A few thoughts are on my mind. Recently the upcoming election and voting on the propositions have caused me to truly reflect on what I believe. The church has always asked members of the church to take an active stand in the electoral process and study the issues and candidates and make wise choices regarding these issues. I have always taken my role as a citizen and a voter extremely seriously. In November the voters in California will vote on an initiative regarding the definition of marriage. The simple words state, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California." In 2000, proposition 22 passed with 61% approval, stating exactly the same wording as proposition 8. Recently the California Supreme Court overturned the voice of the people with a 4-3 vote.
Realizing Californians need to legally define marriage, proposition 8 is an amendment to the Californian constitution. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has officially taken a stand and asked all members of the church to do all they can to support the amendment. The church rarely asks members to take such a stand, but this moral issue has huge ramifications. After hearing the letter read in Sacrament meeting, I knew I needed to inform myself. I first and foremost know that there is a living prophet on earth. In Amos 3:7 we learn that “Surely the Lord God doeth nothing except he revealith his secrets until his prophets.” I know that President Thomas S. Monson leads the people on earth at this time as a prophet. Prophets have warned generations of people throughout each dispensation of time. He sees our time and the future and he has asked that we support this amendment. This asking is enough to know that I should help. I know he is a seer, a man who sees the future. He pointed Elder Ballard in the chest and said, “California needs to pass this amendment for if California goes, so does the nation.” My first response is faith, but I understand reasons are needed for some.
In no way are my comments, feelings, or opinions meant to “gay bash” or hurt anyone. That is not my intention. I am just stating why defining marriage is important to me. First, I believe, read, and love the Bible as a word of God. I read in the beginning of Adam and Eve. God commanded Adam and Eve to cleave to one other. (Genesis 1:24, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.) The Bible and other scriptures are replete with examples of families. Our Heavenly Father has given us, through the scriptures, an understanding of family by starting with Adam and Eve and continuing throughout the Bible. It shows their posterity growing and make choices. The scriptures show time after time the blessings of the gospel coming to individuals through their family lines. Every generation and group of people have used the model of Father and Mother and children as a basic foundation for civilization. Earth life is training for the life to come, and we are learning how to live in families now, for they are the ultimate perfect relationship in the next life. Never has a civilization, generation, or group of people in the past lived in same gender relationships. It has never worked. When Christ was on the earth, a women who committed adultery came to him to be judged. Never did he tolerate her sin or say that it was okay. He provided a way for her to change her situation. I believe it is similar with same gender relations or any relations that are not what the Lord has intended.
Another area of concern for me is the legal issues slowly crossing the border into infringing on my beliefs. The church has made it clear that by promoting this amendment they are not trying to change any rights already established for same gender relationships. They quote, “The Church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference. Recently, NPR listed a few legal cases where people were sued by taking a religious stand on moral issues. See article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486191. For example, the Catholic Charities have pulled out of adoption of children because they were sued after denying a same gender couple as child. The scary situation is that the line is inching closer and closer to infringing on the constitutional rights of churches to administer their religious beliefs freely.
I love the Temple. With a temple so close in Sacramento, I love going into a sacred, quite place where I feel the spirit of the Lord. The temple is a place of refuge and peace. I have been present as I have watched couples kneel over an alter and commit themselves to each other for eternity. The sealing powers of the temple are real and permanent. I can’t imagine if the line inches closer to our chapels and ultimately our temples where we would by law have to allow marriages to same gender couples. This is a far stretch, but the line is blurred and protecting the most important earthly ceremony of marriage is crucial.
This amendment, on its own, is purely defining marriage. As I understand, the definition of marriage was ignored when the judges overturned proposition 22, the vote of 4 million people. There technically is no legal definition of marriage. A person could marry their pet, themselves, their favorite food, and pretty much anything. In some countries where the definition of marriage is not clear, people are marrying a group of people (3 men, 2 women). It could legally be okay to marry a father and a daughter. When the line is not drawn, the legality of the issues is open to interpretation. I just hope and pray we draw the line and not let it get blurred.
