Suffer the little children

I've said nothing about the Mormon Church's recent "policy change" (not "divine revelation," mind you) excluding children of same-sex couples from joining the Mormon Church or from receiving the ordinances of salvation (including blessings and baptism by Mormon hands). I consider the Church's action to be just "more of the same." It's another manifestation of the Church's continuing efforts to exclude (or diminish) influences it doesn't want among its membership.

Quite frankly, I don't think the LDS Church wants gay couples -- or even gay people -- living, talking, kissing or holding hands among them. Just seeing two guys or two gals marching into Sacrament Meeting holding hands, with or without "their" kids in tow, would turn many a Mormon's stomach!

Being "gay" is a "problem" most Mormons (including most gay Mormons) wish would "just go away." But it's not going away. (Not yet, at least.)

Because "gayness" -- as most of us now realize -- has its "roots" in biological, sociological and even spiritual influences -- over which most of us have little, if any, control. We've all, probably, looked at or even just heard someone speak and, in little more than an instant, concluded that "that person is gay," or "that child is definitely going to be gay." (It's not always apparent, but the fact that it is often apparent indicates that this predilection is not purely a "choice.")

For decades I prayed to God that He would take away, once and for all, my heterosexual impulses (even as I was required by my faith to maintain a celibate, unmarried lifestyle). To my sorrow, however, I still felt powerful urges. (As a married man now, I'm overjoyed -- and, hopefully, my wife is, too -- that my prayers weren't answered!)

It's a common affirmation among religious (especially Christian and Muslim) homosexuals that they would "pray without ceasing" to be rendered "straight" only to find themselves mired in homosexual tendencies again. If it were wholly a matter of "choice," these people would have "chosen" to be straight long ago! 

But they are not. A biological component, therefore, is clearly at work: a re-wiring (or "pre-wiring") of the human brain toward a specific (or non-specific) sexual orientation and proclivity. These inclinations are deeply woven into our psyche and subconscious. We can, by sheer dint of will and effort, channel and control our impulses. But matters of the heart remain universally beyond human reach (except to express or repress them). We love whom (or what) we love. We can chose to behave as we wish (to one extent or another, at best, with limited success). 

But love is another matter altogether. 

Love conquers all.

We tend to strengthen our affinity for -- and proclivity toward -- what we do and what we love to do. Hence, repentance (turning away from the unwanted desire or behavior) has its effect. We can even begin to feel love for something we previously abhorred (or did not love) simply by continuing to associate with, partake of or engage in it. 

Thus, the Mormon Church now excludes children of same-sex couples from joining the Mormon Church because children would be the "back door" through which same-sex acceptance would enter Mormonism. Baptized children of same-sex couples would say in Primary and Sunday School: "My mommies aren't evil!" "My dads love each other!" or "Our family is good!"...until same-sex status became perfectly "acceptable."

The Mormon Church excommunicated me (as it has hundreds, perhaps even thousands of others) because I was a distraction; I made others feel uncomfortable; I challenged the status quo; I wasn't willing to conform to the mantra du jour imposed by its leadership. In their eyes, I was "irredeemable" and "expendable."

I accept that.

Mormon leaders now expel (or discourage from attending Mormon services) same-sex couples and their children (who themselves may be same-sex advocates) for the same reasons. This new "policy" is as judgmental, divisive, politically incorrect and unjustifiable as the former Mormon ban on black clergy or the former Mormon practice of polygamy. 

And just like subsequent Mormon "policy changes" which overturned those formerly professed (but now repudiated) "doctrines," this practice of discouraging practicing gays from attending Church and prohibiting their celibate children from joining altogether will likely one day be reversed as well.

After all, we're not talking about coming unto Christ here. We're talking about coming unto a church for Christ's sake!

Christ taught that all are invited to come unto Him and freely partake of His salvation. Being banned from LDS Church membership might make it more difficult for some to do so, it would seem.

But Mormon leaders now concede they are seemingly incapable of, once and for all, "curing" "gayness" anyway.

I, myself, believe that being "gay" is "wrong," just like being blind is "wrong" or being paralyzed is "wrong." It is what it is. It's a psychosexual disorder and reproductive dysfunction. We are what we are, regardless of what we are! How we handle our challenges -- what we do in every circumstance with what we've been given, according to the desires of our hearts -- is our "test".

We are being tested. Each of us has been given significant (and different) tests.

The question is: does the Mormon Church help people experiencing same-sex attraction -- even practicing same-sex couples and their celibate children -- come unto Christ? 

Or does it shun them? 

To paraphrase a famous verse of scripture: "Who sinned, this child or his parents, that he was prevented from being baptized unto Christ?"

I, for one, greatly benefited from my membership in the Mormon Church. Perhaps we would be better served, however, by now personally coming unto Christ and relying upon Him to save us rather than looking to the powerless priests who are willing to turn aside at the gate any who sin differently than they do.

I have tasted of the Savior's transformative love and of His matchless power, irrespective of the influence or involvement of any other man. Jesus Christ Himself has healed (and continues to heal) my broken and unclean heart and has cast out many devils from my soul.

There is no need for any of us who would come unto Him to be turned aside by those who vainly profess to speak and act in His name.