sugarandice: a couple comments in your post are just wrong. First, your comment that it is impossible to be a Mormon and be pro-choice is not true. There are many, many very active Mormons in good standing with the church who are pro-choice. The phrase, "pro-choice" is a political thing. Granted, probably about 95% of all Mormons are politically pro-life but its not a litmus test for standing in teh church.

Second, please make it clear that it is your own philosophy that leads you to believe that the LDS church's stance against the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) was because they wanted to strenghthen the male heirarchy. My mother -- very independent woman, professor at Boston Univerity -- leader of the woman's republican group in our city -- was a leader in the fight against the ERA and it had nothing to do with church leadership. Most republicans opposed the ERA.

But I agree with your ultimate conclusion. The Mormon church stays out of politics other than to urge its membership to vote for moral candidates who will uphold family values.