Monday, April 07, 2008

Another Step

Affirmation has, after decades of trying, been given an audience with the LDS church.

Article here.

SALT LAKE CITY - After decades of silence, Mormon church officials have agreed to meet with a gay Mormon support group that has sought to forge understanding between the faith's leaders and its gay members.

In a letter received last week, leaders of Affirmation were invited to meet with Fred M. Riley, commissioner of Family Services for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Harold C. Brown, the agency's past commissioner.


Add this to the Danzig thing and I’m again wondering if the rumors be true? :-)

Regardless, I’d not expect much to come out of such a meeting, on the surface. In such things, change nearly always happens discretely and slowly, in the background, mainly for the reasons I posed back here. But this, the willingness to just talk with such a group, is a good sign that the new LDS president will bring church members one step closer to a more humane treatment of their gay neighbors, both in the church and in politics.

Here's to hope that I'm reading the tea leaves correctly :-).

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow. I heard Affirmation sent a letter to church leaders recently, but doubted they would get anywhere with it.

Can't wait to see what happens.

Beck said...

I heard the report on the radio this morning and the report implied that the meeting you referenced is in preparation for a meeting with President Monson this summer (August?).

Anyway, I can't help but view all of this as nothing but positive, and yes, "another step".

Craig said...

Its a step in the right direction.

Interesting how all this happens as soon as there is a new church president. It makes one wonder...

-L- said...

I'll defer my wet blanket thoughts about the Affirmation meeting ;-) just to say that I've been catching up on your blog and it makes me miss you. I'm glad to see that all is well in Cogville.

Java said...

Being neither mo nor ho, I've not got much perspective on this. However it sounds like a step in the right direction.

But I really came to say I like the new icon picture. :)

Scot said...

Can't wait to see what happens.

Given what Beck wrote, it sounds like more than I thought possible. A meeting with Monson would be a significant change, and on the surface, regardless of outcome.

"It makes one wonder..."

... :-)

"I'll defer my wet blanket thoughts..."

Ah, but I've missed your wet blanket thoughts :-). Good to see you out about again, L.

But I really came to say I like the new icon picture. :)

Thank you Java; I had to switch from the pink, too cliché.

Kengo Biddles said...

But...but, Scot, pink is so you! ;)

Sean said...

my friend,

how i do miss our political/socialiological discussions. time is no longer a friend to me, as I'm now spending more and more of it in pursuit of an item not worthy of it, but yet is necessicary in a world such as ours.

like you i am glad to hear that the church is meeting with reps from the gay/lds community. However, my political/sociological as well as religious knowledge pursuades me to believe that it will be more of a "meet and greet" with very little change within the orthodoxy of the religious structure of the Church, other than a growth towards better understanding. Which, is still better than nothing.

I am glad to hear that Rob is reading the blog...it is wonderful to have the backing and support of ones spouse.

May your family be blessed with happiness and peace.

oh, on another topic from the national level, as you know Rice may be in the running for VP. Really, God help us all of those two get into office.

Will someone please notify Scotty, I need to be beamed off this crazy planet. I think I'll spend the next few years at Riza. :)

Scot said...

Kengo: But...but, Scot, pink is so you! ;)

Apparently, my son, the author of that picture, thinks so :-).

Sean: Very good to see your font! First L and now you; it’s like a reunion of the old men :-).

Hey, meet and greet was all I’m hoping for, anything else is icing.

No worries about the politics. You are still my campaign manager, right? I’m thinking we should announce that I’m running in October, once the public is so sick of all this that they’ll actually vote for a gay guy with kids who’s also below the minimum age requirement. I’ll give my acceptance speech on Riza.

Molly Sue said...

I see this as a lovely soft biggoted approach. A meeting to assuage our fears that will amount to..............nothing. Attitude does not change overnight. This attitude will not change for centuries, if ever.