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LDS and gays
Public Forum Letter, sltrib.com from the Web, April 27, 2008
The Tribune has recently printed several thoughtful letters from gay (former)
Mormons, outlining the LDS stance on homosexuality and the reasons many gays
leave The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church's continued
refusal to admit that homosexuality is an inborn trait forces its gay members to
either spend their lives trying to be something they aren't, or to ditch the
church altogether.
Imagine a Mormon Samoan being told by the church, "It's OK if you are Samoan,
but you can't speak Samoan, or wear Samoan traditional clothes, or practice any
Samoan dances, or eat any Samoan food. God made you Samoan, but he doesn't want
you to act on it." The Samoan would rightly feel indignant and wonder why God
makes Samoans in the first place if he doesn't want anyone to act Samoan.
What a waste for gay Mormons (out of fear, guilt or the sincere desire to do the
right thing) to deny themselves potential life partners and fulfilling
relationships by either being celibate or entering into "traditional" marriages.
I look forward to the day when LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson gets the
revelation that gays (just like people of color) aren't inherently evil after
all.
Jane Wolfarth, Salt Lake City
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