Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Sucking Up to Gays?
There continues to be a lot of stink in the air among members of the LDS Church regarding the church’s recent statement issued in support of the pending Gay Marriage Act. Some continue to characterize this statement as “appeasement”, “accommodation” and “compromise” on the part of LDS leadership. One friend has suggested that, by issuing this statement, the leadership are hypocrites - “agreeing to something against their principles.”
In my view, the assertion that, by virtue of its recent statement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is condoning or expressing approval of same-sex behavior because it expresses support for the Gay Marriage Act - "formalizing gay marriage into US law" - essentially already a "fait accompli" - constitutes a gross misreading of what, in my opinion, motivated the statement and what it actually says and intends. Here it is again. Consider its precise wording:
The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged.
We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.
We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding.
Where in this statement, which begins with a reaffirmation of the church's hard, condemning and non-negotiable doctrine on same-sex sexual behavior, has the church agreed "to something against their principles"?
At the risk of repeating some of what I said in my earlier Substack post - Does the LDS Church Approve of Same-Sex Marriage? - the essence of the church's statement consists of the following points:
1. Church doctrine on homosexuality and same-sex marriage remains unchanged. In God's eyes - that Being who is the same yesterday, today and forever - and in the true doctrine of his church, the practice of homosexuality will remain forever the "abomination" he has declared it to be from the beginning. As I understand it, this means, among other things, that no one who practices any form of homosexuality and is unrepentant in that practice can be accepted as or remain a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Does this sound remotely like appeasement, accommodation or compromise to you?
2. Faced with the looming and likely inexorable reality of this legislative act - the leadership know its passage is a virtual certainty - and the aggressive militancy of the LGBTQs, who are not content to be left alone to live as they like, but seek forcefully to jam their evil lifestyles down everybody's throats - the church leadership express gratitude for those working to ensure the legislation, in addition to protecting the right of people to behave sexually any way they choose, will include "appropriate religious freedom protections" that will ensure the LDS Church, and all other churches, will remain free to believe, teach and practice their faiths according to the dictates of their own consciences. The sole emphasis here is on religious freedom, not on any affirmation or approval of the morality of same-sex lifestyles. If you disagree, show me where in this statement, carefully and precisely read, that affirmative language exists.
3. What is "the way forward" the church leadership approve of in this statement? What more than the acknowledgement that, especially in the current corrupt age, the law cannot dictate or proscribe sexual behavior, that people, under the law, should be free to make their own lifestyle choices, and that religious freedom must be guaranteed?
Now let me ask, what other rational "way forward" is there? Inexorably, one way or another, things will go forward. They can either go forward in a way that may protect the religious freedom of the church for a time, allowing it to continue its work, or in a way that is maximally hostile to the work of God and seeks to bring that work to a halt everywhere as soon as possible. As a leader of the LDS Church - or any church - which would you prefer? If the church can position itself toward the former course by making a statement that, in essence, is nothing more than a diplomatic restatement of existing doctrine and an affirmation and advocation of religious freedom, why would they not?
Acknowledging and affirming the right, established by law, of the LGBTQs to damn themselves to hell by exercising their free agency is no sort of "appeasement", "accommodation" or "compromise" - especially when the church, in this very statement, affirms that its doctrine on such sinful lifestyles has not and will not change. If the intention of the church leadership was hypocritically to express approval or even condoning of same-sex lifestyles, or to appease those who practice such lifestyles, why would they begin their statement with such an inflexible reaffirmation of doctrinal - an unnecessary poke in the eye to the LGBTQs? Affirming the right of LGBTQs to behave as they like, or a law - certain to pass no matter what the church says - that ensures that right, is not an indication of approval of gay lifestyles, but is simply a statement of fact, an acknowledgement of reality and a reaffirmation of the church's core doctrine of free agency.
In light of the pervasive and increasingly blatant antagonism directed from the satanic Left toward traditional religious faith - and particularly the mounting hostility toward Christians - the LDS Church arguably the most conservative Christian organization in terms of sexual morality - who in his right mind cannot see the target that is even now being painted on the foreheads of the church and its membership as Satan continues to rage unrestrained to and fro in the world? We know from scripture that Satan will not tolerate those who seek to walk in the path of light and truth. As his power in the world grows, so will his hostility toward and oppression of the God-fearing. Should the Church, then, sit passive and silent in the face of this looming satanic assault, or use what means may for a time be at their disposal to protect themselves as long as possible - buy some additional time to continue to work - before the dark day scripture says is inevitably coming?
Finally, if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints concerned about worldly "accommodation", "appeasement" and "compromise" of the sort that has characterized the myriad iterations of Christianity virtually since the beginning, the time to start worrying - the glaring red flag to look for - is when you hear or see the leadership of the LDS Church - who claim to be and are believed and sustained by the membership to be "prophets, seers and revelators" - you know, like the leaders of the early Christian Church were - actually begin to defy scripture and change doctrine, as other purportedly Christian organizations have done, in order to accommodate the satanic evil that is sweeping the world.
Until then, suck it up, chill out - and get back to work.
Right vs. wrong, truth vs. lies, reality vs. fantasy, knowledge vs. ignorance, light vs. darkness, justice vs. injustice, liberty vs. tyranny, good vs. evil, God vs. the Godless.
Time to choose. You will, one way or another...
If you can be fooled, you will be.
These are the times that try men's souls...
Torquemada