See how pretty rainbows are?Late last night I was checking up on all my friends on PostMormon.org, and I ran across a thread posted by our friend Truly Confused. I couldn't believe what I read... well, I guess that isn't true. I can believe it. It still shocks me how bigoted and ignorant some people can be.
Truly Confused found a website where a group of believing Mormons were talking about a fellow Mormon who wanted to wear rainbow ribbons to church this past Sunday to silently protest the church's letter. Instead of any support, the group of people started to bash not only the woman who originally wanted to wear the rainbow ribbon, but also gays and lesbians in general. Here is the quote from the original author's blog:
Tuesday, June 24, 2008I love what this woman was trying to do. She wasn't trying to say, "Hey, the church is wrong and we are going to cause major drama!" She was just making a statement about her personal beliefs. Heaven forbid anyone think for themselves!
Rainbow Ribbons on Sunday
Last week, church leaders released a letter that will be read on Sunday the 29th. This letter will encourage members to donate time and money to pass a CA ammendment that restricts marriage to one man and one woman.
It's a disappointing letter and hurtful to some people who would like their gay friends and family members to have the chance to marry.
So this week my friends will be wearing rainbow ribbons to church to quietly show our support for our gay friends. I'll be out of town (in Hawaii - yay!), but I'm sad I won't be there to wear a rainbow ribbon with them.
This afternoon Brooke and I are going to make a bunch of rainbow ribbons to distribute to interested people. If you want one, let us know.
Here are some of the quotes people made in response to this woman's idea of simply wearing rainbow ribbons to church:
Someone best get this lady and her friends a copy of the proclamation on the family...they must not have read it yet!!
Why must we all be the same and have cookie-cutter families? Who cares as long as everyone is happy, healthy and loved?
So white is symbolic of traditional families? You are against rainbows because they are symbolic of people who are different than you, or believe in different things? How ignorant can you possibly get?Yep... And this is what I mean about being able to speak more openly...
That is just "morally" wrong.
I don't think I will EVER wear rainbow anything until this is resolved. I don't want people thinking that I am standing for something that I don't stand for at all.
I think I will wear something White, symbolic of eternal TRADITIONAL families.
How would church membership grow with 'gay couples'? If we were all 'gay' there would be NO LDS Church in one generation! I guess the 'gay' members would have to do a lot of missionary work in order to keep up the numbers.
Whoa... whoa... whoa... wait a minute.
Why in the world would you assume that if you allow gay people in the church everyone would "turn" gay? How stupid is that? The only thing you would be doing is accepting them for who they are. Why would we all end up being gay in the end? What a moron.
This is possibly the most important argument against homosexual actions. Homosexuality is self-destructive to every individual and family that supports it or engages in it. There is nothing related to love, goodness, happiness, or prosperity in homosexual acts. Homosexuality is all about perverting love into lust, goodness into evil, happiness into pleasure, and prosperity into temporary gain.Homosexuality is self-destructive to every individual and family that supports or engages in it? Where in the name of God is your proof of that?
In my opinion, this is obviously a person who knows no gay or lesbian people at all. At least... that they know of. They are deathly afraid of what they don't know or understand. Judging gays and lesbians, calling them perverts, isn't exactly something Jesus would do, now is it?
This is the kind of thing we are fighting against here.
What are these people so afraid of? How in the world would allowing everyone the same rights hurt them in any way?
Comments like this really make me see red. Redder than red. Maroon. Burgundy. Black.
Here is the deal...
You don't have to agree with homosexuality. You don't have to like it. One thing you should do, however, is treat everyone equally and give them the same rights you ask for yourself. Period. Is it really that hard to understand?
Gawd!
July 2, 2008 at 3:11 PM
i started to post on www.faceseast.org when one of their members started a thread related to this. i felt it necessary to offer the nom version of why we are typically against the church not only being active in politics, but in specific relation to this topic. in 2000 i was a part of the church's initiative to stop gay marriages as being recognized. i have to live with the fact that i was so intolerant, but i tried to fix my past a little by standing up for whats right. i posted under the name jman.
July 2, 2008 at 3:14 PM
You know, we were all there once. We were all TBM, or believing Mormon at one time or another.
I am so thankful that my eyes were opened to how hurtful the church is to others.
I applaud you for standing up for what is right. Good for you!
