That’s the Mormon and Catholic churches, to be sure. Of the $2.6 million that Stand for Marriage Maine has raised for its “Yes On 1” effort, New Jersey’s LDS-backed National Organization for Marriage contributed $1.622m, and Maine’s Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland handed over $529,666. Without the Church’s contribution? S4MM’s in-state donations would be a dismal $127,218, relays Nate Silver.
As for Protect Maine Equality, they’ve received large sums too: “$526,000 from Maine-based businessman Donald Sussman, and $267,589 from the Human Rights Campaign. And indeed, if you cull its donor list, you’ll find a few big-name Hollywood celebrities: it’s gotten $2,000, for instance, from Rob Reiner, $5,000 from David Geffen, and $10,000 from former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg James Hormel.” But: “Overall, however, its top 10 donors represent just 36 percent of its total fundraising haul, as compared to 91 percent for Yes on 1. Most of its contributions, rather, come from small donors, who account for its 9-to-1 advantage in the number of unique, itemized contributors within Maine, and its 28-to-1 advantage in its number of unique donors from outside the state.”
Brian
Mormons and Catholics. Christians. Anti-gay Christians.
Keith Kimmel
Now that they dont have to pay for the silence of the parents of raped alter boys, I guess they have decided to reallocate the “bribes” line item in thier bugets.
Fitz
I was so unmoved to donate a penny after seeing those damn mousy TV ads.
Washingtion Guy
gee what a shock! I think the Catholic church and the Mormon Church are in a competition to see who can be the most official homophobic! heck the Catholic Church is nicely trying to poach the fleeing homophobes from the increasingly (and doing so at a faster and faster pace) gay friendly Episcopal Church in the US (and trying to poach from around the world, heck if it works the whole church can progress to catch up with the US branch!)
Ether that or the catholic Church is afraid that if gay marriage is made legally they will have an even harder time finding prests since they still can’t be/get married according the catholic church doctrine.
PopSnap
“Ether that or the catholic Church is afraid that if gay marriage is made legally they will have an even harder time finding prests since they still can’t be/get married according the catholic church doctrine.”
Actually, Im willing to bet that this is the case, because Catholics are usually otherwise fairly center-left in their views on things. I’ve read somewhere that 54% of priests are gay men who aren’t so much scared of their identity as they are scared of how others will react to it, hence hiding behind the cloth as they say.
Tina
I have been thinking about this for a while, so after poking around on that Maine site that gives the contributions, I talked with the campus minister (who i am pretty good friends with…and she’s a member of our campus Gay-straight alliance) and this is what she had to say:
“The Catholic stance on homosexuality is the exact same as their public teachings, and they wouldn’t have any reason to hide the contributions. However, they won’t lose their tax-exempt status.
Here is the tax law:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
It prohibits support of CANDIDATES and does not prohibit support of/fighting against legislation UNLESS that is the primary purpose of the organization/church (ie a church cannot be formed as the We Hate Gay Marriage Church that funnels all the money it collects into preventing the passage of gay rights legislation).”
Washington
Non profit organizations can donate up to 15% of their income and gain to political campaigns here in Maine.
Maybe the Church has donated more than their allotted 15%, who knows, they’re aren’t great with transparency.
SoylentDiva
Tax the SOBs. Why should they be subsidized by us when they exist primarily to persecute and oppress us?
PopSnap
We’re probably going to win this one, anyway, given the huge amount of absentee ballots and the way NOM has pretty much come off to nearly every non-conservative Republican Mainer as being outside high-falutin bigots.
Fitz
Personally, I am becoming more and more pro-lion.
B
Fitz wrote, “Personally, I am becoming more and more pro-lion.”
Don’t forget to factor in obesity, which is correlated with low income levels, which in term is correlated with being religious.
Let’s not feed the lions obese fundamentalist Christians. It’s bad for the lions’ health – you know, a high-fat diet.
rudy
If Catholics and Mormons can make “charitable” contributions that pay for anti-gay petitions and political ads, why don’t some gay synagogues and MCC churches do the same?
