SACRAMENTO — Religious leaders from more than 70 California churches are asking The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to reconsider its support for an anti-gay marriage initiative.
In a letter released Wednesday, 77 California church leaders said Proposition 22, known as the "Limit on Marriage" act, would "foster a climate of hate toward gay and lesbian persons."
Proposition 22, sponsored by state Sen. Pete Knight, R-Palmdale, would bar the state from recognizing same-sex marriages. It will be on the March ballot.
Those signing the letter said they're concerned that time and money spent supporting the campaign will take energy away from finding solutions to "the real challenges families face," such as domestic violence, teen pregnancies or divorce.
"If they are really concerned about supporting marriage and families, there are many other things that are a threat to marriage and families," said the Rev. Ed Hansen, pastor of the Hollywood United Methodist Church. "Why spend all this time and money to support an initiative that does literally nothing?"
"As simple as this initiative looks, it really is an attack on people who are in a nontraditional relationship, namely gays and lesbians," said the Very Rev. Don Brown, Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Sacramento.
LDS Church spokesman Dale Bills in Salt Lake City said he had not seen the letter and could not comment.
Robert Glazier, spokesman for the "Protection of Marriage" campaign, said he had not seen the letter but doubted it would lessen LDS support for Proposition 22.
"We will be surprised to see people change their minds on such an important issue, but they are free to write whatever letters they would like," he said.
In June, the LDS Church sent letters to 740,000 members asking them to support Proposition 22.
In addition, the measure has received support from most of the California dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church, which has donated $311,000 to the Yes on 22 campaign, and the California Southern Baptist Convention, which voted in November to ask members to support the ballot measure.
In a statement last month, Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles, said he was saddened that the Catholic Church's support for Proposition 22 was interpreted as "a lessening of our commitment to serve the gay and lesbian community."
"Those who use this measure to degrade others act in a manner that is wholly inconsistent with Catholic Church teaching that affirms the inherent dignity of every human person including women and men with a homosexual orientation," the statement read.