The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints recently sent a private e-mail to
its Illinois members urging them to contact state legislators
and voice opposition to civil union legislation the state is
currently considering. According to the Human Rights Campaign,
the e-mail was sent to at least one LDS ward in Illinois and
was authorized by a bishop named Chris Church.
"The messaging in
the e-mail carries many of the same bigoted lies that were
hallmarks of the LDS Church's campaign in support of
Proposition 8 in California and Proposition 102 in
Arizona," according to an HRC press release. "The
e-mail misleads citizens in Illinois by blatantly misstating
that the civil unions legislation would 'empower the public
schools to begin teaching this lifestyle to our young children
regardless of parental requests otherwise.' It goes on to
issue this incendiary and inaccurate warning: 'It will also
create grounds for rewriting all social mores.'"
"It is irrefutably
clear that the LDS Church is fighting an antigay crusade
throughout the nation, targeting any form of equality for the
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community," said
Bruce Bastian, a member of HRC's board of
directors and a former member of the LDS Church.
"Church leaders want nothing more than to do their hateful
work in secrecy, but the time has come to shine a light on
their insidious efforts. If the LDS Church won't tell the
truth, we will."
The HRC today launched
an online grassroots campaign to counter LDS efforts. The gay
rights group is reaching out to its 35,000 Illinois
members and encouraging them to contact the Nauvoo, Ill.,
Mormon Temple -- where the e-mail reportedly originated -- and
let them know their antigay work can no longer be done in
secret. The HRC is also encouraging its supporters to contact
Illinois legislators to voice their support for the civil union
measure.
