WARNING!!! Please respect my blog and my opinions in this post. Thank you.
Why when a church is supposed to bring everyone ultimate happiness and truth does it seem to do just the opposite of that? Family members are always going to do what the church says and have that mindset no matter what. That puts a block on my relationship with them that prevents it from further growth and development.
My mother jokingly told me I should listen to conference (I think knowing that I wouldn't do it) but I got bored and thought I would look online to see what was going on. I sure wish I hadn't! All the google searches brought up Boyd K Packer's speech. I just couldn't believe how things were said. I read articles, watched video clips, and made sure I was uptodate and knew what really went on. I stood back and watched facebook posts and blogs about members of the church justify what this very closed minded, conservative man is saying. Part of a post said "we hear what we want to hear." I think that is an excuse and a way out to not have to disagree with what was said.
Six gay boys have committed suicide in the recent past due to homophobic abuse in the home, school, and community. These are only ones that have made the news. I am certain there are more and more attempts by others. This was in the headlines right before General Conference started. You would think that the leaders of that church would have shown some type of condolences or sympathy towards them or their families and if they decided to approach the subject than to do it in a matter of love and understanding, not ignorance and closed mindedness. Instead Boyd K Packer added fire to the flame and my heart goes out to those confused teenagers and young adults who had to sit there and watch a leader of a church say things like that in the matter in which he did.
Here is a quote that actually makes me giggle from Brigham Young: "The government should stay out of the business of the Saints and let us worship to the according to the dictates of our own conscience. If there ever comes a day when the Saints interfere with the rights of of others to live as they see fit, you can know with assurance that the Church is no longer led by a prophet, but by a mere man." First of all Brigham Young had married 56 women!!! Of course he thought that the government should stay out of his business so he could have more wives!
A lot of members are using that quote in their favor. I seem to think the opposite and see it. The Church is interfering with people's lives and rights. The biggest example is encouraging members to donate their money and time to Proposition 8. If that is not interfering with the rights of other to live as they see fit then I don't know what is! Stopping people from having the rights that they deserve. If the government didn't interfere then all the mormons would still be polygamists!
I remember reading online (I can't remember where though...) that the church is like Mary Poppins. It is suppost to be "practically perfect in every way" but it isn't, just like Mary isn't. Mary Poppins came into the lives of the Banks home to help and assist the family understand, love, and appreciate each other. At the end of the movie Mary Poppins leaves because there are other families that need her help. By that point the Banks family has each other and that is what is important! They don't need Mary Poppins anymore. She was vital and the key component in the story but her work was finished. I feel that same way about the church.....if only others felt the same way. :) I am grateful for the values and the lessons I learned growing up in the church, and all the fun activities and events that took place. Some things I will always take with me the rest of my life....but not everything!
I feel I am always going to disagree with my family and friends I grew up with on the subject of the church. The church is going to be the thing that drives us away from each other. I will be the one who doesn't go to the "Celestial Kingdom". I am a good person with a good heart who is contributing to the good of my community. If I don't get to spend time in Heaven with my family and friends because I was not follower of the church than I don't think that is Heaven. And frankly I don't want to go to a place where there is ignorance, closed mindedness, and hate.
If you are jewish, a minority, gay, handicapped, an outcast, or even the popular kid we need to accept eachother with love and understanding. We need to celebrate diversity!!!!! It is the only true thing we all have in common!
