EXPOSED: Anti-Prop. 8 Hatred against the Mormons

I read an article on KUTV that mentioned a group or a web site that states "Mormons Stole Our Rights".
I read with dismay just how much hate these "anti-prop 8" people have...and it is directed at what is considered "a small part" of the "pro-prop 8" movement.

After reading the web site, I wrote a letter to the owners it is as follows:

I am afraid that your site is very hypocritical. You claim a desire to "stop the hate" when your site is all about hate. Not to mention you have so many facts wrong that I really don't know where to start.
HOWEVER, I am ready to stop the hate, are you?

First, I would like to say that I was against my Church's involvement in the Prop. 8 push. I believe getting the Government involved in religion in any way is a horrible risk to our Religious Freedoms. That said, there aren't enough Mormons in California to get this legislation passed, so your attack of the LDS Church is unfounded, or at the very least, misplaced.

So, are you going to give equal time to push for the revocation of the tax status of each of the ProtectMarriage Coalition's members? Or are you going to stop the hate against a single member of that coalition?

Now, for some factual errors:
Your web site asks, "Why did this proposition pass?" The answer is not "The Mormon Church" as your site claims, but it is "The People of California VOTED this Amendment in by a MAJORITY". This means that your finger pointing needs to point at the right individuals.
Are you ready to stop the hate?

There are organizations with the desire to teach homosexuality in public schools. Heterosexuality is not taught in schools, so why should homosexuality?

I find it interesting that you state, "They told us churches would lose the right to free speech" and declare this to be "Lies". yet here you are, denying the Church has the right to speak for or against items like Prop. 8. So, is it "Lies" or is it "the Truth"...it can only be one or the other.
Churches, as well as Corporations, enjoy the same rights as individuals. They have the right to Free Speech and Expression. To bar any religion from speaking out for or against legislation is to remove their rights to free speech.
Are you ready to stop the hate?

I agree with Brigham Young, with one change to his words...Marriage is ALSO a civil contract. Meaning that Marriage is a RELIGIOUS binding of individuals, with a "Civil Union" clause (for legal purposes). I believe that any time you allow a Government to dictate Religious Policy (how many wifes or husbands an individual can have, etc) you open the door for that Government to legislate other aspects of the religion, like who can be baptized (membership criteria) and what constitutes a sin...
I know Churches, including the Methodist Church in New Jersey, are afraid that if Homosexuals are able to legally marry, they will be able to force Churches to accept them as members and as married couples. Soon, the Churches have lost their ability to teach or exercise their religion, but are bound by law to bend to the will of the people. This is the very thing the First Amendment is supposed to prevent.

Your site then claims, "Mormons have powerful representation in the Senate, and ran a nationally viable candidate for the United States Presidency in 2008." This is kind of a stretch, isn't it?
Are you ready to stop the hate?

Mormons, per se, do not have "powerful representation in the senate", although there are Mormons that are serving in the senate. There are also many Catholics, Protestants, Jews and Agnostics in the senate (among other political seats) throughout the country. This has nothing to do with "the Church" and everything to do with people's free agency to open to whatever religion they choose.
The Mormon Church did not run a political candidate for President. Mitt Romney ran for president, and he also happens to be Mormon. See my above statement.
On the other hand, if you are suggesting that we would be better off voting in Athiests, maybe you should consider that atheism is an "anti-god" religion, but a religion none the less. (or they wouldn't persue it with such viggor and religious zeal)
I mean, really, if we take your logic, we should start "mass panic" by declaring that the Mormons have "powerful influence in the military"...

The Boy Scouts of America? Really? Shouldn't we be trying to protect our children. The LDS Church, among others, are having troubles enough with Gay leadership abusing children. The Boy Scouts are also supposed to teach Traditional Values, the same values that your organization is speaking against. So the same rules apply, don't they?

Your site then goes on to say, "Some Mormons send their own gay teenage children to "conversion camps," where these children are forced to endure shock therapy and given psychotropic drugs" and then you claim, "The Mormon Church has yet to repudiate these activities."
I am trying to see how "some Mormons" equals "the Mormon Church", anothe misleading tactic?
Are you ready to stop the hate?

While I am not "The Mormon Church" and have no authority to speak for "The Church", I can repudiate the activities you mention, "shock therapy" and that kids are "given psychotropic drugs" to change their sexual orientation. These activities are not part of any "conversion" therapy practiced at Evergreen International (the only Mormon related group in your Wiki page)... Your attempt to lump all similar organizations to the Mormon Church is a little dishonest, don't you think?
Stop the hate? Are YOU ready to stop the hate yet? Your A) Lies or B) Misinformation or C) Disinformation or D) Dishonesty are just as bad as you claim the "lies" about Homosexuality are. Hypocrisy is "the act of pretending to oppose a belief or behavior while holding the same beliefs or behaviors at the same time."
Are you ready to stop the hate?

