Church created political front groups?

[_moksha]

According to the Salt Lake Tribune:

Leaked memos: Gay rights group make new charges over LDS Prop 8 role

By Tony Semerad

A California group is urging election authorities to widen a probe into whether the LDS Church failed to report the full extent of its financial involvement last year in supporting a successful ban on same-sex marriage.

In new charges filed Thursday with the California Fair Political Practices Commission, the Los Angeles-based Californians Against Hate accuses the church of creating the National Organization for Marriage in California as early as summer 2007 as a front group for its agenda, while failing to report the costs as required by California law.

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http://mormongate.com/

This is the source off all the hub bub. They even have a link to leaked documents from the Church relating to setting up a dummy spearhead group.

There is much speculation:

Did Jeffery Holland Know his son Mathew?

Did Mathew know his former teacher Robby George well enough to ask him to create the National Board of Marriage?

Is it a coincidence that this Board was put together in time to be the biggest contributor to Proposition #8?

Is there something to be made about the interconnectedness of all the Board members having a long time opposition to equal rights? Were they selected for this quality?

Why are all these leaked documents potentially embarrassing whether they created a link or not?


What are your thoughts?

.

[Guest]

Don't they know that Hinckley is dead?

Edited to add: I see. They're looking into the history of the NOM. I get it.

[_harmony]

Is there something to be made about the interconnectedness of all the Board members having a long time opposition to equal rights? Were they selected for this quality?

Of course you stack your board with members who support the board's agenda. Why would FARMS put an avowed atheist who hates Mormons on its board? There's nothing new or different in that.

[_moksha]

http://mormongate.com/document1.html

[_hobart]

I'm very confused about this whole thing. People are flying off the handle right and left about the church's involvement in Prop 8, and I'm afraid they don't know much either about the situation. My friend went on a mission to So Cal and said that there were orginizations formed (as "shadow orginizations" I think he called them) that would be "not officially connected" with the church but would be set up with the same local church government heirarchy governing it (the stake president serving above the bishop, etc.) and would use church resources like phone trees that were intended for emergency/disaster preparation to gain support against gay marriage. Seems that even though it was not "officially" connected with the church (whatever the heck officially means), it is still unethical and church-backed. I know that my stake presidency used the ward/stake event e-mailing system to notify members of lobbying group meetings at the stake center, and I live here in Utah. Has anyone else heard about something like this? Perhaps someone who lives in California has seen it happen in their ward.

[_Danna]

The documents posted look to establish a co-ordinated effort in Hawaii. This just seems crazy. Since all marriage outside of the temple is not 'real marriage' what is the LDS interest in banning gays from marrying? Religions can't be forced to marry people who don't meet their criteria (that's what registry offices are for), so Temple Marriage is not under threat.

I really don't get that. How does SSM harm the church?

[_moksha]

Danna, did you find yourself being impressed with the sophistication of this covert political maneuvering? I know I was impressed.


If I had added the letters KEP in front of the leaked documents, do you suppose more people would take a look see?

[_Danna]

Danna, did you find yourself being impressed with the sophistication of this covert political maneuvering? I know I was impressed.

Yes, indeed. Planning, covert funding and staffing. The best bit was the search for a frontperson for the Hawaiian group - a middle-aged, non-LDS, non-Catholic mother.

Imagine what could be achieved in a third world country or banana republic. Or somewhat backward and politically naïve country, like, say, NZ.

If I had added the letters KEP in front of the leaked documents, do you suppose more people would take a look see?

Much more scary. I would not like to be one of Loren C. Dunn's ex/staff! I am guessing that a temple recommend will no longer serve as a security clearance for church employment.

[_Danna]

Danna, did you find yourself being impressed with the sophistication of this covert political maneuvering? I know I was impressed.

And back to that other point - why? what is the point - why bother at all?

The money and effort - calling people on what is effectively a covert mission. What problem does the church have with SSM. It can't be a matter of 'principle' as there is no similar activity (that I am aware of) in non-US countries.

I recall some minor Mormon vocalising as part of the loud but ineffective 'moral' minority when our Homosexual Law Reform bill was passed in the 90s. But am struggling to think of LDS activity in church or in public over the Civil Union bill.

We have also legalised prostitution without too much fuss. What really got the 'moral' minority worked up more was the banning of physical punishment of children. But to the best of my knowledge, there has not been any organised official or unofficial Mormon opposition.

So what is the threat to LDS-central?

[_Dr. Shades]

How does SSM harm the church? . . . why? what is the point - why bother at all? . . . So what is the threat to LDS-central?

Simple. If gays can legally marry, then the church will look really, really bad when they excommunicate a gay person when he/she is legally married.