Mormon leader fosters tension in gay community
Walt Porter
Boyd Packer’s recent comments on homosexuality have amplified the tension between religion and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and transsexual community (LGBT). Packer is the president of the Quorum of the Twelve in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.On Oct. 3, Packer described, without using the word, homosexuality as unnatural and curable.
Tom Shoemaker, a religion instructor at MCC, disagreed with Packer’s examination of homosexuality.
“The simple reality is, I don’t know what it takes to call something unnatural when you have so many animal species that practice same-sex behaviors… it’s like saying the animal kingdom is sinning,” he said.
Some have advocated that Packer’s comments have put young LDS people who are struggling with their sexual identity in an awkward position and encourages violence against the LGBT community.
Jay Richardson, an LDS institute instructor and member of the church, watched the event where Packer made his comments.
“Can you stand for something that you feel committed to without engendering some of the hate and bias that has reared its ugly head,” Richardson asked.
He described the divided reaction to cleansing the inner vessel; there are people who feel that there should be no place for those kinds of issues and others who feel that the church has every right to comment publically where they stand on these issues.
“He never used those words (homosexual). There are many who believe that was referring to the homosexual and gay issue; you would have to talk to Elder Packer to see what he was meaning,” Richardson said.
Richardson stated his job is to befriend everyone, whether they are a homosexual or not.
If they feel that they can change themselves, he would encourage it. If not, he wouldn’t force his ideology on them because it wouldn’t be helpful.
On Oct. 12, the Mormon Church instructed its members to follow Christian principals when forming their attitudes towards others.
This was viewed by many as an attempt to compassionately respond to any anti-gay insurgence correlated to Packer’s comments.
“We’re going to reach out and love and do what we can to heal the rift it has caused, somehow we can find a happy medium.” Richardson said.
Taylor Hilton, a life-time member of the LDS church, stated he doesn’t believe anyone should have to apologize for what he or she believes.
“He was stating his beliefs. I mean, I don’t ask for a gay person (or from any group) for an apology who says that Mormons are going to hell,” he said.
Hilton is opposed to same-sex marriage because it goes against his core values.
“I do think that marriage is ordained of God and between man and woman. I would not oppress homosexuals, but because of my religion and what I was taught, it’s against God’s commandments,” he said.
Forrest Robinson, a member of the LDS, stated he wouldn’t mind if same-sex couples were in the church.
“If it’s the law; it’s the law. We respect the law, it’s in the articles of faith.”
Joseph Smith, the founder of the LDS church, created an extension of the Ten Commandments known as the Articles of Faith
Kathryn McArdle, an MCC student, stressed that people take their religion too seriously and that is where the problem occurs.
“I was raised in a family with five different religious groups. There is no reason why people can’t get along just because they think differently,” she said.
McArdle detailed the ideal religion as one that does not persecute how someone feels, rather allows them to feel the way they choose to feel.
“This is America and that’s the point. We live in a country where you’re absolutely, 100 percent, not supposed to have someone tell you, ‘you’re not supposed to be something,'” she said.