The Mormons didn't amend the Constitution of California. The PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA, the bulk of which ARE NOT Mormons, voted and passed Prop. 8 which Amended the Constitution of California.
The Majority of Californians voted this Proposition in. For you or the Court to affirm that the Rights of the Minority (apparently Homosexuals and their supporters) are greater than the Rights of the Majority defies the Democratic and Republic Principals that this Country and YOUR STATE are founded upon. 150 years of allowing the people to choose what they want, and YOU are calling for that process to change? All dictators are bent on the agenda of a Minority.
This situation is nearly identical to the 2000 election, when the Democratic Process was nearly subverted by using the Courts. However, in the case with Prop. 8, there aren't any electors casting the vote, it was a popular vote, by the People of California, by some 52.4%. The real interesting numbers are how many African-American and Hispanic voters voted FOR the passage of Prop. 8; some 70% and 53% respectively.
Is it ok to protest or speak out against the LDS Church? (yes?) Is it ok to protest or speak out against African-Americans or Hispanic-Americans? (no?) Because why? If you speak out against Hispanic-Americans and African-Americans, you are a racist... so what are you when you speak out against the LDS or the Catholics? The very same as a racist...they call it BIGOTRY...you are a Bigot.
Are you ready to stop the hate?

Take away the Tax Status of the Church? For exercising its right to free speech?
Your first IRS Link takes me to a bulletin about "Indian tribal government". Please, I BEG YOU, please do a little more research... I know how people hate Wikipedia, but Wikipedia has a great section on 501(c)(3) status, which states, in part,
"Political activity
Organizations with this classification are prohibited from conducting political campaign activities to influence elections to public office. Public charities are permitted to conduct a limited amount of lobbying to influence legislation. Although the law states that 'no substantial part' of a public charity's activities may be devoted to lobbying, charities with very large budgets may lawfully expend a million dollars (under the 'expenditure' test) or more (under the 'substantial part' test) per year on lobbying. [7]
All 501(c)(3) organizations are also permitted to educate individuals about issues, or fund research that supports their political position without overtly advocating for a position on a specific bill. Think tanks such as the Cato Institute, Center for American Progress, and Heritage Foundation and other 501(c)(3) organizations produce reports and recommendations on policy proposals that do not count as lobbying under the tax code. Another example is the The American Foreign Policy Council is a lobbyist organization operating under this code."

As you can see, your viewpoint about lobbying or other activities to influence elections only counts with PUBLIC OFFICE, not LEGISLATION. Your whole premise for your web site is FLAWED. As far as I can tell, the LDS Church passes the test on this law.

Your site alleges, "the Mormon Church made this a far more substantial part of its [the ProtectMarriage coalition's] activities than any other [Church]"...isn't this what you said?

However, "William Weigand, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento" says, "Mormon voters were only a small part of the groundswell that supported Proposition 8."

So, according to the other members of the Coalition, the Mormons were a "small part" to your "substantial part"...which is it? It cannot be both. So either you are misleading your readers, or everyone else is.
Are you ready to stop the hate?

And one lats item:
"The United Kingdom has taken preliminary steps to strip the church of its tax-exempt status." This has absolutely NOTHING to do with the subject at hand. NOTHING.
The whole purpose of your twisting this article to mean anything other than what it says is dishonesty.

The Church is NOT loosing tax-exempt status in England...it is loosing tax-exempt status for its temples because they are not "public places of worship".

ARE YOU READY TO STOP THE HATE?

The reamedy?
1) Fix your web site to tell the truth about the above informations
2) Attack each member of the ProtectMarriage coalition equally and go after the larger percentage supporters in the African-American and Hispanic-American communities EQUALLY
3) Accept the will of the Majority of the people of California
4) All of the above

Oh, and I would be very careful from here. Your push against the LDS and the LDS Church is very close to the border of encroaching on the Hate Crime legislation at the State and Federal levels. Your website is only fueling the Hate, and here is proof... "Vandals attack 3 LDS churches in Layton"

UPDATE --> I guess they weren't ready to stop the hate yet...
"6 LDS churches vandalized"

UPDATE --> I guess they weren't ready to stop the hate yet...
"Number of LDS churches vandalized increases to 7"

"Churches Vandalized Over Prop 8"

UPDATE --> I guess they weren't ready to stop the hate yet...
"Gays Bashing Mormons Over Prop 8 Nationwide"

"FBI, USPS to investigate suspicious envelope at Temple Square"

"White powder discovered at 2nd LDS temple"

"Complaint Filed Over Mormon Aid To Prop 8"

(Does anyone actually think that the LDS Church failed to file the proper papers? With as many lawyers as the church employs and the number of lawyers in the 12 and other leadership positions...could that actually happen?)

UPDATE -->:
"LDS Church Releases Statement Again About Public Targeting After Prop 8 Vote"

"Proposition 8 protests continue"

"Gay rights rallies held nationwide to protest Calif. ban"

UPDATE --> I guess they weren't ready to stop the hate yet...
"Breaking News - White Substance Found In Syracuse Jr. High LDS Seminary"

UPDATE --> I guess they weren't ready to stop the hate yet...
"LDS Church Targeting Continues In Wake Of Prop. 8 "

UPDATE --> Challenging the Will of the People
"Calif. Supreme Court to take up gay marriage ban "

UPDATE --> It looks like they might be ready to start the "stop the hate" phase <-- ETADPU "Gay-rights advocates lay out legislative action"
12/15/08 8:45 am