Letter from a Mormon

A LETTER FROM A MORMON:
Derrick Clifford
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I understand that you dont have all of the information. somehow, previous to prop 8, you feel you have been wronged or unfarily targeted by the LDS church. I am a member of the LDS church and it is my life and you dont realize the damage you have done to our freedom of religion by twisting facts and taking statements out of context you are smearing my name and my belief system. We dont hate the gay community and that has never been said by any member of the church's first presidency. As far as comparing this to the poligomy question, there is no comparison. That "alternative' form of marriage as you called it was stopped and became illegal by our government. Your argument does not hold much water. how dare you take messages from our conferences that are so personal and sacred to me and use them to your selfish gain and benefit. i love my church and yes we believe that homosexuality is wrong but it really isnt a question of policy it is a question of morality. That I believe is why the LDS faith got involved in the first place. We as a religion fight a battle against immoral actions not people. We are doing the same thing that every church does on the planet. Please stop targeting us. It is becoming dangerous for us to exist and to live in a free society

THE ARMY IS ASSEMBLED

8TMP SIGNED WITH GIANT PRODUCER REP WILLIAM MORRIS ENDEAVOR TODAY!!! SO EXCITED TO HAVE A GIANT ON OUR SIDE GOING IN TO SUNDANCE. NOW WE HAVE THE TOP PUBLICIST (DAVE MAGDAEL TCDM *SUPERSIZE ME FAME* ) and DEB AND KEVIN OF WME! GO 8TMP!

CLASH OF THE TITANS

Well well well. Life certainly serves up some zingers. Thursday and Friday I found myself in Salt Lake City wrapping up 8TMP and readying our epic film for its world premiere at Sundance. Yesterday, after a whirlwind shoot schedule, I raced to the airport to catch a flight home. Delta Airlines...SLC to ATLANTA...Atlanta to Miami. The departure gate for Atlanta was right next to the departure gate for Arizona. And passengers were waiting to board each flight--scheduled to leave at the same time. The lines seemed to merge. So many people. "Is this the line to Atlanta or the line to Arizona?" His voice was unmistakeable. Educated. Booming. Arrogant. I turned to see none other than Mormon Apostle and bigoted homophobe Dallin H. Oaks staring me right in the eye. And next to him, co-bigot and homophobe Quentin Cook--who was the face of the Mormon call to action for Prop. 8. I was astounded. There in front of me, the faces of the very movement that stripped a people of their civil rights. And in an instant--they both recognized me and turned sheet white. I could not find words to answer the question posed of me--and they slithered back in to the crowd away from me. I reached deep for my i phone. It has a video feature and I thought: "They refused over and over to interview with me--but here they are and I'll make them talk--or at least make them run away from me trying..." But, alas--the iphone battery was dead. And both flights were delayed.

We were locked in the moment and locked in the crowd. I heard Oaks say to Cook "he's the one doing the movie..." and I turned to see him give a shudder.

For twenty minutes, I just stared at them. And I noticed people in the crowd noting my gaze. I asked myself: "ok...Mormon boy. Are these representatives of God? Are you sure you are right in criticizing them?"

And after watching them stand there, people fawning at their presence...I knew clearly: "THESE ARE NOT MEN OF GOD."

They're just like me. Caught up in a cause. All of us certain we are right. And divided.

I wanted to say to them: "you hurt me. I'm a child of God. I'm a real person. I have value. People like me have value!"

But I didn't. I just watched.

I heard Oaks say: "I'm in first class--seat 2b."

And I marveled that the ten percent tithes of his followers paid for that prime seat.

There in that moment, for the first time in my life--I no longer felt small in the presence of these leaders I was taught were mighty.

I felt like a titan. And this was my serendipitous clash.

8TMP DIRECTOR STATEMENT

SUNDANCE VLOG from Producer Steven Greenstreet

We got into the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. I have something to say about that.

ARE YOU SERIOUS? THIS IS LAUGHABLE

Mormon response to our film is less a study in the inner workings of a church and more a study of the inner workings of a business terrified at losing its positive image. Recently, Mormon Senator D. Chris Buttars announced he just might sponsor a bill on Utah's hill offering protections for gays and lesbians relative to housing and employment. This is the same man who--in this very calendar year--likened gays to radical muslims and said: "the things they do would make you sick."

Is this transparent to anyone? Is anyone crying bullshit on this? I have a source who claims someone high-up in the Mormon Church reigned Buttars in as the approaching P.R. nightmare that will follow 8TMP's release comes closer. When our audience hears the full spectrum of hateful gay rhetoric coming from D. Chris Buttars--they will see that the Mormon incursion in to politics has happened once again. Not on a national level--but in good old Utah. Sure, it might help the gays--but again begs the question: WHAT ABOUT SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?

