As conversations regarding the Church and LGBTQ issues only seem to be getting louder, why are so many faithful LGBTQ/SSA Latter-day Saints choosing to stay quiet?
In hopes of avoiding disappointment and contention, many of us conceal what we feel might harm our partner or relationship. Yet working through these difficulties together may be the very thing that strengthens and saves us.
Contrary to dismissive public rhetoric, more and more couples are thriving in what the world calls “mixed-orientation marriages.” Yet anyone considering it faces enormous opposition. It’s time for that to change.
“It must not have been right” we say, after another relationship full of eternal possibilities falls apart (or never starts to begin with). But could we be missing something else going on?
When we look at people as members of a group first, someone’s true character and passions may be overlooked. We feel like we understand when we understand very little.
To suggest that nuance in the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ means it has taken a “pro-choice” view on abortion is to fundamentally misconstrue what Latter-day Saint leaders actually teach.
Selectively choosing to end the life of a fetus out of concern for that baby’s future presumes the very notion that many abortion advocates often deny: that is, that this fetus is, in fact, a person—and someone whose quality of life (and existence itself) matters as much as it does for any of us.
It’s not easy to know how to answer some of the challenging questions coming up about LGBT+ issues in America today. Here are some summary responses that might be a helpful guide for believers surrounded by the fraught conversation.
A new study questions whether or not consensual use of pornography among partners can improve intimacy or the quality of the couple’s sex life.
In an effort to show compassion to our LGBT+ brothers and sisters, we should resist the urge to enable them in excluding themselves from the Plan of Salvation.
It’s common to see people focus almost exclusively on advocating “love” or defending “truth” in the LGBTQ+ / Latter-day Saint conversation. It’s far less common to see people holding both – a practice that involves a lot more stretching, discomfort, and potential breakthroughs for us all.
The topic of identity and associated symbols has been much discussed of late, especially by those harboring substantial concerns. I wonder what else could be learned if we listened more deeply to what these identities and symbols mean to those who have come to find value and importance in them?
