Backlash: Anger and Outrage Against Mormon Support for Same-Sex Marriage Bans

November 9, 2008
By

For those interested in seeing video footage of the recent protests at the LDS temple in Los Angeles, see the links below:

Fights in front of temple wall and in the street

One Mormon guy verbally jousts with a crowd of angry protesters (WARNING: Explicit language. Parental guidance is suggested.)

Angry protesters shake temple gates (WARNNG: Explicit language.  Parental guidance is suggested.)

Photo gallery of protests at LA Temple & elsewhere

More below.

In the photo gallery, you’ll see the words “Bigots” and “Liars” were scrawled on the outside of the temple wall.  Also, you’ll see some of the signs held by protesters at the LA Temple:

Keep your doctrine out of our covenants
Mormons have 10 wives.  I can’t have one? (Sign held by a woman.)
L.D.S. = Lying Distorters of Scripture
Go to Hell Mormons
Tax this Cult
Keep Gov’t Non-Prophet

Article collects blog statements urging violence against Mormons and their church buildings.

  • “Can someone in CA please go burn down the Mormon temples there, PLEASE. I mean seriously. DO IT.”
  • “I’m going to give them something to be f–ing scared of….I’m a radical who is now on a mission to make them all pay for what they’ve done.”
  • “Burn their f–ing churches to the ground, and then tax the charred timbers.”
  • “I hope the No on 8 people have a long list and long knives.”
  • “I swear, I’d murder people with my bare hands this morning.”
  • “Trust me. I’ve got a big list of names of mormons and catholics [sic] that were big supporters of Prop 8….As far as mormons and catholics…I warn them to watch their backs.”
    • gregeth

      You know, no matter what opinion anyone has on the whole prop 8 issue, it’s sad to see what people can allow themselves to become. Turning to violence and hate is never going to help any cause you may be trying to promote. Why is it that so often protest leads to flat out violence/rioting/etc?

    • Cicero

      It has gone beyond just the protests in California and Salt Lake.

      KOMO (local station in Washington State) just put up a report that there were protesters outside the Mormon Chapel in Seattle this Sunday, harassing people going to church!

    • CarlosJC

      Goodness, talk about sore losers.

      I just hope members don’t get caught up in these battles. Otherwise it will all start to look like that brawl over at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre yesterday.

    • CarlosJC

      Plus, in a way, they look stupid complaining against the mormon church for a loss in a free open election.

      Most people outside California will ask what the….?

    • CarlosJC

      And a tax funded police force is brought in to protect the Temple grounds. Brilliant!

    • Missionary Stu

      The LDS church did not support a “same-sex marriage ban” (although that is how homosexuals choose to see it), they supported an affirmation of traditional marriage: California Prop 8.

      The LDS church did a good thing here. Just so we’re all on the same page here, same-sex marriage is NOT about the right to marry another of the same gender. The issue is about homosexuals and the NEA having the legal right to teach the gay lifestyle, acceptance, and practice to our children in the public schools. This is what is being done in Massachusetts. (You know how to “Google” go look it up.)

      Mere tolerance isn’t enough for these people. They have an agenda to push and it involves destroying traditional family values that are the bedrock of society. We see how vicious and prone to violence they become when they cannot articulate their own position or persuade the majority to go along with their way of thinking.

      These small and petty people have an ax to grind and those of us who are willing to show tolerance but who oppose the re-ordering of society they represent are on the chopping block.

    • Pingback: The Irony of Proposition 8 at Mormon Matters

    • http://www.welcomtomysoapbox.blogspot.com salt h2o

      If the homosexual community wanted to pin the blame on the real culprits, they’d be targeting African Americans and most importantly- Barack Obama.

      70% of the African American Vote voted YES on prop.8.
      African Americans came out in unprecidented numbers due to Obama’s canidacy.
      If California had the same turn out for African Americans in 2008 as they had in 2004- Prop8 would not have passed.
      If Barack Obama had not run for president- prop8 would not have passed.

      I personally think it’s hilarious that the homosexual community is holding 2% of the California population responsible for 54% of the vote.

      If anything this is garnishing sympathy for the LDS church by the other 52% that voted YES on prop8.

    • Missionary Stu

      I’d like to see the NAACP (or equivalent) organize the Black Community nationwide and press Obama and Congress for a Constitutional Amendment affirming marriage as being the union of one man and one woman.

      (I can at least wish can’t I?)

    • Mark N.

      Goodness, talk about sore losers.

      Sore losers? You ain’t seen nuttin’ yet: just wait until the CA Supreme Court overturns Prop 8. Then we’ll see some sore losers.

