Bridge of Reason

Here is an interesting development. A blog to petition the Mormon Church to change its policy on homosexuality – by Mormons. Whatever your view on the issue this is a thoughtful blog and a very interesting development. Another example of Mormons beginning to think for themselves and face the issues of the modern world without simply toeing the party line. "We the undersigned, in the spirit of love and peace, earnestly seek to create a climate for reconciliation between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and gays and lesbians who have been affected by the policies, practices and politics of the Church. We recognize that issues surrounding sexuality and gender orientation are complex; that understanding of these matters has evolved, especially over the past several decades, and are continuing to evolve as scientists, therapists, theologians and others continue to explore and ponder their meaning and significance; We believe that people of good will may have differing v...

Many may know that a battle raged in California last year over what is known as Proposition 8, an amendment to local legislation designed to confine marriage to relationships between men and women. I commented on it a little while ago in earlier post . The Mormons threw themselves into the "Yes" campaign along with Catholics, Evangelicals and others. However, the Mormons drew most of the rage felt by the gay community and liberals in general putting them near the top of many news reports for the wrong reasons. Anyway, the "Yes" vote won and traditional marriage values have prevailed, much to the chagrin of those who wished to call by the name of marriage anything that suited them. Inevitably, someone must be to blame and the Mormons seem to be getting all the attention again but this time their methods and integrity are being seriously challenged and, it would seem, there is some substance to the charge that they have broken the law. The article I have linked to is ...

California is in the middle of a constitutional battle over the issue of same-sex marriage, with liberals asserting that they have every right to do as they please in this matter without let or hindrance and conservatives insisting that everyone has the right to do it their way. The liberal argument is a familiar one – the greatest degree of freedom (read licence) with the least amount of interference from any particular (read religious) viewpoint. The conservative argument is as familiar – the greatest degree of responsibility for the greatest number of people to create the widest possible security for society by maintaining the Christian foundations on which that society was established. I am not a resident of California, neither am I American so my interest in this issue has been what you might call concern from a distance. As a Christian of the conservative variety my sympathies lie with those who wish to strengthen Christian values. What has caught my attention, however, is the wa...