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Read Me First
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Below is some background information I think is crucial. Please look over it before you head to the other parts of the site, I feel it's vital to understanding my point of view and the issues at hand.
Homophobia
We Need More Discussion!
How God Judges Us
There IS Absolute Truth
About Me and My Background
Compassion
Anyone who mocks, ridicules, or persecutes an individual because of their sexual orientation, or what you even suppose to be their sexual orientation, is under the condemnation of God! I cannot use language strong enough. More than anything, I want to generate an interest, concern, and love in the hearts of the member of the LDS Church who visits this site. The current prophet of the LDS Church says:
People inquire about our position on those who consider themselves so-called gays and lesbians. My response is that we love them as sons and daughters of God.
If we quote President Hinckley to condemn the practice of homosexuality, we must also obey his words and love everyone, everyone, everyone as sons and daughters of God. Now, this does not mean accepting the sin of homosexuality in any sense of the word. Also LDS church officials, under their divine mantle as leaders in God's Kingdom, should have power to pass judgement on and discipline upon individuals. Not too many of us are in this position, though, and are under the commandment of God to love every man, woman, and child on this earth.
I am sorry to admit, as a boy I had friends who would tell "gay jokes" and other unkind words and behavior. I did too, I'm sorry to say. Habits formed then still weigh me down, but I want it known I do not condone such behavior, and hold myself under condemnation for thoughtless, unkind words. And so should all of you who tease, mock, scorn, harass or make light of this very difficult, painful, and personal subject for so many of our brothers and sisters. It is with this in mind I create this page.
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Homophobia
I would like to say a word about
homophobia, or fearing people who profess a homosexual orientation or lifestyle. I find
homophobia a form of hatred and ignorance. I also find it a form of weakness
and insecurity. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard homophobic
words spoken by my friends, my associates, and on TV, etc. While I would not
relish being "hit on" by someone of the same sex, it wouldn't ruin my day. I
know how I feel about the issue, where I stand, and how
not
interesting I am by members of the same sex and how much I am in members of
the opposite sex.
Do you know how you feel on the issue? If so, what's the big deal?
While I don't support the lifestyle and find the practice of it an abomination,
it's not going to ruin my day if someone made a pass at me.
Now, of course, any overtly sexual reference or contact is a different matter,
and whether from a male or a female, I would not permit it and would find it a
much more disturbing or frightening encounter. Simply being hit on or even
around someone who says their of the homosexual orientation isn't going to
shake me. I hope those who read this will follow suit, and stop appearing so
unsure of your own convictions.
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Discussion Needed
No long quotations or research here: WE NEED MORE DISCUSSION! If you feel anything for these issues, whether you agree with me or not, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! The members of the LDS church say they support what the prophet says, and whether they really understand what has been said and left unsaid, let them act according to their conscience and understanding. Let everyone act: the very nature of marriage and discrimination are being decided. Won't you help?
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How God Judges
"The Lord's way of final judgment will be to apply His perfect knowledge of the law a person has received and to judge on the basis of that person's circumstances, motives, and actions throughout his or her entire life (see Luke 12:47-48; John 15:22; 2 Ne. 9:25)." � Elder Oaks
We need avoid labeling people as "gay" and "lesbian," it's not our place to make final judgements, especially with wait we've seen about the lack of evidence for a biological component. We can't assume what people's life have consisted of, and what struggles they face. Nevertheless, the Lord tells us to judge. He has condemned the practice of homosexuality. So how are we to judge? Let us see what Elder Oaks says about final and intermediate judgements:
"First, I speak of the final judgment. This is that future occasion in which all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged according to our works (see 1 Ne. 15:33; 3 Ne. 27:15; Morm. 3:20; D&C 19:3). Latter-day Saints understand the final judgment as the time when all mankind will receive their personal dominions in the mansions prepared for them in the various kingdoms of glory (see D&C 76:111; John 14:2; 1 Cor. 15:40-44). I believe that the scriptural command to "judge not" refers most clearly to this final judgment, as in the Book of Mormon declaration that "man shall not � judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord" (Morm. 8:20).
Since mortals cannot suppose that they will be acting as final judges at that future, sacred time, why did the Savior command that we not judge final judgments? I believe this commandment was given because we presume to make final judgments whenever we proclaim that any particular person is going to hell (or to heaven) for a particular act or as of a particular time. When we do this�and there is great temptation to do so�we hurt ourselves and the person we pretend to judge.
Thus, we must refrain from making final judgments on people because we lack the knowledge and the wisdom to do so. We would even apply the wrong standards. The world's way is to judge competitively between winners and losers. The Lord's way of final judgment will be to apply His perfect knowledge of the law a person has received and to judge on the basis of that person's circumstances, motives, and actions throughout his or her entire life (see Luke 12:47-48; John 15:22; 2 Ne. 9:25).
Even the Savior, during His mortal ministry, refrained from making final judgments. We see this in the account of the woman taken in adultery. After the crowd who intended to stone her had departed, Jesus asked her about her accusers. "Hath no man condemned thee?" (John 8:10). When she answered no, Jesus declared, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:11). In this context the word condemn apparently refers to the final judgment (see John 3:17).
The Lord obviously did not justify the woman's sin. He simply told her that He did not condemn her�that is, He would not pass final judgment on her at that time. This interpretation is confirmed by what He then said to the Pharisees: "Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man" (John 8:15). The woman taken in adultery was granted time to repent, time that would have been denied by those who wanted to stone her.
From all of this we see that the final judgment is the Lord's and that mortals must refrain from judging any human being in the final sense of concluding or proclaiming that he or she is irretrievably bound for hell or has lost all hope of exaltation."
