I am writing this blog because I've felt sad the last few days, well years really, reading the opinions, positions, comments and posts about issues having to do with gay marriage. It seems like many people are jumping to false conclusions based on inaccurate information. I am a Mormon, and I feel discouraged and disheartened to know that we are criticized and attacked for these beliefs--especially when I think people really haven't taken the time to understand the motives and intentions behind them. So let's pretend for just a minute that you're actually a Mormon. I know, why would you ever want to be one? They're prudes, they have out of date beliefs, they're judgmental, they're uncool, unpopular, and just plain weird. Well that last part is probably true. ;) But if you can think just for a minute--if you believed the things that we believe, what would you ask us to do instead? Would you ask us to abandon what we hold to be sacred and true? I would hope not, but instead, I would hope that you would try to understand where we're coming from. So here we go, here's where we're coming from:
1. We believe in a right and a wrong. We do not believe in moral relativism--meaning that individuals decide what is right and wrong in terms of righteousness and sin. We believe that is God's job. So if God says something is sinful we believe it is sinful, and we would not support or encourage anyone to pursue or participate in a behavior which would ultimately preclude him from returning to live with God (which is kind of the main purpose for us being here on earth). :) We want to return to Heavenly Father and be given all the blessings He has in store for us, and we want the same for all of God's children (who are our brothers and sisters). God wants us to use our time here on earth to become good and holy people through our righteous choices and if we don't care about the rightness or wrongness of choices, where will that take our society? What will that be teaching future generations?
2. God is no respecter of persons. He sent his son Jesus Christ to atone for all mankind. That means that the Atonement has the power to save everyone. No one is exempt from God's love or the power of Christ's Atonement. But, just because God loves the individual unconditionally, that does not mean he unconditionally accepts any behavior that individual wishes to engage in. The Atonement is there so we can become like our Savior, so that we can become better every day, so that we can repent and change and overcome our weaknesses. It is a wonderful and merciful gift. We are all sinners and we all require the saving grace of the atonement.
3. We believe in eternal families. We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We believe that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of his children. I'll say that again: ETERNAL destiny. If we thought this earth life was as good as it's ever going to get, many things would be tragedies: couples not able to have children, people who want to marry but never have the chance to do so (including those with same-sex attraction), physical and mental disabilities, illnesses, the heartbreak of infidelity, death of a loved one, etc. If the consequences of these situations were permanent, how sad and awful that would be. But in the eternities (in heaven) faithful individuals and families (meaning those who abide God's laws even when it's hard and they don't understand what the heck His plan is for them) :) WILL receive all the blessings God has in store for them. We will see our loved ones again, couples will find happiness in marriage and in having children, disabilities will disappear, etc. If we see earth life through this eternal perspective, a lot changes!
4. We believe that God has restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our day to give us tools so we can return to Him. One of those tools I'd like to mention is modern-day apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ is at the head of this church, but His chosen apostles are His spokesmen here on the earth. We believe they receive revelation from God in regards to the church in our day. So if an official announcement is made, it is from God and not made up by ignorant, hateful, power-seeking men. You might think that, but we don't. We also believe each individual person has the right to receive revelation for him or herself and for his or her family. Not as a contradiction to what God has said for the church as a whole, but to receive personal answers to issues that may be troubling or disconcerting. Prayer is so important and we believe every person should strive for a personal relationship with God. There may be different things that are right for different people at different stages of their lives and progression. (Not the same as moral relativism, but just realizing that we are all on different journeys and come from different backgrounds and circumstances, and that we need to be sensitive to that).
5. We believe in treating all people with kindness. We are obviously aware that not everyone feels the same way about our beliefs as we do. Many of you reading this might think that believing what we do is ridiculous and that we need to change it now. BUT, how you feel about our beliefs does not change the fact that we believe this is truth. And we need to act in accordance with our beliefs. That is the right and privilege of living in this wonderful country and we should not fear or be made to feel ashamed of the things that we hold dear. Just the same as you. But never at any time has any leader of our church condoned or supported any action that is unkind, aggressive, or belittling to someone who holds different beliefs than we do. If there are members of our church who have acted this way it is out of their own insecurities and imperfections that they are doing so. We are taught that Jesus Christ treated all those he came in contact with with kindness and love. But we also know he did not condone or support sin and we are trying to do the same.
I realize that was long-winded but I hope that it clarified some things for you and I hope that you can appreciate and understand where we are coming from. We are honestly not coming from a position of hate or discrimination. It is sincerely out of love and a desire to see all of God's children receive a fullness of His blessings, especially after this life is over. Okay, so you might think well then what about the recent announcement? Why aren't you allowing these children to receive these blessings? I would like to refer you back to #3 above. We know that various earthly circumstances might necessitate a delay in making covenants. The church would rather put the stability of the family (yes, even one where there are same-sex parents) above the immediacy of making covenants. That will come as it will for all those who choose good and are faithful. I know that this policy was made to protect these children and their families. The church would never put itself in a position to be the source of division between a child and his or her parents. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them for you or clarify anything that might be confusing in this post. Thank you!
