Fellow Mormons Who Advocate Same-Sex Marriage©

Since the decision on Friday to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide I have been reading around the web a bit among some of my fellow church members, especially some of the younger set.(1)  For the most part they seem to be very pleased.  A number of them have put on their FaceBook pages a link to Elder Christofferson's earlier statement that it is okay for members to defend same-sex marriage on the web.  They do so as if it is a statement of agreement.  What he actually said is that the church is not going to "force" its members to accept church doctrine, but to use "persuasion" in discussions with them.  It is wrongheaded to think they are just fine because they will not face church discipline.  The clear implication of his statement is that they are still in error.  In fact, the church's position on the matter has not changed and will not change.

With Elder Christofferson’s “permission” it appears that many of them think they are free to debate with the Church and try to change the Church’s position on the issue. In this they are self-deluded or simply ignorant. The fact of the matter is, many of our younger generation simply do not know the doctrine of the church, particularly about marriage and family, as well as they should; so it is largely a matter of ignorance, both of the doctrine and of how the Church operates.

One thing that many members who take pleasure in the Court’s decision do not think about are the long term consequences of it. One young woman I read today was very dogmatic in saying that this decision will not force the Church to perform same-sex marriages. How in the world could she possibly know that?  It was a wish in the form of a declarative sentence. Given the surprises we have witnessed in the last twenty-five years on this and many other issues, her misguided certainty is only exceeded by her hubris. But even if she turns out to be correct on the issue, one thing she ignores is that the LGBT movement will not be content with this “victory” and Mormons and other Christians or other religions who object to same-sex marriages, or who refused to perform them will certainly be labeled as ‘bigots.” You can bet they will not be content to let us have our religious opinions that the practice of homosexuality is a sin. They do not want tolerance, they want the world to embrace the idea, and they will be relentless in seeking to destroy those who disagree with them. 

And there is yet another problem my fellow Church members who applaud this decision have not taken into account and that is what is considered “legal” is soon accepted by the general population as “moral.” Among other problems this creates, it will make proselyting among the LGBT community and those sympathetic with them even more difficult than it is now, because they will be content with their lifestyle as both legal and moral because the majority says it is okay.

The “it is legal, therefore it is moral,” attitude has even wider implications that are not often taken into account. I will just mention one here. When the government interferes with religion and begins to dictate religious policy, doctrine, and practice, historically that has been one of the first steps to Apostasy. I do not fear apostasy of the Church; the Lord has told us that will not happen in this dispensation.  Apostasy from the Church is another matter.  Government interference will deepen apostasy where it already exists, in and out of the Church. Moreover, the polarization is becoming more and more acute and we can expect that pressure will be exerted upon the Church not only by the LGBT community, but eventually the government as well.

We have had forced upon us a serious and gigantic step in our ongoing descent to the lowest common denominator.

Let’s think together again, soon.

Notes:

1.  I have written two other editorials about this subject which you can access via the links below.  I especially recommend the second one for the youth.  Please take a look at it.

http://livingphilosophies.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-mormon-view-of-marriage-and.html

http://livingphilosophies.blogspot.com/2015/07/so-much-consequence-relating-to-time.html