Exploring “A Middle Way” Within Mormonism
I promised to pass along any LDS efforts to counter church support for Prop 8. The purpose of the site is to educate people about marriage equality and about LDS people who are lesbian or gay and to provide support to LDS people who oppose the proposition. More videos and blog posts will be added until the California election.
http://mormonsformarriage.com/
Comments are welcome, particularly if you have a related story to tell.
When it appeared on television I’d heard about the 30 Days episode featuring an LDS woman, Katie, living with gay men who’d adopted children. I hadn’t been able to see the program, however, until today, when a friend forwarded me the link. It is fascinating to watch, and it seems to me that Spurlock (the man behind the 30 Days series) has done a fine job presenting a balanced picture of the issue. It is apparent that the gay couple (and their friends) had hoped to change Katie’s mind. They believed that by opening their home and showing that they are good people trying hard to be good parents to four children, their actions would at least soften Katie’s opposition. She remains steadfastly opposed, however, and she describes well how her views are too intertwined with her identity and with her understanding of God and morality to change. The program takes about 43 minutes to watch, and it is well worth your time.
I’m sure by now our readers know about the First Presidency letter to be read in church this coming Sunday. I don’t want to get into any debates on this post about the letter itself, or gay marriage. My question is– what do you plan to do when the letter is read this Sunday? Do you plan to be in church? If you support the stance of the letter, I’m guessing that you won’t do much in the meeting itself, but will you actually take action based on it? And if you don’t support the letter, will you walk out? Wear a rainbow ribbon pin to church? Any other ideas? And if you’re in a ward where there is any protest or discussion on Sunday, could you report back here? As for me, I’m still undecided whether to attend, and if so, whether to walk out or not.
The California Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. The Mormon internet has been busy with comments and reaction to the ruling, which will almost certainly be the subject of a ballot initiative in November to add the ban to the state constitution. Of course, the LDS church’s involvement in 2000 on California’s Proposition 22 is well known, and many observers expect the church to campaign actively in favor of the expected November ballot initiative. We shall see.
This podcast is literally one of the best I’ve ever heard. It reviews a new documentary (discussed below), and works very hard to say, “You can keep your faith and belief in scripture/revelation, and still embrace your homosexual loved ones .” A true middle way for spiritual folk caught in the crossfire between organized religion and homosexuality. And the interview is set in Utah, so it stands within the Mormon context. Please listen if you can.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT (2007-01-24) If you’ve listened to a debate about homosexuality, chances are you’ve heard the word “abomination” quoted from the Bible. It’s in Leviticus Chapter 20, right after Moses teaches that it’s an abomination to eat shrimp or a rabbit. In the Sundance documentary For the Bible Tells Me So, director Daniel Karslake follows five very normal, very Christian American families who all had to reconcile their religion with learning they had a gay child. Doug talks to Karslake about homosexuality, biology and scripture through the prism of the family.
Check out my dear friend Buckley Jeppson on Washingtonpost.com.
A few of you may remember my podcast interview with Buckley–he is LDS, and has been threatened with excommunication for marrying his gay partner, Michael (also a dear friend).
I include the link here because Buckley still very much values his membership, in spite of all the struggle–and he discusses his commitment to the church in the video.
All the best to you Buckley (and Mike)…and to the rest of you, I hope you enjoy!!!
Some of you may have heard of the term “The Middle Way” within a Mormon context. It denotes (to me) a rejection of the notion that you must either be a TBM (True Believing, Literalist Mormon) or an ex-Mormon. It means staying active within the LDS church, while not necessarily accepting all of the doctrinal or cultural teachings. And to be clear–for me, it does NOT denote a requirement of staying silent on the most important issues.
In this excellent RadioWest interview,
Continue reading ‘Facing East–Carol Lynn Pearson as a Pioneering, “Middle Way” Mormon’
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