November 2013

On 30th October 2013, the Hawaii Senate voted overwhelmingly in favour of a bill that would extend freedom to marry to same-sex couples in Hawaii. The Senate voted 20-4 in favour. The bill now goes to the House where a vote on the marriage bill is expected next week. If passed (as is expected), Hawaii will join the many countries and other states of America that have already made marriage an equal right in recent months.

During the Hawaii legal process, the Mormon Church appears to have been up to its old tricks. Not for a moment did they learn their lesson when previously fined $5,000 for illegal financial activity in relation to the ‘Prop 8’ saga in California; surreptitious illegal activity by the Mormon Church is now being claimed in Hawaii.

The Mormon Church and NOM Accused of Violating Hawaii Election Laws.

(Scroll down for article and comments).

The Church never seems to learn that: a) inflicting (legally or otherwise) your own outdated and unpopular views on the rest of society when it does not affect you, is not only reprehensible but entirely unchristian; or, b) if the Mormon god existed and actually communicated with Mormon leaders, he would surely have advised them by now that what people do outside his ‘one true religion’ is their own business and to leave them alone. Only he should be the judge of ‘other’ people. By all means believe that you and your followers should behave a certain way, but don’t try to inflict your beliefs on the rest of society. Even inside the Church, the intolerant attitude toward LGBT Mormons has destroyed countless families and resulted in numerous suicides. Being gay is not ‘wrong’; it is doctrine which can drive people to suicide that is positively evil. Being gay is just something that needs to be properly understood in order for it to be accepted. Science has discovered the truth about it; the Mormon god has yet to catch up with the evidence.

Why not also campaign to get alcohol, tea, coffee and tobacco banned from society? The Word of Wisdom is equally the Lord’s command – but wait, that is just for Mormons, and the rest of society, who have no idea that the Mormon god doesn’t like those things, does not have to comply. Well, the same is true of equal rights, such as the equality of women, and equal marriage rights, and as a corporation (which the Mormon Church is legally registered as), not interfering with proposed legislative change should strictly apply. One aspect of the separation of Church and State should be that churches must stay out of state business if they want to retain their charity status and related tax benefits. Beliefs should remain internal to the organisation.

It seems that Mormon Articles of Faith 12 and 13 – (12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. 13. We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men…) are clearly not seen by Mormon leaders as applicable to them. They don’t want to obey or sustain (which means help to protect and maintain) the law, or do any good at all to some men (or women) who are not even of the Mormon faith. They think they can live above the law and do just as they please to supposedly further what they consider to be their Lord’s work.

They had to eventually cave on polygamy and then blacks and the priesthood (in spite of previous revelations thus being reversed in both cases), due to the tide of popular public opinion; and that same tide is now at work again. They have the audacity to now claim they don’t even know how or where the ‘blacks and the priesthood’ idea originated in the first place. Ask any long time member or exmember and they know exactly where it came from. It is still perfectly clear in Mormon scripture and supposedly unchangeable doctrine.

One day, the Mormon god will change his unchangeable mind yet again and ‘reveal’ that indeed being gay is hardwired into the brains of some six to eight percent of the population – and so god ‘made’ them (and dozens of other species) that way. It is neither a sin nor a curable ailment – it is just the way some people are. Love, empathy and compassion suggest that the ‘Christian’ thing to do is allow all people to be who they are, regardless; and god – if there is such a being, should (and surely would) love everyone just the same. Mere mortals have no right to decry other mortals just because they aren’t the same as they are. The ‘abomination’ is not homosexuality (a term applicable to both sexes), it is underhanded and illegal manipulation intended to prevent new legislation that will benefit many and harm none. I am not American, but it seems to me that such Mormon Church action offends The Bill of Rights.

(Photo Quote Credit: Progressive Secular Humanist Examiner facebook page).

June 2013

In recent months, several more countries and several states in the US have legalised gay marriage. On 20th May, the Church of Scotland ended centuries of tradition by voting to allow gay ministers, following years of debate between the liberal and traditionalist sides of the church. Also during May, in the UK, the House of Commons debated proposed amendments to the gay marriage bill which was passed in principle by a large majority earlier in the year. The bill was debated over two days, with its third reading – the final hurdle in the Commons, and then went on to the House of Lords for final consideration during the first week of June. The vote could be close there.

