Repercussions

I had never thought there would be so many repercussions. It seems like I can't really get away from it; the talk, all the news, all the circular never-ending conversations, all the emotion, all the intolerance, all the hypocrisy, all the ripples in the pond. Will it ever subside?

I was at work today when a professor came in to discuss the future of this program at the University. Being a field heavily dominated by the gay community, BYU's affiliation with the Church is not a good thing for students wishing to break into this field. There has been talk of suspending or discontinuing the program because the doors of opportunity are rapidly closing and funding, placement, networking and communication lines are all down. Students are being advised to take BYU off their resumes and keep affiliation with the church private. It makes me sad.

I've been reading here for the last few nights and many of the verses have struck me. It's incredible how closely much of it mirrors today and how the spiritual leaders were no doubtedly involved in secular affairs. The prophets counseled with the kings and rulers. It was eye opening.

But there haven't been exclusively negative repercussions. As soon as I expressed concern about the issue there was an outpouring of support and love, encouragement and understanding that was shown towards me. Words seemed to come at me from places I had never expected. My Old Testament Professor, a distant friend, a magazine cover, an overheard conversation of people walking by. I got a forward a while back that really brought the last month into clarity:

"... an article quotes a University of Utah student who thinks the Church's involvement in the issue is inappropriate: "I can't believe they're supporting Prop. 8. The church is supposed to be neutral. That's changed now. They can't support a candidate but they can support a proposition. They've warped their stance. I've had to separate myself from the church because of the way they're handling the 'problem' of homosexuality. It's so against what
the church teaches. It's unchristian."

As soon as I read that I immediately thought of a statement from Elder Boyd K. Packer: "In the Church we are not neutral. We are one-sided. There is a war going on, and we are engaged in it. It is the war between good and evil, and we are belligerents defending the good. We are therefore obliged to give preference to and protect all that is represented in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we have made covenants to do it" (Address to Religious Educators at Brigham Young University, August 22, 1981). And Elder Dallin H. Oaks just explained why the Church is involved with the current issue in an interview with the Church's Public Affairs staff: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must take a stand on doctrine and principle. This is more than a social issue – ultimately it may be a test of our most basic religious freedoms to teach what we know our Father in Heaven wants us to teach."

I bore my testimony to my students today. Those who claim that "prophets ought to keep their noses out of politics" have never read the Old Testament! Think about Moses, and Elijah, and Isaiah, and Amos, and others; they went directly to their respective political leaders and told them what the Lord wanted them to do, what course to pursue. (Can we limit what God can say about anything?) I testified that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles is the wisest group of leaders on earth, and not just from their cumulative intellectual prowess (world-class heart surgeon, nuclear physicist, judge and legal mind, etc., etc.) but because of their direct connection with Heaven, and living by the Spirit every day . . . The truth is restored to stay."