Reaching Out and Looking In

Have you seen it yet?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has unveiled a new website aimed at clearing up misconceptions about the church's relationship with the gay community. While the church's doctrine is clear in not promoting sinful actions, we can still condemn sin while loving the sinner. One does not simply cast off and disown an alcoholic for indulging in sin -- instead, we strive to walk with them and help them overcome their addiction. The same is true here.
It is possible to be gay and Mormon -- in the ways that some who deal with this stigma are striving to overcome it. While there appears to be a subsection of Mormon culture that ostracizes and condemns those who live an openly gay lifestyle, we as members of the church should strive to be love, care for and accept any of our friends or family members who deal with same-gender attraction.

“As a church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach. Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.” (Elder Quentin Cook, Quorum of Twelve Apostles)

As a single, straight member of the LDS church, I am under the same obligations and responsibilities of living a clean and chaste life as my SGA friends. It is in the acting on a sinful notion that we find ourselves in need of repentance -- and I would need repentance for violating the law of chastity in the same way anyone with SGA would. The church's stance on actions will likely never change -- but its stance toward people will remain one of love and understanding.
Come and join us. Worship with us. Serve with us. Love God with us.
We're all in this together.