A letter from Thomas S. Monson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was read from the pulpit in church congregations in June, calling on church members in California to support Proposition 8. Church members in other areas of the country were urged to send money to the effort.

The position rankled [Mormon Andrew] Callahan, who set up a Web site to voice opposition.

"Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been taught, 'We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government ...'" the Web site says.

It urges other Mormons to sign a petition opposing the church's stand on gay marriage.

This week, Callahan said he has received a letter from his bishop saying "I have participated in conduct unbecoming of a member of the church" and ordering him to a hearing on Friday.

"I believe in standing up for what I believe in and I guess, unfortunately I am not supposed to stand up for what I believe in if I disagree with them and I do," Callahan told KHAS-television.

The disciplinary hearing could result in excommunication.

While the Mormon church is targeting just one individual instead of the supposed hundreds of flocks that evangelicals are trying to get to fast (we'll see how many people do it in the end), Callahan is an example to everyone else. Shut up and follow.

Both churches' influences in politics are troubling: they're literally holding the afterlife over the heads of their followers to make sure that they vote a certain way. Sure, calling for a fast isn't directly making that statement, but the only substantive purpose of such a fast would be to impress upon followers the spiritual importance of voting a certain way.

This seems to be another twist on the adage that liberals fall in love, and conservatives fall in line.