Some Mormons Who Don't Want To Ban Gay Marriage

Last week, Mormon apostle Dallin H. Oaks made the dubious claim that people of his religion are being treated like Southern blacks during the Civil Right era, due to Mormon opposition of gay marriage. Other Mormon groups disagree with him, and say they should be staying out of politics all together:

What really is threatening religious liberty, four gay-rights groups countered Friday in a joint statement, is the church's meddling in a political campaign to deny rights to same-sex couples.

"We have always been taught that it is not 'just to mingle religious influence with civil government,' " wrote Cheryl Nunn, executive director of the Foundation for Reconciliation, quoting Mormon scripture. "How can I face my friends in other faiths if I stand by and do nothing?"

The four gay-rights advocacy groups -- Mormons for Marriage; Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons; the LDS Safe Space Coalition; and Foundation for Reconciliation -- include Mormons and former church members.

If only all people thought like this, religion would rarely cause problems. But that's not how it works; in our society, most people want their beliefs to be the norm, if not the law.

The other problem here is that groups with names like "Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons" can't be all that influential . . .