Please Respond to Russell M Nelson, by Elaine Ball

This was an article written by a dear friend of mine, Elaine Ball, in response to my article “Russell M Nelson of the Mormon Church Speaks on Equal Rights.” This is very well written and I thought highly worth sharing. Feel free to leave any comments and I’ll make sure that Elaine gets them and is able to respond to them.

Please Respond to Russell M Nelson

by Elaine Ball Fri 7:27pm

May 16, 2007:

” Our business is not political; our business is to abide by the concept of separation of church and state. Our business is to teach a better way of life, to teach the principles and doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is our mission. And our business is not to elect or to influence public elections;… We maintain a political neutrality.”

Why can’t we focus on the beautiful parts of our religions and beliefs – and take out the parts that influence us to legally take away rights and liberties and free will from other human beings? How about the LDS church continue “teaching a better way of life,” and stop spending time and energy “influencing public elections?” There are incredibly beautiful things about this religion. I know. It was the love of the first 20 years of my life. And there are incredibly wonderful and loving people in this religion. I hope that they will come to see that their leaders have been hypocritical and that churches do not belong influencing politics – leaders of those churches even apparently agree – when it suits them. What if any other church tried to influence politically and legally how you live your lives? WHOSE RIGHTS ARE NEXT?

If my God taught that you didn’t have any right to get married, I would have every right to believe that. But I would have NO right, in America, to take away that right from you because I believed my God said it should be so. It’s the same as people who believe their God tells them not to marry members of a religion different than theirs. They can do as they believe, and only marry members of their own religions. But they CAN NOT legalize such an idea, so far as to say “No Adult Member of The United States of America May Marry Any Other Adult Unless Both Adhere to Identical Religious Beliefs.” Or take ANY OTHER religious belief that YOU personally don’t agree with, from another religion or belief system than your own, and ask yourself how you would feel if that belief were made law, and you could no longer live YOUR OWN LIFE the way YOU and YOUR BELIEFS told you was right and beautiful and true and good.

This is NOT about the definition of Marriage. It’s about families being torn apart because you have chosen to ignore the fact that they are families. Because they look different from your family, you have told them they can’t choose to be a family. No one can truly fight to take that right away from another human being and actually feel they have done the right thing – once they see that this is what they have done – please, please see – that no one can tell a mother of her own children that because she loves someone of her same gender, her children and her partner can not have the same legal and social benefits as can you, because your religion says that you deserve them, and she does not?

How is this showing love for those who believe differently than you? Taking away their lives, their families, their loved ones, their children, tearing them down and telling them they don’t deserve what you have? Why don’t they? Because they are different than you? You are different than many other people, too! Don’t you see, that when we start taking away any group’s rights, we have began taking away rights of ALL AMERICANS, and we could be next? Your rights could be taken away by anyone who believes differently than you. That is what you have done. You have taken away rights from someone who believes differently than you.

Please – please join with me to fight for these rights. For YOUR OWN rights, because I will fight for no other group to be able to take away your rights to live your lives in accordance with your own beliefs, as well. I will fight for you when the day comes. Please see that this is what America is about, and come and get to know us for who we are.

-Elaine Ball

Article in SL Tribune 11/28/08 “Protect All Families”

This was in the Salt Lake Tribune on 11/28/08

Protect all families

Public Forum Letter
Updated: 11/28/2008 04:46:23 PM MST

I am straight, married and I support marriage equality. California’s Proposition 8 did pass, but the quest for marriage equality will not end.

As long as minority rights are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, one day same-sex marriage will be legal in all 50 states. This is because it is a civil right based on love, commitment and the protection of families — families that may not look like yours or mine but which are still fundamental building blocks of our society.

So if you are anti-gay, my faith says I can forgive your intolerance. If you oppose redefining marriage for others based on your religion, my response is: “What’s it to you?”

Michael Mueller
Salt Lake City

 

See this article at http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_11096416

Congrats to Michael Mueller for raising his voice for the truth.

