Homosexuality

So, this post is extremely volatile. I would like to start out by very sincerely saying that I do not mean to offend in any way. In fact, I don’t think what I will say will be offensive at all. Mostly because what I intend to say is my opinion. Well, not only is it my opinion, but it is my belief. The great thing about beliefs is that we are all welcome to our own. So while I confess and share my beliefs now I am grateful that we can all have our own beliefs. Indeed, I think it is a great day when people can have very divergent beliefs and still live peacefully together. A short story may illustrate the point:

When I served a mission for my church I had a missionary companion who I lived with all the time. The only time we were not together was when we were going to the bathroom or bathing. We were always together. The companion that I was serving with was extremely different than me. We were not getting along at all. We had a meeting with our mission president and he asked us why we were not getting along. I thought about and thought my answer was foolproof, “we are just completely different people.” Well my mission president gave the face that let me know that this clearly wasn’t the right answer. And then he said something that has greatly changed what I think about things. He said this, “Do you think people in a Zion society are all the same?” For those of you who are not aware of this concept, a Zion society is a religious society in which there is perfect harmony with all people. You could just call it a perfect society and I think it would have the same meaning, almost. I thought about his question to my answer and I had to say that I didn’t believe they were all the same. It became clear to me almost immediately that they actually had to be different for it to really be a Zion society. He made my companion and me aware that Zion societies are perfect because people learn how to live with people who are different than them. 

And so that is how I start this off. Just because we may have differing opinions (and I am sure we do) doesn’t mean we can’t “get along”, although those words aren’t really conveying the full meaning of how much I think we can still coexist even though we differ.

So I wanted to write about my beliefs about homosexuality. There will be many rebuttals to this, I am sure. I think many of the people who read this will have different grounding assumptions than me so they will definitely have rebuttals, but I think what I will say is completely true. But, if you feel the need, add a comment, and I will read and respond to them. I am quite interested in the discussion that stems from this post. Please be helpful though. For instance, a post along these lines: your religion is stupid and just wrong, wouldn't be very helpful for feedback. Just assume I am going to stick with my religion and then leave posts with your comments that could actually open up some productive dialogue.

It is an integral part of my faith that I am a child of God. When I say this I mean it in a very literal sense. I believe that God, the Father, created my Spirit. I believe that he is my father in heaven and that there is a family unit that exists in heaven. I believe he knows me personally as His son. I believe that it is quite possible that God has a wife, and that together they created my Spirit. I think that the family unit on earth is a model of the family unit that we will find when we pass. I believe that we will, or can, inherit everything that God has. I actually think that is logical for a father to want to give his children all that he has. I believe that God wants to give us everything that he has, and he will, if we are faithful. These scriptures in Romans 8 describe it well: “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have no received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” It is because of this knowledge that our views on many things are different. Because we believe we are the children of God our views about the afterlife, and how this life relates to it, are usually very divergent to others views. 

The marriage covenant is a great example of this. We believe that we will be married in the next life. We believe that if we are faithful to God in this life we will be blessed with our marriage relationships lasting into the eternities. As a couple we can grow to become like God. We can, eventually, come to know a life similar to the life God now lives. This is implied in the “heirs of God” part of the scripture. Just like in life when we are heirs and inherit all our father has, in the next life we can do the same. 

And this is where our view of homosexuality comes into focus. I do not believe God thinks homosexuality is gross. I don’t think he hates homosexuals, like some people espouse, http://www.godhatesfags.com. What I do believe is that God’s largest desire and hope is for us to come to live life in the way he does. He wants us to be able to continue creating life throughout eternity. All the commandments we have in this life are leading us to that end. And that, to me, is why God forbids homosexuality--because he knows it will not lead us to the greatest source of happiness, to live like he does. Any other kind of life is a life without progression and glory, and a life without progression is being damned (just like water, if you dam it you stop it from progressing). 

I always wonder what other Christian faiths believe is the reason for God forbidding homosexuality? If they really think they are going to end up in heaven just singing praises to God all day long do they really think that homosexuals couldn’t do that as well as them? I really can’t see what grounds they have to say homosexuality is wrong other than just, “God forbids it!” Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in the “God forbids it” reasoning just as much as the next guy, but I think there is always a very good reason behind it. On every commandment you can see the sense behind it. But on this one I don’t think there is much grounds. If we are not going to have families in the next life, what would the purpose be of forbidding homosexuality? Sure there is the scientific and logical reasons, society ending in one generation if everyone was this way, the increased likelihood of disease contraction, the complimentary differences that men and women bring to the family organization and others. But none of those are innately religious, and I think God usually has some pretty religious reasons for allowing or disallowing certain behaviors. Again, I think his desire to have us live the kind of life he does is the reason that he forbids homosexuality, because it doesn’t lead to that end. 

