Church of Scientology Denies Support of Prop 8

Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis has denied claims made by director Paul Haggis about the church's stance on gay rights and their involvement in the passing on Proposition 8 in California.

After Haggis publically renounced Scientology, citing their anti-gay leanings in a letter to the leaders of the church, Davis announced that they have taken no hard political stance for or against gay marriage. According to Advocate.com, Davis reminded Haggis that their organization can't be actively political because of their tax-exempt status.

However, Davis did say that Scientology supports civil rights in general, writes EDGE Boston. That includes homosexuals.

"We are a minority, too; we understand what it's like to be persecuted, so to the extent that anything prohibits or inhibits on civil rights, we don't agree with it," said Davis.

According to MSNBC.com, the spokesman admitted that the San Diego branch of Scientology was on the list of churches supporting Proposition 8, but said that their inclusion was a mistake and they were removed from the list later. He claims that Haggis wasn't satisfied with that, and wanted the church to take an active stance against the proposition.

"I told you I could not, in good conscience, be a member of an organization where gay-bashing was tolerated," said Haggis in the letter.