[dtrom34]

I filled it out, but then I got to the final question, “What else do you know more about than other people?” :think:

That made me feel uncomfortable. I answered ‘nothing’ and submitted it anyway.

[dtrom34]

Thanks, it’s something I’ve been wanting to write for awhile now. It’s just the start, and I want to add a whole lot more to it.

[dtrom34]

I had to teach this lesson last week. I wrote “Great and Abominable Church” on one side of the board and “Church of the Lamb” as headings(I think that’s how I called it.). I then had the class list attributes of each, and I wrote those attributes under the correct heading. We discussed the differences between the two, and how attributes of the abominable church can appear in any church, even ours.

I had a really hard time with this lesson as people kept talking about how the destruction of many Native Americans was inspired and that dark skin was a curse. I mentioned how at the beginning the BOM mentions that the Lamanites are among the American Indians, and how most of the Native American who were killed were probably not Lamanites. (I don’t actually believe that any are/were Lamanites.) I was close to just ending class early and walking out. Instead, I read from the church’s essay about race and the priesthood. I read the ending where it says that black skin is not a curse. It made a guy in particular stop talking. There was decent conversation after that, but I left the lesson feeling exhausted and anti-social.

[dtrom34]

I like the reminder that I am not doing enough. However, the more I think about the policy the angrier I get. That doesn’t seem to help anybody, although I probably will give it a few more tries because I can’t help it.

Then, I think about what good would it do to go against the church. I could hold a demonstration in front of my church building. I could probably get my wife and a few work colleagues to join in. I see two major issues with this:

1. I could get excommunicated.

2. The church, especially the members, thrive on being attacked. It would strengthen their resolve that the policy is inspired of God. :problem:

Gay members would not be better off in anyway, and I would lose everything I’m trying to hold on to.

I am left to wonder about how I can help. The best way I see it, is that I need to show love and support for people who are affected directly by the policy. I have done a terrible job at helping, mostly because I don’t know anyone who lives around me who is affected. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to reach out to those people who need our help, or know of a thread that would tell me?

[dtrom34]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I’m pretty reserved, part of why it took me forever to post my introduction, but it’s nice to open up a little bit and get some support, even if it is anonymous.

Heber13 wrote:

My kids have seen my example. I stay because I find it worthwhile and rewarding. And yet…they ask me why I stay when I don’t believe some things. It leads to great conversations. I expected at first for many of them to not go to church as they got older, and frankly, I didn’t care if they did or did not have temple weddings…I would love them just the same because I no longer saw the fear of them having to be “one way”. In the end, they seem to be choosing to be active in the church…but when things come up in church that are problematic for them…they all come talking to dad to get my opinion.

.

I hope to be able to have that kind of relationship with my girls when they get a bit older. I definitely wouldn’t be able to ask my dad about problematic church things.

[dtrom34]

Growing up, whenever I asked people what the seer stone was, I was told that it was another name for the urim and thumim. I think that there has been a lot of confusion as to what the seer stone was.

I only learned about it after watching an episode of South Park and then doing some research. I’m still not exactly sure what it is, besides being a rock.

I don’t believe there has been any clear explanation in church correlated material as to what the seer stone actually was, and it does not seem like the church has wanted us to know the details. Why else would a church who loves to use pictures not share with us the picture until now? So, no, there is no way that you should have known. Maybe that saying is a way for members to feel unquestioningly obedient.

[dtrom34]

Bridget_night this might be the most beautiful thing I’ve read about this subject. Would you mind if I quoted you on your last few sentences on Facebook? My wife has gotten a lot of flak for posting something about gay marriage on her timeline, and she loved what you wrote.

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