Thanks to Xarissa for a very insightful and sincere post.
Another complication for members of the LDS church is their belief that the prophet speaks on behalf of God, and is very literally operating as God's mouthpiece.
So, for members of the church, it literally comes down to the question of, "Am I going to support God's stance on Prop 8?".
Now, before we get into bashing the "blind sheep" who would be dumb enough to passively follow a prophet's every word, it is important to understand another central LDS doctrine, that of personal revelation.
Members of the LDS faith are encouraged to come to a personal understanding and belief, what is referred to as a "personal testimony" by asking God, through private and personal prayer, whether the LDS church is, in fact, true. Most members of the church have done so, and have received personal communication from God that they have found the true church. Having that personal testimony of the church's truthfulness then means that they also accept the word of the prophet as the word of God.
I am one of the many members of the LDS church who has a personal testimony of its truthfulness. I have come to it personally, without coercion or influence, and it is as indisputable to me as other indisputable traits and feelings, including my sexuality (I am not gay, though have dealt with a similar situation of a close Mormon friend who came out a few years ago).
So the hard question is, what does a gay person, who is as undeniably attracted to someone of the same sex as they are undeniably sure that the LDS is the true church, do to reconcile that spiritual dissonance?
I don't have the answer, and neither does the church at the moment. I, like many other members, have to rely on my knowledge that an infinitely loving God, who desires for each of His children to have joy, will at some point make things right.
Until then, it's my hope that those on both sides of the debate will be respectful to the beliefs and traits that are undeniably a part of all of us, namely those of our spirituality and sexuality.
On Prop 8: Mormon Persecution, Marriage and the Refuge of Patriotism
Thanks to Xarissa for a very insightful and sincere post.
Another complication for members of the LDS church is their belief that the prophet speaks on behalf of God, and is very literally operating as God's mouthpiece.
So, for members of the church, it literally comes down to the question of, "Am I going to support God's stance on Prop 8?".
Now, before we get into bashing the "blind sheep" who would be dumb enough to passively follow a prophet's every word, it is important to understand another central LDS doctrine, that of personal revelation.
Members of the LDS faith are encouraged to come to a personal understanding and belief, what is referred to as a "personal testimony" by asking God, through private and personal prayer, whether the LDS church is, in fact, true. Most members of the church have done so, and have received personal communication from God that they have found the true church. Having that personal testimony of the church's truthfulness then means that they also accept the word of the prophet as the word of God.
I am one of the many members of the LDS church who has a personal testimony of its truthfulness. I have come to it personally, without coercion or influence, and it is as indisputable to me as other indisputable traits and feelings, including my sexuality (I am not gay, though have dealt with a similar situation of a close Mormon friend who came out a few years ago).
So the hard question is, what does a gay person, who is as undeniably attracted to someone of the same sex as they are undeniably sure that the LDS is the true church, do to reconcile that spiritual dissonance?
I don't have the answer, and neither does the church at the moment. I, like many other members, have to rely on my knowledge that an infinitely loving God, who desires for each of His children to have joy, will at some point make things right.
Until then, it's my hope that those on both sides of the debate will be respectful to the beliefs and traits that are undeniably a part of all of us, namely those of our spirituality and sexuality.