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.
7 comments:
Knowing man's divine nature certainly is critical knowledge in understanding the problems with homosexuality. I am so grateful for the fullness gospel of Jesus Christ. It brings light to all things.
Been thinking about this a lot, especially since we found out my brother is gay, I still don't have a great comment, but I read a blog by a friend who is both LDS and gay, served a mission, is incredible, and this is something he had written that I thought was just... I don't know. Faith promoting I guess. It starts with a scripture.
"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." (Rom 5.20)
This is what I was talking about yesterday with being scared to have faith, and being scared to stop doubting. When you continue to dwell in ambiguity, and moral grays, and question what you know to be true, then you are free. Free from the responsibility and commitment the gospel brings with it. But then two verses later we are reminded "that the wages of sin is death" (Rom 5.23) You can be free from righteousness or you can be freed from sin by the truth. There is one path, one redeemer, and one gospel. Do you have the guts to follow Him? The FAITH?
One last scripture that stood out:
"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Rom 8.24-25)
This goes back to what I said yesterday too. People are struggling and moving in a direction they have rationalized as "right" because they can't see how things could possibly work. How can I be with a woman? How can I be at one with my feelings and the church? They don't see it, and then they give up. But that which is seen is NOT hope, that's just it. Hope IS that which is not seen. That's why it's hope. That's why it's hard.
The weighty, important things that really matter? They take work, dedication, suffering, sacrifice, hope, and FAITH. They aren't supposed to be easy. Then we wouldn't grow and how would that help us be more like God?
Very nice Makayla. That Romans scripture is perfect for my Faith? post also. I think faith is stronger than knowledge, because it shows that we are, in a way, giving up our will to something we believe in.
I also love the perspective the gospel brings. I loved when President Hinckley was asked whether people were born gay or not. He said, "I don't know." I thought it was a great comment. It doesn't matter if they were born gay or not, all we know, and I think we absolutely know this, is that it won't bring eternal happiness.
The perspective is incredibly helpful.
His blog is amazing. I wish it weren't private actually. He told me my little brother could read it, and I'm totally going to tell him to.
As far as eternal happiness... wow. My best friend in high school was also gay (only not LDS, and therefore his lifestyle is VERY different from the friend who's thoughts I posted in the previous comment) and I remember one day we were discussing whether or not people were born gay, and he looked at me very seriously (I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his face) and asked, "Who in their right mind, or even their wrong one, would CHOOSE to live this life? Who would choose a life where you can't really have children of your own? Where a large part of society hates you, where people think you have a sickness, where there is such pain and frustration with who you are as a human being?" My brother has recently expressed similar feelings. I think of all the hard things we go through, deaths and divorces and financial failure and job struggles... I think being gay, and especially gay and Mormon, has to be among the very worst. It is that, that makes how my friend is living so much more inspiring to me. Someone who can choose God and faith and worthiness in the face of all they're dealing with just blows me away.
I agree. It is incredible when people continue to live the life of a Latter Day Saint even when they have feelings that are so contrary to it. It is inspiring.
But your comment brings up an interesting point. People sometimes do choose hard lifestyles. For instance, I can guarantee that many people in jail behind bars would say that they are "naturally" attracted to children. They would probably say that they are born with it (not to say the two are similar at all, just a point about people being born with certain behaviors). I don't think many of us would say that people can be born pedophiles. But they would probably say the same thing, "who would choose this life if they had the choice?" I am not saying anything about whether or not people are born gay, mostly because I don't know, but I am saying that the horribly difficult lifestyle in and of itself doesn't mean that they were born with the desires.
It is a tough situation either way. I think that there are absolutely some people who choose to be homosexual. But I also acknowledge that it is possible that many did not choose. Either way, it won't bring them happiness. Also, I am not convinced at all with the "I was born with it so it is good mentality." I think we are born with many "natural man" tendencies. Little kids are selfish, inconsiderate and physical impulses rule them. We have to learn to control those impulses and become better.
But there aren't easy answers either way you look at it. And we clearly have to be filled with empathy for the people who do have this trial, whether they choose it or not. I also like the perspective that eternal progression brings. If you look at homosexuality in that light we recognize that it is just something keeping them from becoming like God. And all of us have many of those things too, so it puts us on similar footing and we realize they are "outcasts" of society or anything ridiculous like that. It brings a tremendous deal of perspective.
I meant to say at the last paragraph that they are NOT outcasts in society. I wish you could edit your posts.
I have LDS friends who live the homosexual lifestyle and some who do not. Neither feel very happy, but then again, neither do I all the time. But like me, the ones living the gospel come closer to peace in their hearts than the other.
After the movie Brokeback Mountain came out, Jerry Johnson commented that he had not been aware of this kind of suffering. His comment helped me to become more accountable for my opinions on homosexuality, whatever its source.
Post a Comment