LDS Church questioned in new Prop. 8 Documentary

You've got to remember that this "documentary" was not produced by an impartial group, but rather one back by gay-rights advocates. That doesn't mean there's no truth in there, but it does throw doubt upon their interpretations of said truth. With the technology available today, it is quite possible to cut and paste vid together and make it look completely plausible. Buttars may feel the way he does and he is entirely entitled to his own opinion. I applaud him for not giving in to the social/political pressure to lean the other way. Lastly, gay rights are not a CIVIL rights issue. CIVIL rights are like those of the 1960's, rights given to those who can't change who they are (black/white, male/female). I'm sorry, but I've heard too many who were "previously gay or previously heterosexual". Yes, the feelings may be intrinsic, but they are entirely changeable, as are our feelings of anger- yet I hear no one lobbying for the right to express their anger openly and as violently as they please.

I respect the religious comments below and very informative. They may even win the grand prize in the testimony of the month contest. However, what about my religious views that include social justice? Which view should prevail in civil marriage? The answer is NO religious view should take precedence in civil marriage. Hope you win the grand prize.

You know what's so great about abc4? They dare to give the news. All the news! I love it! Whether you agree or not with any particular story, the news is there. Now, if we can just get Karen Carlson to stop wearing the shiney lipstick!

Back to form, eh Chris?

http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-mormon-ethic-of-civility SALT LAKE CITY 16 October 2009 The political world is astir. Economies are faltering. Public trust is waning. Individuals feel vulnerable. And social cohesion wears thin. Meanwhile, stories of rage and agitation fill our airwaves, streets and town halls. Where are the voices of balance and moderation in these extreme times? During a recent address given in an interfaith setting, Church President Thomas S. Monson declared: "When a spirit of goodwill prompts our thinking and when united effort goes to work on a common problem, the results can be most gratifying." Further, former Church President Gordon B. Hinckley once said that living “together in communities with respect and concern one for another” is “the hallmark of civilization.” That hallmark is under increasing threat. So many of the habits and conventions of modern culture — ubiquitous media, anonymous and unsourced online participation, politicization of the routine, fractured community and family life — undermine the virtues and manners that make peaceful coexistence in a pluralist society possible. The fabric of civil society tears when stretched thin by its extremities. Civility, then, becomes the measure of our collective and individual character as citizens of a democracy. A healthy democracy maintains equilibrium through diverse means, including a patchwork of competing interests and an effective system of governmental checks. Nevertheless, this order ultimately relies on the integrity of the people. Speaking at general conference, a semiannual worldwide gathering of the Church, Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles asserted: “In the end, it is only an internal moral compass in each individual that can effectively deal with the root causes as well as the symptoms of societal decay.” Likewise, Presiding Bishop H. David Burton emphasized that the virtues of fidelity, charity, generosity.

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan. Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love a