I Am NOT a Bigot!!

WARNING:  I am so FIRED UP RIGHT NOW, it's a little ridiculous.

I was reading a post on Facebook this morning from the Protection of Marriage Coalition group (AKA prop 8).  Stupid me, I chose to read the comments.  I was STUNNED by how mean, cruel, and down-right vicious people were in what they were saying.  People from BOTH sides of the issue were showing their complete intolerance for each other.  It made me very upset.

A lot of the comments from those who've been against Prop 8, and for the legalization of all marriages, were calling those who stand with Prop 8 bigots.  I've heard this horrible adjective A LOT this week as the media, and people on Facebook have described those who stand with Prop 8.

According to Wikipedia:

Bigotry is the state of mind of a bigot: someone who, as a result of their prejudices, treats other people with hatred, contempt, and intolerance on the basis of a person's ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics.

I may believe differently than you on this issue.  I may believe that marriage should be between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN, but that DOES NOT MEAN that I am a bigot!  I don't treat those who  choose to live their life different than mine with hatred or contempt.  It's called agency...and it's something that everyone on this planet has.  I have friends and relatives who are gay.  Do I agree with their life choices?  No.  Do I treat them any differently than my friends and relatives who are straight?  NO!!

I'm not intolerant.  Everyone is allowed to have their own opinions and to express them.  We don't have to agree with each other either.  It's when the name calling begins that I have a problem.  Those who choose to name call show that they are the intolerant people.  There's no reason for people to have to lower their standards and be cruel.  It NEVER helps a situation, and often makes things even worse.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I've been taught, and believe in ways of life that may not agree with how you choose to live your life.  THAT'S FINE!  They released a statement about this court decision.  It was simple, humble, and well said.  You can read it here.

Many of the comments were telling those for Prop 8 to "give it up", and "let it go".  Let me ask those people something:  back in 2008 when the MAJORITY OF CALIFORNIANS voted for Prop 8, did you "give it up", and "let it go"?  NO, YOU KEPT FIGHTING FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVED IN!  That's all we who believe in Prop 8 continue to do.  We fight for what we believe the same way that you fight for what you believe.

Here's where another sad issue arises.  How come when we fight, or we don't agree with you, we are considered bigots, but when you fight, or don't agree with us you aren't given the same label?  It's a horrible sign of hypocrisy in this country.  But I digress.

My only hope and prayer is that somehow we can find a way to disagree peacefully.  Whichever way this finally ends, someone will be upset.  Oh well, that's life.  But rubbing noses into it by name calling, no matter WHO IS DOING THE NAME CALLING, won't help.

Wordless Wednesday

The Lord is My Sheperd by Simon Dewey

YouTube Friday

I found this today on my Facebook page and wanted to share it with you.  Merry Christmas everyone!  Have a wonderful weekend with family, friends, whoever you will be with.  And try to never forget the reason for the season.

California Vs. Utah

Well, we've been living Utah almost three weeks now, and we've had the chance to notice many differences between California and Utah.

People in Utah seem less patient...if you can believe it!  This surprised us because we thought it would be the complete opposite.  When it comes to waiting for their tires to be changed, and being stuck behind you while you wait to make a left hand turn against traffic, Utahans simply aren't very nice! 

Driving is quite a different experience.  Everyone goes with the speed of traffic, instead of one person flying past you in a hurry.  Where Chevron gas is the most ridiculously expensive gas in California, it's the CHEAPER gas out here!  And there is construction all over the place. 

I think I understand why people in Sandy don't speed very often:  the Sandy Police Department.  They have a quota to reach each month in regards to how many traffic tickets they "give" out.  (I think this should be illegal, oh well) They are ALL OVER THE PLACE, and their cars aren't like "normal" police vehicles. 

The Sandy police drive mustangs, and other cars that don't LOOK like police vehicles, giving you a false sense of security while you drive 40mph in a 35mph zone and get pulled over!  A colleague at work said that her husband received a ticket for changing lanes.  Apparently he didn't have his blinker on long enough before he went from one lane to the other!  Nick brought up a good point:  Utah doesn't have the same worries as California:  gangs, drugs, etc.  The police in Cali are more concerned with that than if we're driving 5 miles over the speed limit.  Sandy apparently has nothing better to do than be nit-picky...oh, fun!

The school system in Utah is very different.  A teacher's worst student in Utah would be considered the student in the middle of the class, if not the best student in a California class.  The first day of my current long term sub job, the teacher gave me the keys to her class.  I went to lock it at lunch and she laughed.  Teachers leave their doors unlocked and open the entire day!  I simply couldn't believe that.  If we did that in California, everything in the school would be stolen!

There was a Kindergarten program today.  During the program, that included several Christmas songs, they sang a song about Jesus' birth.  That would NEVER would happen in California!  It's such a politically correct state that if a school even tried it the parents would go crazy!

