I’m here at BYU-Idaho with M. Russell Ballard, a Mormon apostle. Elder Ballard, I was wondering if you could give me some words of wisdom that would help me in my mortal probation.
“I want to try to pull this together, not to frighten you but to wake you up,” Elder Ballard said. “We’ve got to be so solidly anchored in our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ that, regardless of what may come next, we will not waffle; we will stand firm in our belief; we won’t question the doctrines that are part of our belief.”
Not question doctrines or beliefs. Got it.
I do have one question though, and that’s the LDS stand on gay marriage. Why is it so important for us to fuck around with the marital status of other people?
“It’s a pretty simple answer,” Elder Ballard responded. “God created this world and He put Adam here and He gave Adam a helpmate whom he called Eve. They had a charge and a responsibility to multiply and replenish the earth. It is a marvelous and glorious experience to bring forth children and have a family, and that is done between a husband and a wife who are married.”
Um. Do you have an answer that doesn’t involve fictional beings?
“I’m telling you what the Savior said would be the signs of the acceleration towards that day when He shall come,” he said. “We could stay here for a couple of hours talking about all of the prophecies of what will occur in the last days. We’re in the last days — you can quote me on that. And it is moving more rapidly.”
Wow, thanks, Elder Ballard! For a moment there, I was thinking calmly and rationally. Now I’m so scared, I’m ready to believe anything if it just makes the fear go away.
By the way, how long has it been the Last Days? Are we now in the ‘lasty-last days’? Don’t look at me like that, Elder Ballard, I’m just kidding.
So in summary, Don’t question, and be very afraid. That’s all for now. Keep praying, paying, and obeying!
14 February 2010 at 6:42 pm
"In summary, Don't question, and be very afraid."
Beautiful! Simply Beautiful!
15 February 2010 at 10:01 am
"Elder Ballard, in response to your statement 'God created this world and He put Adam here and He gave Adam a helpmate whom he called Eve. They had a charge and a responsibility to multiply and replenish the earth.' (Ignoring the obvious problem with fictional beings) Now that the earth seems not only to be 'replenished' but overflowing with an infestation of people, can we now 'let' people choose for themselves?"
15 February 2010 at 3:00 pm
If marriage is for bringing forth children, then what if a godly, heterosexual couple are infertile? Religion always yanks out the old 'they can't procreate' argument for homosexuals but I've never been told what it means if a 'normal' couple can't have children – what's the point of marriage then?
17 February 2010 at 1:53 am
Deborah, I have come across a few Mormon couples who are not able to have children and although the church doesn't teach them that they are being punished the belief system itself certainly encourages such thinking. I remember one lady telling me she felt, at times as though she must have done something really bad for god to not create her in a way that would enable her to have children (I'm paraphrasing of course). She would go in and out of this view but it was clear that the belief system itself led her to believe these things!
Also, what of the hetero-couples who refuse to have children? I know of at least one Mormon couple who have been 'holding off' having kids (although if they trust you they'll tell you that they're just not interested in having kids at all. I never actually asked but while we were talking someone had the audacity to inquire "So, why aren't you guys having kids, you've been married for years now?"!! Their response was as above; and once the inquisitor left I wondered they were asked such questions often, to which they responded that it was rather a regular occurrence and then gave their real reason to me). These couples have to fight internally against the will to please their God and the will to serve their own heart; I guess most religious people do in one respect or another…