Pride rising in Utah
This is a sensitive topic because, unless you fully and completely support the LGBT+ community and their agenda you are labeled as biased, hateful, bigoted, and a number of other negative labels. Those who are least willing to allow for free speech and freedom of religion seem to be many of the LGBT+ supporters. You can express your opinion, but if it's contrary to theirs it's labeled as mentioned. And, they're entitled to their freedom of speech and expression, but too many are unwilling to allow others the same right and respect.
God allows us to choose who we will serve. If we choose to serve God, he has given us instructions to become better. We typically call these instructions "commandments", but they are really designed to help us treat each other better, and to help us become better children of God, and followers of Christ. While many view the rules God gives as restrictive, the reality is they lead us from captivity into freedom.
If someone chooses to not follow God's commandments, that is their choice. God still loves them, but they cannot receive the blessings and freedom that will come by obeying the commandments.
Unless someones actions infringes on the rights and freedoms of others, we should not be regulating their actions. Theft, murder, and a number of other malicious acts directly affect others and must be regulated with laws of the land. But a sexual preference does not affect others so it should not be regulated. Acting on sexual preferences can affect others and this is where things become dicey.
In the Church someone can be LGBT+ and hold callings, and enjoy the privileges any other member has. However, if that person acts contrary to the commandments of God, then their privileges may be restricted or lost. This does not mean we should love the person any less. Just as the Savior did, we need to be willing to love all of our brothers and sisters, despite their choices and actions.
The Savior was among the sinners, and he loved them. But he never told them to keep sinning and disobeying God's commandments. He never said they would be saved in their sins. He actually told people to "sin no more."
We can be saved "from" our sins through repentance and following the path the Savior has shown and doing our best to sin no more. But we can't be saved by continuing to live a life "in" sin. That is willfully disobeying God's commandments and believing we will be saved in a sinful sate, where we make no attempt to change ourselves and try to not sin.
It is this pride that is worrisome. Believing we can sin and still be saved. Believing that sin is acceptable to God.
The fact that Salt Lake has a Pride Parade to show support to the LGBT+ community is not as worrisome as the fact that the event is held on the Sabbath day, and is attended by thousands of people who supposedly purport to follow God's commandments. Who do these people choose to follow? Certainly not God and his commandments. They have chosen to disrespect God's commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Add to that, they are attending an event that openly supports--and some may add, encourages--the disobedience of God's commandments and the dissolution of the establishment of marriage and family that God set up.
Here's the article from KSL
https://www.ksl.com/article/46565127/this-is-our-tribe-thousands-of-utahns-don-rainbow-colors-to-show-unity-for-lgbt-community
Despite what LGBT+ supporters claim, it is possible to love and respect our LGBT+ brothers and sisters without condoning or supporting their actions and choices. The Savior did it, we can do it to. We can offer love and support to an individual, but by attending such an event as the Pride Parade it signals that we support the community and their lifestyle choice.
If we attend the event, what message does this send to our children? Most parents who attend think it teaches their children that we can be loving, supportive, and inclusive. However, they miss the more important message that children learn. They mistakenly learn that LGBT+ choices and actions must be acceptable to God, and that those in LGBT+ relationships are not in opposition to God's commandments. They learn that it's okay to rebel against God's commandments if it's socially acceptable, particularly if their parents are their supporting the movement.
Pride is increasing in Utah. And Pride comes before the fall.
God allows us to choose who we will serve. If we choose to serve God, he has given us instructions to become better. We typically call these instructions "commandments", but they are really designed to help us treat each other better, and to help us become better children of God, and followers of Christ. While many view the rules God gives as restrictive, the reality is they lead us from captivity into freedom.
If someone chooses to not follow God's commandments, that is their choice. God still loves them, but they cannot receive the blessings and freedom that will come by obeying the commandments.
Unless someones actions infringes on the rights and freedoms of others, we should not be regulating their actions. Theft, murder, and a number of other malicious acts directly affect others and must be regulated with laws of the land. But a sexual preference does not affect others so it should not be regulated. Acting on sexual preferences can affect others and this is where things become dicey.
In the Church someone can be LGBT+ and hold callings, and enjoy the privileges any other member has. However, if that person acts contrary to the commandments of God, then their privileges may be restricted or lost. This does not mean we should love the person any less. Just as the Savior did, we need to be willing to love all of our brothers and sisters, despite their choices and actions.
The Savior was among the sinners, and he loved them. But he never told them to keep sinning and disobeying God's commandments. He never said they would be saved in their sins. He actually told people to "sin no more."
We can be saved "from" our sins through repentance and following the path the Savior has shown and doing our best to sin no more. But we can't be saved by continuing to live a life "in" sin. That is willfully disobeying God's commandments and believing we will be saved in a sinful sate, where we make no attempt to change ourselves and try to not sin.
It is this pride that is worrisome. Believing we can sin and still be saved. Believing that sin is acceptable to God.
The fact that Salt Lake has a Pride Parade to show support to the LGBT+ community is not as worrisome as the fact that the event is held on the Sabbath day, and is attended by thousands of people who supposedly purport to follow God's commandments. Who do these people choose to follow? Certainly not God and his commandments. They have chosen to disrespect God's commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Add to that, they are attending an event that openly supports--and some may add, encourages--the disobedience of God's commandments and the dissolution of the establishment of marriage and family that God set up.
Here's the article from KSL
https://www.ksl.com/article/46565127/this-is-our-tribe-thousands-of-utahns-don-rainbow-colors-to-show-unity-for-lgbt-community
Despite what LGBT+ supporters claim, it is possible to love and respect our LGBT+ brothers and sisters without condoning or supporting their actions and choices. The Savior did it, we can do it to. We can offer love and support to an individual, but by attending such an event as the Pride Parade it signals that we support the community and their lifestyle choice.
If we attend the event, what message does this send to our children? Most parents who attend think it teaches their children that we can be loving, supportive, and inclusive. However, they miss the more important message that children learn. They mistakenly learn that LGBT+ choices and actions must be acceptable to God, and that those in LGBT+ relationships are not in opposition to God's commandments. They learn that it's okay to rebel against God's commandments if it's socially acceptable, particularly if their parents are their supporting the movement.
Pride is increasing in Utah. And Pride comes before the fall.
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