8: The Mormon Proposition (2010)

Reed Cowan's "8: The Mormon Proposition" looks at how the Mormon Church contributed to the infamous Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California. Supposedly nothing more than a religious organization, the LDS has spent years acting as a political action committee to push hate-filled acts. Interspersed with focus on Prop 8, the documentary looks at life inside Mormonism, and how many gay youths end up homeless in Utah (that Chris Buttars is a REAL CREEP).A strange irony to this supposed "defense" of marriage is that gays and lesbians can love each other just as much as heterosexuals can (to be certain, Massachusetts, where same-sex marriage is legal, has the lowest divorce rate in the country). Also, another person involved in pushing Prop 8 was Rick Warren, who more recently encouraged the law in Uganda that called for executing gays.No, it's not the best documentary of all time, but still one that I recommend, just in case people thought that homophobia was dying out. Dustin Lance Black narrates and George Takei appears in footage, while various gays and politicians get interviewed.

I didn't even watch the show and just from the preview I can see things are taken out of context and clips are from anti literature. If people actually believe this kind of one side garbage they should be ashamed. Besides I think there are a few more denominations that spoke out for Prop 8 and for what they believe in. Why single out the Mormons, talk about racism, take a look in the mirror. Seems like the film focuses on money that the Church spent on proposition 8. Who cares, unless your paying the church out of your own pocket what's it matter to you. Beside the receipts they show could easily be falsified or going to some charity. It's funny how people will believe anything they see on a screen. What a joke, it's to bad people even have to be like this just accept that people are different and accept then for who they are, right or wrong.

Tax exempt status for any religious organization should be repealed pending investigation of political shenanigans. All current loopholes regarding what should and should not be made public should also be repealed without any regard. After all, what are they hiding if they have nothing to hide? Religious leaders love to quote that this country is "founded on separation of church and state" when it suits them. But then they think they can organize solely to sway public opinion in a political context. It's absurd and needs to be addressed immediately.I don't care who did or didn't say what. The film-makers didn't invent Prop. 8 or the events surrounding it. It was made very public that religious powers were behind the major push of Prop. 8, and that is simply a situation that can't be permitted to happen again. Ever. Even if I had something to gain by whatever legislation.That's what this movie was about. Pure and simple.The idea that bad light can be cast upon the LDS church is preposterous. I've met and spoken, and been lectured and informed in detail, and worked with Mormons and ex-Mormons. Nothing in this movie contradicted my experience. The LDS is run by a brigade of out and out fanatics who will step over the line at any cost to get their way. They destroy lives, they destroy families, and they are responsible for an awful lot of hurt. Anyone who says different is an active Mormon, still under the influence of the Kool Aid, or is possibly a member of a similarly twisted "faith". Or they are a sociopath.Having spent a lot of time in Utah, I have heard the stories of way too many suicides by High School and College kids. These stories were told by the very people that live there, and were not told in any religious context, but just because it happens too much.The absolute bottom line is that Prop. 8 was a bad idea. Taking rights away from people is something to be ashamed of. It's no different to the LDS trying to ban Coca-Cola and coffee because they contain caffeine. (Doesn't that sound stupid?) I would never dream of telling a religious individual that they can no longer practice their faith. So how can they claim the moral high ground? It makes me ashamed that I live in this country, and it makes me ashamed to be a human being.You should all be ashamed.{As I write this, Prop. 8 was recently overturned. It seems that $22,000,000 and a whole lot of bankrupted Mormon families, whose children will pay their own way through college, now have a lot of egg on their faces. What goes around, comes around. Yippee ki yay, m************.}

Living on the East Coast, the passage of California's Prop 8 was too distant to be more than just a news story. And not being Gay, not personal. The passage also suffered in the wake of Obama's historic election on November 4, 2008.The news did shatter the myth of California liberalism as the Proposition denying Gay marriage rights passed 52% to 48%. And that was beyond sad."8: The Mormon Proposition" makes it clear why. Money. $22 million in Mormon money funded a campaign of half-truths and outright lies to have the Prop placed on the ballot to forward the Mormon ideal of marriage. Watching the web of deceit and hate being exposed is fascinating.To a point.The doc is not entirely balanced and fair. After the Prop passes (about 2/3rds through) the film takes a nasty, completely unnecessary turn to Mormon-bashing. It left a bad taste in the mouth as it's hateful in a very subtle way. A far more virulent form of hate compared to a street corner protester shouting epithets about Gays.Whether one is a Mormon, supports Mormonism or religious freedom, it's sure the way to fight hate is not with hate. The Mormons are quite clear about their views. Adding anything beyond exposing those views in a film about Prop 8 goes to the filmmaker's agenda.Perhaps if the Doc focused on the Mormon's overall agenda. . .