reid dumps on church

[Vort]

This is called a political manuver. Or....selling your soul for a pot of porriage.

"Mess of pottage", perhaps?

[StallionMcBeastly]

Soooo.... does he not believe the Prophet is really a Prophet?

[Vort]

Soooo.... does he not believe the Prophet is really a Prophet?

I am of two minds about this. On the one hand, publicly criticizing the Church or its leading brethren seems manifestly unwise and dangerously close to apostasy.

On the other hand, if Reid is being consistent with the principles he believes and with which he was elected, that does not seem like a bad thing. In fact, if he were to go against his own beliefs and promises to his constituents in order to support the Church's stated position, he would be confirming all that is so often said by antiMormons about the dangers of a Mormon politician: "He'll just be a puppet for Salt Lake." This might (or might not) be the safer course for Harry Reid personally, but it certainly seems the more dangerous course for LDS politicians and the perception of wrongful influence by the LDS Church.

[prisonchaplain]

OK...I didn't sign over my citizenship rights when I became a Christian. I still vote, and I still have a say in what the general moral tenor of our country will be. Historically, nations secular and religious have rejected same sex marriage. In fact, by definition, marriage is between a man and a woman. All societies set social standards. And, Jesus commands us to be "salt and light." To promote righteousness and godliness. So, I will support legislation that drives us in that direction. I may not stop immorality, but if I can raise a voice, and perhaps slow down, even a little, our national decline, then I've not waisted my time or money.

[Just_A_Guy]

OK...I didn't sign over my citizenship rights when I became a Christian.

No, but we Mormons are working diligently to ensure that that situation will be corrected once Mitt Romney takes his rightful place.

[Saguaro]

What could the Church do to convince African American couples to get/stay married? One would think that anyone who wanted to take marital advice from the Mormons would have joined the Church already.

I don't know what we could do, I didn't claim to have a solution to the problem. I just think that if we can mobilize the time and resources of the church and its members to fight gay marriage, we could also use those resources to help members and non members alike to create and keep traditional families as well.

[Saguaro]

Do you have a source, Saguaro? I don't doubt it I am just interested in numbers.

There was an article a couple of days ago in the print edition of the Arizona Republic, I threw it out already and I couldn't find the article online. To me it just illustrated how traditional marriage in one area of society is failing.

[Traveler]

I have to agree with Reid, I think the Church's resources could be used more effectively elsewhere. I recently read that 70% of all African American children are born out of wedlock.

I think it is more beneficial to encourage people to get married and stay married than it is to prevent a small minority from getting married.

Benefit is a most interesting idea in this discussion. It is easy for me to understand the necessity and benefit that society has is supporting traditional heterosexual marriage because without such unions the human family could not be guaranteed future generations.

What benefit missing in society do you see that demands society support homosexual marriage? I am open to be convinced if for once I can have reasonable discussion based in truth and not fantasy or unfounded emotion.

The Traveler

[Moksha]

So, I will support legislation that drives us in that direction. I may not stop immorality, but if I can raise a voice, and perhaps slow down, even a little, our national decline, then I've not waisted my time or money.

Would the Assemblies of God be willing to foot the bill for some future political campaign and give us a break?

[prisonchaplain]

Moksha, my guess is that per capita, we're right up with you in our support of socially conservative issues. Remember James Watt? John Ashcroft? They were our guys.

[Faded]

The Gay Rights Movement is organized, well-funded, aggressive and highly motivated. They are also working to establish Homosexuality as a completely socially acceptable and normal thing. They are devious, citing science and genetics that don't even exist and citing studies that are either biased or inconsequential. They'll do anything to convince the world that their lifestyle is exactly the way God made them, perfectly normal, and should be accepted equally with heterosexual lifestyles.

If we are standing for God and His ways, why give in to the political psycho-babble that tells us that we "have no right" or "have no business" or "are wasting our time." Who told any of you these things? The media? Society?

Homosexuality is no longer forbidden by the law, just as adultry and fornication are no longer prosecuted against. That doesn't make them any less wrong? Likewise, sexual deviancy is in play for acceptance. Where do we draw the line? Recognition of Beastiality as normal and fine? Acceptance of pedophiles? Necrophilia?

If the people claiming to be God's Covenant People are wishy washy and can't take a real stand, who WILL stand up for what is right?? Sexual sin of all types should have legal consequences, but for whatever reason, the governments of today have opted out of enforcement. So what can we do? We can do whatever we can. We can take a stand wherever there is an opportunity to do so. We can stop giving into the World's definition of right an wrong and trust the God knows what he's doing and knows what he's talking about. It seems pretty straightforward to me.

[ADoyle90815]

I wouldn't be surprised if he faces church discipline for this, since there was at least one case where an active LDS member was excommunicated for publicly opposing Prop 8 with a website. If the LDS church can do that with someone who isn't a politician, they could easily do that to Reid since he said something that is against what the church teaches.

[Just_A_Guy]

I wouldn't be surprised if he faces church discipline for this, since there was at least one case where an active LDS member was excommunicated for publicly opposing Prop 8 with a website.

Who?

EDIT: If you're referring to Andrew Callahan, I think the issue isn't so much what he said as how he said it. See his website. Also, it's pretty clear from his musings on his new cause célèbre that his Church membership was effectively over well before the Prop 8 kerfluffle.

At any rate, unless Senator Reid becomes much more strident I would venture to say that he will retain his church membership as long as he wants it.

Edited October 14, 2009 by Just_A_Guy