# PonderIt

## Tuesday, June 06, 2006

### Marriage Amendment: Won't Pass, So Church Safe to Support?

With Elder Nelson going to Washington to appear with President Bush and advocate for the new Marriage Amendment, I wondered if the Church really cares if this becomes a part of the constitution or whether they see this as a very public way to get out in the public eye on this issue and influence the debate across the entire nation rather than only in the few states where they have considerable political sway.
Few changes are brought about by moderates. For example, the extreme voices in Civil Rights made the more logical and moderate positions more palatable to a larger percentage of the population. Extremists serve a useful role by often shifting the consensus in the direction of their extremity, if only slightly. Could the Church be trying to play that role here?

#### 1 Comments:

- Contrary to what critics say, the Brethren are not stupid. They know that the Marriage Protection Amendment will not pass this week. But that doesn't meant it won't ever pass. Right now people see Massachussetts as a rare case. They don't see a credible threat that would warrant altering the Constitution. But that could change -- and rapidly. There is something to be said about doing groundwork and being prepared for such an eventuality. Proponents of the amendment are prepared to run it up through Congress again and again. This week is only a skirmish in the battle.
  I think you also are correct in postulating that the Church is using the current amendment debate as a platform to get the overall message out.

  By Reach Upward, at 6/07/2006 6:08 AM

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