While outwardly and seemingly commendable - this is a duplicitous love. Much like one's family members saying "hate the sin, but love the sinner." My own family has given me that line - and strangely it has not drawn me closer to them (!) It's just not a warm and cuddly message. Mormons "showing love" in a gay pride parade may warm one's heart for a few moments, but there's the after taste. Oh, you believe I'm going to hell for who I am. But you love me in any case. Okay, well thanks.
Their message is also duplicitous. "Showing love" doesn't in and of itself prevent LGBT youth suicides. Retracting one's religious convictions that LGBT people are inherently sinful does. In fact, it does it in spades. Holding both positions is delusional. It smacks of some faux universe where we all lovingly co-exist while also believing some are innately inferior. It belongs in a bad science fiction novel.
It smells vaguely treacherous to me. Or maybe not so vague. We love you, even though you're sinners, because in truth we're all sinners. Well, thank you for defining "who I am" as innately sinful. Smooch smooch kiss kiss.
I could very well say Mormons are inherently sinful because of their religion, while also saying "I love them" and I sorta doubt they would buy it. I don't believe Mormons are sinful - and I respect what is in fact their choice of religion. Live and let live, it's not my business in any case.
I can't get on the bandwagon with this. Why? Because my stomach churns with the duplicity.
I completely empathize with your experience and family background.
I agree with all your substantive points, believe me. However, I like the idea of starting a dialogue with more liberal members of the LDS. It puts pressure on the Church to evolve...maybe not in my lifetime. But just maybe! They had "vision" in the 1970's where they evolved on race, so who knows!
Also, I believe in what Dan Savage is doing with Brian Brown of NOM, inviting him to his house and starting a dialogue. Dan won't change Brian's mind, but the videotape of that conservation is gold because it will further expose the convoluted logic of the homophobes and show that our movement is a force for love. As Harvey said, they more people openly dialogue about homosexuality, the more we win. I believe that.
While outwardly and seemingly commendable - this is a duplicitous love. Much like one's family members saying "hate the sin, but love the sinner." My own family has given me that line - and strangely it has not drawn me closer to them (!) It's just not a warm and cuddly message. Mormons "showing love" in a gay pride parade may warm one's heart for a few moments, but there's the after taste. Oh, you believe I'm going to hell for who I am. But you love me in any case. Okay, well thanks.
ReplyDeleteTheir message is also duplicitous. "Showing love" doesn't in and of itself prevent LGBT youth suicides. Retracting one's religious convictions that LGBT people are inherently sinful does. In fact, it does it in spades. Holding both positions is delusional. It smacks of some faux universe where we all lovingly co-exist while also believing some are innately inferior. It belongs in a bad science fiction novel.
It smells vaguely treacherous to me. Or maybe not so vague. We love you, even though you're sinners, because in truth we're all sinners. Well, thank you for defining "who I am" as innately sinful. Smooch smooch kiss kiss.
I could very well say Mormons are inherently sinful because of their religion, while also saying "I love them" and I sorta doubt they would buy it. I don't believe Mormons are sinful - and I respect what is in fact their choice of religion. Live and let live, it's not my business in any case.
I can't get on the bandwagon with this. Why? Because my stomach churns with the duplicity.
I completely empathize with your experience and family background.
DeleteI agree with all your substantive points, believe me. However, I like the idea of starting a dialogue with more liberal members of the LDS. It puts pressure on the Church to evolve...maybe not in my lifetime. But just maybe! They had "vision" in the 1970's where they evolved on race, so who knows!
Also, I believe in what Dan Savage is doing with Brian Brown of NOM, inviting him to his house and starting a dialogue. Dan won't change Brian's mind, but the videotape of that conservation is gold because it will further expose the convoluted logic of the homophobes and show that our movement is a force for love. As Harvey said, they more people openly dialogue about homosexuality, the more we win. I believe that.