Bill McKeever, a rep for the Mormonism Research Ministry, added, “Personally, I find it un-American to tell people that they shouldn’t vote their conscience. Hanks said he doesn’t ‘like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper.’ Considering that just about every law discriminates in some form or another, makes this comment ridiculous. Hanks’ comment shows that he very much believes in discriminating against people with whom he disagrees. I may not agree with Mormon theology, but I certainly defend their right to express their opinion.”
Read the article at FoxNews.com here.
>> Considering that just about every law discriminates in some form or another[…]
Yes, because that’s what Mr. Hanks was talking about: discrimination in the absolute sense, instead of just the general concept, which is how 99% of everybody who uses the word understands it.
Pretty much everybody thinks the Mormons should express their opinion. I think we all knew their opinion on gay marriage for a long, long, time. Somehow I don’t think merely “expressing their opinion” is what has people pissed at the mormon church.
This the kind of logic that (1) doesn’t sway anyone, and (2) sounds like something a mormon apologist would say.
I remember in the 70’s when people would say “you can’t legislate morality,” and mormons would say “ALL laws have a base in morality.” It was a dumb argument then, and this isn’t any different. Pick a word, assume the speaker meant it in a different way, and mock him for it.
Bill,
I was very surprised to read this on Fox News long before I saw it here on the MRM site. I think it’s great that they look you up for an opinion and statement from someone who is not supportive to LDS theology. I guess that lives up to Fox News’ motto of “Fair and Balanced”. I think the Mormon Church wouldn’t have received so much direct “heat” from this if they hadn’t have been so pushy and demanding of its people to financially support this cause. Also, disgruntled LDS Church members were blogging about their local ward bishops and stake presidents hounding then to fork over money for this cause. Those blogs are public domain so it was out there.
You were definitely fair in your statement and I couldn’t agree more. If the homosexual community wants its rights to say what they want and support whatever cause they want (ending “don’t ask – don’t tell” for the military), the Muslims in Deerborn, Michigan demanding their rights (foot baths in public places), etc., then the Mormons have as much right to also legally do what they can stop legislation they don’t think is morally acceptable. Homosexual marriage is one issue where Christians and Mormons are in agreement – that it is sin and shouldn’t be supported.
Goldarn, I think Bill gave sufficient context to give a proper sense of his meaning. The kind of opinion Mormons are expressing isn’t a mere form of speech, but something that serves as a basis for a discriminatory law. And I don’t use the “discriminatory” term in the strictly negative sense (neither did Bill).
You present the absolute sense of discrimination and the general meaning as a stark dichotomy, but the problem is that society hasn’t made this distinction. So I think it’s helpful for Bill to draw attention to the absolute sense of the term.
Thanks to Bill McKeever for this statement.
As a Mormon, it is much-appreciated.
I appreciate Bill’s defense of the LDS’ right to speak and vote, despite our differences.
fof