Egads. "'Mormon' Church of Latter-Day Saints"? It's the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It is interesting, but not so surprising, to find that "about 200" members of the church are leaving over the Proposition 8 issue. That's hardly a large number, though, compared to the more than 12 million worldwide membership of the church. There are always some who will find some reason to leave the church. That is their decision.

I do, however, take issue with your opinion that the leadership of the church injected itself inappropriately into a contemporary political issue. How was it inappropriate? Do church leaders not have the same freedom of speech as do any other person in the United States? Of course they do. They don't always exercise that right. Be aware that the church has consistently kept itself out of politics, the exception being when the political issues concern morals. It is then the right, and duty, of the church to speak out.

It's the typical struggle between our inner virtual and self-interest. If we in a society would be governed by our inner virtue, we would voluntarily take care of one another -- your cooperation model. However, if we allow self-interest to rule, we need laws to keep all the self-interest in check and we lose freedom. Only a virtuous society can be truly free.

"No free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles" -- George Mason

"Statesmen...may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand." -- John Adams

If the change is caused by the sun (and not by humans), then it is simply Nature at work. Who are we to be messing around with Nature? If the dinosaurs messed with Nature, they'd still be here! Evolution is the answer...we need to evolve/adapt to the climate change. If we can't, we don't survive--but that is evolution at work, right?