Attmay
Lousy goyim.
Bill
Proving yet again, there is simply no love quite like Christian/Mormon hate.
Kiki
(high-falutin)Bigots Homophobes Rapists SOBS
Low Income-tubbies
Well……gays and supporters of gay rights…aren’t you all enjoying yourselves making fun of, demeaning and denigrating Catholics, Mormons and Christians. How loving must your homes be? You’re all charming examples of the gay community.
I am a Catholic. I embrace my faith and religion. I am opposed to the legalization of gay marriage. On the other hand…I do not make fun of or use derogatory language towards gays or lesbians. I treat everyone with consideration and respect. Being a committed follower of Jesus…a teaching of Jesus I take very seriously is “judge not, lest you be judged yourself”
I know this is just another thing you can deride and make fun of….but unkind and abrasive gays might ponder on the seriousness of the “judge not, lest you yourselves be judged ” command given by Jesus.
BTW …. Priests didn’t molest young boys because of celibacy. They are and were “pedophiles” hiding behind a priest’s collar.
Now…throw me to those lions that Fitz has determined should be my fate.
Ozymandias
Kiki said… “Well……gays and supporters of gay rights…aren’t you all enjoying yourselves making fun of, demeaning and denigrating Catholics, Mormons and Christians. How loving must your homes be? You’re all charming examples of the gay community.”
After all the times Catholics, Mormons and Christians have called us child-molesters, degenerates, Abominations, Threats to America, etc. etc. etc…. seriously? These religions has spewed death and condemnation at us – not just throughout history, but with greater vigor (and desperation) in the last 10 years. The fundies have been the schoolyard bullies – and now that we’re standing up to crackpot religion, people are whining about ‘those mean gays!’
Kiki said… I am a Catholic. I embrace my faith and religion. I am opposed to the legalization of gay marriage. On the other hand…I do not make fun of or use derogatory language towards gays or lesbians. I treat everyone with consideration and respect. Being a committed follower of Jesus…a teaching of Jesus I take very seriously is “judge not, lest you be judged yourself”
So you’d rather see us as 2nd-class citizens, deprived of the same basic rights and responsibilities that straights use and abuse at will… sorry, I’m not seeing ANY ‘consideration and respect’ in our direction. You quote “Judge not, lest you be judged yourself” – and yet, by your own admission, you have judged that the LGBTQ community does not deserve equal rights under the law. Riiiight.
Kiki said… I know this is just another thing you can deride and make fun of….but unkind and abrasive gays might ponder on the seriousness of the “judge not, lest you yourselves be judged ” command given by Jesus.
If I were religious, I’d look at what’s happening now as the very fulfillment of that verse – Fundies were safe and secure denouncing/condemning/torturing/killing Gays for centuries, and now we’re pushing back against the hate you spew in our direction.
Of course I’m NOT religious, so my analogy is much simpler:
You can dish it out, but you sure can’t take it!!
Anne
I don’t know how I happened on this article but after reading it and reviewing the comments I am convinced that Homosexuals are the most selfish group of people on earth and where the hate lies is within them!! I am a Catholic Christian and I don’t have one ounce of prejudice or homophobia in my body, nor do any of the other Christians I know. I have had gay neighbors, gay friends and gay family members and they are hardly viewed as second class citizens. I feel the same way about them as I do with any other person, however, Marriage is not a civil right for anybody! It is a privilege that has always had rules tied to it because of the children that may be “created” as a result. Christians do not want to see gay marriage not because they hate gay people, they want to preserve a union that was designed for men and women since men and women were designed for each other, emotionally and physically. Being gay isn’t a sin any more than adultery, prostitution, stealing, murder, etc., but when the only way a person can express physical love for their same sex partner is through the anus (designed for human waste)or with artificial objects I find that degrading to the soul! I pray for everyone on this issue!!
newz4i
Catholics: We Do Not Like Your Families Either.