Long before California Supreme Court Justices ruled a state proposition banning gay marriage was unconstitutional hundreds of conservative Christian pastors across the state were trying to figure out a way to stop gay marriages permanently.
Pastor Jim Franklin of Fresno's Cornerstone Church is part of a statewide group called protect marriage.
This video provided by Cornerstone Church was taken a couple of weeks ago when several hundred pastors met at the church to discuss their strategy.
Pastor Jim Franklin: "This issue is far more than about same sex marriage. This really is an issue about our constitutional freedoms. Because when the Supreme Court overturned prop 22 they showed their arrogance and the point that they don't care what the people think we're going to do what we think is best."
Prop 8 proponents hope to raise 25 million dollars to market their message. Pastor Vickie Healy of Fresno's Wesley United Methodist Church says she can't see one good reason for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages. She sees many same sex couples who epitomize what marriage is all about.
Pastor Vickie Healy: "You know our marriage vows say for better or for worse I've seen couples who've supported each other in good times and in bad times and they live out the kind of life we would want married couples to live out."
The anti prop eight coalition is hoping to raise at least 20 million dollars to defeat the constitutional amendment. With so much money at stake abc30 Political Analyst Don Larson says proposition eight is the single issue likely to bring voters to the state's polls in November.
Don Larson,Political Analyst: "It will bring out the conservatives who will be in favor of a constitutional amendment and it will bring out the liberals who are opposed to a constitutional amendment so it could really jack up the voting record which has been pretty abysmal."
The big question is even if proposition eight passes in November what happens with all of the same sex marriages that took place between June and November that's something a judge will have to decide.
