can’t believe you are 40 already, makes me feel old as I am now as old as you were when you were recording with your band, still that’s 10 years younger than you!

cheers!

sj

I didn’t realize the picture that’s been painted to y’all about the LDS church down there. Sherry just filled me in. I’m truly sorry, y’all. We’re thinking perhaps the media is only showing the “crazies.” All the friends that I’ve talked with, who are Mormon…don’t have ANY hatred towards the gay community. And we totally understand the protests. Sherry mentioned they’ve been told in San Fran, by some religious groups (non Mormon), that gays are “going to hell.” What the CRAP? That’s just not what the Mormon leaders teach. ANyway…wow. What a mess.

So, if you continue to have disgust towards me…I think I can understand. I wish you truly did know what we actually believe, rather than seeing the skewed mess before you. But, I fear that’s not going to ever happen. I wish y’all only peace, and I’ll leave you be. And I just wanted to end with…Kay…wow…what an amazing talent you have. May you have continued success!

Concerning the role of the LDS (Mormon)Church….I think, perhaps, there is some misinformation concerning what their exact role was. They actually never donated any money as an institution. This fact is actually finally hitting the news media, from my understanding. The Mormon Church leaders asked the Mormon members in the state of California to closely study the issue, and to then get involved, if they felt compelled to do so. There ARE members who opposed 8. And the Church supports their free will, and has counseled all members to not judge each other on either side of the debate. The 22 million dollar sum that’s been announced as having been donated was attributed incorrectly. That money came from the Mormon members, not the Church itself. In other words, that’s money donated as California citizens…again, from my understanding. But, yes…the Church has publicly stated it feels that marriage is between a man and woman. So, I’m not sure that would constitute having it’s tax exemption revoked. But, I’m not clear on that.

I’ve always try to live by, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Therefore, I most definitely respect your fight. Again, I apologize for offending you, Kay, BriGuy, Chaztastic. Please know, that was in no way my intentions.

I believe that the Mormon Church should have its tax exempt status revoked immediately. Their role in this whole ordeal is completely unacceptable but I also have to admit that I’m kind of glad that it’s happening. You want a fight? You ain’t seen NOTHING yet, Carrie. You guys fucked with the wrong homos.

I am done here.

But, here’s something y’all may not be aware of as to why the LDS church is such a strong supporter of 8: We believe in the typical marriage. But, we also have an added ceremony in our temples. Lawful marriage, we believe is till “death do you part.” In out temples, we believe your marriage can be then sealed for “all time and eternity” (since we believe there’s life after death, we believe, if sealed, you can remain married to your spouse after this life). This is one of our most holy, sacred ceremonies in our church. Not all Mormons can enter a temple, due to just how sacred temples are. One would first need to follow all Church standards.

Now, here’s a big reason we “fight” for prop 8 (not just that we see marriage as being between man and wife). If passed, it could then mean, a same sex couple–who is married by law–could THEN sue to be sealed in our temples under the law of anti-discrimination, since by law they are now married. So, in a real sense…we, too, are fighting government from being able to tell us how we should worship. Again…we’re not fighting to take away rights from the gay community, we’re trying to be able to worship as we see fit. And, after talking with my friend Sherry about this very issue today, she said she’s starting to finally understand our concern. So, I pray that I”m making sense in this post right now.

Chaztastic…I do see where you’re coming from. Please know, I wish there WAS a middle.

So, I understand were you are coming from. I don’t expect you to know what it is to be a gay American, but I do hope that you can understand where we are coming from. But, to be honest, you are the one causing the fight…and we will fight because unjustice is unjustice despite what
religous sheild is before it.

Anyway…to my point….

It’s interesting that you brought up that you’re atheist. My friend Sherry in San Francisco, one of my friends I was referring to in my original post, is gay AND atheist. We love conversing back and forth–both with totally different views. But, still adoring and respecting each other, just the same. Anyway, the reason why I said it’s interesting you mentioned it, is because she posed the same question to me. If I believe marriage is a religious ceremony, then what ABOUT atheists? My reply was that I don’t believe God has ever said you HAVE to believe in Him (after all, He’s given us our agency to choose what we believe in this life)…and thus being a “believer” is not one of His prerequisites for marriage…though…it would be nice She chuckled.

So, anyway…yes…I guess we’re left to agreeing to disagree. Please know, my heart DOES go out to your gay friends that are struggling, hurt, angry. I find it only fair that I share with you that I’m one of those Mormons much of the gay community would love to tie down to an angry fire ant mound right about now. So, I guess that pretty much puts our beliefs on opposite ends of the spectrum. But, again…I fully understand and respect your views. And maybe one day…we will indeed agree.

To reiterate, however: I disagree with you entirely. This is an issue of civil rights. God did not give us marriage. Marriage is an entirely man-made construct that is purely practical, although we are free to enrich it with religious meaning if we so choose. Marriage is meant to keep families intact and responsible for each others’ well being for the betterment of society. Right now, this societal construct unfairly excludes an entire population from enjoying its legal, social and economic benefits while at the same time marginalizing them, and in the case of the passage of Prop 8, to humiliating effect.

If the objection is that only God can bless a marriage, should we not nullify mine? My husband and I are atheists and our marriage (which we wrote ourselves) was performed at the MIT Faculty Club by a JOP in front of our friends and family 10 years ago. What about all the people married by Elvis impersonators in Vegas? Sure, it may be an Elvis “chapel” but I hardly think those are sanctioned by God.

So we agree to disagree, that’s all. I hope someday that we will agree.