Unintended effects of LDS Church's Prop 8 involvement

[BigFatMeanie]

ERA was a bigger involvement from the Church by FAR. ERA was an amendment to the U.S. constitution and the Church mobilized on a national scale. Prop 8 was peanuts compared to the Church's effort on ERA.

I was just a kid back in the late 70s and lived in San Diego. I remember going to an Area conference in Pasadena (Rose Bowl) were Spencer W. Kimball (the prophet at the time) was speaking. There were many vocal Anti LDS protesters outside the Rose Bowl as well as people passing out No and Yes literature on ERA.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

ERA was a bigger involvement from the Church by FAR. ERA was an amendment to the U.S. constitution and the Church mobilized on a national scale. Prop 8 was peanuts compared to the Church's effort on ERA.

I was just a kid back in the late 70s and lived in San Diego. I remember going to an Area conference in Pasadena (Rose Bowl) were Spencer W. Kimball (the prophet at the time) was speaking. There were many vocal Anti LDS protesters outside the Rose Bowl as well as people passing out No and Yes literature on ERA.

Good point, but I am not sure I completely agree with the characterization. Yes, it was a national effort, but I don't recall the same kind of appeal for financial donations nor do I recall the same level of effort expected (phone banks, door-to-door canvasing, etc.). Furthermore, I don't think the church was as central or critical in the defeat of the amendment.

But I could be wrong. I was pretty young at the time.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Good point, but I am not sure I completely agree with the characterization. Yes, it was a national effort, but I don't recall the same kind of appeal for financial donations nor do I recall the same level of effort expected (phone banks, door-to-door canvasing, etc.). Furthermore, I don't think the church was as central or critical in the defeat of the amendment.

But I could be wrong. I was pretty young at the time.

I was realtively young for the ERA fight, but in my mind the efforts were a little different. I think the church was much more involved at a national leadership level in the ERA fight. Talks at conference and other meetings, public appearnces and statements, etc. Not much of that happened with Prop 8. Prop 8 is most simialr to twhat the church did 8 years ago with prop 22 in california, which was prop 8's predecessor. During that effort we were asked to doante money, wlak precincts, call voters, and put up signs. I don't thihnk the effort was quite as intenase, but it was simialr.

[Sleeping in EQ]

The Church's involvement in the ERA thing was much more behind the scenes. That was problematic in its own way.

[CardiacCoug]

Originally Posted by scottie

It would appear that you do get it.

And what other political issues are you referring to that the LDS Church has jumped into like Prop 8?

In 1998 when I was living in Missouri, there was a proposed amendment to the Missouri constitution to expand riverboat gambling to artificial "lakes" (so-called boats-in-moats). The Church told members to campaign and vote against it.

However, I don't think the campaign against this amendment was nearly as vigorous as against Prop 8 and I think the amendment passed easily.

[BigFatMeanie]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Good point, but I am not sure I completely agree with the characterization. Yes, it was a national effort, but I don't recall the same kind of appeal for financial donations nor do I recall the same level of effort expected (phone banks, door-to-door canvasing, etc.). Furthermore, I don't think the church was as central or critical in the defeat of the amendment.

But I could be wrong. I was pretty young at the time.

Did you live in Utah at the time? Just like I wasn't really affected by Prop. 8 living here in South Jordan, it might be that Utahns were less affected by ERA because it was a foregone conclusion that it would fail in Utah. In CA it was a big deal. I do remember talks over the pulpit and door to door canvassing. I was just a kid but I remember thinking about how serious the grownups were in talking about that stuff and I remember asking my Mom about ERA. I don't remember phone calls (not sure if the technology was even readily available back then?) but again, I was just a kid so if there were phone calls they probably occurred past my bedtime.

[Bruincoug]

I myself have been pretty shaken by this, where "this" dates back to Prop 22. It has been an "on the shelf" issue -- until the last 6 months when I've basically been attending the Church of Prop 8 of Latter-Day Saints in my stake. I'd say I was and am pretty solid -- but this has definitely but a huge dent in my faith in the brethren. Fortunately, in my understanding of the Gospel, faith in Christ is what counts. But, I've definitely re-thought a lot of issues about my involvement in Church, in ways I never thought I would.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Bruincoug

I myself have been pretty shaken by this, where "this" dates back to Prop 22. It has been an "on the shelf" issue -- until the last 6 months when I've basically been attending the Church of Prop 8 of Latter-Day Saints in my stake. I'd say I was and am pretty solid -- but this has definitely but a huge dent in my faith in the brethren. Fortunately, in my understanding of the Gospel, faith in Christ is what counts. But, I've definitely re-thought a lot of issues about my involvement in Church, in ways I never thought I would.

I thought it was a mistake, but I was impressed they won what appeared to be an unwinnable fight.

[Grigor]

This has happened to me only slightly. My hypothesis (for now) is that some people just don't like politics mixed in with church services. So, those of us who detest politics (such as myself) will be a little deterred with politics at, say, sacrament meeting. These people who detest politics come to sacrament meeting to escape the world, not to be further dragged into it. I've personally witnessed this politics at church meetings (the Nov. 2 fast and testimony meeting was the absolute worst in this regard), and it annoyed me quite a bit.

So, for this reason I think that those who have been shaken up by this whole Prop 8 issue will eventually settle back down as church becomes more doctrinal and less political.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by BigFatMeanie

ERA was a bigger involvement from the Church by FAR. ERA was an amendment to the U.S. constitution and the Church mobilized on a national scale. Prop 8 was peanuts compared to the Church's effort on ERA.

I was just a kid back in the late 70s and lived in San Diego. I remember going to an Area conference in Pasadena (Rose Bowl) were Spencer W. Kimball (the prophet at the time) was speaking. There were many vocal Anti LDS protesters outside the Rose Bowl as well as people passing out No and Yes literature on ERA.

DUDE, I went to that conference too! In fact I just found some abstract ticket in my house for the event. What I vividly remember was eating food inbetween the sessions and during the last hour of the second sesssion asking my mom why we couldn't leave like everyone else. She responded "we endure to the end."

I do not recall a single protestor.