From what I see, that is not true.* (Please feel free to give me more information) Yes, the church paid $5000. in a fine for not reporting non-monetary contributions to the workers who were supporting the proposition. California law is worded differently, and the church plead guilty to not following the California law.
As far as the millions and millions that was given to the "yes" campaign? There was money paid -- by a political PAC, not a church group, not the Mormon church, but a political pro-Romney PAC created by Conservative Republicans and business people that included members of the LDS church.
This reporter then lists a collection of people and groups who are pulled from a "secret" list (it's on the Internet, buddy) of groups who gave money to the campaign. Here are a few that were of interest to me from the list they published:
Who gave the $40 million to the "Yes on Proposition 8 campaign"? - Public information from the California Secretary of State’s Office.
The National Organization for Marriage THIS IS THE ONE THEY SAID WAS FOUNDED BY THE MORMON CHURCH. IT WAS NOT. IT IS A SEPARATE ORGANIZATION LEAD BY SOME THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE MORMON CHURCH.
$1,041,134.80*Princeton, NJ
20 Nassau Street, Suite 242, Princeton, NJ 08542 • Tel: 609.688.0450 • Web: www.nomcalifornia.org andwww.nationformarriage.org
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) gave: $225,000 on 1/22/08, $38,132.50 on 2/1/08, $47,402.25 on 2/18/08, $172,500 on 2/21/08, $108,000 on 2/22/08, $105,000 on 3/7/08, $50,000 on 4/14/08, $25,000 on 4/18/08, $25,000 on 4/18/08, $100,100 on 4/24/08, $25,000 on 4/25/08, $20,000 on 7/30/08 and $100,000 on 10/21/08.
The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) is headed by syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher, President and Brian Brown, Executive Director. Gallagher has worked for several other organizations before founding NOM. She is best known for being in the center of a (George W.) Bush Administration scandal. She had a $21,500 contract with the Health and Human Services Department in 2002 to help promote the administration’s $300 million “healthy marriage” initiative, but did not disclose her contract and was using her column to promote the program. Gallagher attempted to withhold this information until she finally admitted the conflict four years later. [2]
Due to its sizeable early financial support of ProtectMarriage.com, NOM is chiefly responsible for the qualification of Proposition 8. Their funds made it possible to hire the signature gathering firm of Bader and Associates. Bader then was able to hire hundreds of professional petition circulators to collect the necessary signatures to qualify Proposition 8 for the November ballot. The Protect Marriage Campaign spent $1,227,263 with the Bader organization alone between January and June of 2008.
Alan Ashton
$1,000,000 on 10/28/08 Lindon, UT
Alan Ashton is the co-founder of Word Perfect Corporation and a former professor at Brigham Young University. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a grandson of former LDS Church president David O. McKay.
Focus on the Family
$539,643.66*Colorado Springs, CO
8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920 • Tel: 800.232.6459 • Web: www.focusonthefamily.com
Focus on the Family gave: $50,000 on 12/4/07, $22,259.46 on 1/22/08, $10,834 on 1/28/08, $50,000 on 4/7/08, $250,000 on 6/13/08, $20,000 on 7/24/08, $9,152.63 on 7/29/08, $1,669.37 on 8/6/08, $21,402 on 9/4/08, $4,306.83 on 9/4/08, $1,739.37 on 9/15/08 and $100,000 on 10/28/08.
Founded in 1977 by Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family is the most powerful evangelical ministry in the country. Focus on the Family is located in Colorado Springs, CO and is now run day-to-day by President & CEO, Jim Daly, but James Dobson is still the face and voice of Focus on the Family. Their 2005 budget was $129 million and they have 1,300 employees. They advocate creationism and have called same-sex marriage “the most radical human experiment.”
The American Family Association
$500,000 on 7/22/08 Tupelo, MS
P.O. Drawer 2440, 107 Parkgate, Tupelo, MS 38803-2440 • Tel: 662.844.5036 • Web: www.afa.net
The American Family Association (AFA) of Tupelo, Mississippi was founded in 1977 by Donald E. Wildmon. He serves as Chairman and his son Tim is President. According to its web site, “AFA exists to motivate and equip citizens to change the culture to reflect Biblical truth and traditional values.” They are established as a 501(c)(3) Corporation and according to their IRS Form 990 for 2007, brought in $22.5 million. AFA owns over 180 American Family Radio stations in 28 states across the country. [3] AFA has led several national boycotts against companies such as Walt Disney (1996–2005)www.afa.net/disney Ford (2005) www.boycottford.comand just launched a boycott against McDonalds Corporation www.boycottmcdonalds.com all due to their support of fairness and equality for gays and lesbians. AFA is currently targeting the Hallmark Card Company because it began selling a same-sex wedding cards.
David Moon
$200,000 on 10/28/08 Alpine, UT
The Vineyard Group, LLC
$160,000Mesa/Queen Creek, AZ
1223 S. Clearview Ave., Mesa, AZ 85209 • Tel: 480.222.5800
The Vineyard Group gave: $25,000 on 6/23/08, $35,000 on 7/15/08 and $100,000 on 10/29/08.
The Vineyard Group is part of Cardon Hiatt Bowden, a real estate and investment company based in Mesa, AZ. Principals include Elijah and Craig Cardon, Broc Hiatt and Brent Bowden, many of whom were big financial backers of Mitt Romney for President. Broc Hiatt is a Director of the New York based Institute for American Values, where NOM founder Maggie Gallagher is an Affiliate Scholar.
Michele Adams Watterson
$100,000 on 10/29/08 Cache, UT
Watermark Investments, LC
Roger Boyer
$100,000 on 9/17/08 Salt Lake City, UT
Katharine Garff
$100,000 on 10/29/08 Bountiful, UT
Belinda Vandersloot
$100,000 on 10/28/08 Idaho Falls, ID
Belinda Vandersloot is the wife of Melaleuca–The Wellness Company President and CEO Frank Vandersloot. Melaleuca (www.melaleuca.com) is one of the world’s largest online and catalog retailers offering wellness products to its customers, who also enjoy the benefits of community membership.
Does the LDS church or any other church have a right to believe that the family should try to be structured one way? Yes. And, I think every church has a right to promote its teachings.
Does it have the right to tell people they don't have the choice? My understanding is that the church is not telling us whither or not we can choose. They are letting us know what they think the consequences of that choice will be. That is their right.
We have agency to choose. We also have agency to create for our familes the kind of home we wish to have in order to raise children happily and healthily.
What say you on any of this?
Does it have the right to tell people they don't have the choice? My understanding is that the church is not telling us whither or not we can choose. They are letting us know what they think the consequences of that choice will be. That is their right.
We have agency to choose. We also have agency to create for our familes the kind of home we wish to have in order to raise children happily and healthily.
What say you on any of this?