A STRAIGHT WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE ON 8 & MORMONS

Emily Pearson: A Little Perspective on Mormon moves to extend gays housing and employment protections.

Emily Pearson is one of 8:TMP's Producers. You can read more of her thoughts at: dancingwithcrazy.blogspot.com

Let’s say a man batters his wife for years but periodically brings her flowers and takes her out to dinner, does that make the abuse okay? Just because the neighbors got involved and the police were called and he found himself in the spotlight and is suddenly out washing the car and playing with the kids, has anything really changed? The woman sighs and says, “This time I think he’s really changed.” And the community sighs with relief because it wants to avoid confrontation. The PR machine worked. Smoke and mirrors. Momentary relief. Symptoms of the disease, the dance between abuser and abused, and the community outside marvels. Everyone is Ooo-ing and Ahh-ing because a bully has decided not to hit so hard? Whatever.

MORMON RESPONSE

We first met America Forever at one of their many rant-filled, hate-spewing protest events.

They are Mormons who say in our film: "Yes, we feel like our actions are good. We are in line with what the prophet and his twelve apostles say about homosexuals."

And while Mormon leaders have called for civil dialogue while still fighting marriage equality and other protections for LGBT people behind the scenes, it is true that in recent weeks, one of the Mormon apostles America Forever spoke of in our film...DID tell his followers that LGBT rights are not real and are only "alleged." Yes. Just weeks ago.

Today, 80,000 people got this fax from the Mormon group, America Forever. Progress may have happened when the Mormon church decided to inch towards something that they themselves say is "common sense." Housing and employment for gay people. (Gee thanks! Hopefully soon the Mormons will give me my "free to breathe the air" card too!)

But we cannot forget that when the Mormon Prophet or Apostles speak what Mormons believe to be the literal word of God, their membership reacts. And this is the reaction of one of the Mormon Church's most vocal anti-gay groups.

Hot off the presses ladies and gentlemen...I give you...America Forever.

Mormons Endorse Not Leaving the Gays To Rot.

Stop the presses! The LDS church, via spokesman Michael Otterson, held a special news conference today to announce to every soul in the entire universe that they support "the right of people (gays) to have a roof over their heads and the right to work without being discriminated against."

Wow... what a stance.

A truly groundbreaking day in the progression of civil rights. Gays can now have a roof over their heads and not be fired from their jobs thanks to the stamp of approval from the Mormons.

C'mon, really? How is this even news? Did gay folks really need the church's nod of approval to have what Otterson himself admitted are "common-sense rights"?

Now I'm sure all the national press is eating this up with a spoon printing headlines of "WHOA! MORMONS ENDORSE SOMETHING THAT HELPS GAYS" and so on. Because that's the angle the church wanted and that's the easiest angle to fit into 250 words or less. And that's just lazy journalism. Copy / Paste.

Because if you read the church's statement, it's really full of the same old mumbo jumbo.

Starting with this zinger:

"The Church supports this ordinance because it is fair and reasonable and does not do violence to the institution of marriage."

Violence? Against the institution of marriage? Seriously? Has no one else called "crazy" on this yet?

I'll tell you what, Michael Otterson Official Spokeperson for the Mormon Church, violence is exactly what your church's policies have enacted over the past couple decades. Violence? How do you address the high suicide rate among gay Mormons? In our film, we tell the story of Stuart Matis who, after sitting through countless church meetings listening to gay bashing, stood on the steps of his Mormon church in California and put a bullet in his brain while holding note saying, in essence, "I'm sorry". Stuart, sadly, is one of many. Or what about the countless scores of homeless teenagers roming the streets of Utah because Mormon bishops told their families to throw them to the curb? In our film, we followed a group of them around as they slept on filthy mattresses in abandoned warehouses. "There is no hope", one of them said, "I'm surprised I'm not dead." How does that fit into "fair and reasonable"?

I'd really like to know. Which is why I asked you a few months ago. I spoke with Kim Farah, another spokesperson with the Mormon church. I asked, "The church raised millions of dollars and engaged entire communities in helping pass Proposition 8 in California. How much of the churches efforts are being used to help the gay members, within your church, who are suffering suicide and homelessness in Utah and nationwide?"

She stumbled a bit before candidly saying, "I'm not familiar with any specific programs the church has for that. I'll have to... I'll have to get back to you on that."

She never did.