-Dallin H. Oaks, " 'Judge Not' and Judging," Ensign, Aug. 1999, 7
So does that mean that we cannot pass judgements on homosexuality? No, we cannot pass judgement on the people who practice it, but we can on the sin, for God has decried: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." (Lev. 18:22) And how can we do this? Because of absolute truth.
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There IS Absolute Truth
The most basic thing to understand is that there is truth. Absolute truth, a standard that does not waver with times or seasons, but remains the same throughout eternity. There is such truth, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) That truth, first and foremost is the fact that God exists. Now, what proof is there that God exists? Well, consider what Alma said:
"And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only.
But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true; and will ye deny them?
The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." (Alma 30)
There is a modern day prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, that echoes the reality of absolute truth:
"God, our Heavenly Father�Elohim�lives. That is an absolute truth. All the people on the earth might deny him and disbelieve, but he lives in spite of them. He still lives. And Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Almighty, the Creator, the Master of the only true way of life�the gospel of Jesus Christ. The intellectual may rationalize him out of existence and the unbeliever may scoff, but Christ still lives and guides the destinies of his people. That is an absolute truth; there is no gainsaying. (Spencer W. Kimball, "Absolute Truth," Ensign, Sept. 1978, 3)
And one can conclude that because God exists he surely must have said something about the way his children live their lives.
A great explication of this subject can was written by Sam Weaver at this address. Exerpts are below:
Ask twenty people this question, and you will get twenty completely different answers. It is a question that philosophers have been attempting to answer for millennia. Ultimately, there are two concepts of truth--two diametric approaches toward answering this great philosophical question.
The relativistic approach
One concept of truth is relativism. According to the relativistic approach, truth is dynamic--ever-changing. Truth is ultimately defined by the knowledge and wisdom of man, if not clouded by man's disparate perceptions of truth. Scientific truth evolves as man's knowledge and understanding of the physical universe increases. Moral and ethical truth is as diverse as the varying cultures of the world (and the laws and mores of those many and distinct cultures). Because perceptions of truth vary from culture to culture--even between individuals within any given culture--all truth, it is held, is relative; and, therefore, every perception must be respected.
There is no uniform standard of truth, according to relativists, and there are no moral, ethical, fiscal, or even physical absolutes. All opinions (i.e., all perceptions of truth) are totally valid unless, perhaps, they are the opinions of those who believe in the contending concept of truth (see below). No single culture with its particular philosophy, religion, or "worldview" is superior in any way to any other culture. Again, "All truth is relative."
According to relativists, man's ultimate goal is his own personal happiness. As long as he does not directly harm another living and breathing individual, any endeavor that a person may choose to undertake in pursuit of this goal is his absolute right. In other words, man and his desire for happiness (i.e., personal gratification) and his own individual perception of truth and justice, are the total measure of freedom. There is no higher source of truth and justice--no higher author of moral, ethical, fiscal, or even physical law--than man himself. Everything is totally relative.
The absolutist approach
The second concept of truth is the one that was adopted by the Founders of the United States of America. Their many speeches and writings (including, of course, the Declaration of Independence) lend credence to this statement. This second concept of truth--absolutism--presupposes a Uniform Standard of Truth.
As Creator of the Universe, God is the Author of Law. God is the Author of moral law (such as "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me"). God is the Author of ethical law (such as "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor"). He has established all fiscal law (such as the law of reciprocity--"As a man sows, so shall he reap, "or perhaps better known in layman's terms, "What comes around goes around"--and the Law of Supply & Demand). Finally, God has enacted all physical law (such as the laws of gravity and thermodynamics). Because these laws extend to every facet of rational, intelligent thought--moral (Religious), ethical (Political), fiscal (Economic), and physical (Scientific)--God, as both Supreme Creator and Author of Law, is the Embodiment of Truth.
These laws--the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God--were enacted by the Supreme and Divine Creator at the point of creation. They were established, in mercy, for the benefit of all mankind. They remain fundamentally unchanged to this day. Because God, His Laws, and His Will are unchanging, Truth does not change. Truth is absolute.
Believers in absolute truth know that there are moral absolutes. These absolute rights and wrongs are imbedded by our Creator within the conscience of every sane, rational human being who has not destroyed (i.e., seared) his conscience through abuse or neglect. Rights (good deeds) should be both encouraged and rewarded. Wrongs (evil deeds) should be punished to the full extent of the law. Evil deeds are invariably the result of an individual placing his own immediate will ahead of the Will of God (in defiance of that individual's own conscience), or the will or safety of another human being. Evil deeds are the result of an individual's inherently evil (i.e., selfish) nature. It is always the nature of man to put self (i.e., his own immediate interest, safety, or happiness) first above God and others.
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About Me and My Background
My name is Steve and I'm a resident of Utah. I'm eighteen years old, and attended my freshman year of college at Brigham Young University.
I am a practicing, believing, and faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I whole-heartedly sustain the prophet of this church, President Gordon B. Hinckley, his counselors, and the Twelve Apostles. I know the Bible, the Book of Mormon and all other official church scriptures and doctrine to be true and strive to place my life in complete compliance with them. I am the disciple and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and hold his name and teachings in reverence.
I am also a citizen of the United States. I sustain the government and the principles on which it was founded: freedom, law, and justice. While I know much more about the doctrines of the Church, I'm striving to learn more about the Constitution and the United States government.
Well, that's all my info that should be applicable to understanding my viewpoints. Oh, and you should know, I have no homosexual tendencies, I have not had any, nor ever expect I will. I currently have a girlfriend of a year and half that I am going to marry someday soon. No one in my immediate family leads a homosexual lifestyle, I do have one uncle who leads a homosexual lifestyle, and despite our differing opinions on these issues, I love him dearly. He's my uncle and a good man.
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