Another display of Pride

Yesterday, on Sunday, was the 43rd annual Utah Pride Parade.
https://www.ksl.com/article/46333123/100000-turn-out-for-43rd-annual-utah-pride-parade-to-celebrate-acceptance-organizers-say

Apparently, a record-breaking 100,000 people attended.

It should be clear from past posts that I believe nobody should be discriminated against for things like work and housing, and we should love everyone as children of God. While the LGBTQ+ are free to do as they choose in the privacy of their own homes, their choice of lifestyle does not change God's commandments of morality. We can love the people, but still not support the immorality they choose to follow. While many of the LGBTQ+ community will claim otherwise, I believe the movement to make immorality socially acceptable--and in some cases actually taught in schools to be acceptable and normal--is damaging to traditional families. It is destabilizing the God-fearing, moral foundations the country was founded on.

I do not agree with the protesters. Most of them are on the other extreme of intolerance, where they will hate the person and not just the immorality.

I've read through a number of the comments. Most were very supportive of the event. Many cited tolerance, diversity, acceptance, and loving others. Others comment on it being just a "fun event." A couple comments caught my attention. It is from these that I fear those who are basically good, who have good intentions, fail to see the evil that is perpetuating and quickly spreading. These good people are blinded to the realities. They don't want to be seen as intolerant. They want to be accepted by others. As a result, how many of them either ignore or explain away the immorality that is publicly displayed.

Here are the comments:
Uinta-hiker stated: "I'm all for consenting adults doing what they want in private without government interference, but I don't understand some of the crass stuff that seems to pop up a lot in these types of public celebrations."
Ham_Sandwich commented: "I wanted to bring my children to this "family friendly" event, however last year I saw a participant walking around only in his underwear, furry boots, and a cowboy hat. Many others were also wearing similar NON-family friendly attire. I have several family members who are gay, and want my children to understand and accept diverse points of view, but I put limits on what my children are exposed to. I think my gay family members agree with me (they don't walk around in their underwear.)"
Chester S. said: "I think it's great that we can share unity, but is it necessary for grown men and women to walk around wearing nothing but their underwear and pasties? I would love to bring my children to this event, but until there are some rules as far as that goes I will do my best to protect their young minds."
Of course, some of these comments received comments of their own such as:
Marc Y.--
"Just teach your children that all people/groups have different beliefs and social norms and that adds to the rich tapestry of humanity."
Awesome1228--
"There are rules. Your kids won't see anything at the parade that they wouldn't see at a public swimming pool. And like Marc said, it's a great opportunity to teach your kids about differing views and how differences don't make people better or worse, just different. That's what tolerance is all about."
Personally I think any comparison to a public swimming pool is like apples and oranges. Most pools are contained events, meaning participants have to pay to enter and almost everyone is wearing swimsuits. Anyway, some more of those comments:
fringe--
"I truly respect the LGBTQ+ community and the strides they've made in perpetuating acceptance and diversity,as a whole. Pride, to me, doesn't require endless displays of drunkenness, foul language and lewd behavior. While I no longer attend the festival, I salute their courage in changing our society's perspective."
BrewersMike--
"Chester, I agree it's important to protect our children but I'm not sure what people showing a little more skin is doing to harm them. I brought all six of my kiddos to the fest and they had a fantastic time. For the most part they didn't even notice those who were more scantily clad because nobody was making it a big deal."
Interestingly, there was one comment I read, and left up on one computer while I pulled up the article on another computer to write this post. On the second computer, the comment was no longer showing, so the person must have deleted their comment. Fringe, who has another comment I posted earlier, stated:
"I truly admire the LGBTQ+ movement in its desire to change society's narrow thinking of the past. As a part of that community, I no longer attend the parade, as much of the behavior I've seen displayed speaks more about shock value than respect and empowerment."
From my observations it seems that too many of those in the LGBTQ+ movement are wanting social acceptance and indulgence in immorality. These "celebrations" are more about having an excuse to publicly flaunt immorality in the name of tolerance and acceptance.

Unfortunately, many of the good people who take their kids to these events are teaching their kids that this behavior should be socially acceptable and tolerated. The parent's example is teaching their children that God's commandments are not important, except maybe on the Sabbath, with the further exception of when when the Utah Pride Parade happens on the Sabbath (which it almost always does) or some other fun event.

Is there any doubt that the Wasatch Front is becoming more tolerant, accepting, and supporting of wickedness?

This is not saying that most of the people are bad. It is saying that an increasing number are not fully obeying the commandments, are not keeping covenants they may have made with God, are not following the prophet, and are not looking to have the Holy Ghost guide them in their lives.

I believe most people are inherently good, and they want to do what is good, in that they do not want to hurt or harm others. The problem is in their efforts they allow themselves to become blinded by philosophies of men, which are contrary to God. They allow for a little tolerance of immorality, followed by acceptance and support. Quickly what was once seen as wickedness and evil is socially accepted and promoted, while the commandments of God are pushed aside.

It is much like the fable of the camel whose rider had erected a tent to protect himself from the sandstorm. The camel begged to have just its nose inside the tent, out of the storm. Out of compassion and goodness the man relented and allowed the camel to put its nose inside. Then the camel begged and begged to have only its head inside and the man relented. Eventually the man allows the entire camel in and the camel kicks the man out of the tent into the sandstorm.

Here is one version of the fable:
http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=scudder&book=fables&story=arab

And a version told by President Spencer W. Kimball:
https://ldsminds.com/the-fable-of-the-camel/


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