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Same-sex issues: A confusing religious smorgasbord
Faith-based courage retreats as political correctness takes major leap
On Tuesday the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints loosened the reins on teachings about homosexuality via this rare news conference in which church leaders called for a “fairness for all” approach “that balances religious freedom protections with reasonable safeguards for LGBT people — specifically in areas of housing, employment and public transportation.”
Couching this change of attitude as an issue of “housing, employment and public transportation,” and glib use of the acronym LGBT, appears to be acceptance of the camel’s nose under the tent, since these issues were already addressed in 2009 as the LDS Church endorsed two Salt Lake City ordinances barring housing and job discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Nearly 20 Utah cities and counties have passed similar ordinances.
This Salt Lake City Tribune report contains information on pending legislation to protect religious individuals’ ability to refuse to marry same-sex couples, but even the sponsor is unsure it will pass.
In July 2013, it was Pope Francis who uttered the stunning words, “Who am I to judge?” when speaking with reporters about homosexuality within the Catholic Church.
In the words of the Catechism, the Church teaches that homosexuals “must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity” and that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” But the Catechism also describes a “homosexual inclination” as “objectively disordered” and homosexual acts as “intrinsically disordered,” because sexuality is “an integral part of the love by which a man and a woman commit themselves totally to one another until death.”
Biblical teachings have remained consistently clear on the topic of homosexuality. Leviticus 20:13 leaves no doubt that homosexual relations are against God’s law. In Romans 1:24 Paul preached to the Romans that homosexual behavior was sinful.
The Bible is a sacred book of scripture that serves as an important pillar of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
As overreaching courts have legitimized same-sex marriages in dozens of states, including those with large Mormon populations such as Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Utah, a growing number of churchgoers have pushed the conservative church to become more accepting of homosexual members —- a considerably altered position since the church’s involvement as one of the leading forces behind California’s 2008 ballot measure known as Proposition 8, prohibiting such unions.
This Dec. 2012 Pew Research Center report provides an overview of the official positions on same-sex marriage held by 16 religious groups in the U.S.
Source: https://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/same-sex-issues-a-confusing-religious-smorgasbord/
