I've gotten some mixed responses to my last blog post (and by that I mean varying degrees of opposition), both on the post itself and from friends that prefer to talk more privately about the matter. I think that my views could use a little clarification.
First let me just point out that my post was not intended to challenge the doctrines of my Church nor of other religions. It was intended to challenge the idea that traditional families are in some kind of danger because of same-sex marriage. Frankly, I think that even opponents of same-sex marriage realize that these are bogus claims, but that they are more comfortable with unsupportable secular claims than with reasoning of a more personal nature (even if the personal or spiritual reasons make more sense). If people more readily admitted that their motives for opposing same-sex marriage were religious then I think that would have been a different blog post. (If you'd like to debate the validity of the secular arguments then I'm happy to hear your opinions, but please make your comments on my other post, as that's not the point of this one.) My point here is that I wasn't meaning to challenge anyone's religious or spiritual views (just their political reasoning).
As for the religious part of this issue, I hope that my friends will recognize the complexity of the situation before they become too worried or angry over my political views. I believe in my Church's teachings regarding families and their eternal nature. In fact, those teachings are very important to me in my personal life. A lot of the joy I get from living my religion is centered around the idea of eternal families. I don't discount that there are differences between men and women or that these are important to our eternal development. I love that my Church believes in both a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother, and I think that it shows the complimentary nature of men and women. I hope that my LDS friends will understand that I don't disregard the revelations about families, marriage, or sexuality. However, there are other revelations (that I also believe in) that are related to my political views on this subject. My Church's doctrine regarding government (D&C 134, the Articles of Faith, and parts of the Book of Mormon) supports the idea that the government should allow its citizens to believe as they will and to live their lives according to their beliefs. While it's easy to use those teachings to defend our own religious freedom, I think that we need to grant that same freedom to people that believe differently than we do (whether religious or not). I don't think that the religious freedom of others should be contingent on whether or not I or anyone else agrees with their beliefs.
Adding to complexity of the issue is the fact that my Church has expressly supported California's Proposition 8 and asked its members to do likewise. I know that this official statement is the whole deciding factor for a lot of Mormons. However, since the Church has also expressly stated that it is to be politically neutral, this departure from its policy only adds to my internal turmoil on the issue. I know that this is not the first time that the Church has laid aside their political neutrality (and maybe this neutrality isn't meant to be permanent anyway), but it is very rare. As far as I know, same-sex marriage is the only issue that has caused the Church to abandon its neutrality since I've been old enough to vote (or at the least since I've been old enough to be concerned about my vote). I can imagine that for some of my friends this is further reason to go with the flow, but I think the abnormality of the situation (not to mention the apparent contradictions with our beliefs on government) requires that we give this additional thought and concern, not that we shut off our brains on the issue.
I know that same-sex marriage is a sensitive subject for a lot of people, and I appreciate everyone that has given this issue thoughtful (and even prayerful) consideration, even if that leads them to different conclusions than me. I hope that they'll give me the same courtesy, even if my conclusions are different than theirs. I don't mind if you think that I am mixed up or mistaken about how I reconcile all of the components of this issue. In fact, if you feel that way I'd probably appreciate hearing your thoughts on the subject, especially if you're willing to share your spiritual motives.
However, that is not an invitation to insult my faith or my dedication to my religion. I want to be very clear about this. I love my religion and my Church, and I have not departed from my faith or testimony. I hope that by being explicit about this I've prevented anyone from drawing the wrong conclusion accidentally. If you disagree with me, whether about politics or religion or something else, that is fine and I'm open to the discussion, and usually I'm even open to changing my view if you convince me that I'm mistaken about my current position. Please be respectful as you disagree with me. Like you, I'm not always right, but I am honestly trying to do the right thing. Don't insult my motives because you disagree with my conclusions.
5 comments:
I think my view aligns pretty closely with yours: namely that LDS members can beleive whatever they like about homosexual marriage without extrapolating that into govermental affairs and the SOCIAL contract that is a marriage license (differnet from what happens in the temple, obviously). I don't understand the argument that gay marriage undermines straight families, and I think that the Church, which depends on the Bill of Rights and freedome of religion to exist as it does, shouldn't be trying to legislate other people's freedoms under any argument.
The assumption there is that we're talking about non-harmful freedoms: I am free to murder whom I like, but I expect the government--and God--to come down pretty harshly on me for that one. I don't beleive there is any evidential or scriptural proof to the idea that gay marriage harms anybody just by the fact of it being "gay." (Abuse, obviously, can happen in any family, but that doesn't mean we abolish marriage altogether.)
In all honesty, I think it's a strange move for California leaders of a church that once practiced polygamy, and theoretically could be asked to do so again, to ask its members to campaign against anyone else's marriage rights.
But that's just me. And you should be warned, I'm part of the "East Coast liberal media elite." Or so the McCain/Palin ticket tells me.
well put.
I feel the same way as you Bryant. I am glad you put it into words because I haven't been able to do that. I often feel like I can't express these views to my friends and family because I will be ostracized. I think you are brave.
Bravo.
Thanks, Be. You're one of the most open, honest people I know. I value your opinions greatly.
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