On faith: Defense of marriage a moral issue in California

Alfred Gunn

guest columnist

The First Amendment guaranteeing free expression in political speech to all does not exclude the clergy and people of faith from speaking out on moral issues. Perhaps the best example of this in the past century was the influence of the Rev. Martin Luther King and other ministers during the Civil Rights movement.

Recognizing the importance of marriage to children, families and society, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepted an invitation to participate in a broad coalition of churches, organizations and individuals who sponsored California Proposition 8.

The measure sought to maintain the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, in disagreement with a California Supreme Court ruling that a ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

In a June letter to congregations in California, the Church encouraged members to support the proposition as a moral issue, reiterating that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan for His children.”

Much of the backlash in California during the campaign and in the wake of its passage by 52 percent has targeted the LDS Church, whose membership comprises less than 2 percent of the California population.

I was sorry to see bigoted and misleading advertising mounted during the campaign, which directly attacked the LDS Church. In days following the passage of the measure, sometimes rowdy protest demonstrations have targeted LDS houses of worship in various cities, necessitating police protection of property and people.

Catholic bishops at Sacramento and Salt Lake City have condemned the anti-Mormon bigotry of opponents to Proposition 8, stating, “Catholics stand in solidarity with our Mormon brothers and sisters in support of traditional marriage — the union of one man and one woman — that has been the major building block of Western Civilization for millennia,” and, “It is worth noting that our two churches joined with a wide alliance of people from different faiths and ethnicities including Orthodox, Jews, Evangelicals, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians and Anglos.”

In an official statement, the Church stated that its opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward homosexual men and women.

Protecting marriage between a man and a woman does not affect Church members’ Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people. A church spokesman was quoted as urging those on all sides of the debate over same-sex marriage to “act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other. No one on either side of the question should be vilified, harassed or subject to erroneous information.”

With the passage of California Proposition 8 and similar measures in Florida and Arizona, those states join 44 others who have passed legislation, making clear that marriage is between a man and a woman.

More than half of those states, 27 in all, had done so by constitutional amendments like the ones in California, Arizona and Florida.

Those who would impose same-sex marriage on American society have taken their case to the state courts, asking judges to remake the institution of marriage that society has accepted and depended upon for millennia.

But six out of nine state supreme courts that have considered cases have upheld traditional marriage laws.

Besides California, Massachusetts and Connecticut courts ruled in favor of gay marriage by 4-3 decisions. According to the New York Times, Vermont and New Hampshire also have civil unions, and California has domestic partnerships that provide many similar rights and privileges.

For a more complete explanation of the LDS Church position on this issue — and statements following the passage of Proposition 8 — please see “The Divine Institution of Marriage” at www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom.

On Faith columnist Alfred Gunn, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can be reached by e-mail at alf.gunn@juno.com. For more information, visit www.newsroom.lds.org.