Those Crazy Homosexuals

Ok, Prop. 8 is well-known...passed in California and strikes down that state's Supreme Court decision to allow homosexuals to marry.

As everyone knows, several churches (including mine) gathered in support of this proposition. I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka Mormon). Churches aren't allowed to contribute financially to political causes, but they can encourage their members to. The Mormon Church rarely does so, but in this case, it did...we were encouraged to financially support this proposition and otherwise support it.

This proposition passed, making it illegal for homosexuals to marry in California. They didn't take kindly to this and some have turned their anger to the church.

What is surprising to me is that of all the "groups" in this country, gays understand quite well by experience that organizations have the right to gather, protest, and financially support propositions. I guess it's ok to do that if it's YOUR cause that is being supported...but if YOUR cause LOSES, then well *damn* those Mormons! They're trying to damage our churches, spray paint our temples, and cajole our members as they attempt to attend church or the temple. Double-standard? SURE!

I think the homosexuals have become quite used to having their way in California and when the religious right actually activated to prevent them from marrying one another, it came as quite a shock. I'm sure that most of them aren't trying to vandalize and persecute, but some are and of course that's not appropriate.

So this brings me to the part of the blog where I pontificate on the whole homosexual "debate".

Basically, homosexuality is a sin, and not only that...a "big" sin. Apologists and homosexuals alike explain that this is "just how they are" or "they were born this way". Well, pedophiles try to use the same logic, but that just doesn't sit well with our courts or the Lord now, does it? A pedophile will also tell you that "I was born this way" or "It's just the way I am" but it doesn't make his actions within the bounds the Lord has set.

The basic concept is that no one knows (and we'll never be able to know) if someone is born homosexual...but it really doesn't matter. Why? Because no matter what tendencies you're born with, you always have the ability to CHOOSE how you will act. I believe that most if not all people are born with inappropriate desires of all sorts (ie...the pedophile), but everyone is also given the ability to choose to follow these desires or not. A great scripture outlines this as found in the Book of Mormon (Ether 12:27):

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

Basically, homosexuals have a weakness; a tendency to be sexually attracted to the same gender. Some interpret their feelings to mean that "this is just the way I am" and so they embrace it, following after their attractions and otherwise becoming what they perceive themselves to be. The scripture above says that if they have faith in the Lord, he can turn this weakness into a strength. What that entails (both what it means to have faith in the Lord and how he will turn this weakness into its opposite is much too long a subject for this blog).

People ask, "What do I care if they get married? It doesn't affect me?" Incorrect conclusion. Here is how allowing homosexuals to marry will affect you:

1. By furthering the acceptance of homosexual behavior in our society, it will more easily allow those who would otherwise NOT embrace their tendencies to do so. Basically it will grease the slope for some who would otherwise continue resisting their improper urges.
2. When societies embrace this sexual practice to a certain point, the Lord tends to destroy them in very unpleasant ways.
3. Homosexuality has been tied to HIV, prostitution, multiple other sexually transmitted disease...want more of that?
   

I'm not trying to belittle the power of such a weakness nor the struggle it must take to go against it...but everyone has their own battles and we all struggle to follow the truth. Homosexuals have their battle to fight. Avoid expending effort persecuting those who legally prevented you from furthering and deepening your sinful state.