At lunch today, I discovered a teacher's daughter is a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and a bunch of teachers are going to the Conference Center Friday in Salt Lake City to hear David Archuleta sing with them.  There were other teacher's in the room who weren't members and they knew EXACTLY what we were talking about!  In California if you mention President Monson, or President Utchdorf, more likely than not they would have NO IDEA who you were talking about!

Temples:

My entire life I've lived in California.  There are only 7 temples in that state:  Oakland (my fave), Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, Redlands, and San Diego.  Each temple has always been at least an hour drive from where I've lived.

From where we live now, we are only 20 minutes away from the following temples, and we can see them while we're just driving through town!  Sounds geeky, but it is so awesome for someone who has never lived close enough to a temple that you can just see it from where you live!! 

Draper, Utah

Jordan River, Utah

Oquirrh Mountain, Utah

Along with these three temples, there are 4 other temples that are within 45 minutes of us:

Mount Tipanogos, American Fork, Utah

Bountiful, Utah

Ogden, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah

So, I've gone from having just 7 in the entire state of California, to having 7 within 45 minutes away from me!!  And don't get me started on how many church buildings there are in town!  They are all over the place.  And just because you live across the street from one, that doesn't mean it's the building you attend church at!

When you walk into Walmart, there is an entire Latter-day Saints section simply for books!  President Monson's book is throughout the entire store.  The first time I saw this, I forgot I was in Walmart and thought I was at a church bookstore!

Clearly job searching is easier here than it ever was in California!  11 days after moving here, I landed a long term sub job, with other jobs to follow!

There are restaurants everywhere in Sandy.  The Sizzler in California is MUCH better.  The seafood salad here (which has always been my favorite part of Sizzler), is just a lot of celery with little bits of crab thrown in so they can call it "seafood" salad.  Oh, I wanted to cry.

The view of the mountains is incredible.  Here is a look at what we see everyday:

Yep, two temples, just a few miles apart!

Overall, life in Utah is great.  We haven't been hit too hard with snow yet, though we know it will be coming again soon...and it will be coming hard.  I've already driven in snow and haven't killed anyone, so I'm hopeful that I can make it through the winter.

So far, in the California Vs. Utah debate, Utah is winning!

Day Seventeen: An Art Piece

The art that I love is very simple, tells a story, and is usually church related.  Greg Olsen, Simon Dewey, and Del Parson are three of the most recognizable names in LDS art.  The following are a few of my favorite pieces, some of which I am lucky enough to have hanging throughout my home.   

Be Not Afraid

Greg Olsen

Forever and Ever

Greg Olsen

In His Constant Care

 Greg Olsen

 Living Water 

Simon Dewey

Christ

Del Parson

The last four pieces of art come from a collection of paintings that depict different scenes from the lives of Joseph and Emma Smith.  I am blessed to have all four of these paintings in my home.  All painted by Liz Lemon Swindle, I included the stories about what event inspired each painting, as written by Liz.  These are my favorite pieces of art.

My Beloved Emma

"What unspeakable delight, and what transports of joy swelled my bosom, when I took by the hand, my beloved Emma – she that was my wife, even the wife of my youth, and the choice of my heart."

"Many were the reverberations of my mind when I contemplated for a moment the many scenes we had been called to pass through, the fatigues and the toils, the sorrows and sufferings and the joys and consolations…"

"Oh what a commingling of thought filled my mind for the moment, again she is here, even in the seventh trouble, undaunted, firm, and unwavering- unchangeable, affectionate Emma."

-Joseph Smith, Jr. 1844

Father's Gift

After losing a son, Joseph and Emma knew tragedy again in Kirtland, Ohio, when their newly born twins died within hours of birth. Losing children a second time was almost more than they could bear.

A few miles away, tragedy also struck the Murdock family. After bearing twins, Julia Murdock died, leaving her husband not only with the newborn twins, but five other children as well.

Brother Murdock heard of the Smiths’ great loss and called the prophet to his home. There, out of grief and selfless love much like that of our Heavenly Father’s, Brother Murdock asked Joseph to take the twins and raise them as his own.

With difficulty and humble gratitude, Joseph carried the twins back home and placed them in the arms of his weak and grieving wife Emma.

While Emma Sleeps

The adopted twins of Joseph and Emma, Joseph & Julia Murdock, were now eleven months old and had been suffering with a difficult case of the measles. Shortly before midnight on March 24, 1832, Joseph sent his exhausted wife to bed with their daughter Julia. Joseph stayed up to care for his infant son, Joseph Murdock, and it wasn’t long before they were both asleep.

Suddenly a vicious mob of more than 25 men burst through the door awakening all within and dragging Joseph outside by his hair. Emma ran behind screaming, but was powerless to stop the mob. Amidst the confusion, the front door to the home was left open and the twins were exposed to the frigid night air. This was too much for the already sick Joseph Murdock, and five days later he died.

Going As A Lamb

Can any of us imagine how it felt on that fateful summer morning when Joseph said goodbye to this family on the front lawn in Nauvoo before heading to Carthage?

