Thank you Stacie...
Stacie, The beautiful thing about blogging...is we can share our personal feelings so the world can read them. Your comments I support...and I respect.
As of lately I have had the opportunity to work with those dealing with HIV/AIDS, older gay couples who have been together for many many years...and because of an illness find their lives and years together limited. Due to this cause I see the hurt that we as a church our placing on these innocent people. All they desire is their rights as members of this country...nothing more and nothing less...and as such...I feel that it is important that I take a stand in support of their right...remember...I am not supporting their way of life...but their right as United States citizens. There will come a time when this law across the country will pass - we can not...as members of the Church of Jesus Christ...look like a people that support putting the minority down...what will we say at that moment...when all that is remembered of our faith was the fact that we fought against a movement supporting the minority(since we too find ourselves so often in that minority)...and the world then turns their hearts away from us and our teachings.
I do not look at this any longer as us standing for our own beliefs as a faith...that is what our first amendment right is to practice the way we desire...gays being allowed to marry will not take away that freedom...nor will they be allowed to marry in the temples...because that is the rights of the church to only allow worthy members of the church to attend the temple - that will not change. I also do not believe the lies that have been told about ...if we allow gay marriage then 1st graders will be taught homosexuality in our schools. I actually spoke with a teacher from MASSACHUSETTS who said that in the school system (since this is the location where they say it is being taught to first graders) - sexuality is not spoken of until the 7th grade. This lie that is being spread amongst the members to scare them is wrong. All of this hatred on both sides...needs to stop. It seriously does.
I dont hate you...and you dont hate me...I know that.
Thank you Stacie for your comment on my blog!
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2 comments:
Hi, I came across your blod thru a mutual friend (aleisha black-she is awesome). Your words are heart felt on this matter and I like you was on the fence. See, here in AZ the vote to ban gay marriage (prop 1020 has passed. I was unsure how to vote until Elder Boyd K Packer spoke to the saints here and said very clearly that though the church does not engage in political matters, that this one was a morale one and he urged all of us to vote for prop 102. So I did, as I am sure the saints did in CA.
Dear bundy 6 pak,
Thank you so much for kind words and thoughts. I feel like many...simply just took the advice of the the church leaders blindly without realizing that this effort rather than being a support for the Proclamation of the Family was going to feel, to the world, like a statement against the minority thus turning many against the church.
Why? Because it is not ok for the church to be getting involved politically.
Due to Elder Boyd K Packer stating something..urging the members to vote one way on this political matter...it is now ok for the Government to tax the LDS CHURCH.
We are a country that believes in the separation of church and state...this matter should be left to the individual members of the church...to decide...and those who disagree should not feel shunned or persecuted for believing differently than the Priesthood leaders or the majority of those out west.
Blindly supporting a church...just because someone says so...is incorrect. I actually said a prayer about my decision...and feel confident that this is the right step for me - does that mean I am less of a member? Or not worthy? No. And yet I am receiving horrible words from many because I believe different than them.
Sounds like a majority - not you included - feel hatred towards me...rather than simply understanding my point of view...they are pushing me slowly to turn away from those teachings that I hold dear to my heart.
We can disagree with Prop 8 and still be strong members of the Mormon church...don't ever forget that.
I would hope that many of you out there have the opportunity to live next to a gay couple...get to know them...watch there daily life...how they support others...and give to their community. All they want...is the same rights you have as members of the church...to marry someone you love. (sure it may sound awkward to some - but oddly so did blacks in the priesthood and interracial marriage).
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