Posted on 05/27/2006 8:00:47 AM PDT by Utah Girl
Voice your support for a federal marriage amendment, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urges in a letter to be read in LDS sacrament meetings Sunday.
The letter, sent to priesthood leaders in the United States, calls on Latter-day Saints to contact their senators to support a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment that would limit lawful marriages to those between a man and a woman.
To further spell out its opposition to same-sex marriages, the amendment states that: "Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman."
A Senate vote on the resolution is expected the week of June 5. A previous vote failed in the Senate but passed the House. Any future amendment would require approval by two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of the states.
The LDS Church posted its letter to priesthood leaders on its Web site, but its communications office declined to comment further.
"We, as the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, have repeatedly set forth our position that the marriage of a man and a woman is the only acceptable marriage relationship," the letter reads.
"Disappointing," says openly gay state Sen. Scott McCoy about the letter. "It's no surprise as to what the church's position is on same-sex marriage and the amendment," says McCoy, D-Salt Lake. "But I find it disappointing that the church is being drawn into what is nothing more than election year grandstanding on the part of the Republican Party. It's an attempt to distract voters from the total mismanagement of the country they've been responsible for in the past two years."
News of the letter was received with a "Great!" at the conservative, Colorado-based Focus on the Family. "The timing is wonderful," says Peter Brandt, senior director of public policy. Focus on the Family has sent out its own letter to 135,000 U.S. pastors, offering them pre-printed postcards in support of the amendment. "We've distributed a million or so postcards," Brandt says. The group has also launched phone campaigns in 14 states where Senate members voted against the amendment the last time. Utah is not on the list.
Religious groups are also lining up for and against the proposed amendment.
A coalition calling itself Clergy for Fairness is campaigning against it. Among its members are leaders of Reform Judaism, the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church and the United Church of Christ.
Last month the LDS Church officially signed on to another letter, written on behalf of the Religious Coalition for Marriage, that called for a national marriage amendment. Elder Russell M. Nelson, a member of the church's Quorum of the Twelve, signed the letter along with 49 other religious leaders from around the country.
In 2004, two-thirds of Utah voters passed a state version of the marriage amendment, which changed the Utah Constitution to specifically ban gay marriages. Four months earlier, the First Presidency of the LDS Church issued a brief statement saying that the church "favors a constitutional amendment preserving marriage as the lawful union of a man and a woman."
The following letter has been sent by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to church leaders in the United States:
We are informed that the United States Senate will on June 6, 2006, vote on an amendment to the federal Constitution designed to protect the traditional institution of marriage.
We, as the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, have repeatedly set forth our position that the marriage of a man and a woman is the only acceptable marriage relationship.
In 1995 we issued a Proclamation to the World on this matter, and have repeatedly reaffirmed that position.
In that proclamation we said: "We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society."
We urge our members to express themselves on this urgent matter to their elected representatives in the Senate.
I saw LDS and thought LSD. I need COFFEE now.
constitutional amendment that would limit lawful marriages to those between a man and a woman. woman=WOMEN
Every state should have the right to decide for themselves. Article IV of the Constitution combined with the DOMA ensures that my state does not have to recognize non-traditional marriages from other states.
The way every state should have the right to set abortion laws for themselves? Like that?
?
Precisely. Which is why I want Roe repealed.
Oh, oh!! The Mormons wouldn't like that!
Works for me.
"the church is trying to tie G-d's hands on the matter. It doesn't matter what He wants. Sad, really..."
Not so. For the LDS faithful, God has made a proclamation on polygamy. Thus the church no longer condones or endorses polygamy in any form. Those that do are ex-communicated and are not allowed fellowship with the church any longer.
As for them trying to secretly bring it back, what nonsence.
>>I doubt that is their intention. If anything, it is the opposite.
>>The LAST thing the church wants, is for polygamy to become legal.
>>That is a can of worms they don't want to open, no matter what.
Yeah, we fought all the way to the Supreme Court for it, so we don’t want it legalized now. Your leaps in logic astound me. (Why am I hearing echoes of “Everything that’s up should be down, and everything that’s down…”)
>>In essence, for LDS faithful, the church is trying to tie G-d's hands on the matter.
>>It doesn't matter what He wants. Sad, really...
So, in your mind, God wants same sex marriage? I thought he was very vocal in the Old, and New Testaments about that. Sound’s like he’s being consistent and that the LDS are just in step with him. (On this one issue at least, you should agree)
BTW, I am a Mormon (LDS), if that matters to you.
Backing an amendment defining marriage, is in effect tying G-d's hands should He decide it is time to restore the practice of Celestial plural marriage.
Talk about hubris and a total disregard for agency....
What part of honoring and obeying the laws of the land is stumping you? It’s part of our beliefs as outlined by Joseph Smith.
The proclamation by the church was stating that we would abide by the Law, not declaring it just. (http://scriptures.lds.org/od/1 )
“Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws, and to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.”
And no this does not mean we are trying to “Bring it back”.
Do some homework before you post slander about a religion /Rant
"So, in your mind, God wants same sex marriage?"
No, but He wants AGENCY. Whatever happened to "teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves"?
Also see post #16....
>>And which select individual did God make this 'proclamation' to?
Can you prove he didn’t? (Crickets…) I thought so.
>>I'm sure God didn't say beans on the matter; the head cult leaders just didn't
>>want the feds busting up their organization .
And you have knowledge of this how?
>>didn't Joseph Smith 'marry' some pre-teens like mohammed?
No, not “just like Mohammad”, what a slanderous, smarmy tactic. Were you unable to find a way to bring in Hitler and Pol Pot in your character assassination by association?
Did you learn to do that at DU, or does it come naturally?
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