Though I am pretty removed from it here in NM, I am still aware of what is going on with the whole Prop 8 thing in CA. I have seen on the news, many different LDS temples with protestors outside, against our stand on the issue (yeah, like we're the only ones). It has disturbed me and irritated me. I find it ironic that they are protesting with THEIR free speech OUR right to free speech against it.... so whatever. And while I realize that this blog only reaches a few of my close friends and relatives, I have to speak up.
When I first heard of Prop 8, not really knowing all the details, I just rolled my eyes and thought "Who cares? Let whoever wants to get married just get married. Big deal. I don't agree with same-sex marriage but if homosexuals marry, it really doesn't affect anything I do or believe, so why not?" What I didn't realize is that it does affect me. What I believe marriage should be-- a union between a man and woman--is no longer being protected. I was given an example of a fertility doctor who was approached by a same-sex couple wanting fertility treatments. The doctor said that because of his beliefs, he would not treat him but referred them to his business partner, who shared the same office, staff, billing, etc. The couple sued the doctor and won. Excuse me? What happened to protecting the doctor's rights? What about his beliefs? After hearing this and many other examples such as this, I stopped rolling my eyes and started to listen. This isn't an issue dealing with homosexuality vs. heterosexuality. It's about protecting the right and freedom to believe that marriage between a man and woman is something worth protecting.
So where do you stand?
Neal A. Maxwell stated:
Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.'"This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.
"Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened.... Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat." --- Elder Neal A. Maxwell, BYU Devotional 1978
