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Hundreds protest over Prop. 8
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The same persecution is being set forth upon the gay community and it is completely unjust. I feel extreme indignation towards the Mormon Church for their hypocrisy throughout their own challenging history. Granted their ideals and principle have changed (about polygamy among other things) due to a malleable society, so why can't they accept the changing times and step aside to allow equal rights to the gay community. We live in a secular country now, the views of the Mormon Church should stay within the Mormon Church and not hinder society's progress.
Are we supposed to disenfranchise them because they are LDS? Free speech does not apply to LDS people?
The LDS church will not fall because they do not fall into political correctness guidelines.
I am not as Christlike as I should be. I do love the sinner and hate the sin but it is really hard to "love those that despitefully use you".
Why did you deface the temple gates? Why do you put messages on signs that show either ignorance of truth or disregard? Why do you call people who don't agree with you bigots? Why do you claim the 'higher road' while doing these things?
I honestly don't understand it. Don't go casting stones when you have such a log in your eyes. It may get the headlines but does it win your side's cause?
If people trusted gay people to not try to interfer with their marriage ceremonies and kid's educations this might never have happened. But you have proven yourselves deceitful too many times. Try winning back trust honestly. Leave our kids alone.
Argue those cultural assumptions are wrong, fine. BUT "MARRIAGE" WAS USURPED BY SOCIAL POLICY, NOT INVENTED BY IT. If social policy needs to change to reflect a new kind of union, then people can debate it and vote. Eliminate "marriage" from law and social policy if you must, but leave "marriage" alone as it represents something religious (not civic) to many, many people.
These are rational arguments that don't make me a bigot or a hater. The Catholic, LDS, etc. churches are NOT against social policy regarding civic unions, they are against people defaming a traditional religious practice simply because it is being used as a qualifier for government policy.
Hint: You will get a lot further eliminating "marriage" as a legal qualifier than you will with your attacks on religion. Get some brighter lawyers.
The problem with this is that Prop. 8 is being seen by the gay community as a Political issue, while the LDS, Catholic, etc. churches view this as a Moral issue. The gay community will keep trying to force their political views on what these churches view as moral, I feel. The problem is is that these religions will have their rights (to believe what is sacred, true, etc.) infringed upon by a relatively small group who seek to redraw lines to their own liking. In other words, the tail will wag the dog (pun not intended).
I am sure it could be said longer and probably better but since you demanded a definition immediately and apparently don't know how to use google to find an online dictionary there you go. :D
Public relations do not come before moral convictions.
I'm sure the leadership of the church is well aware of that.
Mormons are not tolerant. Mormons lied. Mormons are prejudice and discriminate (on and on).
Murderers, thieves, adulterers all have the same complaint. What gives!
Yet, no evidences are ever given:
Quit asking for acceptance of wrongdoing in the name of tolerance. Don't claim that being gay is the same thing as race or gender, because that is the lie. You can choose who you have sex with as can the rest of us, so technically we can all be gay. Stop protesting due process.
Problem solved. The reality is that an emotionally charged argument has left you without any substance to your argument. This isn't about civil rights. No proof has been given that Mormons, government, or anyone else has discriminated against your basic human rights.
The debate has actually proven that you already have the same human rights as the rest of us. What you want are extra benefits the government has deemed necessary to give to marriage, but not to other unions. You are barking up the wrong tree, and you are getting offensive. Mormons could care less what you do in your household, just quit trying to redefine our household.
Other posters pro-8 are literally ranting in their posts. I guess the DN definition of abusive is rather lenient.
Theirs got published. Mine did not. Not sure how I violated "the rules" of getting published.
Matthew 10:27-40
Quote from Ezra Taft Benson to ponder: "As a prophet reveals the truth it divides the people. The honest in heart heed his words, but the unrighteous either ignore the prophet or fight him. When the prophet points out the sins of the world, the worldly either want to close the mouth of the prophet, or else act as if the prophet didn't exist, rather than repent of their sins. Popularity is never a test of truth. Many a prophet has been killed or cast out. As we come closer to the Lord's second coming, you can expect that as the people of the world become more wicked, the prophet will be less popular with them."
UMMM hello? If you knew your facts gays have all the same rights and priviledges...they just want the wording of marriage changed to include them. That goes against everything I and thousands(the majority) believe!
The only thing in prop 8 is that the definition of a marriage is being defined.
It is making a distinction between the two types of unions.
Again,
NO rights are being taken away from gay couples through prop 8.
"I believe in equal rights, but not gay marriage."
"Civil unions have the exact same benefits as a marriage, why do gay people keep complaining about this?"
Why do they complain? Because they want to be considered EQUAL and not subhuman like they are being treated. In the 1960's there were seperate facilities for white people and "colored" people. Now in the 2000's there's marriage and civil unions. Sometimes I paint over swastikas and sometimes I take down prop 8 signs, I just want this crap to stop already!
SEPERATE IS NOT EQUAL!!!
There are roughly 13 million LDS church members in the WORLD. The 5 million or so that didn't support your right to marry are not all LDS. The PEOPLE of California have spoken twice about the issue. Secondly, you must now feel what supporters of Proposition 8 were feeling when the court decided to override the people's voice on this issue. Supporters, like I, of traditional marriage, have felt that you are trying to push and force your views on us about what you think of marriage. Now that the California voters have spoken, your not willing to accept the vote and "think" that the LDS church is to blame and that they are shoving their belief of marriage down your throat.
