letter-to-my-gay-friend-proposition-8-mormon

A letter to my gay friend about The Mormons and Proposition 8

This is a very explosive topic, and I'm not trying to be confrontational here. I have a lot of gay friends, and risk them getting upset at me by posting this.

I know that this topic is important to both sides, but it seems the Mormon point-of-view is always muted by the loud protests. What many seem to overlook is that marriage to Mormons is a sacred institution. Marriage in society has its roots in religion. Marriage has always been between a man and a woman since Adam and Eve. This video that you posted pours gas on the fire of hate towards Mormons making it seem like Mormons are violent and haters of gays. That is false. In fact, there was a lot of violence towards Mormons and vandalism of Church property during the weeks leading up to Prop. 8 in California.

The truth is Mormons do not hate gays just because we do not believe it is God's way. We also do not believe that a man and woman should live together before marriage. This is what I teach my children, not out of hate towards others, but because I believe this to be what God has commanded. It's just what we believe. We believe in marriage, which by definition is between man and woman. I think it is ironic when I hear that we (Mormons) need more tolerance. However, if I believe marriage should only be between man and woman, there is no tolerance for that from the gay community. Tolerance seems to be convenient only if it goes along with the gay agenda. Mormons are not to blame for this belief. It is what most people in our society believe. How everyone lives their life is up to them. Mormons believe that we have our free agency. However, why should my belief in marriage, which is sacred to me, be less valuable that the gay's belief that they should have the right to marriage? This video tries to make it seem like it's about certain rights that gays should have. What rights don't gays have? The piece of paper that says you're married? It makes reference that same-sex marriage is somehow the same as the civil rights movement. That's a bit of a stretch. Furthermore making it look like the Mormons are behind the opposition - overlooking Catholics and millions of others. You can call same-sex marriage "marriage", but I stand by the fact that marriage in the definition of the word is man and women, husband and wife, united historically in a religious ceremony. What the gays want us as society to do is call something "marriage" when it is not. It's a civil union when a same-sex couple is joined legally. And furthermore, gay activists want society to support this "same-sex marriage", blurring what marriage really is, the beginning of a family unit where husband and wife have children. Again, don't blame the Mormons that man and man can't have kids. God created us that way. I believe it is important for children to have both a father and mother. It is part of God's plan. You can mock this belief, but I will not stand by and have my faith attacked with lies and deceit showing us as hate-mongers when all we want to do is protect what we believe to be sacred and ordained of God. You're still my friend, and just like all my other gay friends, I don't hate you. However, I really believe that God has spoken on this. It's not a popular view and most do not speak out even if they feel the way I do. You really can't expect the Mormon Church to change its view on marriage because you would ultimately be asking for God to change His view on marriage, just because it's what you want. Wanting it does not change God's law.

find-mormon-faith-other-religion-if-born-elsewhere

A question was posed to this person of Mormon Faith:

... Do you ever have trouble intellectually reconciling the fact that the geographical circumstance of your birth has dictated your theological belief system? i.e. if you had been born into a muslim or jewish family, you would subscribe to those belief systems, but because you were born into a Mormon family, you're signed up for that club. Don't you think that the Absolute Truth of the Universe transcends the random circumstances of the birth of organisms on this speck of dust floating about in space?

His short answer:

Joseph Smith once called the Book of Mormon the “keystone of our religion.” That is to say, everything rises and falls with its veracity. If it is what it purports to be, then Joseph Smith was, indeed, a prophet of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the restored New Testament church on earth today, complete with living apostles and Christ’s holy priesthood. Conversely, if it’s a fraud, then I needed to get as far away from the church as humanly possible.

I had a fairly solid intellectual appreciation for the Book of Mormon. The arguments for its authenticity carry more weight than its critics would have you believe, but at the same time, an intellectual assessment is insufficient. It’s not enough to appreciate a book. To have lifelong faith to carry you through all the crap that life dishes out, you have to encounter God.

And the Book of Mormon itself promises that God will make Himself known to you as you read and ponder its pages.

I can muster up as many good arguments as the next guy, but they don’t do any good. If you want to know how I can be so confident that what I believe is right, the only way I can answer is that, particularly through the Book of Mormon, I have felt the power of God that has given me an assurance that goes beyond words. It does not defy reason, but it is not swayed by the winds of fashion. I recognize that similar sentiments have been voiced by lunatics and worse, and I make no pretension to perfection or even a preponderance of goodness. All I can do is suggest that the only one who can tell you what God wants you to do is God Himself.

I respectfully suggest you ask Him.

Read the entire blog here:

http://www.stallioncornell.com/2009/10/answering-matts-question.html

Link to the talk that started the discussion

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1117-28,00.html

Ammon-Arms-Obama-ACLU-and-the-CIA

Some are in an uproar over the release of some of the methods the CIA has used to interrogate suspected terrorists. The ACLU is all over this saying that the way we treated these terrorists was inhumane. Is this really an issue, or is Obama trying to create a distraction while he pushes through health-care reform?

Here is my thought on the subject.

Every time an enemy raises an arm to smite America, we should cut it off. (I read that somewhere.)

These weren't criminals being questioned about drugs or some crime on the streets. We're at war here whether or not we admit it and need to change our play book to combat this type of enemy who hides in the shadows and doesn't wear a uniform. We need to defend our homes, our families, and our freedom.

