David Archuleta - Gays vs. Mormons Over Prop 8

Mormon stars face backlash after gay marriage ban

When Brandon Flowers leads the Killers on stage at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco next month, he may not get the ecstatic reception to which six years of rock superstardom have made him accustomed.

It could be a similar story when Gladys Knight plays New Orleans in a fortnight, or Donny Osmond returns to the Flamingo in Las Vegas in January, or American Idol star David Archuleta does the rounds of Hollywood chat-shows to promote his debut album this week. Each singer is a committed member of the Mormons, or Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Unfortunately, that's a spiritual calling that in the eyes of California's suddenly vociferous gay rights movement makes them public enemy number one.

"This Mormon church has just taken away one of our fundamental rights, and shown itself to be a nasty church with bigoted beliefs," said John London, a student from West Hollywood, at an equality protest last week. "So when Brandon Flowers, or David Archuleta or any of its other celebrity members show up in a gay neighbourhood, they should know how we feel."