{Claireification}

I know all of my avid blog readers are antsy about my cynical blog, but that’s going to wait just a bit. Right now, something more serious, a topic that keeps resurfacing. And I want to claire-ify something to everyone who knows me.

So I’m reading the Visiting Teaching message for this month, and it’s about Upholding, Nourishing and Protecting the Family. Probably, and obviously in retreospect of the propostion 8 / Mormon debacle.

I was still in California when the Presidency of the church had the bishops read the letter calling the members of the state to do what they can to take action to not let this proposition pass. When I was told this, I said no.

I would not take a part in something that I did not believe in. I believe that i have a right to have my faith, to believe in God, to believe in Jesus Christ, to believe in The Book of Mormon, to believe in the restoration of Christ’s true church and the many things that entails; and in turn, I believe that others have the right to believe how they wish. If men or women believe that they truly love someone of the same sex, who am I to tell them that they can’t? That they are corrupt or wrong? There is no way I could do that when I wish to keep my beliefs.

I didn’t think about my stance to much and assumed I was being fair.

I took an online class for fall semester, Teachings of the Living Prophets, and the course called for reading talks of Apostles and Prophets. I don’t remember which talks they were (I could probably look back in my notes and look, but i’m too lazy) but it cause me to reflect on myself and my beliefs and has changed my stance.

I still believe that others are allowed to have their beliefs and make their own decisions if I am allowed to have mine.

But the fact is, I have my beliefs and faith, but I didn’t care to defend it. What is the point in believing something if you don’t defend it? I could believe in something completely worthless and it’d be the same thing. This goes for all of my beliefs, not just my beliefs about families and the sanctity of marriage.

Basically all my ranting and raving comes down to this: I will do my best to let others make their own choices and believe how they want as long as I am allowed the same right. I will do my best to not let my boldness in defending my beliefs be confused with pride and narrow-mindedness.