He must have known he would never see them again because he said, "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer’s morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I shall die innocent, and it shall yet be said of me – he was murdered in cold blood!" – D&C 135:4

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Day Thirteen: Your Beliefs

I'm going to assume that most of the people who read this blog know all about my religious beliefs.  For those of you who may not know, I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The 13 Articles of Faith, written by Joseph Smith, are the basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and are located in the volume of scripture called The Pearl of Great Price.


Here they are:

We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost

We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression

We believe that through the Atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel

We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;  second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost

We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof

We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth

We believe the Bible to be the words of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God

We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God

We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same priviledge; let them worship how, where, or what they may

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul.  We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.  If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things

Church Under Fire

After checking Facebook a few days ago, I saw something about how Boyd K. Packer, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, is being scruitinized for his remarks in a General Conference talk on October 3, 2010 about homosexuality.   

The "controversial" talk he gave was during the Sunday morning session and is titled:

Cleansing Your Inner Vessel by Boyd K. Packer


The following is taken from The Daily Herald on October 08, 2010 and briefly explains why the Human Rights Campaign is so upset:

Utah gay activists protest remarks of Mormon apostle
SALT LAKE CITY --
Gay rights activists staged a silent protest Thursday outside the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City in response to a church leader's remarks that homosexuality is an immoral condition that can and should be overcome.

In his remarks Packer said some would argue that gays "were pre-set and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn tendencies toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone?"

Activists nationwide have called Packer's remarks hurtful and say they ostracize gay church members and can lead some to consider or attempt suicide.
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Church Responds to HRC Petition

Oct 12 2010 — Salt Lake City

News Release

'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement through a spokesman following the delivery of a petition by the Human Rights Campaign.

My name is Michael Otterson. I am here representing the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to address the matter of the petition presented today by the Human Rights Campaign. While we disagree with the Human Rights Campaign on many fundamentals, we also share some common ground. This past week we have all witnessed tragic deaths across the country as a result of bullying or intimidation of gay young men. We join our voice with others in unreserved condemnation of acts of cruelty or attempts to belittle or mock any group or individual that is different – whether those differences arise from race, religion, mental challenges, social status, sexual orientation or for any other reason. Such actions simply have no place in our society.

This Church has felt the bitter sting of persecution and marginalization early in our history, when we were too few in numbers to adequately protect ourselves and when society’s leaders often seemed disinclined to help. Our parents, young adults, teens and children should therefore, of all people, be especially sensitive to the vulnerable in society and be willing to speak out against bullying or intimidation whenever it occurs, including unkindness toward those who are attracted to others of the same sex. This is particularly so in our own Latter-day Saint congregations. Each Latter-day Saint family and individual should carefully consider whether their attitudes and actions toward others properly reflect Jesus Christ’s second great commandment - to love one another.

As a church, our doctrinal position is clear: any sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong, and we define marriage as between a man and a woman. However, that should never, ever be used as justification for unkindness. Jesus Christ, whom we follow, was clear in His condemnation of sexual immorality, but never cruel. His interest was always to lift the individual, never to tear down.

Further, while the Church is strongly on the record as opposing same-sex marriage, it has openly supported other rights for gays and lesbians such as protections in housing or employment.  The Church’s doctrine is based on love. We believe that our purpose in life is to learn, grow and develop, and that God’s unreserved love enables each of us to reach our potential. None of us is limited by our feelings or inclinations. Ultimately, we are free to act for ourselves.

The Church recognizes that those of its members who are attracted to others of the same sex experience deep emotional, social and physical feelings. The Church distinguishes between feelings or inclinations on the one hand and behavior on the other. It’s not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation.

There is no question that this is difficult, but Church leaders and members are available to help lift, support and encourage fellow members who wish to follow Church doctrine. Their struggle is our struggle. Those in the Church who are attracted to someone of the same sex but stay faithful to the Church’s teachings can be happy during this life and perform meaningful service in the Church. They can enjoy full fellowship with other Church members, including attending and serving in temples, and ultimately receive all the blessings afforded to those who live the commandments of God.

Obviously, some will disagree with us. We hope that any disagreement will be based on a full understanding of our position and not on distortion or selective interpretation. The Church will continue to speak out to ensure its position is accurately understood.

God’s universal fatherhood and love charges each of us with an innate and reverent acknowledgement of our shared human dignity. We are to love one another. We are to treat each other with respect as brothers and sisters and fellow children of God, no matter how much we may differ from one another.

We hope and firmly believe that within this community, and in others, kindness, persuasion and goodwill can prevail.

"I am glad the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is once again eloquently defending their opinions on Same Sex marriage. I rarely blog about my personal beliefs regarding religion or politics but this article is informative and I encourage members and non-members alike to become educated on the subject. Please proceed without judgment, and with an open mind." (stated by a non-member)

I couldn't have said it better myself.  I'm so grateful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  You don't have to agree with our beliefs, nor we with yours; we just ask that you be respectful, and we'll do the same.