Russell M Nelson of the Mormon Church Speaks On Equal Rights

I was just flipping around Google today, when I found an interview that the Pew Forum had with Russell M Nelson, of the Mormon church’s “12 apostles” on May 16, 2007. One comment by Mr. Nelson really stuck out to me. He said, “We feel that as we maintain the integrity of our religious institutions and preserve tolerance of each others sacred beliefs, we can preserve the strength of pluralistic society. We can promote tolerance and understanding.”

This comment, and other similar church released statements continues to fascinate me. How can any group continue to laud it’s compassion, understanding and tolerance towards others, while at the same time work as hard as it can to strip others of those “sacred beliefs” and liberties?

I’m really trying to put this into perspective, and the analogy that keeps popping into my head comes from one of my favorite books, “1984.” In the book, the country is at war with another country, and during a rally, a government speaker is working the crowd, toting the evils of this other nation. Then half way through his speech, someone passes him a note letting him know that the country they were at war with is now an ally, and another country is now who they’re fighting. The speaker doesn’t even miss a beat, he changes almost mid sentence to talk about this new country they’re at war with. The people in the crowd don’t even notice, nothing has changed, they’ve ALWAYS been at war with the 2nd country, and the 1st country has ALWAYS been their ally.

It’s not a perfect comparison, but it scares me just as much. How do more people not see what’s going on? They so crave and glory in the message of love that their church teaches, but at the same time, join in on it’s fight against love. But these same people, when asked about it, claim to “love everyone,” they just don’t want them to have any freedom of their own.

And for those who have been saying that the LDS church is absolutely correct to be involved in politics. Later in the same interview, Mr. Nelson (again of the “Quorum of 12 Apostles”) said, ” Our business is not political; our business is to abide by the concept of separation of church and state. Our business is to teach a better way of life, to teach the principles and doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is our mission. And our business is not to elect or to influence public elections;… We maintain a political neutrality.”

Now correct me if I’m wrong. But I think that this last statement makes Elder Russell M Nelson of the LDS church’s Quorum of 12 Apostles, one of the biggest advocates of the hypocrisy of what the church did on Prop 8 in California, Prop 3 in SLC, and religion being involved in politics in general. Wouldn’t you say that’s true?

What’s Your Definition of the Devil?

This post is mostly in reply to several of the comments people have posted arguing against Gay Marriage.

Just a quick thought for you. According to LDS doctrine, how did Satan come to be? Well when God proposed that the world be created Lucifer said that he would FORCE everyone to do the “right” thing so that they would return to live with God, and all the glory would be his. Think about that for a minute, he did not become Satan by trying to get people to be evil, that was a result of his being cast out. He became Satan by trying to MAKE people be “good.” According to LDS doctrine, Jesus became the Messiah by wanting people to be able to make their own choices.

Now how would you describe trying to outlaw this new civil rights movement with Gay Marriage? Would you call it forcing people? Or would you call it being Christ-like? Just some food-for-thought.

Had to Show You This

Had to share this everybody. This sign is at a local bike shop in Salt Lake City, at 33rd S and Highland Dr. Congrats Utah.

How Many People Have You Killed?

The LDS and other churches have maintained that fighting the “good fight” for traditional marriage was of up most importance for the past year or so. Mormon church leadership led off with the now infamous letter to all Californian members encouraging them to get out and support Prop 8, through both time and financial means. Church members responded with an enormous showing of support, following “God’s call” through “his prophet” to not allow such a horrible thing to continue.

Have you ever thought about what an amazing thing that was? It was enormous and inspiring to see a group of people come together so quickly for something they believe in, and make such a huge contribution (in excess of $20,000,000.00)

Now before you get too confused. Here’s my point. To quote Keith Olbermann, “THIS is what your God tells you to do? … THIS is what your HEART tells you to do?” There are a lot of problems in this world, so many things need attention, so many things need our help financially! And gay marriage is what the Mormons (and others) felt needed the most attention?

