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LDS Church urged to soften gay stance
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what different meaning and purpose? to love and protect? to raise a family? seems to me gays fit that category just fine...
and marriage used to be a contractual arrangement between families, with those getting married having little or no say in it. Is that the marriage you describe as having a different meaning?
mariage has changed dramatically since early times. why do you want to stand in the way of further changes? because you read it in some book, or were told that by someone purporting to have God's ear? that's ridiculous...
1. If drinking alcohol is truly a choice, then alcoholics could join a program (like alcoholics anonymous) that would help them change their desire to drink?
Have you ever heard of an alcoholic that ever gets rid of any desire to drink alcohol again in his life? Why would the fact that someone struggles with the temptation to have sex with someone of the same gender for their whole life make that behavior any more inevitable than drinking alcohol?
2. The alcoholic can just try to drink recreationally without concuming the large amounts that may harm himself and others.
We all no that doesn't work
3. The alcoholic can learn to control his appetite for intoxicating beverages and abstain from drinking them.
Yes, the alcoholic may not get the momentary pleasure that others get from consuming alcoholic beverages. They may not be able to relax and have fun like all their other friends at the bar. But in the end, would the alcoholic agree that abstinence is the best approach? Why don't you find a recovered alcoholic and ask them and then explain the difference between this and same-sex attraction?
No, I, for one refuse to go to another church.
I left another church thank you very much because of the experiences in the LDS Church.
I brought people into this Church, Molly. (whatever your name is). I, for one, prefer to bring people into the Church than driving them out. I have seen both. The latter is not pretty.
I do not go looking for churches to satisfy my own interpretation of scripture.
I know the meaning of a testimony.
I also know my sense of self.
It is not a temptation. It is not a tendency. It is not a confusion. It is not a choice.
It was confusion when I thought I was a heterosexual, but nope, not a hetero.
I have a grown daughter who is gay and although I love her and support her, she knows how I feel about her relationship.
The Lord expects us to avoid sex outside of marriage. That includes heterosexual fornication and adultery. IMHO, homosexual behavior is not any worse than the apparent "so-called socially accepted" morals of the day that are played out daily on TV, magazines, books, etc.
The Lord is not going to change his mind about that kind of behavior even though the world emrbaces it , nor will he change his mind about homosexual behavior.
It is only our job to follow the Lord and love all as Jesus does.
Can you imagine going to church and keeping your distance because you are afraid of falling in love with someone there? Can you imagine a life filled with no touching, no hugging, no physical contact with anyone? That is what my life would have been if I had gone back. That truly sounds like hell on earth.
I have become the best person that I can be. I am honest with myself and others. I am a great parent. I serve my community and country.
I have already decided that if I am to be judged for my life, let it be. I will accept the consequences of being true to myself.
Please, all you judgemental people who think you are so much better than gays - take a look at who you have become. If you in any way feel that you are better than gays, you need to do some soul searching. Please.
In about 1970, there were two sodomits living together, in Miami, fla. They got into an arguement and one of them was killed. The killer cut the body up and drove along an interstate hiway throwing body parts out of his car window.
Several days later, the Miami Herald reported that the homosexuals being only 2% of the whole population commited about 65% of the murders, 75% of the suicides, and had 85% of the veneral infections.
About three years later, there was an ersponsible ruling that homosexual conduct is not a mental disorder. This does not make since to me.
The LDS Church has more resources to help and support gays and lesbians in their recovery than any other religion.
The fact that a few people commit suicide does not give individuals the right to blame the church or its doctrines for that tragic occurrence.
If someone commits suicide, they do it out of their own free will and choice, not because of the Church.
They have no one to blame but themselves for that choice. No one makes anyone commit suicide.
Stop blaming the church. The church is doing its best to love the sinner while hating the sin.
i'm only kidding...
No one in the "gay community" is demanding that God change. They just want to be treated as equal Americans in this free country without your beliefs dictating how they can chieve their own pursuit of happiness.
You can believe what you want to. Gays have plenty of churches to pick from that totally accept them. They just do not want to be second class citizens when they are law-abiding Americans, just like you.
God should also apologize for Romans chapter 1 in the New Testament.
There is a reconciliation process. It is called repentance.
I wonder, who should repent, God or the gays?
Joseph Smith was repremanded by God for fearing man more than God.
The more the homosexual community protests the LDS church the more convinced I am that the LDS church is right.
Gay people responsible for 65% of murders? What complete nonsense will they smear gay people with next?
Here's an "active" LDS heterosexual who supports you and is sympathetic with your very difficult choice. I believe the scriptures say something to the effect of "by which measure ye judge, ye will be judged." To those who judge you, let them walk a mile in your shoes.
God bless
"This is more than a gay issue. Its an issue of freedom of religion. The LDS Church and other churches as well believe that marriage is between and man and a woman. The constitution allows for freedom to believe and uphold those values and beliefs."
And you may do so in your church. But to force everyone through laws to obey your beliefs is a little overbearing and very un-American.
No, I don't struggle with same-sex attraction, nor do I struggle with alcoholism, but I have a personal, physical struggle that has plagued me for decades and at times has scared me to death. I may someday be free of the temptation, but I am grateful every day for the Savior's love and support through the atonement that allows me to keep ahead of the nearly daily temptations. I learned long ago that giving in to those temptations does NOT bring happiness, but a cheap substitute that has no substance, does not endure and destroys my peace. I find TRUE happiness and joy in following the Savior.
