Hawaii leaders of the LDS Church have petitioned to join the court battle to prevent the proposed legalization of same-sex marriages in Hawaii.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints submitted a petition to intervene in a case pending before Hawaii State Court that could decide the legal status of same-sex marriages here."There are times when certain moral issues become so compelling that churches have a duty to make their feelings known," said Don Hallstrom, the church's regional representative for Hawaii.
A representative of the Catholic Church in Hawaii joined LDS leaders at a news conference Thursday in pledging its support to help the state maintain its current law limiting marriage to a man and woman only.
The Catholic Church will file a friend of the court brief in the same case, the Rev. Marc Alexander said.
"We decided to unite on this issue because we are very concerned about the future of society and we're very concerned about the health of our families," he said.
The case was brought by three homosexual couples in 1991, and the Hawaii Supreme Court sent it back to the lower court in 1993, saying the state must show a compelling interest why same-sex marriages should not be legal.
The case is scheduled for trial Sept. 25, 1995.
The churches want to help the attorney general prepare for the case by supplying extra legal manpower, expert witnesses and research results, Elder Hallstrom said.
He would not comment on how much money the church is prepared to spend on the issue, but said the Hawaii region has the full support of the international church in its actions.
The LDS Church took this unprecedented step because of the seriousness of the issue and its potential impact on society, Elder Hallstrom said.
The church takes a moral stand against homosexuality but does not try to impede the civil rights of individuals, Elder Hallstrom said.
"We do not see this as a civil-rights issue. We see it as a protection of traditional marriage."
Dan Foley, attorney for the couples, said the LDS Church's motion to intervene was filed too late and has no legal standing.
"We will oppose it and ask the court to sanction the church for this frivolous motion," Foley said.