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

CALIFORNIA, Nov. 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- A prominent evangelical pastor today criticized as "blatant discrimination" a new 'No on Proposition 8' television commercial scheduled to run on TV 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 conducting a home invasion of a lesbian couple's home to steal their wedding rings and rip up their marriage license.

Rob McCoy, senior pastor of the Calvary Chapel church in Thousand Oaks, today joined with the California Catholic Conference and the Yes on 8 campaign in criticizing the ad.

"This is blatant discrimination against Mormons. As the pastor of Calvary Chapel of Thousand Oaks, I am outraged by this video. This video is filled with hate and intolerance," said McCoy, whose congregation is several thousand strong. "This video serves no purpose but to divide and destroy our community," McCoy added.

McCoy's criticism of the ad quickly follows the comments of Bishop Stephen Blaire, the President of the California Catholic Conference, who decried the ad from opponents of Proposition 8 as "a blatant display of religious bigotry and intolerance." He expressed dismay that any public media outlet would give it an airing. "The YES on 8 campaign is not about discrimination and intolerance; it is about restoring the traditional definition of marriage for the good of society and children," said Bishop Blaire. "All individuals and groups, whether religious or not, have both a right and a responsibility to participate in a civil debate about this important issue. From the beginning of this campaign the Catholic Conference has stressed the importance of mutual respect and denounces this type of religious bigotry."

Even though 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.