Affirmation: Gay & Lesbian Mormons

Mormon Officials Interfered in Argentina’s Vote on Marriage
Executive Director David Melson: “This is another appalling example of the LDS trying to dominate government decisions being made by democratically elected officials”

16 July 2010

Gay Mormons condemned yet another example of high-ranking church official in the LDS Church interfering with governmental decision on marriage equality. “Argentina’s national governing body approved marriage equality this week despite efforts by top Mormons to stop them. This is another appalling example of the LDS trying to dominate government decisions being made by democratically elected officials,” said Dave Melson, Executive Director of Affirmation Gay and Lesbian Mormons. Argentine media outlets, including La Nación, La Capital, El Tribuno, and Cronista, revealed that Carlos Agüero, Mormon public affairs director for Argentina, attended a July 7 meeting of anti-gay religious groups to plan the massive anti-equality demonstration, held last Tuesday, led by Argentina’s Catholic hierarchy.

The First Presidency—the three top leaders of the LDS Church—instructed Mormon leaders in Buenos Aires to read a letter to all members that said, “marriage is between a man and a woman and is ordained of God.” The letter was mandated to be read on July 11, 48 hours before the anti-equality demonstration and days before the vote in the Argentine Congress.

Another newspaper, called Página 12, reveled that one of the main advisors for the Argentine coalition against equality was Benigno Blanco, a member of the secretive and powerful Catholic group Opus Dei. In order to advise the coalition, Blanco flew from Spain, where he helped design the Catholic Church’s strategy against marriage equality in that country. Spain legalized same-sex marriage in 2005.

“Mormon and Vatican officials have no respect for the role of government. People have the right to religious expression but religions do not have the right to co-opt governments,” said George Cole, Affirmation Senior Assistant Executive Director. “In 2005, the LDS joined a worldwide coalition of Muslims, Catholics, Mormons and other groups that are willing to use money offered by the faithful to impose their anti-equality agenda on governments wherever possible. The only thing that can stop them is exposing these very strange bedfellows.”

The LDS Church has aggressively campaigned against LGBT families in Utah, Hawaii, Washington, Alaska, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Nebraska, Texas, and other states. In California alone, Mormons contributed $30 million of the $42 million total raised in support of Proposition 8 and the California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the LDS Church for violating the state’s political contributions law.

Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons was founded in 1977, and is the largest support and advocacy organization for GLBT Latter-day Saints and their families. More information is available at www.affirmation.org