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Mentally I have prepped some stuff, I don’t know if I will pull it off in realtime, but in my head I plan to reopen the door to inclusion. My comment sounds like this
Quote:The latest policy and it’s actions belong only to Bishops. The policy, nor the church leadership, have said anything to the general membership about turning our backs on our brothers and sisters. For me I am working to follow the Primary Song, “I am trying to be like Jesus.” With that in mind anyone and everyone who has a desire to attend can come sit by me.
There is a longer version of this but I am practicing the elevator delivery version first.
mom3 wrote:For me I am working to follow the Primary Song
If you don’t walk as most people do,
Some people walk away from you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
If you don’t talk as most people do,
Some people talk and laugh at you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
Jesus walked away from none.
He gave his love to ev’ryone.
So I will! I will!
Jesus blessed all he could see,
Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”
And I will! I will!
I will! I will!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
To be honest, I don’t think I would have the guts to say anything in my ward. I would probably just sit there and try to ignore the discussion, or I may do what AP did if I really couldn’t take it. Thanks for the great ideas though. I especially like mom3’s and Roy’s responses about trying to be like Jesus and the Primary songs!
Roy wrote:mom3 wrote:For me I am working to follow the Primary Song
If you don’t walk as most people do,
Some people walk away from you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
If you don’t talk as most people do,
Some people talk and laugh at you,
But I won’t! I won’t!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
Jesus walked away from none.
He gave his love to ev’ryone.
So I will! I will!
Jesus blessed all he could see,
Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”
And I will! I will!
I will! I will!
I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.
That’s how I’ll show my love for you.
I love that song! I was the primary pianist for a year. That song, more than almost any other, sums up the gospel of Jesus Christ in a nutshell.
Faithful skeptic – Quote:To be honest, I don’t think I would have the guts to say anything in my ward. I would probably just sit there and try to ignore the discussion, or I may do what AP did if I really couldn’t take it.
No shame in that. As a nation and now a religion we have become verbal, maybe at times too verbal. I am watching the rage on gun control roll through my facebook, to me I only see verbal wars. No one is going to change their stance, tomorrow some other horror may happen and we will be enraged again. Showing some peaceful control maybe the best answer.
There are many ways to care about an issue, sometimes the best is to quietly, lovingly live your life. If silence or stepping out works best, then go ahead. It isn’t cowardice, it is respect to everyone in the conversation.
Roy – great hymn, thank you for adding to my remembrance.
Old-Timer wrote:I would raise my hand and explain why.
Ray, (not to put you on the spot but,) What specifically would you say?
These are my concerns: (I apologize in advance for the repetition.)
– A whole generation of children will be affected by this policy. If even one were affected in my ward it’s too many.
– If they have to wait until 18 yrs to be baptised then, disavow the “gay lifestyle” (& their parents who live it), we (the church) are driving a wedge between parent and child regardless if it is a loving & positive relationship.
– If we (the church) are taking a position regarding the “gay lifestyle”, why not a family that is going through Physical or Mental abuse? why not a family that is going through any of the addictions? Alcohol, Drug or Pornography?
– What collateral messages are we teaching the children that live in the “good” families? There is a good chance that they can interpret the policy as a “green light” to bully children from gay families.
– I will be doing my best to respond in a positive & supportive way. (Bill has set the example.)
– In my opinion, the church needs to address & teach members the following:
A. Why are consummated gay relationships deprived?
B. What is the scriptural references to support it?
C. Or, do we rely on the The Family Proclamation, the new Policy & personal revelation alone?
D. I am open
Quote:to further light & knowledge.
If there is ever a meeting where I feel I must respond, I will.
If any of you are in that meeting, please respond too. Don’t leave me hanging.
mom3 wrote:The latest policy and it’s actions belong only to Bishops. The policy, nor the church leadership, have said anything to the general membership about turning our backs on our brothers and sisters. For me I am working to follow the Primary Song, “I am trying to be like Jesus.” With that in mind anyone and everyone who has a desire to attend can come sit by me.
