The Anti-Hate League Comes Out to Show Their Love

This was originally posted on my other blog, but was out of place there. So I moved it here.

So I’ve heard a few comments from people regarding all the hatred that has come forth against the Mormon Church… my church. While I wonder what the deal is — why all that hatred is being sent our way — I hear comments like, “Because the Mormon Church bribed Californians into voting for Prop. 8,” and similar comments.

Yes, the Church and many of its members took advantage of their First Amendment rights. Bribery? I hardly think so.

Being that I’m in Utah, I’ve been pretty insulated about what’s been going on in California. But then I came across this Mormon LAPD Officer’s comments. After seeing and reading that, I simply am so shocked that I can’t seem to come up with any sort of response. My first thought is how ludicrous it is.

But then I remember who we are. And I remember this Mormon scripture:

For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.

Satan is stirring up these people (and even some Mormons, me among them after seeing what is going on). And where is he directing all their anger? It tells me something that the devil hates my church so much.

And for any new members that are feeling a bit jittery, get used to it. We have a long history of being hated. It isn’t going to stop anytime soon.

Random Ramblings Regarding California’s Prop. 8, the Mormon Church, and Tolerance

This was originally posted on my other blog, but was out of place there. So I moved it here.

Okay, you’ll have forgive my random direction changes. These ramblings may seem like they are going nowhere fast for awhile. Let me start out by saying that I am Mormon, live in Utah, and think it’s ludicrously hypocritical the hatred that is being spewed forth against my church. But I guess if there’s one thing religion excels at, it’s bringing out the hypocrites on both sides. Anti-Mormon sentiment, resulting from the backlash of Prop. 8’s passing, has spilled over to Utah, with some people threatening and encouraging a boycott of all things Utah.

Why? Because less than one percent of the people that voted for prop. 8 were Mormon. Weird I tell ya.



Kieth Olberman Wonders Why Anybody Voted for California’s Prop. 8

Olberman is a nut case (and by “nut case” I mean to say that his views are often drastically different than mine). I really cannot stand to listen to him, so it’s quite by luck that I even saw his comments on gay marriage. But, as a conservative (albeit a generally moderate one), there are a ton of people that stand on the same side as I do that really need to give this whole idea a lot more thought.

I’m one of a tiny percentage of people in Utah that voted against a proposition that amended the State Constitution to ban gay marriage. The proposition was two parts. The first was simple. Amend the constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman (thus prevent same-sex individuals from marrying or having their marriage recognized). The second part went on to take away people’s rights as citizens of this great nation simply because they are gay.

Last time I checked, this was SUPPOSED to be a free country, so I voted against the proposition.

Now that you know where I stand, let’s go to the other side. My church (the Mormon Church) came out for California’s prop. 8. Why? That’s a question Olberman poses to everybody who voted for prop. 8.

I personally am sympathetic toward gays in general (at least I feel like I am). I have known several, I have worked with several. They have been oppressed for a very long time, and I think it’s wrong to do so. Gay or straight, you should still have the same rights as any other citizen of this nation. That I am in agreement with. But to counter Olberman…

Marriage is a symbolic ceremony that from the beginning had always been meant to join man and woman. I am fine with that. Give gays something that symbolizes their commitment to each other as man and man (as much as the thought of dudes being together makes me shudder) and woman and woman (which is great because that totally turns me on — yeah, I’m a typical guy). Civil Unions? Sure, whatever. I don’t care what you call it.

Marriage? I’d rather not call it that. Why?

The Mormon Church has a history of being forced to change their doctrine — what, you thought freedom of religion was a founding principle of this great nation? Think again! — by the Federal Government. A long fight was had over plural marriage. The government threatened to seize all of the Church’s property if they didn’t end it. Nevermind that plural marriage has been practiced for millenia in pretty much every part of the world. Oh yeah, and that thing in the constitution that guarantees freedom of religion.

Now, the Mormon Church does not recognize gay marriage, considers gay sex to be a sin, and doesn’t allow “practicing” gays to enter our temples. You can be gay in our church. But you are expected to hold to the same standards as straight people. In other words, no sexual activity unless you are legally married. Starting to see a problem? That’s a tiny problem compared to what the church is probably really afraid of.

Sure, some gays are born that way. We recognize this in the church (though don’t word it quite so). Every person is born with weaknesses that they must overcome in life. Some people are born with the “weakness” of being attracted to the same sex. I’m glad I’m not one of them. All you gay-hating straights out there, imagine that tomorrow you woke up and heterosexuality were the big sin and homosexuality were the accepted norm. Think you can just turn it off and start sleeping with the same sex just to satisfy society and your church? The drive of gays to have sex isn’t any weaker than the drive for straights to have sex. Imagine living in a world where you are never allowed to show your love for another person in an intimate manner.

But back to the point… If the Federal Government recognizes gay marriage, what is to stop them from yet again flexing their muscles and trying to force my church to allow gays to marry in our sacred temples? What’s to stop them from preventing my church from practicing its beliefs and withholding religious rights and privileges from gay members, even excommunicating them in extreme circumstances?

What? The American Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion? Oh yeah, because it worked so well before, didn’t it?

A lot of people have said that the Mormon Church’s support of prop. 8 crosses the line between church and state. I say, “How?” Does a church organization not have a right to do what it believes to be right? The church did not force anybody to vote for prop. 8. They did not put Mormons in positions of government power and pull their strings, telling them how to run the state or country. That is not only against the law, but very much against church policy as well. Otherwise Harry Reid would have a very different stance.

Here’s more on that.

So us Mormons and the Church itself are just a bunch of hate mongers? I’m hearing that a lot. Many people say we are hateful then turn right around and spew hatred against my church and its members. If the Church itself is a gay-hating organization, then what the heck is this all about?

Some Mormons “hate” gays. Yes, I’ll admit that. That doesn’t mean it’s the Church’s policy or doctrine.

The government, on the other hand, has arrested many Mormons for practicing their religion, seized church property, threatened legal action as recently as the 1970’s, and the church has even had to put up with harassment, lawsuits, and threats of lawsuits from many organizations. Why? All because some people don’t like what we believe to be true.

Is it paranoia that the government will force the Mormon Church to recognize gay marriages and allow them into our temples? If every day you got punched in the gut by the same person in school would it be paranoia to ask your friends to help you do something about it knowing that the school has failed to act in the past?