There seems to have been quite an unusual amount of
discussion on these topics lately (not Krikava’s views, but the other two), and
I feel to add my two bits. I do
not represent the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints position on this
matter. If you want those views,
go to www.lds.org and read what’s in there on
the topic.
I am, however, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints (from here on, referred to as the Mormon church); and as
such, it is my hope and desire to align my beliefs with that of the Church.
To understand me in specific, and Mormons in general, you
have to accept (for the sake of argument) a few basics.
I believe in what Mormons call the “13 Articles of Faith”. These are basic beliefs of the Mormon
faith that Joseph Smith wrote up in 1842 for a Chicago newspaperman who later
published them.
Among those basic beliefs are that there is a God (article
of faith #1), there are sins (article of faith #2), there is repentance
(article of faith #4), and (important to the discussion of this essay) there
are prophets (article of faith #6) who are called of God (article of faith #5)
to preach the Gospel (article of faith #5) as revealed by God (article of faith
#9).
These are among my basic beliefs. Anything that follows in this essay is founded upon these
principles: namely, that God has defined right from wrong, communicates those
things through prophets both ancient and modern, and that when we find
ourselves askew of those teachings, we may repent and find forgiveness through
the divine miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (article of faith #3), our
Savior from sin and unhappiness.
(And if you can’t accept those basics for the sake of
argument, stop reading now. There
would be no point in reading any further.)
It is unqualified Mormon (and I would add, Biblical) doctrine
that homosexual behavior is a sin.
Note that I used the qualifying term “behavior”. It is also unqualified Mormon (again,
Biblical) doctrine that adultery is a sin. So is thievery, lying, murder, covetousness, etc. Many are familiar with the Mormon
health code known as the “Word of Wisdom”. In the Mormon faith, it is sinful to harm our bodies (gifts
from God) by taking harmful substances into it such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco,
etc.
These standards originate from God. The prophets teach them, the scriptures
record them, and the Mormon church accepts and adheres to them. If you do not accept them, there’s not
much to discuss on these points.
These are all sinful ACTIONS to take. It is not a sin, however, to be
tempted. It is not a sin to have
weaknesses. Indeed, Mormons are
familiar with the expression found in the Book of Mormon “if men come
unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble….” Another verse in the Book of Mormon
comes to mind: “I am
encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily
beset me.”
We all have spiritual weaknesses and shortcomings. Why I have some, and you have others, I
don’t know. To be a believer in
God is to be one who recognizes that He (God) knows more than we do, and that
there must be a purpose in the weaknesses we have. I have my challenges, I have my weaknesses, and I certainly
have those things “which do so easily beset me.”
The question I have to ask myself as I look myself in the
mirror, or, as I kneel before my God and say my prayers at the end of the day
is, “did I act on any of those temptations?” If so, I need to exercise some faith and discuss those
things with God, undertake the repentance process, and pray and work so that
some day those weaknesses become strengths.
I do not, however, turn to my wife and ask her what sins she
committed today. Nor do I accost
co-workers, neighbors, or fellow parishioners about their sins. My wife’s, co-worker’s, neighbor’s, or
fellow parishioners’ sins are a matter between them and their God (and/or
ecclesiastical leaders, if their church operates thusly) – not me. I am to love and support my wife as she
grapples with her weaknesses, just as she loves and supports me as I grapple
with mine.
How do I love and support a friend who is grappling with the
spiritual weakness of homosexuality?
I would suggest some of the items noted in a talk
given by a Mormon Apostle, Jeffrey Holland. There are a number of positive things a person can do to
help a friend who is grappling with any spiritual weakness. I would note that the best way we can
support our gay friends is the same way we support any other friend with any
other spiritual weakness – we love them and encourage them to read their
scriptures, pray with God, counsel with their ecclesiastical leaders, and to
avoid acting on temptations.
It borders on the absurd to me, then, to march side-by-side
with someone in a “pride” parade as a sign of support. This logic simply escapes me. Do we march beside a friend who has
committed adultery in an “Adultery Pride” parade? Or in a “I-stole-money-from-my-office Pride” parade? Or in an “I-abuse-my-children Pride”
parade?
So how much sense does it make to march side by side with
someone in a Gay Pride parade?
Participating in a -pride parade clearly demonstrates that you haven’t accepted that
your spiritual weakness IS a spiritual weakness. It shows that you think your weakness is an exception to the
“God has defined right and wrong” principle I mentioned earlier.
And for those who walk side-by-side in those pride parades
to support folks, I applaud your misguided (although, surely heart-felt) desire
to help your friends.
However, one picture from the scriptures just won’t leave my
mind alone. I recall the “woman taken in
adultery” and “in the very act.”
We all know the story found in John. The Pharisees and scribes wanted to
stone her. Indeed, she did commit
the sin. However, Christ did what
we should do with our sinful friends.
He: 1) protected her from the stoning in the public square; 2) rebuked
her in private (commanding her to “sin no more”); and 3) encouraged her to do
better.
But I don’t remember Him walking with her and other
adulterers in an Adultery-pride parade later on in the afternoon. Something to think about.
