Listening is not always the answer
In response to Katherine's post:
Interesting, but very party line, Katherine. I mean, "stigma and condemnation?" "Oppression and persecution?" Without concrete examples, these phrases are meaninglessness buzz words designed to generate mindless outrage.
Homosexuality is not a stigma: it's a sin. We have this pretty clearly from the Bible and modern revelation. As a church, not a social club, we are basically required to condemn sin. It comes with the job description. And can you be more specific than "oppression"? What exactly would you have BYU change about our policy about homosexuality?
And although listening is nice, in this case I believe it to be mostly fruitless, seeing as we are working from an essential difference of opinion on which neither side can compromise. The basic premise of Soulforce's agenda goes against what the Church tells us about homosexuality in all the typical ways. True, we can agree with their message that we should love everyone, but how can we possibly benefit from listening to them "make clear the harmful effects of the false notion that homosexuality is a 'sickness and a sin,'" since that is exactly what we know to be true?
I don't see that this group will be able to tell me anything new or enlightening. I've heard the pro-GLBT rhetoric before, and this sounds pretty much the same. I agree that we should be more supportive to those struggling with this problem, but those who want us to just accept this as 'the way they are' simply cannot fit in here at BYU or in the Church. (See blog for more on that.)
The principle argument for GLBT goes against a core principle of the gospel, and of my personal beliefs: agency. When we deny that people have the ability to reason, decide, and do, in any matter, we have given in to hopelessness and can no longer progress. To me, this is a fruitless point of view. Which is perhaps why moral relativists bother me so much: if there is no right, no truth, then how can we ever learn more? We can't just sit around and not choose for fear of offending or being wrong. We must try, improve and correct, and try again.
3 comments:
Glad to hear that there are other BYU bloggers out there with similar views.
These people will come, steal the headlines for a day, and move on.
It is sad to me when so many people see homosexuality as a sin. My own personal belief is that homosexuals have no choice for their lifestyle. It is simply how they are. Like whether people are right or left handed. At one point in history those who were left handed were trained against it, and even condemned for that seemingly "chosen" preference.
My question to those who believe that homosexuals choose their lifestyle is why on earth would anyone choose to be persecuted and condemned and oppressed to such a huge degree? If you can find me any good answer to that I'll be very surprised.
Also, doesn't the Mormon belief system also say that it isn't for anyone here to judge another? That is for God to do, not each and every person. In condemning those who are homosexual we are judging them and finding them unacceptable. How is that Christian-like?
And on one more point here, hose is listening to anyone's point of veiw "fruitless" since in this country everyone is entitled to their own point of view and in many cases listening to others provides a greater understanding of perspective and acceptance.
To say that homosexuality goes against agency is like saying that not being able to choose whether we are right or left handed goes against it, or what family we are born into, or what sex we are, or what diseases we might get. Does all of that go against agency too because one of my friend's mothers was unable to choose whether or not she developed a deadly cancer? Or whether my own grandfather could choose to stop the pain of his bone cancer? Does that go against agency and the Mormon gospel too?
Long response coming up to Ali's comment. Don't assume that I haven't thought about each of those things.
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