July 2, 2008 at 3:53 PM
All I can say it ARG! I feel like I am bashing my head against a wall everytime I hear these ignorant comments! How can these people call themselves christians?! ARG!!!
July 2, 2008 at 4:06 PM
This issue has actually moved a few things along in my family. I wrote a long explanation of why I think the church is wrong on this issue and my brothers finally figured out that I no longer think as they do. The secret is out because I can't stand the ignorance any more. Its all the same "gays cause problems" when its actually the other way around. Just because you don't like something that someone else does, it doesn't make it wrong.
July 2, 2008 at 9:09 PM
The church touts its mantra that marriage is between a man and a woman. But if they really, really, REALLY valued their definition of marriage, instead of trying to deny the rights of loving gay couples who want to marry and focus instead on the host of women within the church who are enduring abusive spousal relationships and being encouraged to stay with their abusers. My sister has lived in four different states and has had five different bishops, men supposedly inspired by God, men supposedly blessed with the power of discernment, men supposedly acting in God's name, encourage her to remain with a spouse that abuses her in the most horrific ways and is abusive to their children as well. One ecclesiastical leader making such a mistake is barely forgivable. But you (as in the church) can't claim the party line to God and repeatedly have your leaders make mistakes like that. Nor do you have any right to define marriage for others when you don't genuinely care about the sanctity of marriage within your own ranks. I can't even begin to tell you how angry this makes me. It just reinforces how the LDS church is all about image, and much less about values and people. It makes me sad that so many people I love willingly donate so much of their time, money, and energy to an organization that is not remotely what it claims to be.
My theory on this? The church is trying to use the gay marriage issue to get in the good graces of all the Christian churches who refuse to acknowledge the Mormon church as a Christian church. Conspiracy theory? Perhaps, but then again, the church isn't exactly honest and forthright about everything...
July 3, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Wow Andee! Really enjoy reading your blog. Your insight is amazing. I like the mass resignation idea and hope you get a good showing.
Just curious, why is the church getting involved in politics? Don't they risk their tax exempt status by doing so? Seems risky.
Great blog!
July 3, 2008 at 7:42 PM
I would imagine hurtful comments against gays happen everywhere, not just in the LDS church.
So white is symbolic of traditional families? You are against rainbows because they are symbolic of people who are different than you, or believe in different things? How ignorant can you possibly get?
white == purity;
Who cares as long as everyone is happy, healthy and loved?
Why can't a homosexual be happy in a heterosexual marriage?
If we open up marriage to homosexuals why not open it up to people marrying their pets. I'm sure a dog would be a very loving adoptive parent. (I am not trying to compare homosexuals to animals here so don't say I am) Or maybe we could legalize polygamy.
July 3, 2008 at 9:16 PM
The whole "gays can't get married 'cause they can't have kids" line of thinking (which your examples display) really tick me off. If marriage is just about having kids, then let's ban every infertile couple, couple that doesn't plan on having/want kids and the elderly from getting married. Let's propose that to the LDS church and see how they deal.
Gay Americans don't need to do missionary work- the church is doing quite enough with this political nonsense.
July 3, 2008 at 11:18 PM
James, I have to be honest and tell you that your comment is offensive. Here is why:
When you said, "If we open up marriage to homosexuals why not open it up to people marrying their pets. I'm sure a dog would be a very loving adoptive parent." and then you have the nerve to say, "I am not trying to compare homosexuals to animals here so don't say I am" is SO FAR is left field it's crazy!
First of all, you ARE comparing homosexuals to animals. Duh. Pretty obvious, especially after you pointed it out.
Secondly, gay marriage is for two consenting adults. How you can compare two people falling in love, committing their lives together, and raising a loving family to a person marrying an animal shows how truly ignorant you are.
Have you ever met a gay person? Have you ever had a gay friend? It sure doesn't seem like it. If you did, you would probably understand that it's not something you can turn on or off. It's who they are. Until you find that out for yourself, you will be living in that little bubble you have made for yourself.
Oh, and if the United states of America were to legalize polygamy, you don't think the church would be all over it? Doesn't the church believe polygamy to be something that happens in the celestial kingdom? Isn't polygamy something Brigham Young taught was necessary in order to GET to the celestial kingdom?
The ONLY reason polygamy was stopped was because it was illegal. Period.