MORALLY STRAIGHT

"Tolerance is a virtue, but like all virtues, when exaggerated, it transforms itself into a vice. We need to be careful of the “tolerance trap” so that we are not swallowed up in it. The permissiveness afforded by the weakening of the laws of the land to tolerate legalized acts of immorality does not reduce the serious spiritual consequence that is the result of the violation of God’s law of chastity."
--Boyd K Packer (Mormon Apostle)





I'm not really a political person, yet people often think that I am. I freely acknowledge my own ignorance on most political issues, and I generally withhold commenting on things I know little about. But there are a few issues which can really stir me, such as gay marriage.

A couple of weeks ago Right-wing nut job Glenn Beck released a concession that "they" have won the gay marriage battle because "they" made it about freedom:

As much as I want to believe that the tides are turning for political conservatives, this concession seems all too opportunistic. Maybe I'm being cynical. Maybe Beck, a self-proclaimed libertarian, really has had a change of heart and really does see that conservatives have no legal basis to deny gay people the right to marry, no matter how icky or immoral they may find it. I just have to ask "Why, Mr Beck, has it taken you so long to look at this issue through the libertarian lens of freedom? Why the change of heart?"

I suppose that even if Beck is a hypocritical opportunist, this is still a sign of progress. If he is merely appealing to his constituencies, then this means his constituencies are changing their minds. This would be very good news.

Similarly, the Boy Scouts of America have recently changed their policy on gays in their organization. While the change is not as inclusive as some had hoped (gay adults are still not allowed), and it seems to be the result of monetary pressures from donors rather than doing the right thing on moral grounds (like the organization professes), it is still a step in the right direction.

With all the recent advances in gay rights, many are making predictions that gay marriage will be allowed in most states in X number of years, etc. A while back, I made a similar prediction that eventually even the Mormon Church will soften its policies on gay members, just as they did with black members in 1978. So, today I will reiterate that, like Glenn Beck, the BSA and the Mormon Church in 1978, all of whom changed their minds to reflect the social and political climate at the time, one day the Mormon Church will allow gay civil marriage in their churches, and gay men in openly gay relationships will hold priesthood offices in the church. All we have to do is wait for Mr Packer to die.



BONUS MATERIAL:

Here is Bryan Fischer chastising Glenn Beck for changing his mind on gay marriage: