Gay Mormon - LDS Reconciliation

AGENCY

Since the beginning, God’s will has been to protect the agency of man.

Do you believe God has changed and is now pleased when His followers seek to destroy the agency of His children who are different in some way or who simply believe differently than you?

“I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses saying… because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I the Lord God, had given him, … I caused that he should be cast down”
Moses 4:1, 3

Your Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters want to use their agency to marry a companion they love. How do you feel about Christians trying to destroy our agency to do so?

“If the Kingdom of God, or a theocratic government, was established on the earth, many practices now prevalent would be abolished.
“One community would not be permitted to array itself in opposition to another to coerce them to their standard; one denomination would not be suffered to persecute another because they differed in religious belief and mode of worship. Every one would be fully protected in the enjoyment of all religious and social rights, and no state, no government, no community, no person would have the privilege of infringing on the rights of another; one Christian community would not rise up and persecute another.
“Whoever lives to see the Kingdom of God fully established upon the earth will see a government that will protect every person in his rights. If that government was now reigning... you would see [every Church]... and every class of worshipers most strictly protected in all their municipal rights and in the privileges of worshipping who, what, and when they pleased, not infringing upon the rights of others. Does any candid person in his sound judgment desire any greater liberty?....”
“When the Kingdom of God is fully set up and established on the face of the earth, and takes the preeminence over all other nations and kingdoms, it will protect the people in the enjoyment of all their rights, no matter what they believe, what they profess, or what they worship.” Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young, [1997] 268, 324.

“Man’s greatest endowment in mortal life is the power of choice -- the divine gift of free agency. No true character was ever developed without a sense of soul freedom. If a man feel circumscribed, harassed, or enslaved by something or somebody, he is shackled...
“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. Among the immediate obligations and duties resting upon members of the Church, and one of the most urgent and pressing for attention and action of all liberty-loving people is the preservation of individual liberty. Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the spirit of man. It is a divine gift to every normal being.... everyone has this most precious of all life’s endowments -- the gift of free agency, man’s inherited and inalienable right.
“I refer to the fundamental principle of the gospel, free agency. References in the scriptures show that this principle is (1) essential to man’s salvation; and (2) may become a measuring rod by which the actions of men, of organizations, of nations may be judged.” David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p.299.

“God has given to all men an agency and has granted to us the privilege to serve him or serve him not, to do that which is right or that which is wrong, and this privilege is given to all men irrespective of creed, color or condition. ... no man is deprived by any power of God from exercising it in the fullest and in the freest manner. This agency has been given to all. This is a blessing that God has bestowed upon the world of mankind, upon all his children alike.” Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, [1998], 97.

“All we have to do is... examine any movement that may be brought into our midst... and if it... attempt[s] to deprive us the slightest respect of our free agency, we should avoid it as we would avoid immorality or anything else that is vicious... Free agency is as necessary for our eternal salvation as is our virtue. And... as we guard our virtue with our lives, so should we guard our free agency.” President Henry D. Moyle; Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 46.

	AGENCY
Since the beginning, God’s will has been to protect the agency of man.
Do you believe God has changed and is now pleased when His followers seek to destroy the agency of His children who are different in some way or who simply believe differently than you?	“I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses saying… because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I the Lord God, had given him, … I caused that he should be cast down” Moses 4:1, 3		Your Gay and Lesbian brothers and sisters want to use their agency to marry a companion they love. How do you feel about Christians trying to destroy our agency to do so?
“If the Kingdom of God, or a theocratic government, was established on the earth, many practices now prevalent would be abolished. “One community would not be permitted to array itself in opposition to another to coerce them to their standard; one denomination would not be suffered to persecute another because they differed in religious belief and mode of worship. Every one would be fully protected in the enjoyment of all religious and social rights, and no state, no government, no community, no person would have the privilege of infringing on the rights of another; one Christian community would not rise up and persecute another. “Whoever lives to see the Kingdom of God fully established upon the earth will see a government that will protect every person in his rights. If that government was now reigning... you would see [every Church]... and every class of worshipers most strictly protected in all their municipal rights and in the privileges of worshipping who, what, and when they pleased, not infringing upon the rights of others. Does any candid person in his sound judgment desire any greater liberty?....” “When the Kingdom of God is fully set up and established on the face of the earth, and takes the preeminence over all other nations and kingdoms, it will protect the people in the enjoyment of all their rights, no matter what they believe, what they profess, or what they worship.” Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Brigham Young, [1997] 268, 324.	“Man’s greatest endowment in mortal life is the power of choice -- the divine gift of free agency. No true character was ever developed without a sense of soul freedom. If a man feel circumscribed, harassed, or enslaved by something or somebody, he is shackled... “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man. Among the immediate obligations and duties resting upon members of the Church, and one of the most urgent and pressing for attention and action of all liberty-loving people is the preservation of individual liberty. Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession earth can give. It is inherent in the spirit of man. It is a divine gift to every normal being.... everyone has this most precious of all life’s endowments -- the gift of free agency, man’s inherited and inalienable right. “I refer to the fundamental principle of the gospel, free agency. References in the scriptures show that this principle is (1) essential to man’s salvation; and (2) may become a measuring rod by which the actions of men, of organizations, of nations may be judged.” David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p.299.	“God has given to all men an agency and has granted to us the privilege to serve him or serve him not, to do that which is right or that which is wrong, and this privilege is given to all men irrespective of creed, color or condition. ... no man is deprived by any power of God from exercising it in the fullest and in the freest manner. This agency has been given to all. This is a blessing that God has bestowed upon the world of mankind, upon all his children alike.” Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of Presidents of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, [1998], 97.	“All we have to do is... examine any movement that may be brought into our midst... and if it... attempt[s] to deprive us the slightest respect of our free agency, we should avoid it as we would avoid immorality or anything else that is vicious... Free agency is as necessary for our eternal salvation as is our virtue. And... as we guard our virtue with our lives, so should we guard our free agency.” President Henry D. Moyle; Conference Report, Oct. 1947, 46.