Prop8Recording/15:00-20:30
From KolobCafe
Others are unsure of where they stand. Be respectful of their opinions as you share your message. Nothing we say here can be used as an excuse to treat those with same gender attractions partially or disrespectfully.
There are faithful temple-worthy members of the church who struggle with this great challenge, often in silence, fear, and great pain. Our hearts go out to these good brothers and sisters even as we uphold the divine truths the Lord has revealed about marriage.
I would like to say a few words, however, about tolerance. For many, including some of our own members, a contemporary view of tolerance has become a value that overrides important principles taught by the Savior. The divine institution of marriage, found on the church website as Elder Ballard mentioned, contains the following;
"Those who favor homosexual marriage contend that tolerance demands that they be given the same right to marry as heterosexual couples. But this appeal for tolerance advocates a very different meaning and outcome than that word has meant throughout most of American history and a different meaning than is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Savior taught a much higher concept, that of love. “Love thy neighbor,” He admonished. Jesus loved the sinner even while decrying the sin. Tolerance as a gospel principle means love and forgiveness of one another, not tolerating transgression.
In today’s secular world, the idea of tolerance has come to mean something entirely different. Instead of love, it has come to mean condone – acceptance of wrongful behavior as the price of friendship. Jesus taught that we love and care for one another without condoning transgression. But today’s politically palatable definition insists that unless one accepts the sin he does not tolerate the sinner.
As Elder Dallin H. Oaks has explained,
"Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. But tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on public policy choices. Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination."
As you can see, the concept of tolerance has come to mean that we live and let live, that we accept behavior and practices contrary to our own beliefs and standards.
However, is that the Savior's instruction to us? Is that how he would have us as his disciples behave? Read the sermon on the mount carefully. The savior was very direct about immoral conduct and our responsibility to both be an example and teach. Listen to these words from the Sermon on the mount; "Ye are the light of the world. The city that is set on a hill can not be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
The savior continues more directly in verse 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
We have the privilege and obligation of letting our voice be heard on important matters. In 1994 the first presidency stated with amazing foresight, "We encourage members to appeal to legislatures, judges, and other government officials to preserve the purposes and sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman and to reject all efforts that give legal authorization or other official approval or support to marriages between persons of the same gender." end of quote.
Think of the prophetic timing of this call to action by the First Presidency. It predated nearly every effort to legalize same sex marriage. For our time it was an unprecedented comprehensive call to action.
More recently, and for this monumental undertaking in California, the first presidency concluded its letter to us with this clear call to action, quote "We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment, by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman.
