A few weeks ago Ellen DeGeneres was on the Jay Leno show tearfully pleading for people to stop spending thousands of dollars to promote hate. Sounds like a cause any decent, moral person could get behind. Her cause was the fight to prevent passage of Proposition 8, the bill in defense of traditional marriage, and her plea was essentially an effort to label anyone attempting to defend the definition of marriage as a union between an adult man and woman, as a hate monger.
The scripture that warns of the day when good will be called evil and evil called good is upon us, it appears. My son lives in California where the youth of the church have been called up by Elder Ballard, Elder Cook and the rest of the Brethren to stand as modern-day Stripling Warriors, wielding the swords of their day-- technology--to blog, text, post, email and make phone calls in defense of the essential fabric of society--the family.
If we doubt the urgency of this issue, read one of the following articles:
Young Mormons Urged to Join Fight Against Gay Marriage in California at: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10671847 or
The passage of Proposition 8 does not remove rights and benefits already in place for gay and domestic partnerships (they "shall have the same rights, protections and benefits" as married spouses, according to Family Code SS 297.5).
So opponents of Proposition 8 are not merely trying to promote tolerance. They're trying to redefine "marriage" and "family", and the consequences could be grievous. Anyone with a traditional moral position on this could find themselves prosecuted for teaching doctrine in opposition to same-sex unions. What about the separation of Church and State? Now the State could have power to define religious doctrine!
And we can't merely hope that our community or state will be untouched by the outcome of this vote. Look how many states are wavering. Connecticut is set to begin honoring requests for same-sex marriages next week. And remember this. It only took four California Supreme Court justices to reverse the will of 61% of the electorate in that state.
I belong to a few LDS forums on livejournal and the vehement opinions of people on there that are both LDS and pro-gay marriage surprise me. I don't think they see the big picture. I caught a glimpse of that picture online the other day when I watched a video about what is now being taught in Massachusetts public schools. That children as young as kindergarten age are taught to accept same sex marriage by their society and then receive the message at home that it is incorrect creates a conflict within the child. And sometimes I think society's will is stronger than the home, which is very scary. The parents of this one little kid, who was four and came home from school with a picture book about same-sex marriage given to him by his teacher in a 'diversity backpack' distributed to all the class, went to the school to ask why they were not notified of the materials being given to their kids and told it wasn't a 'parental permission issue' ie. the state ruled that it's all good so we can teach it to your kids.
ReplyDeleteWhat I've realized is that this is a segway to something larger. If we fail at keeping the definition of marriage under the sacred rules that God has set then as a nation we're going to fall. Our children and grandchildren will be taught homosexuality is normal and will embrace it and we'll lose more of them to a lifestyle that inhibits procreation and furthering the work of Heavenly Father.
In a way, this is very hard. Because I have friends who are gay. Some who believe in God and some who don't. *Some who are former members of the church* And I love them very much, for who they are, even if I don't agree with their lifestyle choices. So I won't say that it isn't frightening to draw a line in the sand and state where I stand on things. I sort of tend to keep politics out of my journals, as I feel where I cast my vote isn't anyone's business but my own. But maybe it is out of personal protection, because I don't want to lose those friends who are gay, and if they don't know how I voted they can't hate me for it.
ReplyDeleteAt the same time ... I think the loss of some of those friends is inevitable. Because I have to make a stand for what is right, for myself and my future children. *We've Prop 102 here in AZ that if passed will define the STATE definition of marriage as between a man and a woman*
I have to admit, I like Ellen DeGeneres as a person and a comedienne but I can't stand her take on if you disagree with Prop 8 in Cali then you're a hateful person. It's sad that people end up calling names when they disagree on things.
And now I'm rambling. *sorries*
It's frightening to think that in the entire history of humanity, this generation may be the first that will need to teach and defend the most basic of all human elements--the union of a man and a woman in marriage, and their ensuing role as parents of a family. This is a precipice of unfathomable proportions.
ReplyDeleteWe have no idea what the specific consequences will be, but we do know that the Lord made the plan, we are made to fit His plan, and He is warning us to do all we can to protect what should be an unassailable truth.
I can't understand why same-sex couples are doing this. If they reject the institution of marriage between a man and woman, why do they feel a need to borrow the title "marriage" to represent their unions? Why isn't the concept of a civil union enough? Why does their right to feel comfortable with their situation supercede our rights?
The world is like a Jenga game and a special interest group is trying to pull out the main support.
You are absolutely right, Laurie. You've perfectly explained the situation and danger we face.
ReplyDelete