JLHPROF I do want to complete these exchanges with you but I may need to leave the house soon. We're getting ready for a tribal gathering on Sunday and I'm mainly coming in and out of the board right now to regroup before the next task. Whew!
In any case, I think I want to express how I view the situation from my own perspective and also my views on homosexuality if I can do this with some level of articulation. We'll soon find out!
In all situations involving children, and particularly sensitive situations such as was described here, I think of the well being of the child above all else. Then of course, I try to put myself in the place of the Ward members who are hearing this testimony in real time, the role of church leaders who are facilitating the meeting as well as what I think scripture tells me to do. Keep in mind that I'm not LDS so the scripture I would draw from would mainly be the New Testament and I would often look for scriptural support in the Old Testament.
Let me state my views on homosexuality as best as I can. The only truth that I know is that science doesn't have a good explanation for what causes our sexual orientation. I tend to go with both nature and nurture in that regard as two separate and distinct influences.
Nature: There is reason to believe that the maternal hormone shower in utero acts on the fetus to determine sexual orientation. While I can think of other biological influences, I'll leave it at that for an example of nature impact.
Nurture: I do believe there are some people in the world who due to environmental circumstances and events in early childhood, develop an attraction to the same sex.
Keep in mind that I cannot prove either of the above. Based on my own research, these best represent my conclusions. Another conundrum to throw into the mix is that of the intersexed infant. I don't know how we determine if a physical correction is needed or how we make that determination. Is it on account of hormone levels? If so, then that sort of relates to the hormone shower in utero.
I do not believe that sexual orientation can be changed any more than I believe that I can make myself become attracted to females if I only put my mind to it with a good conversion therapist. I simply cannot do that. Therefore, I see no reason to think that a person who is same sex oriented can change their sexual orientation either. I say it cannot be done.
Now, if we're talking in terms of sin, that's still another story.
Please hear me out because I want you to know what I think and believe and why I think and believe it, too. I don't mind putting myself and my thinking on the table for discussion or scrutiny. If something takes place that changes my perspective or helps me to refine my thinking, I welcome it.
We are both familiar with the saying, "Love the sinner, hate the sin" or whatever form you personally have heard that stated. We both know what that means in terms of religious belief. Here is the problem that I have with that in terms of same sex relationships. I have engaged in lengthy independent study of the portions of scripture that lead us to believe that relationships that involve homosexual sex, are not what they appear to be in terms of the loving and committed same sex relationships that the girl in question hopes for in her testimony. There is literally no example of that type of relationship in the entirety of the Bible much less in the New Testament.
What we do see are examples and admonishments (Paul's catalog of vices) against Pagan fertility rites, temple prostitution and that sort of thing. There is also the Greek Gymnasium that was part of the culture that involved heterosexual men mentoring young boys, however, memory escapes just what historical time frame that existed.
None of those are what the young girl aspires to. She wants a life and a family with someone she lives and my best guess is that in spite of what her church teaches, she wants a forever family just like her peers do. She wants to love and be loved, she wants her forever babies and the truth is that she is right, she can have all of those things as a gay woman. I see a young girl whose knows and understands that she is gay, and whose heart is pure in it's intention.
If there were any naïvété' in her mind regarding the challenges she might face as a same sex partner in this world, she just learned it first hand and she learned it in her own house of worship and that, for me, is both heart breaking and unfortunate.
My Bible tells me to love my neighbor as myself, it tells me to be kind to others, it tells me to offer myself to those in need, in prison, anyone who crosses my path who needs to be lifted up, that it is my job to be one of the people who run
to them while others run away from them. I believe that is central to my life as one who claims to believe Jesus and I think that's one of the things I consistently do best in terms of living out my faith. Like the little girl who believes that her creation wasn't a mistake, I believe my natural instinct to run to people in need isn't a mistake either. Other things I purely stink at and you can see it in my posts on this board. And yes, I believe that I am my brothers keeper.
The reported words of Jesus the Christ himself, tell me this specific thing:
Matthew 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
When the church guy asked the girl who was speaking from her heart and her strong faith in Heavenly Father, to stop talking and shut off her mike so that the purest expressions of her young heart were abruptly silenced, the message to her is "You don't matter".
And that, beyond anything else, is what had the potential to injure her self image, her self esteem, her self confidence, her sense of self worth and
her spirit. That, in my view, is
millstone worthy. 