More on public affairs interview

The commentary on the public affairs interview on same-gender attraction is fascinating for me to read. Most of it has been respectful, although there have been several comments that have been over-emotional and downright rude. I have even had to delete a few comments for being extremely unpolite and irrelevant.

One of the key issues that comes up often is how people with same-gender attraction are treated in the Church.

You often hear complaints that gay and lesbian people are discriminated against or not wanted at Church. And it is probably worth stating that in most wards public displays of affection by same-sex “partners” would be frowned upon. I’m not sure how a bishop would handle this (I am thankful once again that I am not a bishop and don’t have to make these types of decisions). But it is worth pointing out that in my seven years as a member I have never seen two people of the same sex who are “partners” coming to Church.

But in general I think many of the claims of discrimination are exaggerated. Take a look, for example, at the claims in a “Nightline” story referenced by Church Public Affairs:

Comment by Daniel Holsinger: “There is a very strong notion that I am a sinner — fundamentally who I am is hated and reviled by God. I am alone; there is no one else like me.”

Comment by Morgan Smith: “We’re not recovering from God, but we are recovering from the put-downs, the discrimination, the people that come along and say that if you’re gay, you’re not good.”

I simply couldn’t disagree more with such comments, based on my experience. The Church teaches the very opposite than that people are “hated and reviled by God” for their actions. In fact, if you carefully read the interview linked to above, the General Authorities (in comments approved by the Brethren) clearly say the opposite, that we are all children of God and that he loves us all.

In the vast majority of cases, people struggling with same-gender attraction self-segregate. They stop coming to Church because of actions that they have taken that make them feel uncomfortable at Church. There is an old saying that I like, which is “if you think God has moved away from you, you might want to check out who did the moving.” And the same thing applies to God’s Church. People who stop coming to Church because they feel unwelcome there need to take another look at why they are not coming. If the Church is true (and I know it is), it doesn’t matter what somebody says to you or how you perceive yourself to be treated, you need to continue to come to Church. I guarantee that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that another member could say to me or manner in which I could be treated emotionally that would stop me from going to Church.

It is worth pointing out that individual members have, in my experience, been unkind to people with same-gender attraction. Some of that is evidenced on this thread. I believe that people calling others to repentance is rude, unnecessary and ineffective. One of the great things I have learned from the Bloggernacle is that my stewardship does not include others in the Bloggernacle, so I try to avoid issuing calls for repentance to them regarding their individual moral behavior. I will proclaim the Gospel and defend the Church, and I will occasionally make the strong political comment, but I really do try these days to avoid personal moral statements. It simply doesn’t work.

As always, the prophet has the best words to say on this subject. Let’s hear from him a bit:

“Nevertheless, and I emphasize this, I wish to say that our opposition to attempts to legalize same-sex marriage should never be interpreted as justification for hatred, intolerance, or abuse of those who profess homosexual tendencies, either individually or as a group. As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church. It is expected, however, that they follow the same God-given rules of conduct that apply to everyone else, whether single or married” (“Why We Do Some of the Things We Do,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 54).

I wish we all could be filled with such Christ-like love. And I wish — and hope — that those brothers and sisters who are struggling with same-gender attraction will make the decision to come back to God’s Church and that they will be welcomed with open arms by their brothers and sisters in Christ.