The fact of the matter is that the press conference held today was a desperate attempt by the Mormon church to curb the relentlous bad press they've had since Proposition 8 passed. They lied about their financial reports, they coerced church members into donating exorbitant dollar amounts (some even gave their kids' entire college savings), they ended up donating 30 of the 40 million dollars for "Yes on 8", and then, when it was all over, they helped strip a civil right from tens of thousands of Americans.

Oh, but it's "not an issue of civil rights", Kim Farah said in my interview.

And the Mormon leaders know a thing or two about civil rights. Just ask Dallin Oaks, who said that the backlash his church has endured because of Prop 8 is equal to or more than the lynchings, fire hoses, police dogs, beatings, and utter chaos that blacks endured during the civil rights movement.

I could go on, but I shouldn't have to. This was a ruse from the Mormon church. Plain and simple. And most of us should see right through it. You can't strip rights from thousands and then endorse "um, ok you can have a house" and then call yourself a champion of civil rights.

Otterson ended his comments by saying that "In these comments and in our actions, we try to follow what Jesus Christ taught."

Well, Jesus taught, "By their fruits, ye shall know them."

Mr. Otterson, our film is full of your church's fruits. Lies, tears, misery and death.

"Ye shall know them." Indeed.

8: TMP PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: STEVEN GREENSTREET (801) 580-3103

PRESS@MORMONPROPOSITION.COM

MORMON CHURCH LEADERS BEND UNDER SCRUTINY BROUGHT ON BY 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION. IS THIS ANOTHER MORMON P.R. STUNT?

On November 10, 2009 several highly placed people featured in the upcoming documentary film 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION were contacted by well-placed people inside the Mormon Church in anticipation of an "historic statement against discrimination" to be made by the Mormon Church.

They were told, "Watch what we are about to do. You will be pleased."

At this hour gays and lesbians all over the world hope that the Mormon Church's announcement will not be yet another Mormon public relations smoke screen and result in action that will result in full marriage equality for the LGBT community world-wide.

Since the release of the trailer for 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION, intense scrutiny has been focused on Mormon involvement in the passage of Proposition 8 and allegations that the Mormon Church set up the infamous NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE which was the key player in Maine's recent ban on gay marriage.

Sources close to those who called our cast and production team alerting us to the upcoming Mormon statement on discrimination say that Mormon Mitt Romney has recently put pressure on his own church to extend an olive branch to the gay community to try and deflate the anticipated negative press that will come from the release of 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION that would likely damage his hope for a successful 2012 presidential bid.

Ironically (and we suspect in step with the Mormon's anticipated statement on discrimination) Mormon-owned KSL TV released an article on their web site saying "Romney appears to be front-runner in 2012 election."

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8613293

While the 8:TMP team hopes Mormons end their game of discrimination against the LGBT community and wishes to work with people of all faith traditions to end discrimination, we would like to assert the following.

FACT: Under similar international scrutiny, Mormon leaders have in the past made similar statements regarding being against discrimination directed towards minorities & the LGBT COMMUNITY.

FACT: Gay leaders in SLC begged Mormon leaders to back up their statements on ending discrimination against the LGBT commmunity, through Mormon support for their COMMON GROUND initiative.

FACT: Despite lip service, Mormons did not get behind the COMMON GROUND INITIATIVE and in fact worked to see the initiative's defeat.

FACT: Despite lip service to people of color, the holiest book of Mormon scripture THE BOOK OF MORMON still refers to people of color as being "CURSED WITH A DARK SKIN, FILTHY AND LOATHSOME."

FACT: Despite lip service to people of color, printings of MORMON DOCTRINE by beloved Mormon Apostle Bruce R. Mcconkie, assert African Americans are "marked" for not being fully behind the plan of Jesus Christ in a pre-earth life war in Heaven.

FACT: A Mormon spokesperson told 8TMP's director "this is all about public relations and making the church look good."

In conclusion, as Mormon heavy-hitters prepare for the so-called "historic announcement" our team would encourage Mormons to put their money and their membership by doing the following:

1. Severing all Mormon ties to the NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE, which works to rob the LGBT COMMUNITY of their civil rights.

2. Directing an amount of money equal to Mormon money spent in California's Prop. 8 campaign to LGBT marriage equality.

3. Removing from all Mormon canonized scripture any reference to people of color as being "cursed or marked with a dark skin" or being "filthy and loathsome."

4. Ask Mormon Apostle Dallin H. Oaks to retract his recent teachings on LGBT "alleged civil rights" and affirm that LGBT rights are not "alleged" but deserved and long overdue.

Our production team and cast await the day when Mormons will work with the LGBT community not only with their words, but their money and their members to achieve FULL MARRIAGE EQUALITY. This is the only way to truly advocate for the end of discrimination against ALL PEOPLE. Anything else is lip-service.