Contact: Chip White, ProtectMarriage.com, 916-251-4392

SACRAMENTO, Nov. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- A growing number of faith leaders denounce a new "No on Prop. 8" ad running on television stations today.

The ad, produced by a group called 'Courage Campaign Issues Committee' and viewable here depicts supposed missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints committing a home invasion robbery of a lesbian couple's home to steal their wedding rings and rip up their marriage license.

Larry Pegram, Values Advocacy Council

"The Values Advocacy Council strongly condemns the ad being promulgated showing two young LDS missionaries perpetrating a 'Home Invasion.' The ad is unscrupulous, misleading, and maligns a group of very dedicated, hard working individuals exercising their constitutional rights to free speech in their support of Prop. 8,” said Larry Pegram with the Values Advocacy Council. "I urge all thinking individuals and organizations to condemn this ad as hateful, bigoted, and intolerant," Pegram added.

Pastor Miles McPherson, the Rock Church

"As the Prop. 8 battle comes to a head, the smear tactics from the 'No on 8' campaign have become shameful," said Pastor Miles McPherson of the Rock Church in San Diego. "While the opposition to Prop. 8 claims to be tolerant, this ad is a prime example of the great lengths to which they will go to deceive the public. This is an alarming offense to the Mormon church," McPherson added.

Rev. Rohn J. Ritzema, Association of Christian Schools International

"I take strong offense to the despicable ad portraying members of the Mormon church as some type of 'storm trooper' that invades the privacy of people's homes. This type of ad is totally unacceptable. People of faith, any faith, have the right to express their views without being vilified," said the Reverend Rohn J. Ritzema, Regional Director of Association of Christian Schools International. "This 'Home Invasion' ad should be removed from the airwaves," Ritzema added.

These faith leaders joined the president of Cornerstone Christian School in Roseville, the California Catholic Conference, the pastor of Calvary Chapel Church of Thousand Oaks, and the Yes on 8 campaign in criticizing the ad.

Although the Yes on 8 campaign called on the No on 8 campaign yesterday to denounce the ad, the No campaign still has not denounced it.