In the wake of Prop 8...

I really don't like opinionating on political subjects, and keep my own political views private at times from my own husband. I guess I just like that my opinions are mine, and they are private, and I'm not really into trying to persuade others or whatever. I see both sides, and I can often understand how someone can arrive at a different opinion than me. Anyway, so this isn't a post about the politics surrounding this massively controversial issue, but it is a side note, something that tweaked me in a good way that is more related to religion than politics.

So I have a serious hang up when it comes to other faiths who preach (false) anti-Mormon doctrine from the pulpit. Here's a huge group of people who believe in so many fundamental things that are similar, and who share so many values and align so closely with lifestyle, etc. but we are practically unable to be friends due to (from my perspective) the fear that is instilled in them by their religious leaders about "The Mormons".

Through many life experiences with those who fear the crazy Mormons, I have learned that I can't express any common ground with people of other religious beliefs (other than the Catholics, they tend to be really focused on their own doctrine and not on anti-Mormon doctrine, and I have enjoyed supporting Catholic friends when their children participate in communion and other such religious moments, and I have likewise enjoyed their companionship at my church for similar celebrations related to my faith). I don't feel like it is okay for me to tell most "Christian" people that I'll pray for them when they are in a personal crisis, like they are uncomfortable with the notion that I even pray because they believe that I pray to another person or something. Like, don't let the scary Mormon pretend they pray! I find IRONIC that it is easier and more rewarding to enjoy mutual friendships with my agnostic or even atheist friends who aren't threatened by the knowledge of how my beliefs affect my life, and they know that while we come from different places, my faith makes me who I am and isn't a threat to them.

When I was choosing to homeschool, one of the biggest hang ups that I had with the whole idea was that I don't actually enjoy downplaying my faith to my friends and I knew that many of my partners in homeschool would be of the greater "Christian" faiths, and wouldn't be comfortable with my religion, even if I never spoke of it. Of course, I'm not welcome at the local academic co-ops held by other churches because they deem me un-christian as a member of the LDS church, so I found a co-op held at a Unitarian church primarily with other LDS families, and my closest friend at co-op is fabulously Unitarian, and I find her company on the money, as we easily and respectfully exchange information about our families, our holiday plans, our upbringings and YES, even religion!

Anyway, I just love it when I hear of enlightened people who believe differently than I do, even believe I'm hell-bound, but recognize that we can be partners in many things without FEAR based on FALSE information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (incidentally, I'm aware that we believe in some different Jesus according to modern Baptist beliefs taught locally).

So I came across this blog that is co-authored by a Mormon and a prominent Evangelical Christian, and it is a call for all people who stand on the same ground on Prop 8 to put a stop to the barbaric (isn't it ironic when the call for tolerance is so intolerant?) protests that have included property damage to LDS churches and temples, death threats resulting in round the clock protection of LDS Church leadership, burnings of Books of Mormon on LDS church property (...REALLY? REALLY?).

52% of Californians are most certainly NOT Latter-day Saint. I am appalled that all this is going on with no recognition by the media. They show protesters on church property and sympathize with them and fail to show where windows on our Temples have been broken and where no worship has occurred due to the safety risk to temple attenders, and they leave all that WRONG behavior out. I just do not think that any American, heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual should condone this kind of behavior over something that was carried out as a part of the democratic process.

Here's an official church statement released about the protesting (other such official media releases can be found here):

SALT LAKE CITY 7 November 2008 The Church issued the following statement today:
It is disturbing that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is being singled out for speaking up as part of its democratic right in a free election.

Members of the Church in California and millions of others from every faith, ethnicity and political affiliation who voted for Proposition 8 exercised the most sacrosanct and individual rights in the United States — that of free expression and voting.

While those who disagree with our position on Proposition 8 have the right to make their feelings known, it is wrong to target the Church and its sacred places of worship for being part of the democratic process.

Once again, we call on those involved in the debate over same-sex marriage to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other. No one on either side of the question should be vilified, harassed or subject to erroneous information.

I love that our church will continue to stand for something as it turns the other cheek and urges membership not to react or retaliate or take offense in the face of such offensive behavior. I love that I have never heard mention of another church's beliefs from the pulpit of my church, we just focus on what we believe and on giving liberally of our time and resources to all good causes including partnering extensively with other Christian faiths to serve the world in times of natural disaster, famine and oppression. I love that as a result of all this protesting and dare I say, rioting, there will be more unity in the religious community, and I am confident that more positive things will sprout from this protesting than negative things.

I would love to see more unity and less discord felt by members of other Christian faiths, believe me, we are more than willing to embrace mutually respectful relationships with people who have such similar standards and values, I have met one family here in town who know I am LDS and they even invited me to pray for them regarding a job change during a time of financial burden. I felt like a million bucks to be counted as a person of faith by another person of faith, go figure!

We didn't think we were going to be popular by joining with other faiths in the Prop 8 effort. If we had lost, we may have been heard again in other elections on the subject, but we would have respected the outcome decided by a majority vote, and that would be it. We are all for whatever peaceful protesting you feel you need to do, protest away...we should all be passionate about what we believe, that isn't a right reserved for just you or just us. Maybe these people aren't familiar with the early LDS church history, but the terror that is being used to intimidate membership of our church is not new to us and certainly won't change our commitment to what we believe. We live in a country where it was previously LEGAL TO KILL A MORMON, and where our Prophet was murdered for his religious beliefs, where a temple was burned to the ground...and these early believers did not waver in the face of death and certainly won't be swayed by cowardly threats by people who are intolerant of beliefs that differ from their own.

Can't we all support the democratic process and take a loss every once in awhile? It's not a closed book, it's not the last word or the last chance...protesters should use their energy to focus on future political efforts to further their own political agendas! I understand the personal nature of what is at stake for the homosexual population here, but I don't understand their reaction to the vote not going their way.

We don't all have to agree, but can't we all just get along?