Responding to Carol Lynn Pearson, Part 2 of 2

Here's the last paragraph from Carol Lynn's letter and my concluding remarks:

Kind language in pamphlets is barely a beginning in counteracting a religious culture in which the very air we breathe is charged with condemnation and revulsion on this subject, and which makes many young people feel, "I would rather die than see the look on my parents' faces if I tell them I'm one of those." The suicide statistics tell us that, sadly, many of our dear young gay people do prefer death.

People commit suicide because of all kinds of dilemmas, and I can see where being torn between Mormonism and gayness would be quite hard. However, it’s the fault of our permissive, gay-enabling society that more and more people are being put in this difficult situation, not the fault of the church.

The church should not change its standards and become more accepting of gayness just because our society has gotten wickeder (yes, that's a real word) and more people feel emboldened or even obliged to come out of the closet. We should not express revulsion and condemnation toward those who admit they’re struggling with unwanted same-sex feelings, but we should continue to feel that way about the gay lifestyle in general, because it’s a deception and an abomination. However, that doesn’t mean we have to ostracize individuals who choose to sin, as long as we protect ourselves and our children from perverted influences in the area of sexuality.

Come to Sunday dinner and bring your gay partner if you insist, but don’t come to church until you’re ready to at least start repenting from the gay lifestyle—even if you can no more than desire to repent, to echo my favorite scripture (Alma 32). For me, Carol Lynn throws the door open too wide and does not seem to get it that sodomy remains a sin and always will. I think the pendulum needed to swing somewhat so we can show more kindness and understanding to those fighting this temptation, but she's pushing it too far, in my opinion.