amendment

Yesterday I send the following email message out to several friends and family members:
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Perhaps you've heard that the LDS Church has officially taken the position "that an amendment to the Constitution of the United States is necessary to protect and preserve the institution of marriage between a man and a woman."

The following links show the church's press release on this topic and Elder Nelson's signature added to the Religious Coalition for Marriage.

Join me in a campaign to show that there are Mormons who DO NOT support this constitutional amendment. Please put this bumper sticker on your car and park in a highly visible space in your ward parking lot each Sunday.

If you can, please buy more than one of these stickers and hand them out to your LDS friends. Also, please forward this email to all who might be interested and feel free to spread the word via blogs, email lists, etc.
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Someone replied:
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I'm sure that there are LDS that don't sustain the Apostles, but I'm not one of them. I have to admit that I don't understand why you would have sent this...or why you would even propagate it to anyone at all.
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My reply:
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1) I sent this out because I believe I don't believe such an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is necessary to preserve marriage.
2) I think it is important for LDS to know that it is possible for members to disagree on political issues and still be faithful church members. As it says in the press release on this issue:
"Because national campaigns on moral, social or political issues often become divisive, the Church urges those who participate in public debate — including its own members — to be respectful of each other. While disagreements on matters of principle may be deeply held, an atmosphere of civility and mutual respect is most conducive to the strength of a democratic society."
I see nothing in their statement that says all church members must support this amendment. Rather, I see latitude for a spectrum of opinions.
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