Churches will have the right not to provide gay marriage facilities – which is as it should be in a free society. Several denominations have indicated they will accommodate gay marriage – mainly those that already accept gay parishioners and clergy.

Meanwhile, the Mormon Church appears to have become rather quiet following the adverse press about its earlier illegal activity and financial support during the ‘Prop 8’ saga in California. But it still considers homosexuality to be a heinous ‘sin’ and actively opposes gay marriage. Mormon leaders don’t seem to understand that separation of church and state applies to Mormonism as much as any other religion. They actively oppose legislative change which does not affect faithful Mormons yet devastates many who are not remotely associated with Mormonism. The Mormon Church effectively tries to force its own belief on the rest of society in this way.

Actually, as about six to eight percent of humans are homosexual, the issue clearly does directly affect some Mormons, and accounts of the treatment of some homosexual members and the many Mormon suicides that have been recorded are more than disturbing.

I have expressed my own views previously, but just to consolidate my thoughts and make what I consider to be an informed and logical personal observation about the issue, I would state the following. There are three things to take into account when considering the gay marriage issue, in respect of any religious view. Without the religious aspect, there is nothing to consider at all – everyone should be equal and able to marry whomsoever they please.

One – if there was conclusive evidence for the existence of some sort of god, and two, evidence that all human brains are hardwired to opposite sex attraction, then three, same sex attraction may (but even then, not conclusively) be considered unnatural and deviant.

However: One – as there is absolutely no conclusive evidence in support of the ‘theory of a god’, and two, there is conclusive evidence that a percentage of human (and several other species) brains are hardwired to same sex attraction (which actually becomes gods ‘fault’ if he exists) then three, it cannot be considered ‘unnatural’ or deviant. It is just – ‘different’.

I have expressed elsewhere, how gays must feel about the way they are treated. I can only evaluate it (and hopefully help others to understand it) by equating it to how straight people would feel if the shoe was on the other foot. If you are straight, imagine falling head over heels in love with a member of the opposite sex, only to be told that it is a sinful thing and your god will punish you should you continue down that path.

Imagine being told to forgo that relationship and find a nice young member of the same sex instead. How does that feel? – Because that is exactly how a gay person feels – and it is not their ‘fault’ – it is just the way things are – and in our modern world, with all our scientific understanding and supposed intelligence, that should be more than okay with everyone.

Anything less than unconditional understanding and acceptance is beneath humans. By now, we should know better – but religion (especially Mormonism) continues to hold us back. It is not gay marriage that is objectionable – it is any religion that insists their god says it is. If such a being does exist, it’s time he took responsibility for such ‘errors’ in his supposed creation process and just let it go. Religion still has so much to answer for; the problem is that when beliefs go beyond common sense and reason, that becomes the abomination – not the gay issue.

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Also during May, David Fitzgerald, author of ‘Nailed: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed At All’, published the first in his new series of books ‘The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion. Book One: The Mormons.’ I have read and reviewed David’s efforts. I highly recommend this entertaining book which is chock full of accurate historical facts as well as information about modern-day Mormonism and its schisms – as viewed by an outside author. I was more than impressed by David’s concise and entertaining style and also enjoyed his humour. My review can be found on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Goodreads. Find the book here and click on ‘customer reviews’.

January 2010

 

Reed Cowan’s documentary film, “8: The Mormon Proposition” will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival later this month. It will undoubtedly spark a huge debate regarding the Mormon Church’s highly organised influence and huge undisclosed financial support of ‘Proposition 8’ in California. Follow the link below to see details of the documentary and view the film trailer. It is very compelling.

8: The Mormon Proposition

17 December 2009

I agreed to donate royalties received via Lulu sales from Nov 5th to Nov 30th to Reed Cowan’s project to help complete his documentary film which provides evidence of Mormon Church financial and organisational involvement in support of Prop 8 in California. The Mormon Church did not divulge huge financial support or the highly organised surreptitious lobbying it undertook which ultimately helped to succeed in overturning the previous legal position which in turn took away the civil rights of many individuals who are not associated with the Church. What the Mormon Church did regarding ‘Prop 8’ appears both illegal and immoral. It is but a small contribution, but the amount raised was £57.80 (Approx $95.89).  A donation of $100 was transferred to Reed Cowan’s project today.