Sunday Thoughts

During their eighteen month mission to Myanmar, my parents taught several English classes, one being held in the small building where the Yangon branch met on a weekly basis. My sisters and I accompanied my parents to their classes while we were visiting and during one class, my dad had each of us sit in smaller groups with about eight of their students and converse in English.

Most of the student's English was very rudimentary and the possible topics were limited to our names, our families, our ages and hobbies. However, I believe one topic that was brought up with each group was what I thought of Myanmar.

I made sure to reply with enthusiasm about their beautiful land (it's really stunning), their art and the kindness of the people. Likewise, the question usually turned and a few wanted to give their opinions about America.

There can't be many things as embarrassing as what America looks like on TV. Most of these people had never met any Americans outside of the humanitarian missionaries from the church, but they did know who Britney Spears was. My only defense was to emphatically tell them, "Most American people are not anything like Britney Spears!"

Today, in Sacrament Meeting, a soft-spoken and kind man serving in the bishopric made a few comments about the unfortunate hostility displayed towards the LDS church this week following the passing of Proposition 8 in California. With sadness in his voice, he wondered what the world was coming to when one police officer overheard another police officer make the comment "I hope they burn it down" referring to the Los Angeles temple as protesters started to climb the temple fence. He sorrowed that the temple grounds in Salt Lake City could become a place of fear instead of peace after an envelope containing white powder was mailed to an office building on Temple square. I agree. These stories make me sad and, I admit....mad.

Does this building offend you?

But as I sat there, I remembered explaining to an impressionable Myanmar teenager about the millions upon millions of good, decent, non-insane clothes wearing Americans that never make it on the TV shows or magazine covers. Our news, our movies, our television shows don't really represent who we are and how we act. I can't help but feel the same rules apply in their case.

Clearly, the gay and lesbian movement has some bad apples - some Britney Spears in their midst. Those bad apples are obviously more exciting than the quiet, peaceful protesters and as a result, they make the news with their hateful signs, deplorable behavior and intolerant remarks. But the whole group is not - cannot be hateful, deplorable, and intolerant. We, as human beings, just aren't.

I am in favor of protecting the definition of traditional marriage and I am not a bigot. Defining marriage as something between a man and a woman is not the definition of hate. Thinking so is no different than George Bush saying, "You're either with us, or against us." Yes. That's right. You agree with George Bush (Gasp!). I believe in the Golden Rule and I believe every man, woman and child is a literal child of God. I firmly believe that men are that they have joy. I've heard this argument to defend those who want same-sex marriages to be legal - that every person has the right to be happy and to be married to the person they love. I agree...in part.

The Declaration of Independence states:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

There's the hiccup. Are our rights given to us by our government, which is most definitely secular, or by our "Creator" - God, who is holy? If given by God, which is what is written, then, ideally, our legal rights should match perfectly with our eternal, spiritual rights. However, more often they do not and are thus held, in my opinion, to a lesser standard. So, if the gay and lesbian movement wants the secular, non-holy government to give them the green light to be legally joined together, then I think they have the right to pursue that possibility. But, they seem to want more than a green light.

I think what they really want, just like myself, is to feel the joy that God promises. They use the phrase "pursuing happiness" and, unfortunately, have been deceived that this kind of happiness - joy - is possible to attain while committing sin. Yes, I believe engaging in homosexuality is a sin. My source for believing that comes from the same source that tells me murder, adultery, stealing, lying and cheating are sins. Justification by using alternative interpretations in my mind equates to what Bill Clinton did when hedging about the definition of "is". There is right and there is wrong because there is opposition in all things. There is wickedness and righteousness - misery and joy. I want my brothers and sisters to be happy on earth, because that's the here and now that we know, but I want their eternal happiness more. I don't believe turning our backs on truth is doing anyone a favor. I certainly don't think accepting sin is an act of love.

THE act of love.

So, I sit here on a Sunday evening...in limbo land, wishing for calm and understanding. The brave, brave souls who worked tirelessly for passage of Prop 8 in California had every right to express their beliefs through the democratic process just as the groups protesting now have the same right to stand in front of courthouses and government buildings peacefully waving signs. It's the goons on either side that don't belong.

Even though the news doesn't fairly represent the debate and there are a few who spoil the efforts of many, the democratic process, protests and all, is one of the best faces of America and one I would be proud to show the people of Myanmar.