This is really long, but I feel that when a prophet asks us to protect something so serious I will do what I am asked. I may not have all the legal reasoning, but it is what I feel. I know my writing is not perfect, but I know this is an important cause. I feel the line being drawn and choosing a side is vital.
Realizing Californians need to legally define marriage, proposition 8 is an amendment to the Californian constitution. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has officially taken a stand and asked all members of the church to do all they can to support the amendment. The church rarely asks members to take such a stand, but this moral issue has huge ramifications. After hearing the letter read in Sacrament meeting, I knew I needed to inform myself. I first and foremost know that there is a living prophet on earth. In Amos 3:7 we learn that “Surely the Lord God doeth nothing except he revealith his secrets until his prophets.” I know that President Thomas S. Monson leads the people on earth at this time as a prophet. Prophets have warned generations of people throughout each dispensation of time. He sees our time and the future and he has asked that we support this amendment. This asking is enough to know that I should help. I know he is a seer, a man who sees the future. He pointed Elder Ballard in the chest and said, “California needs to pass this amendment for if California goes, so does the nation.” My first response is faith, but I understand reasons are needed for some.
In no way are my comments, feelings, or opinions meant to “gay bash” or hurt anyone. That is not my intention. I am just stating why defining marriage is important to me. First, I believe, read, and love the Bible as a word of God. I read in the beginning of Adam and Eve. God commanded Adam and Eve to cleave to one other. (Genesis 1:24, Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.) The Bible and other scriptures are replete with examples of families. Our Heavenly Father has given us, through the scriptures, an understanding of family by starting with Adam and Eve and continuing throughout the Bible. It shows their posterity growing and make choices. The scriptures show time after time the blessings of the gospel coming to individuals through their family lines. Every generation and group of people have used the model of Father and Mother and children as a basic foundation for civilization. Earth life is training for the life to come, and we are learning how to live in families now, for they are the ultimate perfect relationship in the next life. Never has a civilization, generation, or group of people in the past lived in same gender relationships. It has never worked. When Christ was on the earth, a women who committed adultery came to him to be judged. Never did he tolerate her sin or say that it was okay. He provided a way for her to change her situation. I believe it is similar with same gender relations or any relations that are not what the Lord has intended.
Another area of concern for me is the legal issues slowly crossing the border into infringing on my beliefs. The church has made it clear that by promoting this amendment they are not trying to change any rights already established for same gender relationships. They quote, “The Church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference. Recently, NPR listed a few legal cases where people were sued by taking a religious stand on moral issues. See article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91486191. For example, the Catholic Charities have pulled out of adoption of children because they were sued after denying a same gender couple as child. The scary situation is that the line is inching closer and closer to infringing on the constitutional rights of churches to administer their religious beliefs freely.
I love the Temple. With a temple so close in Sacramento, I love going into a sacred, quite place where I feel the spirit of the Lord. The temple is a place of refuge and peace. I have been present as I have watched couples kneel over an alter and commit themselves to each other for eternity. The sealing powers of the temple are real and permanent. I can’t imagine if the line inches closer to our chapels and ultimately our temples where we would by law have to allow marriages to same gender couples. This is a far stretch, but the line is blurred and protecting the most important earthly ceremony of marriage is crucial.
This amendment, on its own, is purely defining marriage. As I understand, the definition of marriage was ignored when the judges overturned proposition 22, the vote of 4 million people. There technically is no legal definition of marriage. A person could marry their pet, themselves, their favorite food, and pretty much anything. In some countries where the definition of marriage is not clear, people are marrying a group of people (3 men, 2 women). It could legally be okay to marry a father and a daughter. When the line is not drawn, the legality of the issues is open to interpretation. I just hope and pray we draw the line and not let it get blurred.
This is really long, but I feel that when a prophet asks us to protect something so serious I will do what I am asked. I may not have all the legal reasoning, but it is what I feel. I know my writing is not perfect, but I know this is an important cause. I feel the line being drawn and choosing a side is vital.
1 comment:
I feel the same way and pray for California and prop 8 every night...thanks for the thoughts.
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