    • Missionary Stu

      Mark N, Did you mean to say, “…when the CA Supreme Court ignores the people of California, again.”?

    • SteveS

      Goodness! I don’t know whether or not Prop. 8 will be overturned, but I feel to say simply that both angry backlash from the “no-on-8″ people as well as gloating on the part of the “yes-on-8″ people are prideful and destructive, and exactly the kind of thing the Savior warned against in 3 Ne. 11. Those “no-on-8″ people who see this as a civil rights issue would do well to take a page from Dr. King’s playbook and focus on peaceful resistance. It is the only way to highlight the unjust bigotry of one’s opponents.

      The “yes-on-8″ people, especially LDS supporters of Prop. 8, should realize that they are walking a particularly ironic line given their historically heterodoxical interpretation of marriage, and that the morality of this issue simply cannot be separated from its political and civil implications. Yes-on-8-ers also need to understand that democracy is NOT utilitarian, and they certainly should not want it to become such, because one day it could be their own rights being diminished by majority vote. The checks and balances of the democratic republic in which we live seek to limit the curtailment of those rights.

    • CarlosJC

      “become such, because one day it could be their own rights being diminished by majority vote.”

      I’d say that it already happened when congress banned plural marriage. And members had to just take it on the chin and moved on.

      Today a ‘free-what-ever-you-like-marriage’ would pass if the churches lobbied with the gay movement on a ‘its our free right to do whatever we want as adults’, or went to the courts to make it a discrimination issue since consenting adults are involved. But they don’t, they move forward with what they have.

      And if one day majority vote bans some rights, like owning property to run Sunday services because the church is adjudged a discriminatory organization as bad as the KKK, well then we will have to adapt, hold meetings in secret or something and just move on with life.

      What these good folk who blame the LDS church are achieving is some more sympathy for the church (because the overwhelming majority are not pro-gay), some free publicity for the church to tell the majority that it wants one-man one-women marriage and by doing so further bury the ‘mormon polygamy’ story line that the FLDS actions managed to perpetuate; and tells the world that the mormons stand for conservative social views -and it especially tells the mormons on the ‘nacle that we aren’t pro-gay marriage!

      Due to all the above it is clear to me that the first presidency did this on purpose to get this message out there, and they were inspired in doing so. Had they stayed out of it some members would not have voted at all and many more would be saying that gay-marriage is ok if you are ‘born that way’. And had members not contributed funds the ‘yes side’ would have been far behind in the money stakes and the resulting campaign, even though according to wiki the ‘yes side’ raised $35.8mil and the ‘no side or gay side’ raised $37.6mil.

      Even though the ‘no’ side outraised the other side they still lost, something which should say something to people here.

    • Pingback: Open Letter to Protesters of LDS Support of Prop 8 « Faith Promoting Rumor

    • Imperfection

      Funny how passing prop 8 did not magically make all of the gays go away. I don’t know just what ‘yes’ was hoping to accomplish since what can be so easily voted in can just as easily be voted out.

      I suggest you get used to a world with gay families. Either that or get to work on that hole you will need to live in.

    • TetonMike

      Missionary Stu-

      Would you say that the 14 year-old Helen Mars Kimball was in a “Traditional Marriage” ?

      (And Mormons want to tell other folks what a marriage should look like? Sheeesh!)

      -Mike

    • ben

      Why are Mormons trying to define marriage for other people and religions based on their own personal biases. Polygamy anyone? You would think they would be a little more understanding. In addition, educational curriculum and gay marriage are completely unrelated.

    • Missionary Stu

      TetonMike,

      No I would not say that “the 14 year-old Helen Mars Kimball was in a ‘Traditional Marriage’”.

      My position on polygamy is quite clear: Joseph Smith used polygamy to cover his adultery with Fanny Alger. The result was an abominable practice that was woven into the fabric of LDS theology under the pretense of being from God. I think it is not doctrinal and I condemn it.

    • Missionary Stu

      ben said: “In addition, educational curriculum and gay marriage are completely unrelated.”

      Please invest some time and research into the matter before you make such a statement. (Start with Google and work your way around from there.)

      The facts are that teaching children, as early as Kindergarten, about homosexuality has already begun in public schools where same-sex marriage is legal.

