Mormons Raise $8.4 Million for Prop. 8

A coalition of Mormon churches is raising funds and mobilizing members in support of the California ballot initiative that would amend the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

Senior elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints broadcast a call to Mormons on Wednesday night to increase efforts to volunteer and donate funds to the fight, the Associated Press reports. The hourlong message went out to churches in Utah, Hawaii, and Idaho as well as California.

Members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, the second-highest governing church body, explained their plan to pass the ballot initiative. They asked each California congregation to commit 30 volunteers from to donate four hours a week to Proposition 8. They also urged young people to use technology -- such as social networks, text messaging, and blogging -- to spread the message.

So far, Mormons have given an estimated $8.4 million to the Proposition 8 campaign, according to Mormonsfor8.com. While there are about 770,000 Mormons in California, church members from other states are being encouraged to aid their efforts. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)

Reader Comments

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Name: Aubrey L
Date posted: 2008-11-06 12:05 PM
Hometown: Denver, CO

Comment:

I've never respected any religion more the LDS church. I don't know what actions of their prophet or apostles you could name that are evil. They are the most upstanding citizens, the local leaders (Bishops, etc.) don't get paid a dime for what they do. The members of this church are unbelievably charitable and selfless. I'm not a member mostly because I'm lazy and don't want to make the efforts that their members must make. Voting yes on Prop 8 does not mean they follow blindly. It means they value the sanctity of marriage and don't want their 5 years olds thinking it's okay to be with their same sex. Gay marriage exposes young children to the immoralities spoken of in the bible that are an abomination to the Lord. I would rather be naive and simple minded like a child, than deal with legal gay marriage and have children's minds tainted so early on. I think it's sickening what this world has come to.

Name: Proud American
Date posted: 2008-11-06 11:47 AM
Hometown: Tampa

Comment:

Standard LDS Doctrine. They believe homosexuality is a sin. You cannot be gay and belong to the LDS Church. They are a HIGHLY political group and although many of the younger members would like to believe otherwise, the church does believe in Polygamy. The Prophet received a revelation from God to withhold it from the earth once the US Gov turned up the heat on them to abandon the practice. It is one of their most important principles called the new and everlasting covenant. You only enter highest kingdom of heaven if you are a participant. I believe it is their right to believe as they do. I believe people should be allowed to live originally and as individuals and pursue their own happiness. I find it funny that they believe it is perfectly acceptable for one male to have multiple wives (once that Doctrine is restored), yet they are unwilling to allow two gay people who love each other to enjoy the same rights they enjoy.

Name: GROW UP
Date posted: 2008-10-21 2:02 PM
Hometown: CALIFORNIA

Comment:

lol mormons are not pologymists. lol mormons are not hatefilled. lol mormons help millions of poor people all the time, but people dont complain then...lol mormons are not a cult, lol amazing how threatened people are by a group of people who are only 13 million people strong worldwide...why? It makes me wonder why there are so many anti mormons out there? Why do you all post such hateful remarks against mormons but then get mad at them for being "hatefilled" - it is like calling the kettle black... What is your point that you hate mormons? Do you hate every church out there or do you only hate the ones that don't agree with you? LOL LOL LOL Why dont you all get a clue and just be loving and accept that fact that we all live in AMERICA where we can all vote and have opinions....that is why we live here... why do you care so much about mormons - let them do there thing - you do your thing...get over it. LOL

Name: Get Real
Date posted: 2008-10-20 6:22 PM
Hometown: Ann Arbor

Comment:

Wow, you people are ignorant. You know nothing about the Mormon church or how it runs. The church DOES pay taxes, and this money is in ADDITION to the ten percent of all income that members pay for tithing - a large portion of which goes to the disadvantaged. Oh, and I happen to know the family of an apostle and they have donated for Prop 8, so your sources are false, Daisy. And before you all go off on marriage and mormons, read up on your history. You have no idea what you're talking about. Do you really think you're going to get accurate information from anti-mormon sites? If you want to find out about something, go to the source. Mormon.org.

Name: Man-E-Faces
Date posted: 2008-10-12 12:04 PM
Hometown: NYC

Comment:

First off, I find it appalling that a religious organization puts that kind of money in this issue and not, say, the poor. Is that what their god prefers? And even so, they've veered from his decree on marriage once. From what I understand, Mormon doctrine believes the institution of man-and-woman marriage predates Earth and your gender was predetermined as well. There's also the concept of agency concerning sexuality. You may have the urge to do it before marriage or with the same sex, but those things must/shouldn't be acted on. That's the place the Twilight books come from. Sickly-looking, glittery vampire Edward repeatedly inserts warnings that he could lose control at any minute with his human girlfriend, Bella.

Name: Paul Bashline
Date posted: 2008-10-11 11:52 AM
Hometown: Oklahoma City

Comment:

Where is "gay" Hollywood? Where is Ellen? Where is Cher? We are the big donors? I cannot believe that rich Hollywood gays are not stepping up to the plate and donating large sums of money to help defeat this bigoted, discriminatory proposition. Brad Pitt, who by all accounts is straight donated $50,000 - Ellen who is gay and now married - donated what? Elton John? These people can afford to donate big time yet so far have not. The majority of funds raised have come from people like me donating, unfortunately, only $25.00 here or $50.00 there. Those that are fighting to stop Prop 8 from passing need large sums of money to counter the cult that are the Mormons. I urge and beg all of us, regardless of what state, to donate whatever you can to stop prop 8 from passing! Please!

Name: Jen
Date posted: 2008-10-11 11:35 AM
Hometown: Tacoma

Comment:

Believe it or not, I received a facebook request to join a group supporting Prop. 8 from a Mormon friend. I could not understand why he would send such a request to a bisexual girl with a girlfriend, and then I read this article. I recently talked to my roommate about "sheeple"--people who follow others regardless of the consequences. My friend, when I told him I thought it was inappropriate to send me that request, responded by insinuating that I was intolerant of his rights to avoid having his son be "forced to believe that gay marriage is acceptable." He seems to believe that "equality goes both ways," but still is clearly unable to see that Prop. 8 invites inequality. He is only concerned about God's will and the "time-honored" tradition of marriage, and how that concerns him and his son. I wish I could get through to him, but I know that he will always choose his religious views over anything more expansive and empathetic.

Name: Jon
Date posted: 2008-10-11 10:43 AM
Hometown: Salt Lake City

Comment:

I wish someone would explain to me how the mormon church maintains the tax exempt status with the fund raising and preaching from the pulpit they are doing about this issue. Once they are threatened with lossing the tax status they will fold. And for polygamous marriages they still practice it in the temple for men. If a women dies her husband can still marry in the temple for time and enternity, but a woman whose husband dieds can not get married "sealed" in the temple. They are lying when they tell you they do not believe in the practice any more. They still believe and they know it will be practiced in the next life.(if there is one)

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