More Problems With the LDS Church

Every time I think that the LDS church is making progress or taking a step in the right direction, they do something to undo the “good” that was previously seen. 

Just last week, The Mormon Channel on YouTube released “The Mackintosh's Story - A Son Comes Out and a Family Loves” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1bgooicLEE&app=desktop). While I have my own issues with that video, like Sister Mackintosh commenting that she should be in the corner crying, but she gave her hurt to the Savior, so everything is ok, when she shouldn’t be crying at all. She shouldn’t be sad that her son is gay. She should celebrate with him and be happy that he is alive and happy and living his truth. I truly believe that being gay is a spiritual blessing. I believe that my existence and my life since I came out has taught people around me patience and understanding, and opened them up to a world they previously dismissed. But alas, I digress…

Today, the article "The War Goes On" by Elder Larry R. Lawrence found in the April 2017 Ensign came out (which can be found at http://media.ldscdn.org/pdf/magazines/ensign-april-2017/2017-04-00-ensign-eng.pdf). Under section 2, “Lies and Deception” (starting on page 36) it reads “The devil has been called ‘the great deceiver.’  He attempts to counterfeit every true principle the Lord presents. Remember, counterfeits are not the same as opposites. The opposite of white is black, but a counterfeit for white might be off-white or gray. Counterfeits bear a resemblance to the real thing in order to deceive unsuspecting people. They are a twisted version of something good, and just like counterfeit money, they are worthless. Let me illustrate. One of Satan’s counterfeits for faith is superstition. His counterfeit for love is lust. He counterfeits the priesthood by introducing priestcraft, and he imitates God’s miracles by means of sorcery. Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, but same-sex marriage is only a counterfeit. It brings neither posterity nor exaltation. Although his imitations deceive many people, they are not the real thing. They cannot bring lasting happiness. God warned us about counterfeits in the Doctrine and Covenants. He said, ‘That which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness’ (D&C 50:23)”.

Just when I thought the church was taking another step to include their LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, they demean our love and relationships, referring to them as “counterfeit” and saying they bring “darkness”. 

Such language and rhetoric that the church continues to use only furthers the us vs. them dynamic and truly hurts those of us in the LGBTQ+ community. That is not the love of Christ coming through. I know that Jesus loves me and not in spite of me being gay. 

I would urge people to read the words of Matthew Vine (author of the book “God and the Gay Christian and beautiful points here in this Time article - http://time.com/2842044/gay-christians/). “Condemning same-sex relationships is harmful to the LGBT community. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that good trees bear good fruit, while bad trees bear bad fruit. The church’s rejection of same-sex relationships has caused tremendous, needless suffering to the LGBT community—bad fruit. Those harmful consequences should make Christians open to reconsidering the church’s traditional teaching.”


I am proud of who and how I love. And I will continue to use my voice for good and for acceptance. 

Comments

Me said…
That article was so painful, for so many reasons. As your "average apostate", I was sick reading about "counterfeit relationships" and JUST as sick reading the next section...about contention. The church continues to drive wedges in families, not just where our sexuality is concerned, but with apostate family members, too. The idea that contention is of the devil is obscene; it's incredibly healthy to discuss, debate, and disagree...even vehemently. But they do it so our families see our righteous anger and judge us as influenced by the devil because we're angry and bitter...which we have every right to be.
That talk is pure trash, and all the more painful because of how many family members and former friends we have who will read it, think of us, shake their heads, and withdraw further. :(
April 21, 2017 at 3:14 PM
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