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While the Senate Majority Leader personally believes in one-man, one-woman marriage, the firmly believes it’s a waste of LDS church resources to interfere with a state on ballot initiatives. It’s a smackdown that has the church reeling. (Salt Lake City Trib):
Washington » In a meeting with gay-rights activists last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the LDS Church for backing a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage in California, saying the leaders of his faith should have stayed out of the contentious political fight.Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, is the highest ranking elected official who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He previously has not commented on the flood of Mormon money and volunteers who helped propel Proposition 8 to victory in November.
But three organizers of the past weekend’s National Equality March said Reid brought up the topic during a conversation in his office. “He said that he thought it was a waste of church resources and good will,” said Derek Washington, a Nevadan who worked as the outreach director for the march. “He said he didn’t think it was appropriate.”
LDS Church officials declined to comment Monday. But Frank Schubert, campaign manager for the pro-Prop 8 movement, said: “All churches have not only the opportunity to speak out on important public issues, but really a moral obligation to do so.”
Well they can speak out all they want, it’s another thing to empty the coffers to promote discrimination.
18 Comments
Not only that…It violates the spirit of the Constitution’s Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, not to mention the passages in the bible itself which decrees the separation between church and state!
Once again, we see a faith community which was horribly oppressed while in the minority, suddenly take on the role of oppressor once they become the majority!
Next time the Mormon royalty open up their bible to attack another, maybe they should go to the passages about the mote in someone else’s eye, not to mention the golden rule (which precedes Christianity!): Treat others how you want to be treated in return!
Thank you, Harry Reid!Finally, I can feel more proud about my Senator. Yes, Jesus never preached H8! It’s good to see more Mormons in high places speak out against church leadership’s decision to go after our families like this.
The LDS Church may have a moral obligation to teach beliefs to their followers. They do not have the right to enshrine those beliefs into secular law or constitutions. Just as I have the right to consider the LDS Church a cult and not a religion. I likewise do not have the right to bar the LDS Church from calling themselves a religion.
The LDS crossed the line between moral obligation and meddling in secular politics with their heavy handed support of Proposition 8.
Way to go Senator Reid!Now maybe Senator Reid will get lucky and they will excommunicate him.
Reid made a calculationNevada has fewer LDS members, than it does Progressives in a Democrat primary.
I appreciate him telling LDS leaders to back off, but realize LDS elders take PRIDE in having a Mormon head the Senate,, and he gives them COVER that there are bipartisan Mormons.
Does he have a meaningful primary challenger?His problem is in the general, I thought.
Reid is another Democratic WimpHe believes the LDS cults involvement in getting Prop H8 passed was “…a waste of church resources and good will…”. I didn’t hear him call for an investigation into the illegal political activities of the LDS Church to see if they should have their IRS tax exemption revoked! Nor did I hear him call for Senate Hearings on the involvement of religious organizations who have illegally been laundering money to 501(c)3s and PACs for the last 30 years to Amend State Constitutions. He let this pass because he is a member of that cult and complicit in its dealings in the political arena. SHAME SENATOR REID!!!
I wouldn’t be suprised after prop 8 if a Mormon had a progressive challanger
btw a young good lookin’ progressive Latin@ could be a formidable challange in NV
I see this all the time:“All churches have not only the opportunity to speak out on important public issues, but really a moral obligation to do so.”
While I don’t want to infringe upon their right to voice their opinions, I would also them to have the same playing field I do.
TAX them! It is our moral obligation. Then we can talk
In the 19th century,Mormon leaders (including Brigham Young) regularly preached sermons calling for violence against “gentiles” (as they called non-Mormons). This all culminated in the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in which a band of Mormons, under the direction of several of their bishops, attacked and slaughtered a wagon train of settlers passing through their territory on the way to California. The settlers, including a good number of children, were variously shot through the head, had their throats slit or had their brains dashed out against rocks. (This is all documented in great, sometimes harrowing detail in Massacre at Mountain Meadows, published last year–by three Mormon historians[!].)
Their attitude toward us “gentiles,” especially us LGBT ones, doesn’t seem to have changed much, except that they now use political violence instead of actual murder. I guess for organized religion that’s progress.
Or? Say it Harry…. Or, if you, as a church, engage in politicsthen you lose your tax exemption
C’mon Harry… sure, this was brave for YOU, but finish the thought. Grow a spine and let them know that dabbling in politics will cost them more than he ill-will of many people, both gay and straight.
What a weak willed, chicken-hearted, lily-livered party from the head down to the gras…er, astro-turf. I’m sick to death of them.
If I don’t see either public option or single payer in Health Care then I’m done with the Dems. As for our rights… we ain’t gonna see them from this party for decades, if ever.
Realize there are almost ZERO democrat MormonsSo Reid strong arming the LDS church has no value to him in a general election. If anything it might rally a sizable republican Mormon opposition.
THIS is all about a primary election.
It’s known Reid is weakened, and that makes other democrats think this is an oppurtunity.
Well said, Senator Reid.Pity that the LDS leadership has taken leave of their senses.
Here’s the latest from Apostle Dallin H. Oaks:
http://asoftanswer.com/2009/10…
Please consider following the link and leaving a comment.
It’s getting pretty close to the electionA useful viable challenger better announce pretty soon, or it’s not going to matter much, anyway. The primary is June 8th, and Reid’s sitting on $7.3M cash on hand. That is not much time to raise money and campaign and unseat a sitting majority leader, unpopular or no.
Frankly, I think the dems would be better off having him be picked off by a republican so long as it didn’t cost the Senate majority. Let Durbin or Schumer be Majority Leader. At least they’d fight and whip votes.
Then Reid has nothing to lose, its obvioushe has already lost his integrity.
@ChinoI left them an earful at the site as mark.
Honey the one guy was telling me to leave….HA!
You certainly did
I’m glad you’re still taking the time to monitor and comment at the Utah/LDS sites. Don’t tell anyone, but for all their bluff, bluster and faux annoyance, most of the Mormon siteowners secretly enjoy the attention.
For what it’s worth, the reality is that – for most Mormon bloggers – it’s no longer edgy or controversial to suggest that Prop 8 was a mistake. To a large extent, the Mormon leadership has lost the support of the Mormon blogging community on this issue. The only thing they (the Mormon bloggers) have left is to pooh pooh any eruptions of outright disgust with LDS actions. And you, my friend, are a walking, talking, typing eruption waiting to happen (and I mean that in only the very best way)!