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Judge Righteous Judgement
"Judging" is a word that gets thrown around very liberally in our day and age. If someone says something in opposition to your opinions or behaviors, they are "judging" you. If they don't agree with your choices or choose not to participate in something they find inappropriate (but that you are okay with) then they are judging you. I really think there needs to be some clarification on the word "judge". I really don't think it means what we think it means! :)
First, in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon talks about making judgments about good and evil. He says, "For the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." So we need to make judgments if we are to make good choices. We have to know the good from the evil. And how do we know the good from the evil? It is not always going to be apparent, especially in the time we live in, what is good and what is evil. Mormon says we "should search diligently in the light of Christ". We need to want to know the truth and seek after it. There is so much out there that can confuse and deceive us. So many things are apparently good and seem to make us happy. But again Mormon tells us to "take heed" that we should "not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil." So this kind of judging is important for us to do in order to make good and correct choices.
Secondly, the word "judge" is used to talk about the dealings of God and/or Jesus Christ with us. They will judge us according to our desires, thoughts, deeds, actions, etc. The apostles and other leaders are also given this role and responsibility--to judge those whom they have stewardship over. This brings up the point that judgment, meaning the act of deciding what a should be done with a person, is not for us to decide. Especially in terms of the final resting place of the children of a God. God is the one who decides where we will be. He alone knows us--our intentions, our actions, our circumstances, our hearts. As human beings, we do not truly know this about any of our fellow men. We are not to decide who someone is or what they deserve. We really do not know. Does this mean we have to agree with what everyone does? It seems that is a mentality our society has adopted: that disagreeing with someone or thinking something they are doing is wrong means we are "judging" them. Well to a certain degree I guess we are, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It really is possible to disagree with someone's choices and still love them and treat them kindly and with respect. We can make judgments about things without being JUDGMENTAL about people. The word "judgmental" more describes how we look at and treat people, and that is where we can mess up. If our judgement of a person's behavior impacts now we treat that person, we need to reevaluate. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of teaching truth and inviting others to do good, but without making them feel stupid or unworthy or unloved. He did not condone sin, but neither did He condemn the sinner.
We should follow Jesus Christ's example of love and kindness and always treat people as He would, no matter what we think of their behavior or choices. We should remember that we are all children of God and that everyone has had different life circumstances and experiences that have brought them to different points in their lives. We are all imperfect, but we can help and inspire each other to become better just by being a friend, an example, a confidant; and not letting differences affect the way we treat each other.
First, in the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon talks about making judgments about good and evil. He says, "For the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." So we need to make judgments if we are to make good choices. We have to know the good from the evil. And how do we know the good from the evil? It is not always going to be apparent, especially in the time we live in, what is good and what is evil. Mormon says we "should search diligently in the light of Christ". We need to want to know the truth and seek after it. There is so much out there that can confuse and deceive us. So many things are apparently good and seem to make us happy. But again Mormon tells us to "take heed" that we should "not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil." So this kind of judging is important for us to do in order to make good and correct choices.
Secondly, the word "judge" is used to talk about the dealings of God and/or Jesus Christ with us. They will judge us according to our desires, thoughts, deeds, actions, etc. The apostles and other leaders are also given this role and responsibility--to judge those whom they have stewardship over. This brings up the point that judgment, meaning the act of deciding what a should be done with a person, is not for us to decide. Especially in terms of the final resting place of the children of a God. God is the one who decides where we will be. He alone knows us--our intentions, our actions, our circumstances, our hearts. As human beings, we do not truly know this about any of our fellow men. We are not to decide who someone is or what they deserve. We really do not know. Does this mean we have to agree with what everyone does? It seems that is a mentality our society has adopted: that disagreeing with someone or thinking something they are doing is wrong means we are "judging" them. Well to a certain degree I guess we are, but I don't think that's a bad thing. It really is possible to disagree with someone's choices and still love them and treat them kindly and with respect. We can make judgments about things without being JUDGMENTAL about people. The word "judgmental" more describes how we look at and treat people, and that is where we can mess up. If our judgement of a person's behavior impacts now we treat that person, we need to reevaluate. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of teaching truth and inviting others to do good, but without making them feel stupid or unworthy or unloved. He did not condone sin, but neither did He condemn the sinner.
