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The bishop’s changing attitude toward gays is in the post-within-the-post. I was amazed at the effort everyone put forth. I love most of all the blogger’s final opinion about what the moral of the story is. And it’s NOT “make the church welcoming to LGBT members.” Maybe reframing it as he does is the way through this.
http://benschilaty.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-eyes-of-my-understanding-were.html?m=1 Quote:I don’t think the moral of the story is to make a safe place for gay people in your congregations (even though I hope you do), but to me the moral of the story is to courageously follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Carl was prompted to do a number of hard things and he did them with amazing results. So if you feel prompted to do something difficult, I hope you’ll have the courage to do that thing. Because people who courageously do what they feel is right are happy, successful, and they change the world. That, my friends, is the moral of this story.
Thanks Ann. I like this read. I think (and hope) over time people just see these different groups should all be welcome in our congregations, and that our own prejudices or naivete are the things needing adjustment over time.
Unfortunately…church is often reinforcement and retrenchment on things taught in the past and there seems to be an aversion to be too accepting and tolerant because that blurs the lines between good and evil, or starts to give some people questions on what really is sin and what is the worldly teachings of justification.
This past Sunday our 3rd hour class was taught by the bishop, who asked about the signs of the times. So…of course…the answers that were being given on the wicked world vs the church’s stance on things like gay marriage were disappointing to me. Eyes are not being opened at church, it doesn’t seem. They are being held tightly closed in hopes of holding on to the things that was taught in the past.
And it is painful to listen to. I tried to make some comments about the bright side of progress in society and the world and the church growth and the use of technology…but I was mostly dismissed as they returned to the list of things are showing the world is increasingly evil (like claims of increasing divorce, LGBT community and rights, etc).
I still have hope that in time…people eventually see, like they have in the past, that our unfounded prejudices eventually melt away with new light and knowledge and love. It takes too long for it to happen. But eventually…as this article states…the courage of some people to stand up for what is right eventually wins in the end. The unfounded fears start to go away over time.
I still believe our church can get there. I continue to raise my hand in church to share my views. I want everyone to feel comfortable to come to the church as they are, and feel welcome.
Interesting. I heard this story on the drive home from work today. Aftermath Of Orlando Shooting Inspires Friend Of Victims To Forge New PathQuote:He received a letter from a Muslim man, who wrote that he initially agreed with what the Pulse shooter did, but that he heard Meltzer on All Things Considered and wanted to meet him in person. “Something hit him, and he realized that he was full of hatred, and he didn’t want that,” Meltzer says.
“So we met. I was very nervous — I was very worried that this was a setup,” he says. “And this man said, ‘We’re not going to see each other eye-to-eye — I still don’t agree with your lifestyle. But I have learned through you that I can respect it, and I can learn not to be consumed by hate.”
Meltzer says this man said something at the end of their meeting that stuck with him.
“He said that he knows that the people that have hate, they will never win — because they will always be consumed by their own hate, and it will destruct them,” Meltzer says. “And that’s why good will always triumph, and that’s the side that he wants to be on.”
I like that story, nibbler.
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