According to “Ask Yahoo,” 16 people die of starvation every minute. That equals roughly 691,000 per month (30 days). So from June when the LDS church released that statement to it’s members, to Nov 4th, roughly 3,456,000 people died of starvation in the world. Have you really thought of that? Have you really thought about what a selfish and arbitrary thing that was? Do you think that 20+ million US dollars would have impacted that? Let me help, YES!!

People, there are a lot of really good things in this world that are really worth your time, worth your thoughts and worth your money and passion. The Mormons give alot of money to the worlds welfare, but when asked to do more, you instead chose to attack people who aren’t trying to do anymore, than just create a little more love and stability in a bleak and increasingly loveless world. Why can’t we focus on loving each other, and accepting them for who they are. It doesn’t matter what your religion is, love is love. And it’s hypocritical to think that you can love someone, while at the same time deny them equality.

What Would You Do?

I’ve been speaking with several people over the past month or so about the issue of Equal Rights and Gay Marriage, both through this weblog, and in other places. Being in Utah, I have of course found several people who disagree with my opinions, and the conversation has invariably come down to that they just don’t want their children being exposed to legalized Gay Marriage. For all those who have come to this conclusion, I would like to pose a question to you, please take some time to think about it, then post your reply. Love to you all!

“What would you do if one of your children came to you and told you that he/she was gay?”

LDS church says “no comment” on Equality Utah’s call for legislative support.

Still no response from the LDS church to Equality Utah’s call for them to support the 5 new bills which will come up in the 2009 legislative session. Church spokespeople told the Associated Press that they wouldn’t have any comment on the subject.

It’s interesting, and makes me wonder if perhaps these bills might actually have a chance this time. When similar bills came up in past sessions, the Mormon church was adamant in their opposition of anything that could be even remotely construed as pro Gay Rights, and the bills were pretty easily defeated. However, times have changed, and with the enormous wave of support behind the Gay Marriage movement, as well as the fallout from the Church’s involvement in the California Prop 8 fiasco, they might be forced to give a little to public desire.

In the past, anti Gay Rights bills have had slim chance of passing in Utah, which is known for its extremist conservative views, and the slowness towards which it approaches anything which might be considered progressive or liberal. This is all largely due to a uniquely high level of citizens and public officials so actively being involved in a far right religion which is not passive in any way. But the Mormon Church may have hog-tied itself this time around, for while I don’t believe that it actually does support civil unions or domestic partnerships, it had to concede at least that much in the first days after Prop 8 passed, when such an enormous anti-mormon sentiment was sweeping across the nation. But now, with Equality Utah and other organizations moving forward with these 5 bills on the Church’s supposed go ahead, they may have to support, or at least not oppose, these bills if they want to avoid looking even more hypocritical.

From the AP ( http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jFucgUEp8_zhZorXZ2fL9niSIXAQD94CULN80 ):

Equality Utah said Monday it will help draft five bills for the 2009 session, which starts in January. Three of the bills seek equal treatment for domestic partners on hospitalization, medical care, housing, employment and probate rights.

A fourth bill would create a domestic partner registry. The fifth would repeal a part of Utah’s marriage-defining constitutional amendment that Equality Utah Public Policy Manager Will Carlson said has been “misinterpreted to avoid any recognition of gay couples.”

Eric Ethington’s speech from the National Impact Equality March

I’ve had several requests to post my speech, so here it is (although remember that it’s largely a compilation of earlier posts).

My name is Eric Ethington, I’m a resident of Salt Lake City, and I’m a bisexual. Although I am no longer a member of the LDS church, I was raised as one. And today I would like to share with you some of my beliefs.

I believe first and foremost, in upholding the rights to marriage of all people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, that it is wrong, unconstitutional, and immoral for any state or national government to deny a consenting adult of the civil right to marry any other consenting adult. And that any two consenting adults have the absolute right to marry without prejudice of any kind and all additional rights and privileges of marriage should accompany any such union.

I believe that the right to marry is a secular and civil right; that no religious group should ever be forced in any way to either: (A) change its beliefs, or (B) perform any ceremony that is contradictory to its beliefs.

I believe in the free expression of religion. That any legitimate religious group has the right and privilege to support or oppose the union of any two people, so long as that support or opposition does not infringe upon the free will or rights of others.

