Cassandra Handley, author of VF.com’s “A Mormon View” blog, feels the Mormon church has been unfairly criticized since the passage or Prop 8. Vanity Fair published a conversation between Handley and Sue Carswell, representing the L.G.B.T. community, and moderated by Michael Hogan, V.F.’s executive online editor.

Here are few of the more interesting exchanges:

Hogan: But if it’s just about semantics, why is the Mormon church trying to change the constitution of the state of California?

Handley: We have something that we call the Proclamation of the Family that basically states our position on the importance of the family. We value family as being the most crucial institution in the world. And the first statement of that proclamation, which I don’t have memorized, is something along the lines of, We believe that a marriage is between a man and a woman. And then it says something along the lines of, We value procreation so much, and the way that procreation can take place is between a man and a woman.

Carswell: I’m sure there are members of your church who can’t have babies and go through fertility treatments, adoption. The same way that gay couples can and do in their own marriages.

I can’t understand why you would come to my wedding when you say what you just said. I’m not getting a civil union. I’m having a wedding. What’s the difference between the two that I’m not getting here? You would come to my civil union? Of course you would, according to what you’re saying. But you’d also come to my marriage, yet you’re saying that you’re against marriage.

Handley: The thing is, though, if this proposition had not passed, religious groups could have been forced to conduct same-sex weddings. And if they refused, they could have been open to legal action.

Hogan: That’s not really a rationale for changing the constitution of the state to say that same sex-couples shouldn’t be allowed to get married anywhere and that a bunch of people who’ve already been married now have to lose their marriage licenses. That’s an argument to say, You shouldn’t force us to conduct same sex marriages, which is a much more modest goal.

and…

Hogan: Let’s talk about definitions of marriage and how they have changed in the L.D.S. church over time, and the fact that there was a time when polygamy was recognized in the L.D.S. church.

Handley: There was a time.

Hogan: And when did that end?

Handley: In order for Utah to become a state, it obviously had to give it up. And this happened in the late 1800s. [Utah became a state in 1896.]

Before that, though, when the church was founded, there was gross prosecution. People were killed. They were tarred and feathered. Our first prophet [Joseph Smith] was martyred. So the first members fled from place to place. They faced hatred and resentment, much of it having to do with the practice of polygamy.

Hogan: This is what’s strange to me. Here’s a church with a history of being persecuted, having to find a place where it could practice its beliefs on its own, and eventually thriving in that place, in Utah. How did they get to the point where now they’re saying, “We want to dictate the laws of California to reflect our religious beliefs”? They didn’t want the law of other religions to affect them back in the day.

Handley: They wanted the L.D.S. voters in California to take the proposition into consideration.

The entire post can be viewed here.

Melissa Etheridge wrote an interesting piece for the Daily Beast concerning Proposition 8.

“Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.”

While I appreciate Etheridge’s sentiment, I have mixed feelings about her approach. The state didn’t take away our right to marry, the people of California did (with the Mormon and Catholic churches aiding and abetting). Twice the California legislature passed a same-sex marriage bill and twice Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it. But to the Governor’s credit he was against Proposition 8 and voted against it.

I think our time is better spent shining a spotlight on the Mormon and Catholic church’s involvement and putting their tax exemption status on the table. Hitt’em in the pocket book where it hurts.

To learn more visit How to file an IRS 501(c)(3) for the the LDS Church

No on Prop 8 just released a new ad this evening called “Discrimination” narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, looking back at the injustices of California’s past and not to repeat them. Good stuff.

Second to the presidency, Proposition 8 is arguably the most important vote in the nation this November. Authored by religious groups, Proposition 8 overturns the California Supreme Court’s decision granting same-sex couples marriage equality, and amends the state constitution so that marriage can only be defined as union between a man and a woman.

Recently married, my partner and I have donated time and money to the No On Prop 8 campaign. We’ve called upon our family and friends to do as much as they can. We’ve distributed fliers and signs around our neighborhood, and have tried to make an impact in our workplace. But we wanted to do something more.

I’ve made a No On Prop 8 video and have posted it on online. I’m not so naive as to think it will make a huge difference, or even a small one, but if I can get one more person to donate time or money, or get down off of that fence, then it will have been worth it.

I think many California voters don’t really know who Proposition 8’s biggest supporters are, or their core values. In the video I try to draw attention to that, in the hopes that making the decision to vote No on Prop 8 is an easier one.
Please help me spread the word by sharing this video.

Some of Proposition 8’s biggest supporters include
(I will not link to them as not to send them traffic):

• Concerned Women for America
• Focus on the Family
• American Family Association
• The Knights of Columbus
• Members of the Mormon Church
  (urged by their leaders, they have donated over $18 million)

For a complete list visit Californians Against Hate or the LA Times.

Please donate time or donate money if you have not already done so. Or volunteer for No On Prop 8’s Election Visibility program on Election Day November 4th.

And finally, I’d like to send my deepest thanks to Chuck Smith, who was so gracious with his time to provide the voiceover in this video. Please contact me if you have some work to send Chuck’s way.