The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

I am fully aware that this is a great time to be alive. When I think about living in the days before cars, televisions, microwaves, and digital cameras, I count my blessings that I live now instead. Our lives are so easy. We have so much leisure time. We get to go out to restaurants, see movies, spend time with our families. We can hop a plane and fly to Europe for a week, or take a cruise to the Bahamas. We can carry phones with us everywhere we go so that our loved ones can reach us at all times. We have medicine to treat most diseases, and even surgeries and medicines for things that aren't life-threatening. A woman giving birth to a baby can be completely numb from the waist down!!!! That's one of the best things, if you ask me.

At the same time, this is a hard world to live in. The world is constantly seeing one war or another being fought. There are drugs and gangs destroying teenagers. Promiscuity and teen pregnancy is considered normal. Having an affair is commonplace. Getting divorced is all but expected. We're definitely living in the best of times, as well as the worst of times.

This has been an especially rough past couple of days for me. First, my preferred nominee doesn't win the White House. It's not a huge deal, and in fact it was a very historic election what with the first minority president being elected and all, but it still kind of put me on edge. Ben's in the Air Force, so matters that deal with National Security in general and the military in particular hit very close to home. I would have felt much safer with a President who really understands the situation, thanks to his experiences as an actual member of the military. I would even have felt okay about a President that believes in our good men and women overseas, and wants to help them succeed (especially since the war is all but won. All we need now is to see it through). Obama, however, has promised to pull troops out of Iraq within his first 16 months in office. The terrorists know that we've beaten them. If we pull out now, it will look to them like a sign from God that their cause is just, and they will follow us back here, to America, to reap more destruction and fear. More innocent people will die. At least, that's how I picture it, and if you think about it, it doesn't seem like an unrealistic scenario. The terrorists are fanatics when it comes to their religion. They're willing to kill for it, and to die for it. They're not just going to leave us alone.

I have no doubt that Obama is a good man and is doing what he thinks is right. I'm just praying that things work out. I don't want to have to worry about bombs and nukes in my neighborhood. So hopefully Obama listens to his advisors and hears out all sides before making a decision, and then goes with what is right. I'm praying for him. As leader of the most powerful country in the world, he needs all our prayers.

So anyway, that's the first thing that's made me a little distraught. The other thing is the hoopla that's surrounding the passage of a certain proposition in California. I used to be very firmly in the middle about the issue, recognizing my church's stance on it but not entirely comfortable with the idea of outright protesting (mostly because I have friends that are homosexual, and I didn't want to upset them in any way). Then I read an article where the Church spelled out their reasoning for fighting. It cleared a lot of my questions up, and I began to support my church more wholeheartedly. When Ben pointed out the last passage in the Proclamation to the World,

“We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
“We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society."

I realized that this was an important issue. As a Latter-Day Saint, I believe that the Proclamation to the World is modern-day scripture. I believe in a living prophet who speaks to the Lord on behalf of His children. And this was something that President Hinckley and his counsilors worked on for a long time, to make sure it was perfect. This is modern revelation, and the parts quoted above are a prophecy, just like the prophecies made by prophets of old.

If the disintegration of families is going to bring about disasters and calamities (and I believe that it's a true prohpecy), then we need to do everything in our power to protect families and, along with that, marriage.

I have nothing against homosexuals. Some of my very closest friends have been gay. We get along great. It makes me sad to support something that causes them pain. But God comes first for me in my life. I'll do what He asks.

I think it's important to point out, for any who might not know this, that the Church pretty much never tells us how to vote. They have never, as far as I'm aware, asked anything of the Saints when it comes to politics. They leave us to judge for ourselves and make our own decisions. That's what makes this so important. If they decided to ask us to vote a certain way, for the first time EVER, it must be for a very good reason.

Anyway, because of 8 passing in California, a lot of the homosexual community is upset. I can't really blame them. I know how it feels to be in a minority. Being a Latter-Day Saint is easier in many ways, because it's a subtle thing, but at the same time we're one of the only minorities in the country that it's okay to hate. Being racist or anti-gay is bad, and everyone knows it. Hating Jews can get you fired. Showing discrimination in almost any form is unacceptable these days. But no one minds if you hate Mormons. When Mitt Romney was running for the Republican candidacy, people criticized him for his religion in a way that would never happen to anyone from any other religion. So I do understand feeling discriminated against. I haven't had to face it as much as I'm sure the gay community has, but I do get it.

The saddest thing, in my mind, is the venomous reaction. There were a number of churches and organizations involved in passing Prop. 8. But pretty much the only people getting hate mail and protestors for it are the Mormons. The Church itself didn't donate any money to the cause, it was an individual choice that some members made to donate money. But the Church is being accused of using their "vast wealth" to spread evil, hate and lies. There are people screaming obscenities at members going to and from the temple - a place we consider the House of the Lord. President Monson especially has become a target for all this hate. Anyone who has ever heard him speak will tell you that he's a humble, sweet, honest man. He truly tries to do what is right in every aspect of his life. But the names they're calling him would make a sailor blush. It's sad, and it's sick. Apparently everyone has the right to vote however they wish, unless it offends someone else. Freedom of speech and democracy are a thing of the past. Freedom of religion - forget it. Apparently we don't even have the freedom anymore to fight for things that are important to us, things we believe in.

There are very few Mormons who hate homosexuals. Unfortunately, I have met a few. I've done what I can to persuade them that homosexuals are normal people, too. They just want to be happy, same as anyone else. We can disagree with their life choices, and still love the good people that they are.

Most Latter-Day Saints already understand this. We're not a bigoted, hateful bunch. We tend to be pretty open-minded, and while of course none of us is anywhere near perfect, we do try to live the way Christ would want us to. He is our God, our perfect example. He loves everyone, no matter what choices they make in their lives. He does, however, also ask us to do our best to follow Him in all things. Marriage is central to His plan for mankind, and as such, needs to be protected.

Anyway, all the hate and the torment that the Saints in California are being subjected to is terrible. They committed no crime, they just stood up for what they believed in. The thought of the temple becoming a place where people are afraid to go is just wrong. The temple is a place of joy, a place of peace, a place where you go to feel close to God. Having vengeful protesters outside ruins the spirit of the place.

I'm glad I'm not living in California, although I probably will end up there at some point, being a military wife and all. But even though I'm not there, I feel literally sick about what's happening, for both sides. The gay community feels hurt, which I completely understand. Their reaction toward the Mormons is awful, and also depressing. No one is winning this fight, no one is happy. Why can't we all just fight for what we believe in through the courts and the government? Why make it personal? That certainly wasn't the intent of the LDS church - we're fighting for marriage, not against homosexuals. If there was a way to resolve this so everyone was happy, we'd jump on it. I know I certainly don't want my friends to feel hurt or offended. I'm not so naive to think they won't feel that way, though. I've been forced to choose between my gay friends and my faith. It's a clear choice, but I do love my friends and hope they don't let this come between us.

Honestly, what with everything happening at once, I haven't been able to eat much the past couple of days. I've been lightheaded, shaky, and just nervous in general. I know that life in this world can be scary and difficult, but it seems to be getting worse at an alarming rate lately. I worry about my kids, and what they're going to have to face in their lives.

I'm sure things will blow over eventually, and life will return to a happy normalcy. Things may still be bad out there in the world, but in my own little bubble with my family I'll be content again. I'm sincerely looking forward to that day. In the meantime, all I can say is, "What a world, what a world!"