SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is asking its members to back a ballot initiative that would ban gay marriage in California.
A letter was sent to 740,000 members of the LDS Church in California several weeks ago asking them "to do all you can by donating your means and time to assure a successful vote" on the March 2000 measure, the San Francisco Examiner reported.The church conducted similar, successful efforts in Alaska and Hawaii last year.
The letter should be considered as "inspired and coming from the Lord," said church spokesman Dan Rascon, adding that members aren't required to support the ballot measure or to give money to the campaign.
The letter was written by three church presidents who govern California and report to church President Gordon B. Hinckley. California church leaders were instructed to read it in services on May 23 or May 30.
The church donated $500,000 to a similar drive in Alaska and another $600,000 in Hawaii. Backers of the California initiative have until the end of the month to report campaign contributions and declined to say whether the church had donated money.
"Obviously in light of how much money the Mormon Church spent in Alaska and Hawaii, we are very concerned," said Mike Marshall, campaign manager for Californians for Fairness, which is fighting the measure.
California law already defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The initiative by state Sen. Pete Knight, R-Palmdale, would require that only heterosexual marriages be legally binding. Defeat of the initiative would not legalize gay marriage in California.