Mormons Absorb SCOTUS Prop 8 Ruling

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/joannabrooks/7173/mormons_absorb_scotus_prop_8_ruling/


June 26, 2013 1:07pm
Post by JOANNA BROOKS

U.S. Supreme Court decisions striking down DOMA and California’s Proposition 8 mean a reflective morning for Mormon people. No religious group invested more heavily in the fight against marriage equality in California than members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who make up 2% of California’s population but who are estimated to have contributed between 50%–70% of the $40 million raised by the Yes on 8 campaign and the majority of its on-the-ground volunteer labor force.

Today, a vocal minority of Mormon progressives are celebrating the Court rulings. Said Spencer Clark, the head of Mormons for Marriage Equality, “We heartily applaud the decision of the US Supreme Court to strike down Section 3 of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8. This is a victory for hundreds of thousands of families across the country and in California, including many Mormons, who have sought to marry the same-sex partners they love and care for their children.” Another celebratory gesture came from bloggers at Feminist Mormon Housewives who changed the long-running blog’s background to rainbow colors, honoring Mormon feminists’ longtime commitment to marriage equality.


Meanwhile, Mormon conservatives seem to be accepting the news quietly, with some staking out a defensive position in defense of religious freedom. (Read the official LDS Church reaction here.) In one Washington, D.C., area stake, LDS Church leaders sent an email message to members requesting their attendance at a National Day of Prayer on religious freedom convened by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this Thursday in Arlington, Virginia. “We have been encouraged to have 20 members from our stake attend this event,” the message from local leaders read.

As initial reactions continue to arrive, today is a thoughtful day for Mormon people. With the support of the U.S. Supreme Court, LGBT families and their allies now take a great step beyond the prejudices of history and the hurt of the Proposition 8 campaign. But for Mormon families and congregations, however, the damage from Proposition 8 remains, and will remain—largely unaddressed and unremediated.

more at link

[oldandhappy]

1. The Mormons bought it

They bought the prop 8 deal and many people realize that now altho we did not know at the time. Money.

[cbayer]

2. I never really understood their Prop 8 passion, but I do hope that the leadership

is stepping back at this point and rethinking their position.

[DreamGypsy]

3. Here's how the LDS Church is currently "rethinking"...

...best described as digging in their heels. IMHO.

LDS Church responds to Supreme Court decisions on gay marriage:

"By ruling that supporters of Proposition 8 lacked standing to bring this case to court, the Supreme Court has highlighted troubling questions about how our democratic and judicial system operates," LDS Church spokesman Michael Otterson said. "Many Californians will wonder if there is something fundamentally wrong when their government will not defend or protect a popular vote that reflects the views of a majority of their citizens.

"In addition, the effect of the ruling is to raise further complex jurisdictional issues that will need to be resolved.

"Regardless of the court decision, the Church remains irrevocably committed to strengthening traditional marriage between a man and a woman, which for thousands of years has proven to be the best environment for nurturing children. Notably, the court decision does not change the definition of marriage in nearly three fourths of the states."

... but in time, they maybe dragged, kicking and screaming, away from their alter of discrimination and bigotry.

[cbayer]

4. That's not very encouraging, is it.

OTOH, if they lost a significant number of members over this issue, as the author points out, then they are much more likely to rethink it (I hope).

[trotsky]

5. What happened to "change from within"?

As I recall, you've castigated many people for suggesting Catholics who disagree with their church's policies should leave and find a more welcoming church, that this would be the most effective way to bring about change in that institution.

Yet here you are suggesting this would be a good thing for Mormons.

Why the double standard?

[Kolesar]

6. & By chance, I caught the touring show of Book of Mormon in Cleveland last night

Ding dong
Hello, my name is elder Kolesar
I would like to tell you of the book about Jesus Christ

I am going to post about it on the A&A thread, soon, I promise.
My toes are still tapping

[cbayer]

7. I thought it was the best thing I have ever seen in theater.

Saw it two years ago in NYC and would love to see it again.

I downloaded the music, but it's just not the same.

[DreamGypsy]

8. I think the "change from within" is happening...

...in both the Mormon and Catholic communities. Witness the comments in the original post by Spencer Clark, the head of Mormons for Marriage Equality and about Feminist Mormon Housewives.

Clearly the change is NOT top-down, but bottom up (for the most part) in both cases. As long as there are public, recognized, vocal groups that represent progressive policies within the churches, there are places for like-minded people to associate. I think that is a more likely scenario for getting widespread change than one of major migration to a different religion or sect.

[trotsky]

9. I see individuals growing, but not institutions.

Regardless, this poster has a quite blatant double standard on the issue.

[cbayer]

10. And this writer is one of the most outspoken and articulate coming from within the church.

She may be one of the reasons that many stay.

[dimbear]

11. This is the burner for me:

"Regardless of the court decision, the Church remains irrevocably committed to strengthening traditional marriage between a man and a woman, which for thousands of years has proven to be the best environment for nurturing children. "

Remember, my friends, this is the church which actually believes that a better form of marriage is between a man and fifty women.