Talking with one another about physical ailments such as colds, the flu, broken bones, and sprained joints can help us learn how to find healing. However, we also benefit when we address the challenges of incorrect thoughts and attitudes, including words and actions that harm others as well as ourselves.
Some have felt the sting of being considered “the other” or “the lesser.” It seems to me that such attitudes have increased in the world around us in recent years, perhaps due in part to the vitriolic language that has come to permeate political speech in various nations around the globe. Nothing could be further from the teachings of Jesus Christ than for any human being to think of himself or herself as somehow superior to another human being based upon race, sex, nationality, ethnic origins, economic circumstances, or other characteristics (see Quentin L. Cook, "The Eternal Everyday," Ensign, Nov. 2017).
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) spoke broadly to that topic in his address “The Need for Greater Kindness,” given in the general priesthood session of April 2006 general conference:
“I have wondered why there is so much hatred in the world. ...
“Racial strife still lifts its ugly head. I am advised that even right here among us there is some of this. I cannot understand how it can be. ...
“… Racial slurs and denigrating remarks are sometimes heard among us. I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ. ...
”Let us all recognize that each of us is a son or daughter of our Father in Heaven, who loves all of His children” (Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Need for Greater Kindness," Ensign, May 2006).
The Church just keeps repeating the same mistakes. I wonder how many decades will need to pass before they disavow the theories about sexuality of the past...
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
I have a question wrote:. I wonder how many decades will need to pass before they disavow the theories about sexuality of the past...
The Church (like Sauron with his ring) has invested much of itself in this homophobia. It might take a generational shift to overcome this situation (unless they find the resolve to toss it into Mt. Doom).
I have a question wrote: The Church just keeps repeating the same mistakes. I wonder how many decades will need to pass before they disavow the theories about sexuality of the past...
What the church needs to do is learn to synthesize it's teachings as indicated by the statements that you shared. You cannot profess Christian love, kindness, compassion and acceptance while at the same time, well, bashing the crap out of people and their families.
Preach the LDS Gospel and get the heck out of the way in terms of sticking your self righteous human nose in everyone's personal life, and let God sort out the human heart.
Or is that not part of the LDS Gospel?
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
It will take a couple decades. People typically don't change. They die. Currently the majority of active, tithe paying members share the homophobia of the leadership. More importantly, the christian conservative non-members do as well. But as they die off babies are being born into a more tolerant world. Does the church really think the world in 20 - 50 years will embrace their position on homosexuals? They consistently take the wrong position on social issues. I guess it should be expected for an organization run by 90 year old men.
"We have taken up arms in defense of our liberty, our property, our wives, and our children; we are determined to preserve them, or die." - Captain Moroni - 'Address to the Inhabitants of Canada' 1775
Church leaders think they are being influenced by a superhuman Spirit that is a member of an infinite Godhead -- The Holy Ghost. They think that feelings and thoughts they get as they ponder any given matter whether spiritual or temporal that this great Spirit Being with all universal knowledge is guiding them. Thus, the leaders of the church have their heads in the clouds or rather I should say, "In the sand".
Now, this same Spirit, the superhuman Ghost of Mormonism fought tooth and nail by influencing early leaders of the church that polygamy was the way of God and that polygamy must be maintained at all cost lest their eternal salvation be in jeopardy and they fall from grace. The Mormon Ghost even influenced these leaders to go to jail or into hiding and risk imprisonment rather than give up polygamy. But in the end, we saw, that the United States government and it's military powers were just to much for the Mormon Ghost and the leaders finally caved in and rejected the Ghost of Mormonism.
The same will eventually happen with homosexuality as the church will cave in and evolve in the not too far distant future in a desperate attempt to survive and maintain viability among the nations of the earth. It's do or die. You can't discriminate against a race of people or class based on hatred and phobia. The world is changing and moving away from that. The last holdouts are religion and political states run by religion.
I have a question wrote:. I wonder how many decades will need to pass before they disavow the theories about sexuality of the past...
The Church (like Sauron with his ring) has invested much of itself in this homophobia. It might take a generational shift to overcome this situation (unless they find the resolve to toss it into Mt. Doom).
Some of it is probably a generational shift or two away before we start to get it caught up to society of today. Read Church leaders from the 70s and 80s on the topic and you'll see a different message than today.
The church just needs to write a book titled Mormonism and the Homo to explain this most important doctrine. It worked to convince the world of the church policy on "negroes" (https://www.amazon.com/Mormonism-Negro- ... B000JR8U3I). A book like that would go a long way towards healing wounds. That book would be relevant for decades, even centuries.
"We have taken up arms in defense of our liberty, our property, our wives, and our children; we are determined to preserve them, or die." - Captain Moroni - 'Address to the Inhabitants of Canada' 1775