We should follow Jesus Christ's example of love and kindness and always treat people as He would, no matter what we think of their behavior or choices. We should remember that we are all children of God and that everyone has had different life circumstances and experiences that have brought them to different points in their lives. We are all imperfect, but we can help and inspire each other to become better just by being a friend, an example, a confidant; and not letting differences affect the way we treat each other.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
The Family
"Ideals are like the stars: we never reach them, but like the mariners of the sea, we chart our course by them." --Carl Shurz
I think all of us know that the world we live in is kind of crazy and messed up! :) We see awful things happening all around us, BUT we also see such goodness! It's hard to believe such opposite things can exist side by side. People talk of solutions to the world's problems: more government help (my thoughts on that on a previous blog post) :), stricter laws, improved understanding and help for the sick (mentally and physically), better school systems, etc. But ironically, I think we are lacking, as a society, in focusing on the one thing that would improve our society: the FAMILY. Families are the fundamental unit of society. They are where we learn and grow; where we teach and nurture; where we feel love, happiness, safety, and peace. And of course we all experience, to some degree or another, the negative side of family life--sadness, contention, anger, fear, abuse, divorce. We are human and these feelings and situations are inevitable, but God gave us families because as challenging as it is sometimes, that is His plan for each of us. He knows that successful families bring the greatest joys and allow us to reach our full potential--to become as He is. The "ideal" does not exist in any case, but the quote I posted above says what I think we sometimes miss: that just because we are not perfect as families, it does not mean we stop teaching the ideal. God's plan for ALL of His children is one of happiness and one of families. Teaching these things is not meant to make those who are not the ideal feel guilty or inferior, it is meant to give us HOPE. Hope that even though we do not have the ideal now, we will receive it if we are faithful. We all have things that keep us from the ideal, but the point is that we know what God's plan is for us, and we follow it to the best of our ability. Elder Bruce D. Porter said, "We live in a day when the love of many, even toward their own children, is waxing cold; a day when so many people love pleasures more than God; a day when good is called evil and evil good. Those who defend the traditional family, who stand for fidelity and chastity and all that once was considered wholesome and praiseworthy are mocked and ridiculed. On the other hand, those who see no problem with fatherless homes, who advocate abortion, who fight all attempts to limit pornography, and who seek to redefine the very essence of what a family is, are praised and upheld as champions of tolerance. Truly, the world has turned upside down." So very true. There are all kinds of ideas and opinions out there about the family and we might think it just doesn't really matter anymore. But it does. God's word is unchanging and drifting away from what He has taught will only bring misery, both as individuals and as nations. But imagine if each one of us had a personal relationship with a God, if we knew we were literal children of God, felt His love for us, and shared it with our families and everyone around us? Imagine how different society would be. If we make God a part of our lives, and seek for His guidance, His counsel, His truth, we cannot fail. "...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth His mighty winds, yea His shafts on the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which men build they cannot fall." Jesus Christ is our Savior. He alone can change us and that's how we change our families, our society, and the world.
I think all of us know that the world we live in is kind of crazy and messed up! :) We see awful things happening all around us, BUT we also see such goodness! It's hard to believe such opposite things can exist side by side. People talk of solutions to the world's problems: more government help (my thoughts on that on a previous blog post) :), stricter laws, improved understanding and help for the sick (mentally and physically), better school systems, etc. But ironically, I think we are lacking, as a society, in focusing on the one thing that would improve our society: the FAMILY. Families are the fundamental unit of society. They are where we learn and grow; where we teach and nurture; where we feel love, happiness, safety, and peace. And of course we all experience, to some degree or another, the negative side of family life--sadness, contention, anger, fear, abuse, divorce. We are human and these feelings and situations are inevitable, but God gave us families because as challenging as it is sometimes, that is His plan for each of us. He knows that successful families bring the greatest joys and allow us to reach our full potential--to become as He is. The "ideal" does not exist in any case, but the quote I posted above says what I think we sometimes miss: that just because we are not perfect as families, it does not mean we stop teaching the ideal. God's plan for ALL of His children is one of happiness and one of families. Teaching these things is not meant to make those who are not the ideal feel guilty or inferior, it is meant to give us HOPE. Hope that even though we do not have the ideal now, we will receive it if we are faithful. We all have things that keep us from the ideal, but the point is that we know what God's plan is for us, and we follow it to the best of our ability. Elder Bruce D. Porter said, "We live in a day when the love of many, even toward their own children, is waxing cold; a day when so many people love pleasures more than God; a day when good is called evil and evil good. Those who defend the traditional family, who stand for fidelity and chastity and all that once was considered wholesome and praiseworthy are mocked and ridiculed. On the other hand, those who see no problem with fatherless homes, who advocate abortion, who fight all attempts to limit pornography, and who seek to redefine the very essence of what a family is, are praised and upheld as champions of tolerance. Truly, the world has turned upside down." So very true. There are all kinds of ideas and opinions out there about the family and we might think it just doesn't really matter anymore. But it does. God's word is unchanging and drifting away from what He has taught will only bring misery, both as individuals and as nations. But imagine if each one of us had a personal relationship with a God, if we knew we were literal children of God, felt His love for us, and shared it with our families and everyone around us? Imagine how different society would be. If we make God a part of our lives, and seek for His guidance, His counsel, His truth, we cannot fail. "...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth His mighty winds, yea His shafts on the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which men build they cannot fall." Jesus Christ is our Savior. He alone can change us and that's how we change our families, our society, and the world.
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