The Bible Says So...

**Disclaimer - If you are sensitive about the gay marriage issue or want to argue about it, this may not be the blog post for you.  Check out this AFV Youtube video instead.

Who doesn't love HONY (Humans of New York)?  Whether you follow on Facebook or Tumblr, or you've read the books.  I mean the people are so interesting and it's just an amazing idea.  Today's story featured a gay man who gave some praise to the Bible.  And his comments really made me think...

I've read lots of bits and pieces of the Bible, and to be honest, I look at it a lot like a history book.  I find it fascinating, and at times, reading it brings the spirit into my life.  Today however I realized that I don't live my life by the teachings in the Bible.  Some of the LDS faith may be scoffing right now - but stay with me. I believe the Bible has a lot of truth and like I said the history is great - particularly because God's people are asked to remember Him through those things He has done for our fathers. However, I don't believe that participating in homosexuality is wrong because it's written in the Bible.  In fact, I think doing/believing something just because it's in the Bible is pretty archaic and crazy.

To be clear, I do have beliefs which are written in the Bible, for instance, the immorality of homosexuality.  I believe this because God has told His prophets today that it is a sin, and that marriage between same gendered people does not fit His plan for His children.  I also believe that drinking coffee and smoking are a sin.  But, not because of some health reason or just because it's written in a book that says so that was written 150 years ago.  It's because God has revealed it to modern day prophets and His spirit has born witness to me that they and their words are true. In fact, modern revelation is pretty much why I believe anything I believe.

If you've read thus far and continue to indulge me...Does science believe that gravity is real just because Newton said so?  No, it's because experiments done today reaffirm his statements.  We don't use the same maps, or math books, or history books in schools or life from hundreds or thousands of years ago, because new things have been learned in those fields.  But rarely do they discredit things from the past.  This idea is the same for religion, because God's understanding and truth/gospel isn't just about religion, it's all life.  

I know a good half of the United States hates me because of my beliefs, and many others in this world.  In fact, there are even members of my own faith who may hate me.  That is so scary, and I in and of myself am incapable of defending my beliefs or even my own person from the verbal/logical attacks of others.  However, what I find peace in is doing my best to stand with His prophets in what I know to be true.

If you want to know more about my beliefs on marriage check out lds.org.  Or for details on marriage: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/the-divine-institution-of-marriage.

No Light

Packing.  Honestly I really hate it.  I never know what I am going to want to wear and I never feel like I have everything I need.  I tell myself that I can always pick something up in a pinch, but that never seems to decrease the feeling that something is missing.

My family took a little road trip down to Kanab, UT to get a better viewing for the annular eclipse that took place a few months ago.  I began throwing together all of those necessities, clothes, hair stuff, phone charger, etc.  I became overwhelmed with this feeling to take my matches and candle sitting on my desk.

I thought I was going CRAZY!  Matches and a candle when I was going to be staying in a house?!! Really? I just couldn't get over it.  I put my matches in my backpack, but refused to bring a candle.  I then promptly forgot the entire insane episode.

We drove and drove and arrived in the middle of the night at our destination.  After unloading and getting set for some before bed internet playing I got so far as opening my laptop and with that slight popping noise everything went black.

There was absolutely zero light and in a strange house that is very disconcerting.

After confirming, via cell phone light, that the entire house and surrounding neighborhood was definitely powerless we went back to bed with unease.  Of course the things that ran through my mind were those most intensely scary episodes of Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer.  When I was finally able to drown out my thoughts slightly with my iPod I despairingly thought of that box of matches in my backpack with no candle.

Lesson learned.

My family takes eclipses very seriously. Since this was the first one visible from this part of the world in my life time this was news to me.

You see when I pictured driving clear to Kanab to stare at the sun for a couple of hours, one I thought we all must be a bit crazy and two all five of us sitting in the deseret next to a cactus wearing funny glasses.  As you can tell I wasn't far off.

Love y'all!