The ProtectMarriage/Proposition 8 Coalition: A Solidarity Report
John has been reaching out to the Evangelical community, asking about response to attacks on Mormons for their support of Proposition 8. While e-mailing with others today, he got the following unexpected response from Pastor Jim Garlow of Skyline Church in La Mesa, California. (Apparently someone, somewhere, forwarded John’s e-mail inquiries to Pastor Garlow.)
Thought you might want to know some of what is happening re: defense of the LDS.
I am hosting an event in which Catholics and Evangelicals are meeting with LDS officials so that we may affirm their role in the campaign and . . . discuss how to defend the LDS from the scurrilous attacks upon them, and the mob-like frenzy that is being stirred by those who cannot accept the will of the people on Prop 22 and Prop 8.
Secondly: Last Friday (November 7) I put out an email to 7,200 pastors on Friday – to speak boldly affirming the Mormons for their role, and to get their congregations to speak out in defense of the Mormons.
Thirdly: I was one of 4 persons signing a letter to the New York Times condemning their attack on the Mormons. On another note - I was on Dobson three times in last three weeks. He took pains to affirm the Mormons & their role [in Prop 8]. If I recall – he did it in either two of the three broadcasts – or possibly all three.
Blessings,
Jim Garlow
John takes over: Pastor Garlow, apparently in response to my comments on Lowell’s post over the weekend also indicated that he was on Jim Dobson’s radio program several times last week. Pastor Garlow further indicates that Dr. Dobson “took pains to affirm the Mormons & their role.” I find this very good news indeed. I tried to find some of the podcasts to hear this for myself, but found nothing labeled for this portion of the broadcasts and did not have time to wade through all the material personal. Readers with a bit of time on their hands can feel free to sort through all this and send us an email with the button above when you find it.
After communicating with Pastor Garlow it is clear we have a media problem as much as a protest problem. Much creedal Christian support is being given to the Mormons on this, but none of it is being heard about. Unsurprizingly, the protests are drawing the press but the efforts at unity are not. As with every conservative issue, it is incumbent on the conservative media outlets – talk radio, Christian broadcasting, and blogs – to get this word out there.
It is not, nor can it ever be, enough for creedal Christians to offer their support for the Mormons, as “the point of the spear” quietly, but let them continue to take the brunt of Prop 8 opposition attacks. We must overcome the press imposed blackout of the coverage of these supportive efforts.
I think Pastor Garlow’s email of last Friday was great, and I would urge all recipients to not just ask their congregations for support, but to have their congregations stand up and say to the world “We voted for Prop 8 – We want to be protested too!” The media should be swamped with press releases from congregations across California – Press releases are easy, here’s a distribution service. They’d have to write a story then.
Now bear in mind, so-called “counter-protests” are a bad idea. We should not be going to the LDS Temples (Oakland and San Diego are getting hit pretty hard, as well as LA) with our own signs and shouting. That gives the opposition the coverage and CONFLICT they want. We instead want to invite the protests to us, we stand in solidarity and make them look like ruffians.
It is clear the media wants to not only side with the No on 8 forces, they want to target the Mormons. (Not much surprize there really, we just went through a primary where no shot was too low from them.) Protests only are effective when they have a target. The press is aiding the opposition in making the CJCLDS the target. One way to overcome that is to present them with so many targets that their forces will be too divided to be effective.
And finally, an apology is due. During the primary, too many creedals wanted to say things on the order of “Well, Mormons are a ‘cult‘…but…it’soktovoteforone.” “Cult” was the only message that got through, and that message has helped enable these protests, and worse. Heterodox, Mormons are indeed (as they think of us as well) but this campaign and their willingness to stand under this assualt should remove any doubt that they do not carry the evil intent implicit in the term “cult.”
Late breaking from John: I can’t resist, this is almost funny. That Andrew Sullivan is disturbed on this issue is unsurprising, but he has now taken flights of fancy as he is reports Prop 8 as a conspiracy by Catholics, Evangelicals and Mormons.
The intervention of my own church’s [ed: Roman Catholic] hierarchy in targeting the civil rights of a minority is distressing. But they are still not as plugged into the Christianist network as well as the Mormons – and the LDS leadership was critical in pioneering this.
[...]
…this confession by Mitt Romney in September of 2007 that the Mormons and Falwell hatched the scheme long before last June.
The man has completely left reality – as quite likely have most the Prop 8 protesters. I don’t think Evangelicals and Mormons could launch a conspiracy to have lunch! And the implication that the Mormons played Evangelicals on this issue. Oh please! Mormons are a little better organized than we are, but that they somehow manipulated us to participate is an idea that can only be born in the mind of someone that has lost touch with reality. It belies no understanding of anything about Mormons, or Evangelicals, or frankly, about the church he claims as his own.
When I read things like this, I react mostly with pity. That such thoughts are being used to incite vandalism, threats, and near violence goes a long way to negate that pity, but still….
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CarlH on 11 Nov 2008 at 1:35 pm #
This will indeed require solidarity. Without standing together, incidents such as the disgustingly vile disruption of services Sunday at Mount Hope Church (an Assemblies of God church) in Lansing, Michigan may easily spread to many others.
What is disheartening is the matter-of-fact way in which the traditional media report (or ignore) such incidents, without informing readers of how utterly contemptible the activists’ conduct was. Compare the reporting of the Lansing State Journal with that of the “alternative” Lansing Pulse (whose reporter was taken along by the gay activists).
mamallama8 on 12 Nov 2008 at 12:47 pm #
Thank you for your stand on Prop 8, and for generously defending the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ stand on Prop 8. I am a member of that Church, and my family and I stand with you in defending traditional marriage and the family.
I agree with my Church’s hope that, “all parties involved in this issue will be well informed and act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility toward those with a different position. No one on any side of the question should be vilified, intimidated, harassed or subject to erroneous information.” That we maintain that Christian attitude and behavior is critical, not only for our own character development, but as a tool to recruiting others to our cause.
Phil T. on 12 Nov 2008 at 7:03 pm #
Please read the following. I think you’ll appreciate the information provided. Phil T.
Apparently the following was written by a member of the Newbury Park stake:
Dear Friends,
In the aftermath of the recent election, we may find ourselves oddly on the defensive regarding our support for the Yes on Proposition 8 cause. Our young people have been especially subject to mean spirited comments by high school friends and teachers. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We did nothing wrong. In fact, we did everything that a civic minded American can and should do. I have put together a few facts that help me to appreciate our position better. For example:
1. Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.
2. Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.
4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.
5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.
6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8. Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.
7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.
8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).
9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims – all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.
10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with “civility, respect and love,” despite their differing views.
11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . .” The phrase “separation of church and state”, which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.
12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do – we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.
Hold your heads up high – you did a great job on this most important cause. We will have more opportunities in the future to participate in our democratic process. Let’s remember the lessons learned and do an even better job next time.
These are my personal opinions and thoughts; any errors are mine and in no way reflect official Church policy or doctrine.
Kevin