I sympathize with those who struggle with same-sex attraction, but as Sheri Dew has observed, talking about mortality, "We'll almost certainly struggle with some kind of physical appetite, and perhaps several." I find Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Series wonderfully allegorical, with the Cullen family of vampires choosing to go against their "nature" of consuming human blood, choosing animal blood instead. If we all followed our "nature", what a grim world we'd devolve to.
So, conversely, by government NOT recognizing gay marriage, does it marginalize those persons or organizaions that believe that gay marriage is necessary to keep this country one of equality for all?
Have any of you Mormons actually talked with a gay person and asked them their experience in the church? No, I'm not asking if you know any gay person, but has gay LDS member explained to you his/her experience growing up in the LDS church? If not, maybe you should. Then you will understand why this group is organizing that petition.
To the level headed people reading these comments - I am apologize for how my fellow LDS church members have acted in their insensitive comments. While they may be the majority, they don't represent the entire church members' feelings.
Oh, and P.S. - Blaming suicide rates on being gay alone is ridiculous! Blaming gay suicides on how they are treated by society is rational, and our society (LDS or not) needs to address this problem and change how we treat them. Pretty sure that is what Jesus would say.
It is the choice that each takes in either acting upon those desires or the choice the refrain from actions that are contrary to the will of God that defines their lives as being on the path of evel or of good. God has not changed the matter of right or wrong.
Pettitioning religious leaders to say that with is contrary to God's explicit declaration of right vs. wrong does not cause God to change.
From the time of Adam, to Noah. to Abraham
In a living language, words and their meaning have many connotations and because the language is being used those connotations are in constant flux. Think about the word 'sick' which is now applied to something that is cool, outrageous or over-the-top.
You should also update your facts - the highest percentage of STD infections in the U.S. are amongst the teen to late 20's demographic. One reason is that many people feel that kids should be taught 'abstinence-only' and that will protect them. We now see the fallout of that decision.
I have some descriptive words that I will use to describe you: "Fuddy-duddy" and "head-in-the-sand."
["I will do everything I can to HELP people that I think are harming themselves from continuing on their path."]
do you have any idea how big brother and gestapo-ish that sounds? who are you to decide whether people are harming themselves?
you sound exactly like a taliban enforcer...
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If this were the case then the multitudes of religious zealots would campaign against homosexual acts, not against the civil rights of homosexuals. LDS has no interest in protecting the civil rights of homosexuals.
Anyone who states they are not anti-gay but do not believe gay people should engage in any homosexual acts should just fess up to being anti-gay. It might give you some more merit since at least you could claim the credibility of being honest about it. The "pro-gay but anti-homosexual act" stance isn't fooling any reasonable person.
That being said, this comment will disappear soon just like my previous comment. Apparently the editors of this news outlet feel the need to edit comments that don't comply with a "Salt Lake City" attitude. I'm glad that up here in Seattle we have free speech and open minds.
The Lord's mind has been in the same place on these issues for all time. Just the policy on how we deal with them changes with the time. Polygamy has always been okay, under the proper circumstances and direction, and always been improper unless authorized by God. The priesthood has always had restrictions, whether by lineage, race or personal worthiness. And homosexual behavior has always been considered a sin, whether the person is excommunicated for it or just put under other church sanctions.
Policy changes are not the same thing as doctrinal changes, and no amount of petitioning is going to change the doctrine OR the policy unless the Lord deems it appropriate.
No, Prop 8 certainly isn't a revelation, but guess what, Vince? It says the exact same thing that actual revelations have said, aside from adding "in the state of California" at the end. The Family: A Proclamation to the World is a summation of all LDS church doctrines and revelations on the subject of marriage, family and gender roles. One of the things that it teaches - pulled from multiple other sources, including divine revelation - is that marriage is between man and woman.
Sexual orientation is not sexual behavior. They are two very different things. One is able to be attracted to anybody they have feelings for and still be an active member in good standing, so long as he/she doesn't act on his/her attraction. But acting on your attractions outside of the parameters the Lord has set - legal marriage between man and woman - will require much repentence to overcome, and will probably require church disciplinary action against you.
Sadly so many end in failure, even among the married. Perhaps if one were to focus on forgetting oneself none of these debates would be necessary.
Um. I'm a single adult, and I'm completely celibate, and I touch people, and hug them, and have physical contact with others daily. That's not being celibate, that's being anthropophobic.
If you can't hug somebody or touch them on the arm without wanting to sleep with them, I'd suggest that maybe it's time to talk to a therapist.
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why would gays even care what this church thinks? other than them telling all their little drones to contribute to a lost cause - since prop 8 won't stand for long - it's impossible for it to - this church has no real power. They are good at convincing weak-willed people to give them 10% of their check, but other than that they are pretty useless.
I suggest gays simply forget about these loonies and concentrate on presentng their civil rights case to the american people. The younger set is ready to allow gay marriage, and as soon as the old horses die off it won't be an issue.
besides, all the money the drones are spreading around to promote false accusations about gays is actually helping the economy. So let them spend their money that way - it's a boost to the economy and just shows how antiquated they are...