- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
Hey everyone, I am teaching Oaks’ GC talk entitled “loving others and living with differences” and I know a version of this lesson has been taught by some of the posters here, and wanted to know if you could post your lessons, or respond with ideas of how to broach this topic effectively. The lesson deals specifically with gays and members who lose their faith and how to love them better. Any help is appreciated on this! Thanks!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would encourage you to visit http://mormonsandgays.org/ explain it’s origin, the new updates that are happening etc. Information is a friend in this matter.Also show this if you can – it’s Elder Christofferson talking about his families relationship with his actively gay brother.
http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/LDS-leader-uses-family-as-example-of-harmony-between-church-gays-72678.shtml#.VM_2btLy2M Lastly you could listen to DBMormon’s podcast with Elder Christofferson for ideas, too.
I am glad you have this lesson. It’s a gift.
I love mom3’s suggestions. For orthodox members, one of the best approaches is to show them an apostle with a really good message about acceptance of an actual family member. Startpoor – I hope you don’t mind if I add two more thoughts. Thought number one you might want to look at this lesson like a football game, instead of looking for a full touch down or super bowl win, set a 1st down goal. I don’t know your ward but I know enough members who really are opposed to gay members and everything with it, taking them from where they are to where Zion is is going to take time. When you are finished with the first down, do a full happy dance, you just advanced the ball.
Second – two more quotes for you and a primary song.
Quotes are from Chieko Okazaki, 1st Counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency during President Hinckley’s presidency.
Quote:I don’t want anyone to misunderstand what I’m going to say next. The First Presidency has made its opposition to same-sex marriages very clear; as a member of the church I support them in their position. But I want to stress that we can be opposed to a piece of legislation or to a practice and still behave with courtesy and decency toward those who hold other opinions. I would not want anyone to use the First Presidency’s stand as an excuse for being hateful or disrespectful toward others….. It is very likely that every person in the Church knows someone – a family member or a friend – who is gay, lesbian or bisexual. I also think it is very likely that many people do not know that they know a homosexual or bisexual person because that person is afraid to reveal that part of him or herself for fear of being rejected, punished, or excluded. I think there is much we do not understand about how such conditions come to be, or what resources are truly helpful. In the meantime, nothing has suspended the commandment of Jesus to love one another and to bear one another’s burdens. – Chieko Okazaki, “Disciples,” p. 122
Quote:“Showing respect for a person’s national or ethnic background is a way of showing respect for that person. It’s a way of saying, ‘Where you come from and how you do things and how you say things is important to me because you are important to me.’”
-Chieko Okazaki, “Being Enough,” p. 169
And finally – A primary song.
Quote:Jesus said love everyone. Treat them kindly, too. When your heart is filled with love. Others will love you.
Without a doubt, Elder Oaks is preaching the gospel message about love in our hearts. The competing thoughts in our heads seem to be the ego of needing to be right (we have the truth) with compassion and love and acceptance of others who believe differently. Many of us see that as a threat to our way of life. Pride is the great sin. Charity, above all else, is the great healer. All other laws hang upon Charity, for without it, we have nothing. Quote:“If we could look into each other’s hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care. ” Marvin J. Ashton
Quote:Indeed, I would say that a person who remains in the grip of self-centered views and who has little compassion in his heart is not a moral person, no matter how many rules he follows. Such a person always finds a way to bend the rules to disregard and exploit others.”
-Buddhist teaching
I would also be compelled, should I be teaching the lesson, to share that mistakes of the past by church leaders and their views should be safe to let go of. We don’t need to hold on to things past leaders have said, for fear of what that means. But simply, God reveals more light and knowledge line upon line. If a past leader has hinted that homosexuality is a choice, it should be clear, that is not taught today. We do not know why people are how they are (why I am how I am), and differences are to be embraced, not explained. The church should be a church of love, not a church of fear.
This is part of our experience on earth. It is important we find what is right and true and important to us, while we live in the world with others who see it differently.
Thanks for your help, I think the simpler I make this lesson the better. I have a tendency to want to go for the touchdown 
FYI, my EQ had a fifth Sunday lesson a while back where mormonsandgays.com videos were shown. It was a well done lesson, and it got the discussion rolling somewhat.
mom3 wrote:
Also show this if you can – it’s Elder Christofferson talking about his families relationship with his actively gay brother.http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/LDS-leader-uses-family-as-example-of-harmony-between-church-gays-72678.shtml#.VM_2btLy2M Lastly you could listen to DBMormon’s podcast with Elder Christofferson for ideas, too.
I think this is a great next step. Though I can’t find an interview with Christopherson on dbmormon’s podcast. Is it a premium episode?
Also, does anyone have specific advice regarding teaching about doubting members?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote:Also, does anyone have specific advice regarding teaching about doubting members?
Go through our “Quote of the Day” thread. There are some excellent quotes there from church leaders. (I recommend that for anyone preparing any lesson on any topic, almost.)
startpoor wrote:Though I can’t find an interview with Christopherson on dbmormon’s podcast. Is it a premium episode?
I am a premium member and I don’t see it. I have been listening to mormondiscussions for well over a year and I don’t recall this. Searching on his website it didn’t find any hits.I have not interviewed a GA though I welcome it. It would make a great chance for them to address important issues while knowing they wouldn’t be thrown under the bus while doing so. I would even give them all the questions in advance so they could prep. That said I have done several episodes where I include audio snippets from GA talks and have likely used Elder Christofferson before when defining Doctrine. Not knowing your EQ, or the likelihood of these, I’d be mentally prepared for a) someone vocally conservative
b) someone vocally progressive
c) a and b arguing with each other.
Quote:Lastly you could listen to DBMormon’s podcast with Elder Christofferson for ideas, too.
I know we’ve recently been taught that we don’t apologize in our church, since this isn’t official church, I would like to
apologizefor my comment above. I confess, even though I don’t need to ever apologize,that I mixed up a face book post with DBMormon’s podcasts. I promise in the future if I find out about DB interviewing and GA’s I will be quiet and let him spill the news.
Thank you and have a good day.
Roadrunner wrote:Not knowing your EQ, or the likelihood of these, I’d be mentally prepared for
a) someone vocally conservative
b) someone vocally progressive
c) a and b arguing with each other.
Which equals less time you need to prepare since they will take up the time.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.