Now there are so many side notes that I could go off on this one and elaborate much further on, but time doesn’t allow that to happen. But this is my feelings on homosexuality. I don't think God forbids it because "it is gross." I don't think God forbids it because it is unnatural either. Heterosexual, premarital sex is INCREDIBLY natural in my opinion, but it is forbidden just the same. Why? Because it leads us away from the plan that leads to happiness. It is not part of the plan because it doesn’t lead to eternal happiness, which is the kind of life God lives. 

BYU Basketball 2

So the win last night redeemed the Cougars. Of course not when it comes to March Madness seeding, because they would clearly be seeded higher if they had won both, but definitely when it comes to my opinion of them :) It was a great road win. That foul at the end was tricky. Because the ball was out before the foul was committed. Also, there is no guarantee that he would have hit both free throws. But if it was really a foul, and was called, then they should have been shooting them if that is what the rule book says when there is a foul like that. 

Very interesting game either way.

BYU Basketball

I love the Cougars. They have only lost at home one time since I have been at BYU. That alone makes them extremely fun to watch. I also like their style of play.

But there is one thing that irritates me beyond words. BYU players look like they have never played against athletic players all their life! How many times did they get swatted yesterday? Chris Collingsworth's blocked shot was a great example. He caught the ball down low and tried to go straight up with it. The other freshman on the court, Billy White from San Diego State, jumped up and annihilated the ball. I loved White's face after. He had the look that said, "Did you honestly think you were going to get that shot off?" And that is the problem. It seems like BYU players, especially the tall ones, have never played against tall, athletic people their whole lives. Plaisted, Miles and Collingsworth all get blocked on a regular basis, especially when they play athletic teams. It looks like they all have played against short people they can dominate their whole lives and when they play against bigger people they get swatted. 

Dave Rose needs to pull them aside before they play the UNLV's and the SDSU's of the conference--teams with athletic, tall men--and tell them that they are not in Provo anymore. I think it would do wonders for how many of our shots get sent into the stands.

Also, we are incapable of winning away from the Marriott center. It is irritating. We are not going to get a good seed because we can only win at home. All I want for this year to be considered a success is to win one NCAA Tournament game. That is all I want. I would be ecstatic. 

The Deseret Morning News

It seems that all of my first posts are about serious things, and that wasn't intentional. I guess it could be because I made a blog to share some of the things that I have been thinking about and these are the things that have been on my mind for a while. Maybe next week I will write about something that isn't very important, but still extremely interesting--sports.

But until then . . . I read the Deseret Morning News a lot. Being in Utah there is an extreme amount of stories that revolve around religious people. These stories almost without fail revolve around Mormon people doing something wrong. But there are times when they find someone else to speak about. The stories don't necessarily bother me, although I do think they try to show Mormons doing something bad any chance they get, but it is the comments that irritate me.

For instance, about a year ago there was a BYU professor who was caught doing something inappropriate and just plain wrong. I was amazed at the comments people left. Many people were calling for him to be thrown away with the key and numerous other things. I couldn't have disagreed more with many of the posts. But a couple bothered me a great deal. One person said that we shouldn't be so quick to judge. I believe the exact quote was, "he who is without sin cast the first stone." I agreed whole-heartedly with the post. The person that he was telling not to judge wrote back that he could judge, or cast the first stone, because although he had sinned he had never sinned as greviously as this professor had. I was dumbfounded. What a horrible world we would live in if everyone could "cast stones" at anyone who committed a worse crime than them. I am glad Jesus set the right example for us, as he forgave everyone, regardless of their sin, if they came to Him. He truly was not a respector of people. I think we are not to judge any sins. Now, don't get me wrong, there are sins that are so grevious that people lose their right to live in society because the potential risk of them acting it out again is too great a risk. But these are few and far between, and even those people are not in our stewardship to judge . . . in my opinion.

Also, I can't stand, in all these articles, when someone was Mormon and doing things that are wrong and they get caught and people say they were living a double life. While I do acknowledge that some people intentionally try to deceive, I do think a lot of others are just doing their best. It is funny because if these people spoke to someone before they got caught what would be people's advice to them, "Go to church, try to be good, live your life better!" Yet when people recognize that they are doing something wrong, can't figure out how to stop it, and try to go to church and do other related things, and then get caught, people say they were living a double life. If holding on to the one thing that can actually help you is living a double life, then yes, they are doing exactly that. Let people that are having a hard time hold on to the thing that can save them, it is all they have when times are hard! We always say that churches are hospitals for sinners, not museums for saints. If that is true why do we get upset when a sick person is found at the hospital on Sundays?

