As Mormon leaders should we eliminate the anti-Gay doctrine from the sacred books?

Question

I know that I am getting into heavy theology here but as a LDS Elder I feel that it is wrong for us to exclude others due to their Sex, Race, Religion, Ethnic Background, Language, Language Skills, Education Level, Sexual Preference, National Origin, Political Affiliation, Political Opinion, Racial Mate Preference, City of Birth, Occupational Choice, Income Level, Ancestry, Food Choices, Health Habits, Residential Status, Governmental Loyalties, Club Affiliation, Grade Point Average, Skin Pigment, Hair Color, Eye Color, Height, Weight, Circumference, Muscle Tone, Voice Tone, Media Preferences, or Clothes Preference. I know that I left out tattoo preference but I think that's nasty or is it? Get my point?

Also, if you believe that God is calling us to push others aside or exclude others because they are different leave your opinion here as well. You don't have to be a compassionate Christian just to answer my question.

Do you remember when we excluded African Americans from the Priesthood just because of the Color of their skin? That always got my ire!

Answer 1

WHAT??? I think you NEED to have a long chat with your Bishop. Maybe he can explain to you how homosexuality is a abomination in the eyes of the Lord.

Answer 2

Don't get too full of yourself for being an Elder. As a Church of lay clergy, most adult males are Elders.

We know that sex outside the sacred bonds of marriage is wrong. Likewise the Bible condemns men who lie with other men. How can we change our stance without turning our collective back on what Jesus taught?

If the Prophet received a revelation to recognize homosexual couples, that's one thing, but if you want to dothis by a simple vote it's quite another. It's almost like stretching forth your hand to steady the arc.

Answer 3

None of the things you mentioned would exclude anyone from attending LDS services. Only two, sexual behavior and health practices would stop a person from enjoying the full blessings of membership in the church, but they could still attend services

Churches in general teach moral and upright behavior and to do otherwise would be a pretty pointless church. The whole purpose is to better ourselves and to follow God's commandments, not every imagination of our own heart.

Answer 4

You will not be able to progress in the church hierarchy with a progressive attitude and agenda. If the church relaxes it's stance on certain things (that are not overtly illegal or immoral), it could indicate several things:
1. It was wrong in the first place to oppose them.
2. It might affect the testimony of the rank and file membership.
3. It would undermine the total cult of obedience the leaders now enjoy.
4. The church would have less distinction among the other churches.

Somehow, I don't think you're who or what you have represented - it sounds too 'reasonable' to be authentic.

Answer 5

Sure! Take all the parts out of the bible that you don't like, but you won't be left with an awful lot. God included them because He KNOWS what He's talking about. You don't seem to have a clue!

Answer 6

We don't EXCLUDE anyone. We tell them that, because of sin in their lives, that they refuse to repent of, they can't have membership, because of the covenants that they have to make, only to break with stunning regularity. Some things are sins, and some of those sins require a person to give up their membership, or not join.

God cannot allow sin. For a person to make sacred covenants and then continually break them would be much worse than if they were not under covenant or had never made those covenants.

IOW, you can' ahve your cake and eat it too.

Answer 7

We do not have an anti-gay doctrine.

As an "Elder", you should know that we are to invite all to come unto Christ. "All" means everyone.

The church is headed by Christ, and lead by the living prophet. The law is what the Lord require of us, it is not what we can change, but what we can live up to.

If every one want to change the law to suit their personal preferences, what choas have we? .

May I remind you that Celestial marriage are between Man and woman., if you understand that, then you should understand the "gay method" is not the proper way to go.

Answer 8

In my denomination, which is traditionally evangelical, we are taught, just like Jesus did, to lovingly discriminate against wayward behaviors (i.e., John 8:1-11, fornication, premarital and/or extramarital sex), and not characteristics of people that are constitutional in nature (i.e., blue eyes, dwarfism), that which makes up who and what they are not by choice. However, if you recognize the term "gay" as not just an identification and a particular conduct of human behavior, but rather a sexual orientation that is constitutional and/or immutable in nature, as if those who identify as such are like being a third sex or another gender classification; well, I can see why you would want to include all GLBT people (gays and all other minority classified sexual identities; such as lesbians, bisexuals, and the transgendered) above any discriminatory policies and practices of the LDS church. But, scientific research, human history, and the Bible teaches us that GLBT people are not a classification by constitutional and/or immutable factors. (See 1 Corinthians 6:11, www.NARTH.com and www.Evergreen.com.)

Yes, gays don't choose their inclinations, but neither do folks of many disorders, including most alcoholics. Yet, our culture holds these others responsible for choosing to nurture and act on any symptomatic thoughts and behaviors of their respective disorder. And, they too can experience a dimunition of their particular propensities and inclinations, and even find progress, change, and/or remission, if they do not. If so, why then is it believed to be not the same for GLBT folks? Why are they not held responsible for choosing an unhealthy lifestyle of dangerous sexual and/or gender-confused behaviors? The medical and mental health professional guilds all used to. Why the drastic change in the past 30 years? If you research it long enough, you will eventually find it was not due to reasons within their particular professional disciplines, but due entirely to a history of socio-political pressures and reasons.

So, I'd like to conclude by stating two points: 1) "Discrimination" is not a dirty word. Why we believe this to be the case is quite uncanny. We need to discriminate, and be discriminated by others, according to our choice of lifestyles and conduct in life, in order to survive and facilitate growth and maturity in ourselves and in others for whom we are responsible (i.e., our children). Yes, we can, and do, discriminate unjustifiably, but this is clearly a misuse and abuse of this need in life, and fortunately is not the majority of the times that we practice it.
2) You must now choose whether you are going to go the unpopular route of the truth verified by science, anthropology, and the Bible and, thereby, choose to justifiably discriminate in some fashion concerning those who gay-identify and other aberrant and classified sexual inclinations, or continue to go the route of misled compassion (enablement) by that which is presently socio-politically correct, but based on the fallacy of an inaccurate human construct. The choice is not truth vs. love, but rather following the truth with love vs. misperceived and misplaced love based on a lie.

By the way, I now do consider myself responsible for any symptomatic thoughts and behaviors in this regard, and choose successfully not to nurture any same sex erotic/emotional thoughts, and not act on their corresponding behaviors. I used to for a very long time, and now I find myself free and living successfully a godly life.

Answer 9

I believe you should get rid of the Mormon Bible and faith as a whole. Apparently you do too. The "faith" you describe is not religion nor is it Christian. "If you stand for nothing you will fall for anything." Or you will simply fall because you stand for nothing.

If it is not asking to much you should read the Bible the true words of God and take a stand. Conformity is an awful thing.

Answer 10

well, i am not mormon, but from what i know...it would be really silly and complete override your "plan of salvation" which includes marriage through temple sealing between husband and wife for all of eternity. by eliminating the doctrine, would you also be accepting eternal marriage between husband and husband or wife and wife?