire life living for everyone but myself. And when I’m not myself, what am I to God?

However, I also respect those who believe differently than me. Why should I be convinced that I am completely “right” and they are all “wrong?” Haven’t I spent the last five years learning what it’s like to be misunderstood? Shouldn’t I give those exact people who refuse to live in my shoes the benefit of the doubt? Shouldn’t I follow my own value system and love unconditionally? Regardless of how someone treats me?

All I want is to spend the rest of my life with Steve. To have a legitimate way of expressing that love to him. To have a society that doesn’t see me as broken. Or bad. Or evil. Or ugly. Or predatory. Or gross.

I just want to be like you.

I feel if God felt as strongly about gays being evil he would have made it one of the commandments. In same part of the bible it talks about not eating pork, women’s hair, and tattoos. If the churchs want to protect the family then they should stop divorces.
Thank you
Don Sullivan

Non-traditional marriage? NO! An inspiring speech given by Senator George F. Hoar in Congress:

“The American State rests upon the fundamental doctrine that the family, which is the result of the pure and chaste union of one man to one woman, constitutes the unity of citizenship; that the protection of the purity of these families is the great object of human legislation; without it no state, no Christian state, certainly no republican or democratic state, can long exist. . . . We find schools where text-books are selected to instruct the youth of that community in a doctrine inconsistent, as we believe, not only with Christianity but with civilization itself. We find the great trust fund of education and charity established and administered for that one end; and we claim that it is not only the right but the duty of the American Congress to so far by law affect and control these.”

Before you send your emails of criticism or support to Senator Hoar of Massachusetts, keep in mind that he died in 1904. This speech, given on May 26, 1884, was not aimed at the gay and lesbian community, but rather the Latter-day Saints in the Utah Territory. (U.S. Congress, Congressional Record, 48th Congress, 1st session, 1884, vol. XV, p. 4504) How you decide to vote is your own business, but make sure you understand the history of “traditional marriage” legislation. We Mormons invented non-traditional marriage, and we were the first to suffer legislative persecution as a result. With undying faith in an independent thinking electorate, MSVW