I love how Gordon B. Hinckley says that the Church never gets involved in politics but then I read the following from their "official policy":
Same-Gender Marriages:
The Church opposes same-gender marriages and any efforts to legalize such marriages. Church members are encouraged "to appeal to legislators, judges, and other government officials to preserve the purposes and sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, and to reject all efforts to give legal authorization or other official approval or support to marriages between persons of the same gender"
When it says this in their official policy, that they encourage Church members "to appeal to legislators, judges, and other government officials", I call that getting politically involved. By encouraging their members to do this, they are in fact getting politically involved not to mention, encouraging their members to be bigots. We know as a fact that they spent millions in California and Hawaii to fight against gay marriage. It was organized through the Stake Presidents and Bishops. I sadly must say, that I used to agree with the Church and was opposed to gay marriage.
During the time I was in the process of learning and leaving the Church, I read two things that impacted me immensely and showed me the error of my ways. One was a letter from a former Mormon Bishop to Boyd K Packer in regards to his gay 13 year old son. The other thing, referenced in the letter, was a talk given at BYU, later turned into a pamphlet, by Boyd K. Packer called "To The One."
I was horrified to say the least and immediately realized that my views were wrong, heavily influenced by a homophobic, anti-gay Church and my entire perspective changed 180 degrees. It was very emotional for me to realize how I had allowed the Mormon Church to influence me so much as to make me basically a bigot and homophobic. I was sickened and saddened for who I had been, but then relieved to know that I had learned the error of my ways and that I wasn't that person anymore.
I felt like I was born again that day and became full of love, compassion and tolerance like I'd never had or felt in my life. I couldn't believe how evil the Mormon Church really was in regards to their anti-gay teachings. They are truly an abomination and the opposite of inspired by God!! Jesus taught tolerance and loving your neighbor, etc, not hate and intolerance. So, if they are truly the Church of Jesus Christ, then why do they teach the complete opposite of what Jesus taught? It is disgusting and repugnant!!
Also, I had read where Hinckley admitted in his interview with the San Francisco Chronicle that he didn't know if gay people were born that way or not, just that they had a problem. Then Boyd KKK Packer also admits that he doesn't know what causes it. So, their official stance is, "we don't know why people are gay", yet they want to punish them and not let them be together, marry or have sex for the rest of their life.
They claim to speak with the authority of God, yet they don't even know why people are gay? I'm sure that if they had any connection whatsoever to God, that God might try to help them out on this one. This just further proved to me that they indeed had no link whatsoever to God or any inspiration whatsoever.
Hinckley's SFC Interview:
http://www.tungate.com/GBH4.htm
**correction**-The SFC Interview touched on the Churches opposing gay marriage, etc but the actual quote that I referred to above was in the Larry King Interview from December of 2004. The actual question and answer were the following:
King: But as the morales have changed - for example, I know that the Church is opposed to gay marriage.
HINCKLEY: Yes.
KING: Do you have an alternative? Do you like the idea of civil unions?
HINCKLEY: Well, we're not anti-gay. We are pro-family. Let me put it that way.
And we love these people and try to work with them and help them. We know they have a problem. We want to help them solve that problem.
KING: A problem they caused, or they were born with?
HINCKLEY: I don't know. I'm not an expert on these things. I don't pretend to be an expert on these things. The fact is, they have a problem.
KING: Do you favor some sort of state union?
HINCKLEY: Well, we want to be very careful about that, because that - whatever may lead to gay marriage, we're not in favor of.
We - many people don't get married. Goodness sakes alive. You know that.
Many people who have to discipline themselves. If they transgress, they become subject to the discipline of the Church. But we try in every way that we know how to help them, to assist them, to bless their lives.
KING: It's hard to be a Mormon, isn't it?
HINCKLEY: No. It's wonderful.
KING: Not hard.
HINCKLEY: No, no. It's just wonderful. It's demanding. Great expectations. I should say so. But it's wonderful.
Here's the link:
http://www.tungate.com/2004_dec_lk.htm
Anyway, I just thought that I'd share these two things that helped me so much for anyone else out there that hasn't had a chance to read them. Get out a tissue for the first one and then get prepared to be very angry for the second one.