The LDS church has and does support civil unions, etc. We do not preach or tolerate hate, we dislike and disapprove of the sin.
Lastly, gays in relationships reject the thought and foundation of what marriage has always been, yet they are actively demanding that they should marry. Marriage is not a right, it doesn't say that anywhere in the Constitution, it is a privilege. There is a major difference.
...all because no one will define my status as married.
(If only the government defined my singlehood as marriage, then I could be happy. After all, if people say I'm married then I must be).
What lies and flawed thinking. This will get you no where, and those who advocate this approach are hindering you more by acting like this imitation of marriage will ever work. You want the benefits of marriage without the definition of marriage. That's ridiculous! If you don't want marriage as defined between a man and a woman, then you don't want marriage.
What you want are just the government benefits. Frankly as individuals, live-ins, boyfriend/girlfriends, and singles who care about siblings (or other relations) have just as much argument to having those as you do. Why don't you fight for their cause?
Why shouldn't I, as an individual, get to say who visits me in the hospital, or who shares a bank account, or uses my insurance, or whatever? You are selfish. Why should only gay unions and marriage unions have automatic government benefits for themselves and their partner?
B/c benefits aren't rights, that's why!
Treat them KINDLY too
When YOUR heart it is filled with love
OTHERS will love you
I love my gay brother just as much as Jesus does.
To Robert Johnson: Sources please of "The mormon church helped finance . . ." I know the news media here in California has not been very clear about this so I will give you the benefit of the doubt. The church asked members to volunteer time, effort and money to a civic coalition which many did, but others did not. No coercion.
To Fervant Supporter of Gay Rights: You stated that "the same persecution is being set forth upon the gay community (as the Mormons)." I can name four states the Mormons were driven from. What was that one state the gay community was driven from? Oh thats right none.
To Anne: I think you and I are on the same side of this issue. At least we have the same definition. My challenge was to the opponents of 8 to give me their definition. I know it sounds like a broken record, but they seemed really stumped by this question. I don't think they would want to Google it because the Google definition would not be broad enough for them.
People who have access to sufficient measure the Holy Ghost see plainly that marriage is between a man and a woman. When we approach them, if they know that we played a major role in asserting that such is the case, it serves as a validation of our message. It makes it easier for us to preach to them as they now have more respect for us.
The protests are an honorary ceremony for us. They will help us in the long run. We have not been ashamed of the truth, and we are reaping the rewards.
What does that tell you about whether they overstepped their bounds or not? Pretty clear to me and any thinking person. I can see how a sheep might not understand this.
Remember, baaaaa means no.
This if a falacy. As long as all people have a right to vote, there is nothing prevents anyone from voting for anything or anyone they choose for whatever reason--religious or otherwise.
Cliches and reality aren't the same thing.
Considering the LDS Church has been speaking out against homosexuality for decades, and specifically against homosexual marriage for at least 15 years, I don't see how that can possibly be the case.
I disagree that this is what the homosexual community is after. What they want is validation so that they can be feel better about themselves. If you can get your relationship labeled as a "marriage" and can obtain a few token kids to adopt, then you can graduate up to calling your contrived arrangement a "family".
Sounds pretty politically correct, doesn't it? The bonus is: it alleviates you of any responsibility to address your illness.
"Now that the California voters have spoken, your not willing to accept the vote and "think" that the LDS church is to blame and that they are shoving their belief of marriage down your throat."
They don't care what the majority says because they believe that a minority has the right to define an institution created by the majority to promote the nuclear family.
But the majority will not be forced to recognize relationships it doesn't approve of and to try to force us to do so violate our rights.
"Marriage is not a right, it doesn't say that anywhere in the Constitution, it is a privilege. There is a major difference."
I think we need to be careful in calling marriage a privilege because it's not a privilege either. The legal institution of was created by the majority to promote nuclear families.
How it's defined is decided by the majority. Not by a minority who wants to be included under different conditions.
They have a right to marry a person of the opposite sex and won't be discriminated against because of sexual-orientation just like we need to be 35 to be President. No discrimination.
I agree it's gratifying to think that the LDS Church herds us. I can't speak for others, but it is because of my beliefs that I am a member of the LDS Church. Had the LDS Church not supported Prop 8, I would've looked for another church to join.
So, who herds you? NAMBLA? Note that it doesn't matter if it's true or not. You've established the precedent that mere association is enough.
To accuse him of hate is ludicrous. His life has been devoted to loving and serving others. He is a Christlike person with love for all of God's children. I am sure it is painful for him to see the strife that has come of this situation. However, he has a responsibility as the Lord's representative to decry evil. I personally thank him for his courage in doing what many were unwilling to do.
President Monson...I have your back. Thank you for being who you are!
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There are those who see marriage as merely an expression of love -
And there are those who believe it is a Divine institution which can only serve its purpose when understood as between two members of the opposite sex.
Moreover, the government depends upon families to produce and raise strong members of society. If the definition of marriage is merely an expression of love or sexual attraction, which in essence could encompass polygamy or incest, then it will need to be privatized. Because the definition is too broad. And If that is the case, will marriage serve as any benefit to the government or to society?