YES on Proposition 8

I'm living in California right now... and next month is November, election month. The topic of gay marriage is definitely a heated one right now, so I'm going to write where I stand on the matter.

First off let me say - I really dislike politics. The whole thing is way too contentious for my sensitive soul and it just seems that no matter what you do you can't please everyone... and you get a major headache in the process. BUT I am writing this blog today of my opinion because I believe that we have a modern day Prophet of God on this earth, Thomas S. Monson. As a Prophet of God, he has asked us to do all that we can to support Prop 8, which will restore the definition of marriage (http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/california-and-same-sex-marriage). We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God to be the central unit of the family - also the central unit of society. I believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman and will follow the words of the Prophet. Here is an example from not too long ago from Quinton L. Cook's talk last general conference:

"Prophets are inspired to provide us with prophetic priorities to protect us from dangers. As an example, President Heber J. Grant, the prophet from 1918 to 1945, was inspired to emphasize adherence to the Word of Wisdom,¹⁰ the principle with a promise revealed by the Lord to the Prophet Joseph.¹¹ He stressed the importance of not smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages and directed the bishops to review these principles in temple recommend interviews.

At that time smoking was accepted by society as an appropriate, even glamorous, behavior. The medical profession accepted smoking with little concern because the scientific studies linking cigarette smoking with several kinds of cancer were far in the future. President Grant counseled with great vigor, and we became known as a people who abstained from drinking and smoking."

The Prophet warned against smoking and drinking at a time when it was socially acceptable to do so... and people thought those who listened were crazy. The Prophet is warning now that if the definition of marriage is something that should not be changed, at a time when it is a socially acceptable thing. In the case of warning against smoking and alchohol we later learned what negative effects of those substances have on our bodies. Some say that allowing gay marriage won't have any effect on anybody but I believe that isn't true. It will have an effect, whether it is gradual or rapid, there will be negative consequences.

You may take this and say that I hate gay people. That is quite untrue. I believe that they should have all the same civil rights as a married couple (which they have here in California and many other states) but I also believe that the definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. That is not hate, that is a belief. If I could I would vote YES on propositon 8 to restore the definition of marriage.