Balancing Truth and Tolerance

I don't believe in coincidence. I know God knows me and my concerns. This is a very personal thing I am sharing today. But i feel the need to write it down and share. It's a very controversial matter. Gay Rights. As a christian, and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, i don't believe in same sex relationships. Although i have known people who participate in them, i don't support their behavior, i do love the person. I don't judge them, but desire them to, like the Savior said, "sin no more" (John 8:11). 

Well yesterday i picked up the Ensign thinking it was time for spiritual food. I choose the article, Balancing Truth and Tolerance.  This article opened my eyes and helped me understand how to handle this most delicate subject. Because, as a Christian i am suppose to defend truth right? But how do i also show tolerance toward others? Read the article! It helped me see so much more clearly. 

So i read this article yesterday and then this morning i saw an article in the newspaper about a Conservative, Jon Hunstman, who said that, we conservatives, should support equality and gay marriages. Maybe this article would have shaken me and my faith more but the Lord prepared me last night.

 A few random gems that helped me:

1. The world is using tolerance as a mask to sin. Anything goes kind of attitude. That's totally how i feel! Sometimes i feel bad for the beliefs i have because they interfere with what others do. When thinking about sins like stealing and cheating the answers are obvious but when it comes to same sex relationships, cohabitation, Sabbath day observance...now that's much different.

2. As the second U.S. president, John Adams, declared: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”scary thinking about our society today. 

3. I will have tolerance towards people's beliefs. But i will not support or condone behavior that is against the truth of God. 

4. I love this quote by President Hinkley. This is how we, as Christians, should handle these situations. “Let us reach out to those in our community who are not of our faith. Let us be good neighbors, kind and generous and gracious. Let us be involved in good community causes. There may be situations where, with serious moral issues involved, we cannot bend on matters of principle. But in such instances we can politely disagree without being disagreeable. We can acknowledge the sincerity of those whose positions we cannot accept. We can speak of principles rather than personalities.”

I am grateful for spiritual food! I am grateful that the Lord is helping me understand a little bit better how to deal with these situations. I am SO, SO grateful for living apostles and Prophets. If i didn't have these things i know i would be one lost little sheep.