Just heard this talk yesterday, Jan. 3, 2016 - - Having a granddaughter at BYU ID, have heard some comments that many of our youth are very confused about this issue. The information and obligation to our gay community was there in the talk, but I am worried that there was nothing said about the real status of the Mormon gay person. We are taught that there is no standing on the fence. That it is either of God or of the Devil. When we encouage our youth to embrace evil, we are really putting their individual faith on the line. Some will not have the faith to resist this temptation. Everyone seeks for love and to be loved. Gay people have chosen an easier (?) way to find it. Please, we need to be more specific with these tender young people. Their "kindness" might take them away!
Bob JonesOctober 12, 2015
The sin is not being gay it is in participating in a gay relationship. I hear too many gay people saying "I can't help being gay so what should I do?" We have many ladies who have never married but have not been involved in pre-marital sex so why can't a gay person do the same?
SteveSeptember 17, 2015
Stephen, I don't believe the Church tolerates behavior contrary to God's commandments. I think what the leaders are emphasizing more is the need for compassion, kindness and seeking to understand others...why they choose to act the way they do...in an effort to bring more souls unto Christ. Some who sin, sin ignorantly, not knowing the law. We are accountable for the light and knowledge, or truth, that we have received. Many of these people have not yet received it.
The Church has taught correct principles, and will continue to do so. Mankind has been given the day of this life as a probationary state - a time to repent, to prepare to meet God. All of us needed, need, the Atonement of Christ.
IsaacsTMSeptember 16, 2015
This is a great talk - the only thing I would add is that when I have these kinds of discussions, I expect tolerance from those that support the LGBT agenda. In other words, I do not let them get away with beginning the conversation with labeling Christians as haters. When you teach and promote the law of chastity, you are doing it out of love and a desire for the person to have a level of peace and happiness that is above what can be gained from violating the commandments - it is NOT discrimination.
ScottHSeptember 16, 2015
The difference between Ethan and Samantha is that popular culture has come to virtually worship sex, while religion has become passe at best. The ability to engage in just about any sexual behavior without social disapproval is the sacrament of modern civic religion.
Despite the actual science of the matter (Ty Mansfield has some good material on the fluidity of sexual identity), many have accepted the popular concept of the lifelong immutability of sexual identity. Ergo, sexual identity is popularly seen as unchangeable as race.
Religion and religious faith, on the other hand, is seen as a fluid matter of personal choice. People can switch religious affiliation or even just religious thinking as easily as they change clothes.
In the modern moral hierarchy, the unchangeable takes precedence over the changeable. Thus, Ethan gets sympathy in today's cultural gospel, while Samantha deserves reproach.
People of faith need to combat these views. But they should not be surprised when their opinions are rejected. The scriptures are replete with warnings about true disciples of Christ being unpopular with and abused by the world.
A Happy HubbySeptember 16, 2015
I have always enjoyed Elder Rasband's talks.
This is always going to be tricky and tension will always exist.
I do think that the gay and gay supporting community feels that they have had very little protection until recently and they are pushing to get equal status - even if that means pushing on some religious freedoms if that is what it takes. I feel they see the religious freedoms we have had and want that same level. I know living in the bible-belt southern US, that as a man in my 60's I can say I have had religious freedom abundantly.
And we need to look at all sides of this coin. I feel I have had more religious freedom than a close relative in Provo. As soon as he said he didn't believe the church was true, he was let go just months later. His career up to that point was skyrocketing in the company over multiple decades. When he left the church he wanted to just quietly stop attending and was not someone that wanted to "tear the church down" or make a big deal about it. Does the happy valley only extend religious freedom one way?
Stephen ClaytonSeptember 16, 2015
I believe that what we are seeing from the progressive liberals regarding being politically correct by accepting gay lifestyle is just the tip of the iceberg. Next will come the political correctness of tolerating those who are adulterers, pedophiles, Islamic terrorists, and perhaps even those who in the freedom of their own homes commit all types of crimes. We are told to love all people and not to judge, but I think we can take this too far. Diversity and tolerance has their limits. In my opinion those who persist in living a gay lifestyle will not be assured of living eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom. And I believe that they are in jeopardy of being among those who will be burned when Christ returns to usher in the millennium. If somehow the Church continues to tolerate their behavior without teaching correct principles so that they can see the error of their ways and have an opportunity to repent, we are doing them an injustice. The woman who was found guilty of adultery was told be Christ to "go thy way and sin no more." Why should not this same advice be given to those who are living a gay lifestyle?
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Sue A. ChildJanuary 4, 2016
Just heard this talk yesterday, Jan. 3, 2016 - - Having a granddaughter at BYU ID, have heard some comments that many of our youth are very confused about this issue. The information and obligation to our gay community was there in the talk, but I am worried that there was nothing said about the real status of the Mormon gay person. We are taught that there is no standing on the fence. That it is either of God or of the Devil. When we encouage our youth to embrace evil, we are really putting their individual faith on the line. Some will not have the faith to resist this temptation. Everyone seeks for love and to be loved. Gay people have chosen an easier (?) way to find it. Please, we need to be more specific with these tender young people. Their "kindness" might take them away!
Bob JonesOctober 12, 2015
The sin is not being gay it is in participating in a gay relationship. I hear too many gay people saying "I can't help being gay so what should I do?" We have many ladies who have never married but have not been involved in pre-marital sex so why can't a gay person do the same?
SteveSeptember 17, 2015
Stephen, I don't believe the Church tolerates behavior contrary to God's commandments. I think what the leaders are emphasizing more is the need for compassion, kindness and seeking to understand others...why they choose to act the way they do...in an effort to bring more souls unto Christ. Some who sin, sin ignorantly, not knowing the law. We are accountable for the light and knowledge, or truth, that we have received. Many of these people have not yet received it. The Church has taught correct principles, and will continue to do so. Mankind has been given the day of this life as a probationary state - a time to repent, to prepare to meet God. All of us needed, need, the Atonement of Christ.
IsaacsTMSeptember 16, 2015
This is a great talk - the only thing I would add is that when I have these kinds of discussions, I expect tolerance from those that support the LGBT agenda. In other words, I do not let them get away with beginning the conversation with labeling Christians as haters. When you teach and promote the law of chastity, you are doing it out of love and a desire for the person to have a level of peace and happiness that is above what can be gained from violating the commandments - it is NOT discrimination.
ScottHSeptember 16, 2015
The difference between Ethan and Samantha is that popular culture has come to virtually worship sex, while religion has become passe at best. The ability to engage in just about any sexual behavior without social disapproval is the sacrament of modern civic religion. Despite the actual science of the matter (Ty Mansfield has some good material on the fluidity of sexual identity), many have accepted the popular concept of the lifelong immutability of sexual identity. Ergo, sexual identity is popularly seen as unchangeable as race. Religion and religious faith, on the other hand, is seen as a fluid matter of personal choice. People can switch religious affiliation or even just religious thinking as easily as they change clothes. In the modern moral hierarchy, the unchangeable takes precedence over the changeable. Thus, Ethan gets sympathy in today's cultural gospel, while Samantha deserves reproach. People of faith need to combat these views. But they should not be surprised when their opinions are rejected. The scriptures are replete with warnings about true disciples of Christ being unpopular with and abused by the world.
A Happy HubbySeptember 16, 2015
I have always enjoyed Elder Rasband's talks. This is always going to be tricky and tension will always exist. I do think that the gay and gay supporting community feels that they have had very little protection until recently and they are pushing to get equal status - even if that means pushing on some religious freedoms if that is what it takes. I feel they see the religious freedoms we have had and want that same level. I know living in the bible-belt southern US, that as a man in my 60's I can say I have had religious freedom abundantly. And we need to look at all sides of this coin. I feel I have had more religious freedom than a close relative in Provo. As soon as he said he didn't believe the church was true, he was let go just months later. His career up to that point was skyrocketing in the company over multiple decades. When he left the church he wanted to just quietly stop attending and was not someone that wanted to "tear the church down" or make a big deal about it. Does the happy valley only extend religious freedom one way?
Stephen ClaytonSeptember 16, 2015
I believe that what we are seeing from the progressive liberals regarding being politically correct by accepting gay lifestyle is just the tip of the iceberg. Next will come the political correctness of tolerating those who are adulterers, pedophiles, Islamic terrorists, and perhaps even those who in the freedom of their own homes commit all types of crimes. We are told to love all people and not to judge, but I think we can take this too far. Diversity and tolerance has their limits. In my opinion those who persist in living a gay lifestyle will not be assured of living eternal life in the Celestial Kingdom. And I believe that they are in jeopardy of being among those who will be burned when Christ returns to usher in the millennium. If somehow the Church continues to tolerate their behavior without teaching correct principles so that they can see the error of their ways and have an opportunity to repent, we are doing them an injustice. The woman who was found guilty of adultery was told be Christ to "go thy way and sin no more." Why should not this same advice be given to those who are living a gay lifestyle?
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