Holland talk on lgbtq
Equality Utah responds to Elder Holland speaking at SUU
Many have asked for us to weigh in on the controversy regarding Elder Holland speaking at Southern Utah University’s commencement ceremony.
As an organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the rights of LGBTQ Utahns, Equality Utah disagreed vehemently when Elder Holland deployed the metaphorical use of ‘muskets’ to defend traditional marriage. It was disheartening and painful to overhear. Yet, we also realize that the principles of freedom of expression, which are the hallmark of a free and pluralistic society, mean that even those with whom we disagree are entitled to express themselves, especially in an academic setting.
This same principle and First Amendment right has allowed LGBTQ people to form progress in ensuring matching treatment and empathy from our neighbors. Largely for that reason, Equality Utah strongly believes in protecting public forums as a space where ideas can be freely shared.
We are especially sensitive to this issue because there are currently efforts by our opponents to cancel LGBTQ culture. We work diligently to protect the LGBTQ community from ‘Don’t State Gay’ laws that pursue to restrict cl
LDS, LGBTQ & BYU
Doug Fabrizio
Doug Fabrizio has been reporting for KUER News since 1987, and became News Director in 1993. In 2001, he became host and executive producer of KUER's RadioWest, a one hour conversation/call-in show on KUER 90.1 in Salt Lake City. He has gained a reputation for his thoughtful style. He has interviewed everyone from Isabel Allende to the Dalai Lama, and from Madeleine Albright to Desmond Tutu. His interview skills landed him a spot as a guest host of the national NPR program, "Talk of the Nation." He has won numerous awards for his reporting and for his operate with RadioWest and KUED's Utah NOW from such organizations as the Population of Professional Journalists, the Utah Broadcasters Association, the Public Radio News Directors Association and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
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The Millennial Star
This is a guest post by Nicholas Applegate.
I am a gay man married to a wonderful wife, and I openly support The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, its doctrines, and its leaders. As a result, I support the BYU honor code and their judgment to require their students to keep the rule of chastity (see link at bottom). This is because I have a testimony that this church is truly Christ’s church and that its leaders are called of God and divinely inspired.
However, at the core of myself, I am not a gay man; I am a child of God, a priesthood holder, a husband, and a father. I am not denying my true self by living the tenets of the Church. I would be denying my accurate self by not living the Gospel and exiting the Church to being a gay lifestyle.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, a bloke we believe to be an apostle of God, spoke to BYU faculty a couple days ago (see link at bottom) reaffirming our beliefs in the sacred nature of marriage between a bloke and a woman, the right of BYU as a private, church university to support and institute doctrinal policies, and the need of disciples of Christ to defend and support our church leaders and the doctrine we believe in.
“Helping Those Who Strife with Same-Gender Attraction,” Ensign, Oct. 2007, 42–45
A pleasant juvenile man in his early 20s sat across from me. He had an engaging smile, although he didn’t express joy often during our talk. What drew me in was the pain in his eyes.
“I don’t know if I should remain a member of the Church,” he said. “I don’t believe I’m worthy.”
“Why wouldn’t you be worthy?” I asked.
“I’m gay.”
I suppose he idea I would be startled. I wasn’t. “And … ?” I inquired.
A flicker of relief crossed his deal with as he sensed my continued interest. “I’m not attracted to women. I’m attracted to men. I’ve tried to ignore these feelings or change them, but …”
He sighed. “Why am I this way? The feelings are very real.”
I paused, then said, “I need a little more communication before advising you. You see, same-gender attraction is not a sin, but acting on those feelings is—just as it would be with heterosexual feelings. Do you violate the law of chastity?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t.”
This time I was relieved. “Thank you for wanting to deal with this,” I said. “It takes courage to talk about it, and I honor you for keeping yourself clean.
“As for why you feel as you do, I
“Crushingly Cruel”
On Aug. 23, Jeffrey R. Holland, Brigham Young University’s former president and a senior apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Night Saints, gave an inflammatory speech to BYU faculty and staff. In it, he urged faculty to take up metaphorical muskets to defend the faith. He called on them to be both builders of knowledge and defenders of the institution—the church—that determines whether the university exists and the faculty get funding to do their jobs, a fact he reminded them of multiple times in the speech. His words were unmistakably a call to arms: Holland used the word “fire” 10 times, “musket” eight times, and made multiple references to “friendly fire,” “wounds,” and “scarring.” In particular, he called for “more musket fire” from BYU’s faculty to defend Mormonism’s official position on the inferiority and social dangers of lgbtq+ relationships and marriages.
Though the speech was directed at the faculty of BYU, it has shocked Mormons and ex-Mormonsfar beyond the university in its assertive tone toward the LGBT community. Just two years ago, the church received much public praise for rescinding a 2015 policy, controversial among Mormons at