I do acknowledge that there are lots of people who do intentionally deceive. In which case all I said is out the window. But you get the gyst of what I am saying. Just because someone lives a religious life and does something wrong doesn't mean they are deceivers. I am someone who thinks that every person in life does some things wrong, and one of those "everybody" could be a member of a church--just maybe!

This isn't meant to be a confessional, in fact it isn't. I do think I am living a good life. But I must say that if I ever did start doing something wrong (I am scared that this post and the David post will start to get people thinking that I am committing horrendous crime--I am not :) ) and I didn't know how to stop doing it I would still go to church. I would still talk about God, as I would love Him regardless of my actions, and I would try to help others believe in Him also. If I got caught I would guess that people would say I was living a double life. That irritates me.

The Weather

To put it succinctly, I am sick of it.

I also don't agree when people say they would prefer cold to horribly hot. I think horribly hot is uncomfortable, I think cold hurts. These are two different worlds. When you have taken off as much clothing as possible and it is still hot it is just uncomfortable. When I have put on a ton of clothing and I am still cold it feels like I WILL DIE if I don't get inside where it is warm.

I prefer uncomfortable to death and pain anyday!

On a Lighter Note, My Favorite Lines From Songs

Radiohead: 

High and Dry

-It's the best thing that you ever had, the best thing you have ever, ever had.

  It's the best thing that you ever had, the best thing you have ever had has gone away.

Karma Police

-For a moment there, I lost myself, I lost myself.

The Postal Service:

Such Great Heights

-they will see us waiving from such great heights, come down now, they'll say. But everything looks perfect from far away, come down now, but we'll stay.

Clark Gable

-I want life in every word, to the extent that it's absurd.

Death Cab for Cutie:

Title and Registration

-the glove compartment is inacurrately named . . . and everybody knows it! Because behind its doors, there is nothing to keep my fingers warm. 

David, Bathsheeba, Hell and Me!

Overall, these subjects are troubling for me. You see the problem is that I want David to be innately bad, but he is not. David was incredibly good! It says in the Old Testament that David's heart was perfect. But the obvious problem is that he fell from his "perfect" state and became a pretty horrible person. If he had been innately bad I could just caste off his story and say that it could never be me, but I can't. I can't because David was at one point an incredibly righteous person who made poor choices. 

So what does this mean? What does this mean for me? While I recognize that I have done some pretty bad things in life, I also like to think of myself as a generally good person. I can say that I have generally not tried to intentionally do harm. But David could say all of these things at one point also. It causes me great fear.

When the situation gets really troubling is when I think of blessings from God. I sat on a chair in the bottom of the library today and thought about how blessed I am. I have a wife and children that are far too good for me, I have financial blessings that the majority of the world don't have, I also have had incredible opportunities in education. I will presumably be starting law school in the fall, so I will have acquired a level of education that only a fraction of the world has reached. But it gets troubling when I think of what I have done to deserve these things. My answer is usually very little! I honestly can say that I don't think I deserve these blessings. And that is when I start to get scared.

What if David was simply a lesson? What if he was led along to show us what not to do. What if Bathsheeba was bathing that night that David was on the roof so God could raise a warning flag to the world about adultery. Although I think David chose the path he followed I still must ask if David was just a lesson. And if David was, can I be? What if all these blessings that I don't feel I deserve are just setting me up to be a lesson other people are going to try to avoid? Sure, I don't feel like I could do anything horrible now, but surely when David's heart was perfect, as the Old Testament says it was, he couldn't imagine doing the things he did. How do we know if we will do something wrong someday? We really can't say anything is below us after seeing David commit adultery with Bathsheeba and then send her husband off to die in war. Again, I would like to cast it off and say he was just evil, but he wasn't! Can we be? Another question that this raises is can we do something that is against our own nature? I think that is why they have crimes of passion. Sometimes people do things that they wouldn't do in normal situations (whatever a "normal" situation is!). 

I don't have any answers for this one. I hope I can avoid the fate of David. Maybe adultery has become the focus because the story is about David, but I am talking about on a larger scale--just sin in general. Can we escape a similar fate? I have no idea what to do about David, Bathsheeba, Hell and Me!