hobart wrote:Again I haven't read the Monson story, but besides being the head of the church that publicly opposed gay marriage and the one who asked a church representative to meet with the president of Affirmation (which never came to fruition), I haven't seen President Monson really affect the gay community in Utah.
The article talks about how Pres Monson's actions with Prop 8 galvanized the gay population in Utah, and how they are now more active and are raising awareness throughout Utah. Without Pres Monson taking that action, Utah gays are still where they once were.
I think Prop 8 has galvanized gay people all over the country.
moksha wrote:I hope President Monson can somehow extend an olive branch, to the gay community, in the future.
Grandma Moses was old when she took up painting, President Kimball was at an advanced age in 1978 and hope springs eternal.
In a way, it seemed that Pres Monson has always been less anti-gay than other authorities. Just after he was sustained, he directed that a church representative meet with Affirmation (a gay LDS organization), something that the church had turned down doing for a long time. And I've yet to hear him say anything about homosexuality.
The thing is, even with President Kimball, that there isn't always agreement amongst the general authorities. For years leading to 1978, there was a lot of disagreement about the black priesthood issue. I have a feeling that if President Monson gave the go-ahead to leave gay people alone, Packer and a few others would raise holy hell in the temple's upper rooms over it (no pun intended).
hobart wrote:In a way, it seemed that Pres Monson has always been less anti-gay than other authorities. Just after he was sustained, he directed that a church representative meet with Affirmation (a gay LDS organization), something that the church had turned down doing for a long time. And I've yet to hear him say anything about homosexuality.
The thing is, even with President Kimball, that there isn't always agreement amongst the general authorities. For years leading to 1978, there was a lot of disagreement about the black priesthood issue. I have a feeling that if President Monson gave the go-ahead to leave gay people alone, Packer and a few others would raise holy hell in the temple's upper rooms over it (no pun intended).
I think you are likely correct, although I think Pres Monson doesn't feel strongly enough about it to get sideways of the hardliners of the Brethren. It's a battle he's not willing to fight until he is forced to.
As I said long ago, we will not see any change in the handling of this issue until after these men are dead... probably until long after they are dead.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
moksha wrote:I hope President Monson can somehow extend an olive branch, to the gay community, in the future.
When is that gonna happen? When hell freezes over?
Do you remember, recall few years ago GBH going to Mountain Meadows site giving a nice speech and not apologizing or admitting any Mormon role in the massacre, like he did a great favor to descendants of MMM. Monson is as shortsighted as his predecessor. These guys are predators of souls. Unfortunately their business is going nowhere but south.