Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeWaters
Over here, I get slammed for suggesting that gays are the unknown "other" to most. As if every one of these guys has multiple gay relatives and friends like ERCougar suggested.
SoCalCoug is for Prop 8, I think.
tick is for it.
my dad is for it.
It's very clear that it has been very EASY for the church to rally members to its side, and they have bought into the fear very quickly, and are propagating it to everyone else.
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Mine's a "soft" support - Somehow, you have to reconcile your personal feelings with the strong stance of the church.
I acknowledge that I don't have all the answers. I have my personal feelings, which haven't really changed. I still dislike Prop. 8 in principle, but with how strong the church is supporting it, it does give me pause. Maybe it's a faith thing (sorry, SU, I know you won't like that answer).
The ONLY justification for Prop 8 that I've heard that makes any sense is that allowing gay marriage results in a fundamental, irreversible change in the nature of a marriage - going from a union tied by gender to one that is genderless. I think there are good sociological reasons for a union of the two genders into a family unit, and I generally agree that gender-specific marriage should be fostered by our society.
Therefore, coupled with my (unreasonable, but faith-based) belief that the First Presidency consists of prophets who are inspired by God, that is the only way I can justify to myself supporting Prop. 8.
However, to date, my support for Prop 8 has been entirely limited to allowing my mother-in-law to put a "Yes on Prop 8" sign in my yard. I will likely end up making some calls, though.
All of the other justifications I have heard for Prop 8 are crap. Also, I strongly feel that the whole Prop 8 thing has backfired a bit, in that it is giving the homophobic bigots a license to hate, sanctioned by the church.
There's a real conflict here between the desire of some LDS church members to do what the First Presidency says is right, and what they think in their own minds and hearts is right. We each have to try to resolve that conflict in our own way. I certainly don't condemn anyone who resolves the conflict differently than I have, and I still have strong negative feelings for the proposition.