I believe in the right to legally and peacefully fight for these rights until all marriages are equal in the eyes of the law, and I intend to exercise that right, for the benefit and good of the United States of America and its people.

For all those who have commented on why the LGBT community (and others) are rallying and speaking out over both the Prop 8 result in California, and the synonymous laws in Utah and other states. There IS a reason.

Few believed that Prop 8 would pass. Everyone thought, “Well it’s California, no way will any anti-same sex marriage law ever pass here.” And although there were several extremely courageous and hard-working groups working to defeat it, it felt as if the nation instead leaned towards complacency.

With the passing of these anti-equal rights laws, it feels like a sleeping giant has been awakened. All of a sudden new voices, and more of them, are being heard everywhere crying out against these injustices. So to those who ask what the point of it all is: It IS making a difference!! People are hearing our voices, they’re listening to our stories, and the fight is NEVER over until we are all equal.

Just because one amendment passes, or 20 amendments pass, doesn’t mean everyone should just give up and go home. They WILL be overturned, and other states will follow, until the entire country accepts this next civil-rights movement. So keep protesting, keep writing, and raise your voice at every opportunity, until even the staunchest supporter of traditional marriage cannot hold back the tidal wave of our efforts!

To finish, I would like to share a letter with you that I wrote to the citizens of Utah, and has since been circulating online. I’ve called it, Dear Utah.

My dear brothers and sisters of Utah, my name is Eric. I live in SLC and would like to ask you a favor. I grew up and was raised as a faithful member of the LDS church. I attended nursery, primary, served several leadership positions in young mens, and was eventually married in the Salt Lake Temple. I’m struggling with an adjustable mortgage and the economy’s toll on my job. I am also bisexual.

Many of my neighbors, and I’m sure many of you, felt confusion, and perhaps misapprehension at the massive protest around Temple Square pushing for “Gay Rights.” Please, I ask that you try to understand what’s going on, and why feelings and emotions are so high on this topic. What we are asking for is not a lessening of the value of traditional marriage. We are not asking for you to change your beliefs. We are not asking the LDS or any other church to change its doctrine. We are not even asking you to agree with our beliefs. What we are asking for, is the possibility of being equal citizens, of enjoying the same privileges and civil rights that everyone else has. We are asking that you believe with us that “We the people” means all of us.

There has been a lot of discussion that if same sex marriage was legalized, a church could be sued if it refuses to perform the marriages, but that same concern existed during the civil rights movement, and that never happened.

We don’t hate any church, and we love each and every one of our neighbors here in this great state. Please, recognize that we have the same feelings that you do. We want to be able to express our love for each other in the same way that husbands and wives everywhere do. America has come a long way in such a short time. We recognized that women are equal to men, that people of color are in no way lesser citizens. We recognized that there is nothing wrong with interracial marriage. But there are still steps to take, we haven’t perfected it yet!

We have to come together, right now, as a common people; and say once and for all that we are all equal, that every human being in this beautiful world should enjoy the same rights as everyone else. That no one is better than his neighbors. Please, stand with us. Our rights are your rights.

With all my love,
Eric E.

 

National Impact; Equality March held in downtown Salt Lake 11/15/08

Today, 3,000 Pro-Gay Rights supporters again gathered in downtown Salt Lake City, UT to voice their feelings and beliefs on the issue of Gay Marriage. The rally started at 11:30am, with a live band helping the crowd get excited, followed by several speakers and a march.

This rally was rather special to me, as I was one of the speakers, and let me tell you, speaking to a crowd of 3,000 is really nerve-racking when you’re reading your own words.

The keynote speaker was Jeff Key, a former U.S. Marine, and Iraq-War veteran. Jeff’s story is unique, as he was kicked out of the military after he came out to millions of viewers on CNN, and he was the subject of a showtime documentary called “Semper Fi.”

Coverage of the rally (including a short clip of me 🙂 ) can be seen at:
http://www.kutv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=68948@kutv.dayport.com&navCatId=5