Vice is a monster of so frightful mien As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace. (John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1968, p. 409).

IRS regulations acknowledges that a Church may participate in the political process. IRS regulations define under what circumstance they may do so and retain their tax exempt status. This is the state of the law as expressed in IRS regs today: "In general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). An IRC section 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status. Churches and religious organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, churches may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status." "Substantial part test. Whether a church’s or religious organization’s attempts to influence legislation constitute a substantial part of its overall activities is determined on the basis of all the pertinent facts and circumstances in each case. The IRS considers a variety of factors, including the time devoted (by both compensated and volunteer workers) and the expenditures devoted by the organization to the activity, when determining whether the lobbying activity is substantial. Churches must use the substantial part test since they are not eligible to use the expenditure test described in the next section." The IRS comments further: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicp97.pdf

IRS Regs in fact acknowledge that a Church may participate in the political process. The IRS regulations define under what circumstance they may do so and retain their tax exempt status. This is the state of the law as expressed in IRS regs today: "In general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). An IRC section 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status. Churches and religious organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, churches may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status." "Substantial part test. Whether a church’s or religious organization’s attempts to influence legislation constitute a substantial part of its overall activities is determined on the basis of all the pertinent facts and circumstances in each case. The IRS considers a variety of factors, including the time devoted (by both compensated and volunteer workers) and the expenditures devoted by the organization to the activity, when determining whether the lobbying activity is substantial. Churches must use the substantial part test since they are not eligible to use the expenditure test described in the next section." The IRS comments further: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicp97.pdf

What those who support and adhere to the gay agenda do not understand is that the basic foundation of society is the traditional family. You are like all the rest, you denigrate the basic issues in society for those which will never matter is there is no more traditional family. The issues of morality affect our nation more than any other. For us, if we have not our family, nothing else matters. And, we can trace every problem we have in society to the breakdown of family and morality. You can disagree, that is your right and I will defend your right to disagree, but you also have to understand and afford those who disagree with you the same deference, which your side never does. We are called hateful, discriminatory, etc., just for our disagreement with you. And, many on the Christian right do the same thing to you, unfortunately. And the Republican Party and its candidates need to also understand that morality is more than just abortion, gay marriage, pornography, etc., but also includes basic honesty, not taking bribes, and not defending the solicitation of Congressional pages by gay members of Congress, or for that matter, straight members of Congress either. So, the first issues I will vote on are those which concern my family and the breakdown of society because of immoral activiies, including what I consider homosexuality. And, I also have a right to my beliefs, the same as you have a right to yours. And, as stated, voting for Obama would be voting against the basic foundations of my beliefs, as he not only supports gay marriage, but he also supports abortion, is against being properly prepared to defend ourselves and our families, and does not at all understand the threat of radical Islam to our way of life.

It is amazing to me how some people think that the focus of presidential election should be based on who is for or against gay rights. Doesn't it make more sense to care about where the politicians stand on things that affect the country? Why do you care if people in California are finally getting the equality and rights they deserve? Oh I see its because they are gay and you feel like it is your place in the world to stop them? Get a grip! People are who they are and we should love one another as people and it should not be determined by the people we choose to spend our lives with or what religious beliefs we have.

Kathryn Kendall is a very respectful person. She knows her issues. She has debated them here in Utah, while she lived here. She is gay and is committed to her own lifestyle. She refuses to look at what the scriptures say about this and about moral purity, as do most Americans and, I believe, most Utahns. She is part of an agenda which will destroy our nation,in fact, which is destroying our nation. Pres. Hinckely told us the biggest problem we face is the breakdown of the traditional family. Gay groups have an agenda to dilute and continue the destruction of the traditional family. But, we will not get anywhere by hating them. We must learn and know what they are saying and what they are doing. They are dangerous to traditional values. We are told to hate the sin but love the sinner. Kendall is one you can truly love, as she is courteous to you in your beliefs, as I think is shown by her comments in this article. That does not make her alone dangerous to the traditional family, it makes all those who work with her dangerous. We do need to stand up, take a stand, as Pres. Hinckley's book admonished, "Standing for Something." Do we do so? Are we registered and do we vote? Do we know that Barak and Michelle Obama are two of the leading voices in gay rights in America? How can we even consider, no matter how bad McCain is, voting for a person who is totally against our most basic beliefs? Read the papers this past week. Michelle Obama spoke and defended gays and gay marriage, as Obama has done previously. If you are on the side of gays, do your job and get busy working for what you believe in. We, on the other side, should likewise do so before it is too late. That is what our nation was founded on. Belief. Despite what Kendall says, John Adams, our second Pres. and member of the Continental Congress which wrote our Constitution said. "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

It amazes me how those who are in favor of same-sex marriage are willing to curtail the free speech rights of those who are opposed to the measure. Are they afraid of the LDS Church or any other Church opposed to same-sex marriage or are they simply willing to shut off the debate of any who oppose it. These are the same people who are the first to scream when they feel their free speech rights are violated. To me they are a bunch of hypocrites. Free speech for all!!!

Interesting that manael uses old test. to justify discimination, if you are going to use one passage you MUST use all old test. passages, you can NOT be selective. Manael--if you are wearing multi fiber clothing, or not living a Kosher lifestyle- You, Maael are an abomination in the sight of God. I do not see the Church leading a crusade against pork eaters. Come on be consistent and do not speak in logical fallicies. The second point I would like to make is the church is still realing after years of discrimination against Black folk. Then the Federal Goverment passes title 7 and low and behold Gold tells the prophet that his plan has changed, right in step so that they do not lose their tax free status. Get real and open your eyes. Discrimination is discrimination- and the church and its members will once again be judged in the future on this issue the same way it is in the issues with Blacks. Those dirty little secrets always come back and haunt you. The third point is that it seems intersting to me that the people that are talking about love, commitment to the ones they love, and buliding a family are the people that the "the saints" are saying are wong. This is a pitty, esp. coming from a people that know what it is like to be disciminated against.

Why Ms.Kendell is so upsept with the LDS Church position with the gay marriage in California issue? if she grew up like one of them, she must know what the Scriptures teach, if she choosen to be what she is, she must take the hit of her decition and leave the Church alone, for what I know the Church is not rejecting the gay people, what is non aceptable is their life style, and this, is not just all the LDS people who are against it,also all the American people that grew up with a good moral basis, we the people who proclaim ourselves as a Nation under God, and if we really are, we must guide our lifes under the Bible, regardless any religion, all the Bibles said the same, just take a look in to Genesis 1:27-28, on verse 27 is very clear MALE AND FEMALE, on 28 BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY, so Ms.Kendell, tell me, is it possible that two people of the same gender can procraete a child? The basis of a family in our society are MEN AND WOMAN, even with the animals, male and female, my point, leave the LDS, Catholics, Methodists or any other Religion alone and do something more productive with your time and money, do somenthing for your comunity, for the children for the elders, but for heavens sake, who cares what you do with your personal private life, just don't try to make it legal or part of our American Society, our forfathers and all the VETS didn't give us Freedom for this, please also stop showing your life style to young people, don't confuse them, they think be gay is right and that's wrong. I hope one day you find out the truth that will make you free and change your life. GOD BLESS AMERICA

I don't understand why this is even a story. You might as well ask, "Did Martians dance the polka in the capital rotunda?" The answer is "No". The real question is, "Who cares?" Let's have some real news not a fictitious story and a long explanation as to why it's false. I understand that the real story the author wanted to write was about a woman who has a bone to pick with the LDS church. Why not just title the article, "Do people hate the LDS Church for speaking out on moral issues?" Seems it would be a more honest approach to the agenda.