The Bishop's letter: http://www.lds-mormon.com/hardy.shtml
Boyd KKK Packers anti-gay talk: http://www.lds-mormon.com/tto.shtml
Samuel the Utahnite
3 comments:
that is ridiculous. Gays should have just as many rights as the rest.
I am a former LDS member myself, i am also a Lesbian in a domestic partnership. I was still a member when I came out and was dating a fellow LDS Lesbian. when I finally confronted my Bisop he told me I had a few options, one was evergreen and the other was excamunication. I chose niether of the two, instead I chose to uproot myself from my friends and family and start a new life, as me just me for who I was and what I stood for. I stand for equality and respect. Sadly the church drove me away at the young age of 19. I am now almost 21 and very happy with the choices I have made. I still talk to my family but they say it is hard for them to see me in this life style.
In reguards to the statements you have posted and shared on this page it was refreshing to read. The letter to Boyd K. packer i had never read or heard of before now. but while reading it I noticed it sounded like me when I first decided to come out to my fellow church members. It hit close to home for me.
so anyways all in all, I think that the LDS church means well but doesnt do anything to support their fellow members. all they seem to do is try to fix things without trying to understand them first.
the LDS LGBT people have rights and we have voices and we should be heard and not hidden. and one day they will see the end, and I hope with all my might that there is a big fat rainbow at the end shining down on them all...
(samantha) hitava@gmail.com
I am a 19 year old member of the LDS faith, and I disagree with you. I'm sorry that you have left the church and misunderstand it's teachings so much. It seems to me that your grasping on every bad thing you can think of without looking at the good.
The LDS church is against Gay Marriage because it is an attack, or can lead to an attack on good things like the family and relgion. Homosexuality is a sin, it has been since the beginning of time and forever will be, there are accounts of it in the bible, it is the abomination in the sight of God. But just like any other sin, it is recognized by the church and by God. The LDS church hates the sin, just as it hates the sin of alcoholism, or lying, but not the sinner. We are not intolerant of gays or wish to take away their rights. We just want to protect the sacred institution of marriage and the family.
Also there is the matter of what the passage of gay marriage can lead to. It changes the very definition of marriage from the union of two people, mind, soul AND body, to the union of "persons", which just means that the two people care for each other. The only difference between marriage and any other relationship is it's ability to unite a man and a woman on all three levels. No matter what Gays argue they cannot do this. If you were to change the definition of marriage to just a union of persons, by passing Gay Marriage laws, what's to stop it from progressing in the future to more than one person, polyamory.
Also if Gay Marriage is legalized then it can put pressure and take rights away from churches. We have already seen this in Massachusetts where Catholic owned adoption agencies have either had to go against their own teachings and knowledge of truth, or give up their license, because they won't give children to Gay couples. Other methodist churches have been stripped of their tax exempt status because they won't cater to Gay couples and their wishes.
We know in the LDS church that the family is the main unit of life, and that stable families with a loving mother and father are the most able to rear children with high morals and values. Sociologists have also established this fact. And our Government depends on those types of citizens. If families are unstable it increases the need for government aid and service which then gives the government more power and could lead to tyranny.
Gay marriage if legalized, will be forced upon children in schools, and if these childrens parents are against Gay marriage then these kids will be taught that their parents are bigots and discriminatory. What rifts will then come between father and son, mother and daughter, of people all around the nation, not just members of the LDS faith.
As you see the issue of Gay Marriage is far greater than just a fight for rights between Gays and the LDS Church. It is a moral issue, and a public social problem.
The church has asked that the argument on the issue be civil and polite and has kept their part of that request. The opponents of Gay marriage on the other hand have slanderized the church by making ridiculous ads on TV and other places, showing the church as a monster and bigots.
I hope this comment has been of some help, the Church is all about loving our neighbors, we love these people, but we know that the way for them to be able to acheive the highest level of happiness, is to live righteously before God, and have the opportunity to have a family, the way God meant for it to be done, with a mother and father and children.
I know these things to be true, and no insults or persecution will convince me, or millions of other members of the church otherwise. This is our testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Rubie Elizabeth-
p.s. I hope that you will have the decency to post this, I know you can chose not to, but to be fair you should allow all people to voice their opinions on your blog. thank you.
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