LETTER: Not all Mormons blind

Editor,

In response to Mark Ellis’ letter, I submit that many Mormons think, and not just in terms of us vs. them. There are many of us that think constantly, looking beyond incomplete quotes and information taken out of context to find a reconciliation between absolute truth and an imperfect world.

 That journey is an individual one. Not only is forced belief unethical, it is impossible. Humans grow, learn, accept, and then change, repeating the process time and time again over time. The same process applies to countries, populations, and yes, even churches.

  Here’s the difficulty: how does a church striving for perfection effectively communicate truth that the world isn’t ready for? If God commanded radical change in a world dominated by racism, how many people would follow? The Mormon principle is that God reveals new information only as fast as His children are willing to accept it and change. God won’t reveal something that will drive thousands of imperfect people from the church because they aren’t willing to accept it.

  Basically, Mormons are stubborn just as much as anyone else. In any religion or anti-religion, tradition is not enough to justify any position. Tradition is the unthinking following process. The important part in “traditional values” are the values, based on individuals’ perception of unchanging universal truth. The difficulty is separating the traditions from the core principles of the nature of the universe.

The statement by President Spencer W. Kimball was a “recommendation.” Interestingly enough, the statement had to do with tradition. Living with contrasting traditions can be difficult enough that it can lead to marriage difficulties when people hold fast to traditions instead of focusing on what is more important. 

The church does not promote hate. I do not hate homosexuals. But I cannot condone actions that I believe lead those who commit them to an eternity of regret and sorrow. Several people realize this and feel sorrow instead of hate in their efforts to love one another. Whether the world can accept this depends upon whether they can change the stereotype that Mormons are bigots.

Brian K. Anderson