Utah's Lt. Governor's Apology to the LGBTQ community (Mormons, churches, LDS)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Utah's Lt. Governor, Spencer Cox, is an LDS Republican from a small town in central Utah, who has come to see the LGBTQ community differently during his time in office. I did not hear this speech in person, but watched the video online yesterday. I've got to say that it really touched my heart: Utah Lt. Governor Apologizes For Past Attitude Toward Gay People. His speech is just over 9 minutes long and well worth watching.
The more that LBGT people come out the more likely one is to know someone who is LBGT and it is harder to dismiss groups of people who are different from yourself when you know or are related to someone from that group.
I did not watch the video but hats off to Mr. Cox for doing so. I too had a very negative attitude towards LBGT people back in the 60s partly as I never encountered anyone who I knew was one. I was naïve and I was wrong back then too.
Talk is cheap. I will believe it when I see action.
You apparently think people can't change. I feel bad that you're so cynical. It takes an extraordinary amount of political courage for an LDS Republican politician in Utah -- at any level, but especially the Lieutenant Governor -- to stand up and publicly say what he said in this speech. For him to make this speech here in Utah is going to lose him more friends and more support than it will ever gain him. I'm sure he knew he was putting his political career in some jeopardy.
You apparently think people can't change. I feel bad that you're so cynical. It takes an extraordinary amount of political courage for an LDS Republican politician in Utah -- at any level, but especially the Lieutenant Governor -- to stand up and publicly say what he said in this speech. I'm sure he knew he was putting his political career in some jeopardy.
You want to know why I'm so cynical? Because politicians just like this one have been voting in laws that deny me the same rights and protections that they have, and now that a tragedy has occurred they are trying to offer condolences. After doing everything in their power to deny me equal rights and calling me every think under the sun I'm now supposed to be all teary eyed that they speak flowery words? So sorry, but I'll believe all of the lip service when I see actions that back it up.
He and others like him are spewing pretty words while passing laws that allow me to be treated as less than, they are part of the problem. As long as I have to look around before holding my wifes hand in public for fear of being attacked, anyone who is against me is the problem. Just yesterday one of my trans friends was beaten to within an inch of his life because he was born a woman, as long as ANYONE is not acting to protect us, they are the enemy. One of my friends was killed in Orlando, those that spend their time passing hateful laws against us are the enemy.
It is now to the point that if you do not support me and those like me then you are now the enemy, and will be treated as such, and words mean nothing in this fight. And to all of the "Christians" that keep saying that at least we aren't committing mass murder while fighting to deny me basic protections under the law and speak hate that allows this kind of idea to fester, YOU are the enemy.
You apparently think people can't change. I feel bad that you're so cynical. It takes an extraordinary amount of political courage for an LDS Republican politician in Utah -- at any level, but especially the Lieutenant Governor -- to stand up and publicly say what he said in this speech. For him to make this speech here in Utah is going to lose him more friends and more support than it will ever gain him. I'm sure he knew he was putting his political career in some jeopardy.
From what I understand, the LDS church as a whole is kind of pivoting to embrace homosexuality. He's only doing what the church leaders have modeled.
From what I understand, the LDS church as a whole is kind of pivoting to embrace homosexuality. He's only doing what the church leaders have modeled.
Katzpur will correct me if I'm wrong, but to my knowledge, the LDS church isn't pivoting at all; it's just that significant numbers of Mormons are way ahead of the church on this. And significant numbers aren't. I would predict it is largely age-related, with younger people pushing for change and older people pushing for the status quo.
Here is the official word from mormonsandgays.org, a web site that is put up by the LDS church:
Quote:
The experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals do not choose to have such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them. With love and understanding, the Church reaches out to all God’s children, including our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.
This is officially no different than some fundamentalist churches ... so long as you are celibate you can be attracted to the same sex. I would imagine even this is a bridge too far for some fundamentalists, but I have seen even fairly strident fundamentalists adopt this view at least personally.
There's a link to his speech in the Orlando thread and I read it yesterday. I was impressed. He comes across as thoughtful, honest and truly contrite. I hope it sends a positive ripple to less enlightened believers.
But I also understand and share jj's anger and reluctance to accept platitudes in place of action. I too think it's time to go on the offensive and start targeting those boorish Christian bigots cheering on the fact the world has 49 fewer gays.
There's a link to his speech in the Orlando thread and I read it yesterday. I was impressed. He comes across as thoughtful, honest and truly contrite. I hope it sends a positive ripple to less enlightened believers.
He is reacting to what God has "written in our hearts" under the guidance of the Comforter in defiance of the "precepts and doctrines of men" his church follows. It happens more and more to truly Christ-like followers of Christ. Unfortunately, the majority are still anti-Christ apostates in these latter days as prophesied. The few who listen to their hearts are an encouraging sign. The majority who remain condemnatory and hard-hearted, like Vizio, simply add to the evil this world embodies all the while thinking they are being righteous. It is a travesty!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