"But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm." (Alma 17:37)

We need to withstand their blows have them flee the strength of our arm.

Dallin-H-Oaks-On-Entitlement

“The worldly aspiration of our day is to get something for nothing. The ancient evil of greed shows its face in the assertion of entitlement: I am entitled to this or that because of who I am—a son or a daughter, a citizen, a victim, or a member of some other group. Entitlement is generally selfish. It demands much, and it gives little or nothing. Its very concept causes us to seek to elevate ourselves above those around us. This separates us from the divine, evenhanded standard of reward that when anyone obtains any blessing from God, it is by obedience to the law on which that blessing is predicated (see D&C 130:21).” Dallin H. Oaks, Unselfish Service

A-few-thoughts-on-Proposition-8-from-a-devout-Mormon

I thought that this was well written so I should include it on the blog. It was written by a friend about the difficult issue of Proposition 8, from the Mormon perspective.

I hope those in the gay community can understand why it's important to those that oppose gay marriage. It's got nothing to do with not loving our neighbor. It's got everything to do with upholding marriage as a sacred institution that should not be changed. Marriage in the pure definition, a covenant between a man and a woman to live as husband and wife, which was traditionally a religious ceremony

Here it is in its entirety:

"As many of you know, I am a California native notwithstanding spending the past 14 years in Utah. I am also a very active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Mormon) Some time ago my church announced it's support for Proposition 8 in California. This defines marriage as the union between a man and a woman. Even knowing that this would be a controversial and difficult issue, I found it important to support the proposition however possible. As a non-CA resident I was not allowed to vote for it. Throughout my life I have enjoyed great friendships with many men and women who are gay. This includes some of you who are friends here on Facebook. I treasure these friendships. I was pleased to see Prop 8 pass though my heart went out to those friends who I knew would be disappointed by the results.

In the past few days it has been widely reported that a large percentage of the funds supporting Prop. 8 came from Mormons. This is true. There have naturally been strong feelings from the "No on 8" community against my church. Today in front of the Los Angeles Mormon temple there were large demonstrations. I understand that the gay marriage movement will continue to strive for legal gay marriage. I am sure that those of us who oppose it will continue to stand for our side also. It is great to be in America where we are free to do so.

In this note I am asking all of us to please keep in mind that we are all brothers and sisters. I am proud that my church was VERY clear that we were in no way to ever put others down because of their beliefs. Our rallies were always to be "Pro-8" not "anti-gay". We were consistently reminded that there are good people on both sides of this issue. Simply because we disagree even on this important of an issue, does not mean we need to hate each other. Today in front of the temple there was a man holding a sign that said "Mormons go to hell". I was appalled. I would have been equally appalled if someone were to hold up a sign reading "Gays go to hell". Another sign said "Mormons, go back to Utah where you belong!". I would never tolerate a sign reading "Gays go back to San Francisco where you belong". I would denounce that person on the spot. On some blog sites there have been suggestions ranging from posting signs that read "bigot" in your Mormon neighbor's lawn to "crashing" Mormon church services to blocking the entrance to Mormon churches. I hope that we can get past this type of dangerous rhetoric. I support peaceful demonstrations in open forums. There is an appropriate time and a place. Conversely, if you know of any "pro 8" groups that are engaged in this type of appalling activity against anyone, I will be the first to join you in fighting them. I ask you to please do the same.

Please keep in mind that while much of the money came from Mormons, we make up a little over 2% of the state population. A lot of people of all faiths as well as atheists voted for it. Also, the money came from the members of the church, not the church itself. Rage at one religion is misplaced.

I hope that we can come together and not let this vote divide us. To my gay friends, please know that I love and respect you. I can not imagine how difficult this must be for you. I have always tried to be a good person and a good friend. In high school I was ridiculed for having gay friends. That's ok. They were my friends. I am proud to say that I have never attacked, verbally or otherwise, anyone based on their orientation. I hope that if you hear someone say that Mormons are hateful bigots, you will be able to say that you know some of us and that we are not that bad. I have done the same and will continue to do the same for you.

Pray for peace"

Prophetic Words in the Wake of Proposition 8

"Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'
"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.
"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat."
--- Elder Neal A. Maxwell

bad-economy-keep-the-faith

As I was driving home this week from work listening to all the doom and gloom on the radio about the turbulence of the economy, I looked up at the beautiful and majestic mountains, with all their autumn colors shining brightly in the evening sun, and thought to myself, “No matter what happens today in the economy, tomorrow, those mountains will still be there in all their beauty.” Though times may be difficult and the financial markets are unstable, the mountains are a symbol of the everlasting gospel, built on the Rock, Jesus Christ. Elder Uchtdorf said, “The core of the gospel, the doctrine and principles will never change. Living according to the gospel principles will bring power, strength, and spiritual self-reliance into the lives of all Latter-day Saints.” Though we live in unstable times, we can look up at the mountains as a reminder of the truly important things in life that are everlasting, like the gospel, families, and our Lord Jesus Christ, the creator of the earth.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." 3 Nephi 11:39

It's comforting to know that whatever happens with the elections, whatever happens with the economy, we can turn to eternal things, things that are everlasting, for true hope and happiness.