A while back I posted something short and simple on this blog. I said that I’m a feminist, pro-choice, and support gay rights. And I’m a Mormon. Not too long after, I got a comment asking simply, “Why?”
I didn’t have a straight answer, and it made me think. Why am I LDS? Why do I believe what I believe? Why do I stay in a church that espouses certain views that make me shudder?
The easy answer is that it’s how I was raised. It’s the culture I know, and I’m not sure how I’d get on without it.
The hard answer is a bit longer. It starts with belief in God. I cannot deny that I know that God exists. Everything I see in the world testifies to me that He is. I believe in the rational and scientific, but I realize that the human mind is far inferior to what God knows. All our technological discoveries are like kids’ block buildings compared to the creations that God is capable of. He has an intimate understanding of the laws we are barely beginning to discover.
The second pillar of my faith is the Atonement. It’s a difficult metaphysical concept for me to grasp, that Christ could take upon him in a temporal way the sins and sorrows of the world. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I do believe that it happened. I’m hesitant to use personal feelings as evidence in any circumstance, but that’s all I have that’s really solid to me. I have felt love. I have prayed, and I have felt my burdens become light.
Number three is the Book of Mormon. I have read it countless times, and I always find truth. I’m not saying that I “know” that it is all a completely literal, factual record of a people who lived in South America, as some people seem to believe. But the concepts found within speak truth to me. “Men are that they might have joy,” “Are we not all beggars?” etc.
These are the main foundation of my faith. But there are a lot of things in the church that I don’t agree with.
There’s the blatant sexism, for one. We’re constantly told that our greatest and only calling is that of a wife, mother, and home-maker, bearing the children of a worthy priesthood holder. This makes me so angry. The “brethren” speak of their wives reverently, portraying them as perfect--because women have to be perfect, they’re naturally more righteous. We’re told that we have a Mother in heaven, but we’re not allowed to speak of her because it’s too sacred.
And then there’s how LGBT individuals are treated. I cannot believe that a loving and merciful God would want many of his children to go throughout life singly. It breaks my heart to hear about members being excommunicated because of their sexual orientation. It causes so much unnecessary pain. We should welcome all into the church, no matter who they’re attracted to. Aren’t we supposed to love one another?
It’s also my opinion that the Church as an organization should stay out of politics. Getting involved in stuff like that is just entangling and harmful, and gives the impression that all members agree with it (cough *Prop 8* cough cough).
I love my God and my Saviour. I love the Gospel even if I don't always know the Church is true. That's why I cling here, because I believe it has truth.
Expect more on this in the future.
Of all yourt posts on here thus far, this is the one that I liked the most. I could tell this was written from the heart and soul. As for someone asking you "Why?" about being a Mormon...I really wish people wouldn't ask such a thing. Nobody should ever have to explain themselves for their faith, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see where you go in life, and how your attitudes toward these things change.
ReplyDeleteThanks for such a heartfelt post.
@Optimistic, you're only correct in that Miranda has no need to have to justify her faith to anybody else. But I believe we do owe it to ourselves to examine exactly why we believe anything.
ReplyDeleteYou're one of the few Christians I know that says and believes truly Christ-like things. :)
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