This is a follow-up to my previous "Homosexual Marriage" commentary. Jonah Goldberg is an editor for the National Review who discusses an anti-Mormon commercial aired in California in opposition to Proposition 8.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YWZiMzYwZDNjOWI1NGVlZTk5OTg4Y2E3YzIyZTllZTg=
The commercial can be seen on YouTube. It was so ridiculous it made me laugh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q28UwAyzUkE
p.s. I'm part of the Mormon "Enforcement Division"
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
Homosexual Marriage
Recent violence against some of my fellow members of, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”, has given me impetus to address one of the current issues I have been pondering. California citizens recently voted passage of California Proposition 8, which clarifies the California constitution’s definition of marriage. Since that time, individual citizens and groups such as “Bash Back” and “Californians Against Hate” have targeted my church and its individual members for revenge. I have friends and family in California. Among them is a family member who works for a security company that was hired to provide body guards for a leader of the pro-prop 8 movement. This leader had received death threats. Our temple in Los Angeles has to have full-time police protection because of vandals and trespassers who have harmed this sacred building and has even been forced to temporarily close its doors to worshippers. Envelopes with white powder in them were sent anonymously to the Los Angeles Temple and the Salt Lake Temple. Fortunately, the powder was determined to be harmless. Church members with pro-prop 8 bumper stickers have had their tires slashed. They have had other personal property destroyed as well. They have received threats of physical violence. The news media have been inexcusably subdued about the attacks against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and its members.
The hypocrisy of these groups, ”Bash Back” and “Californians Against Hate” can be seen first in their names which imply that their members have been hated and ‘bashed’ by proponents of Prop 8 and particularly by “Mormons”. Their names imply that anyone who disagrees with their opinion is hateful. The “Mormon” church has never advocated bashing or hating anyone, including individuals who practice or advocate homosexual behavior. In fact, the opposite is true. Church members are counseled constantly to model their lives after Jesus Christ, to love the person even if you do not approve of their conduct. This tenet is a foundational principle of Christianity.
I have spent over twenty years in personal reflection, observation and study on the issue of homosexual marriage. This issue has affected me personally. My opinions have evolved into a personal conviction that marriage between a man and a woman is a divine institution. I believe that families are the foundational unit of society and any society that advances the erosion of the family unit cannot survive. Therefore, I oppose any state sanctioned marriage that doesn’t fit this time-honored pattern. I also have concerns about the legal ramifications of state-sanctioned homosexual marriage. Churches could be forced to perform marriage ceremonies for homosexual couples on their private property. Church owned schools could be required to ammend their codes of conduct if marriage were redefined. When we lived in Hawaii, the state legislature was considering legalization of homosexual marriage and, if it had passed, Brigham Young University would have been forced to close it's doors. This would be nothing short of tragic.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has issued several official statements and offered interviews to explain their opinion on homosexual marriage. These can be found at the following website: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/same-sex-marriage-and-proposition-8
I found the “Interview With Church Leaders…” to be very helpful. Elders Oaks and Wickman communicate better than I can and answer the ‘hard’ questions.
Whether you agree with my opinion on homosexual marriage from a religious perspective, I hope that you will take the time to study the statements on this website and consider the legal ramifications that on the surface may seem benign but could seriously hamper freedom of religion in our country.
The hypocrisy of these groups, ”Bash Back” and “Californians Against Hate” can be seen first in their names which imply that their members have been hated and ‘bashed’ by proponents of Prop 8 and particularly by “Mormons”. Their names imply that anyone who disagrees with their opinion is hateful. The “Mormon” church has never advocated bashing or hating anyone, including individuals who practice or advocate homosexual behavior. In fact, the opposite is true. Church members are counseled constantly to model their lives after Jesus Christ, to love the person even if you do not approve of their conduct. This tenet is a foundational principle of Christianity.
I have spent over twenty years in personal reflection, observation and study on the issue of homosexual marriage. This issue has affected me personally. My opinions have evolved into a personal conviction that marriage between a man and a woman is a divine institution. I believe that families are the foundational unit of society and any society that advances the erosion of the family unit cannot survive. Therefore, I oppose any state sanctioned marriage that doesn’t fit this time-honored pattern. I also have concerns about the legal ramifications of state-sanctioned homosexual marriage. Churches could be forced to perform marriage ceremonies for homosexual couples on their private property. Church owned schools could be required to ammend their codes of conduct if marriage were redefined. When we lived in Hawaii, the state legislature was considering legalization of homosexual marriage and, if it had passed, Brigham Young University would have been forced to close it's doors. This would be nothing short of tragic.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has issued several official statements and offered interviews to explain their opinion on homosexual marriage. These can be found at the following website: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/same-sex-marriage-and-proposition-8
I found the “Interview With Church Leaders…” to be very helpful. Elders Oaks and Wickman communicate better than I can and answer the ‘hard’ questions.
Whether you agree with my opinion on homosexual marriage from a religious perspective, I hope that you will take the time to study the statements on this website and consider the legal ramifications that on the surface may seem benign but could seriously hamper freedom of religion in our country.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Introduction
I have considered creating an opinion blog for some time now. Although I didn't know it at the time, my blog's seed was planted several years ago when I sent out a politically oriented e-mail and alienated two friends as a result. I apologized, but to no effect. I have gradually come to realize that one may limit personal attacks by keeping silent and compromising one's values but one will never gain respect this way. More importantly, silence is not the way to help others (and I am primarily concerned about my children) who are in the process of developing their own political values.
God does love His children and He will help us find answers if we honestly seek for them. Honesty is the key. It is painful, it is raw, it is powerful. It will enable us to find truth.
God does love His children and He will help us find answers if we honestly seek for them. Honesty is the key. It is painful, it is raw, it is powerful. It will enable us to find truth.
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