This post is dedicated to someone I’ve never met, but hugely respect. He makes me laugh, he makes me think, and if we were in high school together we’d probably geek around together and he’d make me pass notes to his girlfriend for him. And I would.
David, has a gift with words, and was asked to be a guest blogger on a popular LDS blog and was brave enough (or sleep deprived enough) to post his thoughts on same-sex marriage and how he faced a difficult request by his local Priesthood authority and obeyed it, only to be blessed immediately afterward.
Enter the clowns. Anti-mormons, gay mormons, uppity mormons, and scripturally ignorant mormons teemed out of the woodwork like the spiders in the movie Something Wicked This Way Comes along with several mormons that agree with David or found his experience to be faith promoting and sincere. My-oh-my how some people just love a good brawl in the streets.
David shared his chagrin with me via email and yet withstood the verbal assaults and unrighteous indignations tossed his way with grace and style. It’s one of the things I admire about him. And I wanted to share part of what I told him after the fact here to keep him humble via public embarrassment if nothing else.
I should probably first explain that David is a movie nut/fan/film expert of sorts and always titles his blog posts with either a movie quote or song lyrics that pertain to the issue he’s writing on-usually in some hilarious light-so you’ll understand why I used both in my reply to him. Content also edited to flow better and spell the word “Orc” correctly so my husband can sleep tonight. Sheesh…..
You did good. You were a brave and fabulously uplifting example, and plenty of people posted that so it’s not just me patronizing or patting your head and you know it. Hold fast to the experience you had with your sweet wife and the house. Teach that to [your daughter] and emphasize it often. Everything good in my life is a gift from God, I refuse to deny it, and I have a strong testimony that the more SINCERE I am in my worship and the more HUMBLY I consecrate myself to God, the more my family prospers.
Always be a light David, no matter how many people attempt to extinguish that light. Those who wish to remain in the dark always will, but there are many who are lost in the darkness who are seeking a way out, and without people like you, what hope do they have?
It reminds me of one of my favorite movie scenes-a treat for ya! The one in Lord of the Rings-Return of the King where the fellowship believes that Frodo has failed and yet they stand in a circle back to back and prepare to die on the side of righteousness rather than submitting to capture (and then probable death). Tired, wounded, heartsick, defeated, hopelessly outnumbered…yet warriors to the end. In my opinion, in the moment Aragorn shouts “For Frodo!” comes victory regardless of what might or might not happen on Mt. Doom. Ring or no ring, orcs or no orcs…they were victorious because of what was born in their hearts and minds in that moment.
So my brother, hitch up your drawers, snap on the chain mail, sharpen your sword and prepare to stand with the like minded when someone cries out “For Christ”…because…because….(the things I do for you)…
I see the bad moon arising.
I see trouble on the way.
I see earthquakes and lightnin.
I see bad times today.
Chorus:
Dont go around tonight,
Well, its bound to take your life,
Theres a bad moon on the rise.
I hear hurricanes ablowing.
I know the end is coming soon.
I fear rivers over flowing.
I hear the voice of rage and ruin.
Chorus
All right!
Hope you got your things together.
Hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like were in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.
(Bad Moon Rising-Creedence Clearwater Revival)
David…was asked to be a guest blogger on a popular LDS blog and was brave enough (or sleep deprived enough) to post his thoughts on same-sex marriage
Now I know how Jerry Maguire felt.
Great song choice, skippy! One of my CCR favorites (also check out “Ramble Tamble”), especially that last stanza.
We were talking about establishing Zion in priesthood last Sunday and at one point referred to all the faithful saints that were herded from one place to another, facing all manner of hardships and challenges to their faith. I reminded the group of the many members who fell away, either because they couldn’t deal with the hardships, the negative public opinion or, at some point, decided they didn’t agree with the prophet. After shaking off all that chaff, eventually the saints who did go West were of one mind and heart. I added that we were seeing the same today– with the blacks and the pristhood, the Sonia Johnson era, and now the SSM era, gradually the dead fruit (no pun intended) is being shed so that Zion again will be able to be established.
How do you think the crowd on that other blog would have received that idea?
BTW…
I dibs geeking around with you in the spirit world.
I object to the word “herded”…unless you mean by the nasty outsiders who they were constantly fleeing from, then it’s appropriate.
Loved the dead fruit image- and “rotten” fruit came to mind. Which got me thinking. (I am SO easily amused) Some buds blossom-some never do. Some blossom but never mature. Some get worms or bugs while they’re on the tree and go bad. But now that I think about it, in all my years on the farm, I don’t think I’ve ever seen healthy, pest-free fruit “rot” while still in contact with the tree. They rot when they become “disconnected” and fall to the ground where the things of the world cause them to decay. In the rare times when good fruit was left on the tree and managed to hang on until winter, the tree seems to slowly reabsorbs all the “life” it initially bestowed until all that remains is dry, wrinkled husks. Man! There’s some powerful lesson analogy stuff in there.
You and I both know how the crowd on that other blog would have received it-pretty much the same way they would/will/do any truth that doesn’t make them feel warm and fuzzy all over.
P.S. Will we be allowed to be geeky in the spirit world? And if so, how much geek do you think it can tolerate at one time?
As long as I can wear my overalls and karaoke Neil Diamond…
I’m sorry…didn’t anyone tell you? No Neil Diamond in the spirit world. Didn’t make the cut.
Get thee behind me! (That’s spirit world talk for Get! OUT!!)
Turn on your heart light, skippy!
Now Back in LA, Captain Sunshine might be Beautiful Noise, but here where most people live Forever in Blue Jeans, not Everybody, especially this Lady, thinks he can Walk on Water. In other words, he is not the reason they are comin to America, If You Know What I Mean. And don’t think you can Play Me with any of that “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” crap or pretend that someday we’ll find Common Ground on this issue where I’ll say “I’m a Believer”. I mean seriously As If!
Now Dry Your Eyes, and Don’t Go Away Mad because I’m sure it won’t be like you are a Solitary Man, or some kind of Stranger in Paradise, but I’d hate to see you become A Fool All Over Again (and on Both Sides Now) or wish that you were Back Home Again in Indiana.
So I hope you realize that this is just a Mission of Love because As Time Goes By, (God Only Knows) I’m Afraid people will start to think that Deep Inside of You lives some kind of Gitchy Goomy, Kentucky Woman. I mean, I know It Don’t Seem Likely, but I Got The Feelin’ that loving him Like You Do, that you should Listen and not Make Believe that this Mama Don’t Know.
Oh, Hell Yeah, lady, I’m On to You. You seem to be under the impression Men Are So Easy to the Delirious Love of Hot August Nights. You can take it to the bank– I’m not just a Captain of a Shipwreck, I’m a bonafide Man of God and Mr. Diamond did his part to help Create Me as I Am, I Said. So, What’s It Gonna Be? Are you gonna Save Me a Saturday Night so We can geek around or are you gonna Face Me, Evermore, a woman too proud for the Beautiful Noise?
Um….yeah…if there wasn’t enough evidence to convict us as geeks before, there sure is NOW!! I have to go wash my eyes.