I’ve pondered this a bit Mom and recognized that I might need to adjust my approach some. I do believe it’s a policy and not revelation or anything of the sort (although I’m sure I can find some people who believe it is revelation). Your comment takes it a step further though. it’s not just a policy, it’s a policy intended for certain leaders (bishops and SPs) to deal with. It was leaked by someone with access to it, it was not purposely made public by the church (my son calls it the “secret handbook”). The church did respond after the leak. Unlike some other policies, this policy has no direct effect on me (although under certain circumstances it could in my current calling). You are right, Mom – it is not my job to enforce or implement this policy, and I don’t have to agree with it or like it or dislike it – it’s not for me. In the case of LGBT individuals inside or outside the church, married or cohabiting or not, whatever their circumstances, I have a commandment to follow. This commandment was given a few times by the Savior and was expanded upon. It is simply “love one another.”
I am fortunate – my ward has been very quiet on the subject, perhaps due to some prominent members with gay children. It has come up in high council but not as a discussion (it was instructions from the SP to refer people to official church sources for information, including talking to the bishop or SP).
My hand would go up for sure. But my response if asked would be somewhat different. My issue is the colossal waste of resources the church has put into a minor issue. Why they are focused on hurting generally loving and good people is beyond me, when there are so many other issues that need addressing that they remain relatively silent on. Why the preoccupation with sexual relations. I am getting too paranoid about this issue. Today the SP & a member of the 1st Quorum of 70 came to our ward. It was completely unexpected. I thought the worse. (No one was asked to raise their hand.) No mention was made of the new policy. There was a lot of talk about following the GA’s, the sacrifice made by JC, etc.
Ray don’t bother to answer my question. I’m making too much of this. Time for me to move on.
Quote:Would you raise your hand?
Yes, and I did in our ward’s Gospel Doctrine class when it was raised.
Quote:How would you answer if asked in a public forum?
The teacher was heading down a path of saying that we all had to get in line or we weren’t supporting the brethren. I raised my hand, but also vocally said “I disagree,” because he was looking to the other side of the room at that time. He then called on me, and I elaborated. I said that I’m very concerned about the policy, that I don’t agree with it, and that it’s not doctrine, and we don’t have to agree with it. When someone commented that clearly the brethren wouldn’t have rolled it out without thinking it through and agonizing over it, I again raised my hand and said, “I disagree. The policy was leaked, and then the video to explain it was delayed multiple times that evening until it finally came out very late. It didn’t clarify anything and was lifted from a blog post. Families, real people in our congregations sweated it out for a week – a week! – before there was further clarification that kids who were in joint custody situations wouldn’t be impacted. And even so, it still hurts the gay children being born into Mormon families. The policy makes it clear that they have to hide in a closet or marry straight people or they will be excommunicated if they choose their own happiness.” I was becoming emotional at this point. It did open the group up as several people raised their hands and added comments after I said that, one whose ex-wife is gay and has joint custody, and another older gentleman whose son is gay and married and whose grandchildren are now impacted.
Quote:Do you think it would do any good?
Nope. I mean, I’m glad I said something, but realistically, I don’t know how anything makes this better.
When I keep reading this thread title I keep thinking about that Saturday’s Warrior song of this same name. [emoji3] “I would stay by you jimmy” Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This is what David Bokovoy did. Unbeknownst to him his wife recorded his testimony yesterday. I’m not saying I could do this, or would, but the spectrum of responses is being defined, and this lets me know that I have company.
(He gave permission to share.)
That was nice. I just wonder how well this would go over in every ward. I’ve thought about this a lot. I hope that I would have the courage to say something but I might chicken out at the last moment and walk out. In a nutshell, I would focus on the double standard and the emotional impact on so many people I know – and I would talk a bit about how I see this as moving away from the ministry of Jesus.
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