Now please no one hunt me down and scold me for this post. Forewarning: these are my views and the teachings of the gospel, I respect those who think and feel differently and would like the same. This week's lesson was on different problems and trials in families but this chapter I am going to focus on is on Same-sex attraction.
Now before I even start I want to share a link to two chapters in the ebook, "Understanding Same-Sex Attraction: Where to Turn and How to Help." This is a book by the church to help those understand same-sec attraction and what the church's stance is on it. One of the chapters is from a different lesson but they go hand-in-hand. When on the site, read chapters 7&8. they really helped me see more on how the church feels about same-sex attraction and how all of us can be better at understanding it and being less judgmental. Find the chapters here.
Also, please refer back to The Family: A Proclamation the World to read on why the family with a husband and wife is very important in this life. The topic of gay-marriage is very prevalent today and really I have no idea where to start. I know that within the my faith that the importance of family is #1 and that we are to defend that with everything we have. It takes a man and woman to have children and thus have a family.
Now, I am not against those with same-sex attraction I love you all with all my heart. In the gospel we are taught to love the sinner and hate the sin. I have nothing against those who think differently than I do. In the book the author brings up many different topics that really capture the essence of same-sex attraction. There are many reasons in which people want to legalize same-sex marriage. It is about the rights, the equality and the money. There are many benefits to being married and being recognized as such in the government. Most of these aspects we have all heard before.
I want my opinion on this to be heard. I was able to read a lot about this topic in this lesson and have learned that same-sex attraction is definitely a struggle that some are born with that Heavenly Father has given them to overcome. Now that may sound harsh but Heavenly Father does not give any of us a struggle we cannot over come.
There have been many studies stating that they cannot pin point if people are born with same-sex attraction but I have come to realize that this attraction can come from genes, peers, the media and most importantly agency. All of this is in Chapter 8 of the ebook I recommend above.
I do not want to make this long but I know that same-sex attraction is becoming more and more an issue in the church. The best thing we can do is teach our children the sanctity of marriage and if we do have children with this struggle we love them unconditionally and do what we can to help them in how they want us to.
Same-sex marriage is something I do not stand for because I know that from the beginning of time marriage has been ordained of God for a man and woman. Although, those who do live this life style simply live differently than I do and I would welcome them into my life with open arms and love them but that does not mean I have to agree with the life they live.
We are all individuals and have the agency to choose the way in which we live. I strongly suggest to pray for guidance if you are having trouble with this and know that Heavenly Father wants each of us to return to him. The last thing that I found really interesting is that the church says that those with same-sex attraction are to live the law of chasity just like heterosexual couples.
Like I have said before Heavenly Father really answers our prayers and concerns in great ways. Now I have been struggling with this issue for awhile now because I do not want to come off as rude or mean but I know the way I feel and cannot help but stand up for what I know to be right. Today during the morning session of the April 2014 General Conference, Elder Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a great talk on the subject of same-sex attraction. The link to conference is here. I recommend this talk to all and think he really but it perfectly. I should have just posted the talk and not said anything else.
I hope I was able to explain my views well enough and hope I did not offend anyone. It is a new goal of mine to not judge those that live this life because we simply are different and live differently.
Happy day & Happy Saturday!
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