    • Ashley Warren

      Having been excommunicated from the Mormon Church for being gay has really opened my eyes. I served a mission for this misguided church. I am thankful that I did though because it was there that I met my partner, another missionary serving at the same time. To me the Mormon Church is a disgrace. I don’t know why people say that in God’s eyes marriage is between a man and a woman. If it is so be it, let God decide. We were not voting to make God accept gay marriage we were voting to be able to marry. That is it, plain and simple. Why the Mormons think they have to impose their beleifs and everyone is beyond me. And to think I was part of it, I can’t beleive I was a member of that church

    • http://adizzylife.blogspot.com djinn

      Reading a book to children that includes a homosexual couple hardly amounts to “teaching children, as early as kindergarten about homosexuality” except for the bare fact that such people exist. Horrors.

    • Jeff Spector

      Ashley,

      “Having been excommunicated from the Mormon Church for being gay” I don’t think the Church excommunicates people for being Gay. They do disciple folks for morality problems. Also, it seems if you have been a missionary in the last ten years, you would have understood exactly what the Church position is via the Proclamation on the Family. According to our doctrine, God has decided. And that is the position we hold. You should know that too.

      Also, you should know that the Church didn’t impose its beliefs on anyone. It has a position, it asked members to support it and campaign for that position and the voters of California are the ones who decided. I can’t believe you were a member of the Church, a full-time Missionary and didn’t know these things.

    • Steve

      What is so sad, is the amount of money spent on this issue, that could have gone to save lives, educate, feed and nurture others. That would have shown true Christian love and compassion.

    • Ashley Warren

      Jeff, I was a missionary 27 years ago in Switzerland and France. I loved my mission, I really did. I knew I was gay at the time but wanted to please everyone. I thought if I went on a mission I would be “cured”, when that didn’t work and prayer didn’t work I thought if I got married that would work. Guess what, it didn’t. I know that I was born homosexual and I have come to accept that. God loves me anyway and wants me to be happy. I can tell you my marriage wasn’t happy and living a celebate life is not happy either. I can’t understand why the Mormon church would help fund a campaign of lies. What happened to Thou Shalt not Lie? I guess that does not pertain to the Mormon Church. What happened to Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself? That doesn’t apply to the Mormon Church either. What happened to not judging? obviously that doesn’t apply to you or the Mormon Church as you all do judge. Do you really think God is pleased with you (the Mormon Church and others) who have taken away happiness from a group of people because you discriminate and are bigots. You can say what you want about it not being discrimination or bigotry but if you really look deep it is rooted in just that. People during the Civil Rights movement did exactly the same thing. You and the Mormon Church are no better than them. What happened to separation of Church and State. Only when it is what the church wants. What happened to the Church saying to let people decide for themselves in an election? It is complete BULL and deep down you know it. You and others like you took away what meant so much to me and many others. I hope you are proud because to tell you the truth I don’t think God is too proud of you. I hope that you have all the answers for him when you meet your maker. Just like you think you have all the answers down here on earth. Why don’t you and all the others worry about your own salvation and quit trying to impose your bias, discriminatory, hateful, and mean beliefs on everyone else.

    • Steve

      Battle Over Proposition 8: Cost More Than $78M
      Feed an Orphan in India for a Month: $22.00
      Giving children the right to live vs. taking away people’s rights: priceless

    • ben

      To Stu: I did plenty of research on the matter. I ignore propaganda for the most part. Educational curriculum and marriage are legally and factually completely unrelated. If you think you are saving the children by banning homosexual marriage, then I weep for your children.

      Thanks for the search advice, though. I had no idea Google was so useful…

    • Jessie

      Steve: “Battle Over Proposition 8: Cost More Than $78M
      Feed an Orphan in India for a Month: $22.00
      Giving children the right to live vs. taking away people’s rights: priceless”

      Love it!! Amen!!

      I wish the church would put more money toward the things Christ taught and less money on what the Christian right wants:-(.

    • http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com Ray

      “I wish the church would put more money toward the things Christ taught.”

      I’m sorry, but I get SO tired of this type of quote – for two reasons. The Church (as an organization and through individual members) gives hundreds of millions regularly to “the things Christ taught” – and, if you want to get really technical, He didn’t exactly teach homosexuality. I have a really hard time listening to people who support gay marriage claiming that Jesus would have taken that stance. That’s a HUGE stretch, given the totality of our scriptural canon.

      I can understand the argument, but it’s still a major stretch.

    • http://thingsofmysoul.blogspot.com Ray

      Fwiw, my problem is not with however the vote would have turned out; it is the reviling from people on both sides – exemplified by the comments on this post, unfortunately:

      Proposition 8 and the Presidency: A Week of Reviling

    • Pingback: Peaceful Protest and Civil Dialog | Main Street Plaza