Gay Gospel Doctrine Class: A More Excellent Way

When Invictus asked me to prepare the Gay Gospel Doctrine lesson for this week, I was excited.*  I used to teach Gospel Doctrine for about 4 years and I loved doing it.  However in all that time, I obviously never had the chance to present the material with this perspective.

Lesson 8 deals with the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus presenting the higher law.

The Salt of the Earth

In Matt 5:13, Jesus presents the following, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Whenever I hear people make derogatory comments about gay people, one of the thoughts that come into my mind is, “If it weren’t for gays, this world would be a far less beautiful place.”  And I’m not saying that it’s the gay guys who are the most beautiful to look at (though some of you certainly are), it’s just that there is so much creativity and imagination that comes from the way that gay people often think.

How much music, art, design and theater would we not have were it not for gay people?  Society would certainly lose it savor without the unique perspective that gay people bring to it. 

Hiding our Light:  Be Your Best Self

This chapter continues:

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

I don’t know if it’s just specific to me, but sometimes I’m afraid of letting people see the things that I enjoy doing and am good at because I don’t want them to look at me and think, “Dang, that guy must be gay.”  I sometimes want to hide my light under a bushel.

There’s a lady in my ward who serves with my wife.  She has said in the past something to the effect of, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that your husband’s gay.  He cooks, cleans, does laundry, paints.  He’s gay.”  I’m not sure if this is more of an outing of me, or a slam on the traditional, stereotypical straight guy.  But the encouragement that I receive from this scripture is that I should not be afraid to be my best self.  It really doesn't matter what others think.  If I'm good at something, why shouldn't I do it?  Whether it's burying talents or hiding our light, neither is good for our souls.

Here’s a great song that illustrates this principle:  Proud, sung by Heather Small (lyrics below):

Pray for Them Which Despitefully Use You

Matthew, chapter 5 verse 44 offers an incredible challenge:

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

When I was in high school, I hated gym class.  There was this kid in there who was such a bully; he made the class miserable.  It's not that I was a femmy gay boy; I was just average and not really athletic.  One day, the thought struck me; I should pray for him.  I had been taught this in seminary and church for years, but I had never really had anyone who I considered my “enemy”, but I suppose if anyone fit that requirement, he did.

So I went home, and that night as I was saying my prayers, I asked my Heavenly Father to bless this kid at school who tried to make my life miserable everyday, that maybe he would be nicer tomorrow.

The next day, I got up, went to school and again to gym class with the bully.  And do you know what happened?  Nothing.  He was the same jerk he was the day before.  But something else changed.  I saw him differently.  I realized that he probably had a more miserable home life than I could ever understand, and I felt bad for him.  I had asked God to make him different, and instead He changed my heart.  It was a strong lesson for me.

When Elder Packer gave his now famous October speech about our loving Heavenly Father not ever making gay people, my initial reaction was one of annoyance and anger.  I called him all kinds of bad names in texts to friends.  As time went on, the thought occurred to me; in the larger national religious dialogue, the religious “leaders” who frequently speak out against gays are often the ones who end up getting caught traveling with rent-boys.  And I realized, “I think he doth protest too much.” 

Perhaps Boyd “struggles” with this as well and is a victim of the hatred and lies he heard as a child.  Maybe not.  But I do know that the walls he has built up around himself have made it so he has missed out on knowing some awfully incredible people.  His life lacks a good deal of salt.

I’ll be honest; I have a difficult time maintaining this charitable outlook towards Elder Packer.  As a result of his talk, I have far less faith in my life and see myself moving further away from the church (for good or bad).  And I'll admit that I enjoy occasionally reading some article or blog which takes another verbal potshot at him.  But in my more noble moments, I see him as I think he truly is; miserable, without many friends and completely owned by the church organization.  And I pity him.

If I only love those who love me, what reward have I?  It is a challenge I constantly have to work towards.  May God bless all of us.  Even those whom I judge as being difficult to love.

* This lesson was prepared by UtahHiker801.

Proud

I look into the window of my mind

Reflections of the fears I know I've left behind

I step out of the ordinary

I can feel my soul ascending

I am on my way

Can't stop me now

And you can do the same

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

It's never too late to try

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

You could be so many people

If you make that break for freedom

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

Still so many answers I don't know

Realise that to question is how we grow

So I step out of the ordinary

I can feel my soul ascending

I am on my way

Can't stop me now

And you can do the same

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

It's never too late to try

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

You could be so many people

If you make that break for freedom

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

We need a change

Do it today

I can feel my spirit rising

We need a change

So do it today

'Cause I can see a clear horizon

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

So what have you done today to make you feel proud?

'Cause you could be so many people

If you make that break for freedom

So what have you done today to make you feel proud?

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

What have you done today

You could be so many people?

Just make that break for freedom

So what have you done today to make you feel proud?