~Primary Song
I have received about twelve Facebook messages from people over the last few weeks bringing up two pictures I was in. Due to this high number (and lack of time to message each individually), I have decided to write a blog post answering questions about these two pictures. Let me show them to you:
Neither of these pictures are bad. Heck, I feel like we look pretty good! We look so into what we are doing!
The main thing that people keep e-mailing me about is that this was at a Boise Gay Men's Chorus rehearsal. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, some people know the people of the church as Mormons. I had people tell me that I was sinning by being at the rehearsal. It has been brought up again since I have changed my profile picture to say "I am a Mormon". I was/am being told that I was rebelling against God by going to that practice. And this is where I want my address to begin.
I want to say, first and foremost, that that is simply not true. My stance on marriage is that it is "ordained of God" and that He intended it to be "between a man and a woman". I do not agree with the same-sex marriage lifestyle. However, that does not mean that I cannot love people who live that lifestyle.
The awesome young man whom I am sitting next to in both of these pictures is one of my best friends. We worked together at Skyview while I was student teaching and I have to tell you that he is one of the finest young men I have ever met. He had sent me a message earlier that day inviting me to their rehearsal that night. They were just about to go on a tour so this was a "practice performance". I gladly accepted the invitation! I love listening to a good men's chorus; and they sounded amazing! When I got there he asked if I would be willing to turn pages for him, so I did!
I did not go to the performance and say that I support same-sex marriage or those kinds of actions. I went to a performance to support my friends and listen to good music. There is no sin there.
The second thing that is being mentioned is this question: "Doesn't your church teach that all people who are gay are bad people?" My response to that is this:
No!
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I do not hate people who are gay, nor have I ever been taught that in my life! We are taught to love all of God's children and strive to help bring them closer to Him. I can't do that if I "hate them".
Ever since I was a little girl I have had the gift of loving. I sometimes feel that it was because I was kind of the "odd duck" in school and often times felt left out and alone. I think that those experiences as a child helped me gain a better understanding on how to love people despite their actions, interests, religion, or sexuality. It actually got me into some trouble because people would use my kindness and love to manipulate me. The primary song "I Am a Child of God" resonated deep within me, not because I would sing it about myself, but about everybody else. Whenever I sang that song, I thought of everybody around me. I know that everybody is a child of God, despite the mistakes we have made, will make, or are making. There is nothing we can do to change our divine heritage! You are a child of God.
In 3 Nephi 27:27 Christ says, "What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am." If I am wanting to follow in Christ's footprints then I must love everybody. We were not commanded to "love just those who have the same standards as you" or "just love those that are nice to you". We are commanded to "love one another as I have loved you".
Loving somebody does not mean that I have to agree with everything they say or do. Think about when you were a teenager and made decisions that your parents didn't support. Did that stop them from loving you? No!
Elder Oaks, in an interview with Public Affairs, was asked what the proper response would be if you were in this situation:
"Let's say my 17-year-old son comes to talk to me and, after a great deal of difficulty trying to get it out, tells me that he believes that he's attracted to men--that he has no interest and never has had any interest in girls. He believes he's probably gay. He says that he's tried to suppress these feelings. . . He just feels he can't live what he thinks is a lie any longer, and so he comes in this very upset and depressed manner. What do I tell him as a parent?"
Elder Oak's response is beautiful. He says, "You're my son. You will always be my son, and I'll always be there to help you." (Dec. 12, 2012; "Same Gender Attraction").
It is my personal testimony that everybody is a child of God. He loves each and every one of you. There are no exceptions. If I want to someday be like my Heavenly Father, why not start now? I pray that this blog answered some, if not all, of the questions that people had about my stance on this issue.
If you want to learn more you can go to:
www.lds.org
www.mormon.org or
www.mormonsandgays.org
All of these websites will answer any other questions you have.
The church also just released this statement:
"The succession of federal court decisions in recent months, culminating in today’s announcement by the Supreme Court, will have no effect on the doctrinal position or practices of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is that only marriage between a man and a woman is acceptable to God. In prizing freedom of conscience and Constitutional guarantees of the free exercise of religion, we will continue to teach that standard and uphold it in our religious practices.
Nevertheless, respectful coexistence is possible with those with differing values. As far as the civil law is concerned, the courts have spoken. Church leaders will continue to encourage our people to be persons of good will toward all, rejecting persecution of any kind based on race, ethnicity, religious belief or non-belief, and differences in sexual orientation." (Oct. 6, 2014)
