I have long thought that President Barak Hussein Obama was foolish, but I did not know the extent of his foolishness until this week. In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to make same-sex marriage a "right" and impose it upon the entire nation, he had the White House lighted in the rainbow colors of the LGBT community, in celebration of their victory." I rarely take offence at the actions of political leaders or anyone for that matter. I try to have a thick skin and be realistic about differences of opinion. Moreover, I think too many people in this country go around complaining about being offended all the time. But I admit, this time he got my goat too.
To be clear to all, I am looking at this from my religious point of view. That is as a Christian. My Mormon faith teaches that: sexual activity is not primarily for recreation, but for procreation. It is the greatest power God has granted to mankind.(1) Proper understanding of human sexual activity is one of the most important things God desires us to possess, because it has such a monumental impact on us as individuals, as communities, and in society in general. Therefore, he has surrounded its use with the most solemn guidance and commandments. To verify that I am not misrepresenting the teachings of my faith, here is a very important statement on this subject from a high ranking Mormon leader, Charles W. Penrose, member of the First Presidency of the Church. He said
In its correct form [marriage] it is under the divine direction. The Father of the race has the right to a voice in the sexual unions of his children. Those relations are fraught with so much consequence, relating to time and eternity, that the Supreme Ruler should regulate them for the benefit of the parties, the welfare of society and the good of posterity in this world, as well as for eternal results in the life to come.(2)
More recently Elder David A. Bednar, a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (my Church), said something similar:
The power of procreation is spiritually significant. Misuse of this power subverts the purposes of the Father’s plan and of our mortal existence. Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are creators and have entrusted each of us with a portion of Their creative power. Specific guidelines for the proper use of the ability to create life are vital elements in the Father’s plan. How we feel about and use that supernal power will determine in large measure our happiness in mortality and our destiny in eternity.
Among other things, those guidelines teach that sexual immorality can take many forms, but for simplicity sake I list the following: adultery, fornication, and homosexual relations. All are considered by my faith sins of among the greatest magnitude; they are gross iniquity.
So, President Obama’s action was a great offense to me personally, and I believe to my faith and that of other Christians in general. The President could not have made a much more foolish decision than to light the White House with the rainbow colors celebrating the LGBT community’s “victory” and thus give this country’s highest honor and promotion to this conduct. He could just as well have added a banner encouraging adultery and fornication, giving government’s sanction to those things as well; in my religion they are in the same category..
This is of grave concern for me because the President has previously belittled a number of the Bible’s teachings, but most importantly making fun of the Savior’s Sermon on the Mount as impractical in real life.(4) This combined with his promotion of sexual preference proves him to be hostile to traditional Christian values, regardless of what Church he may attend on the weekends he chooses to do so. And he is hostile in the most egregious way, actually promoting values in opposition to the Christian way of life. The recent rainbow house was the latest of his flaunting his hostility in the face of Christians.
My faith has another important teaching that is relevant in this conversation. Here is a passage from an official volume accepted as Holy Scripture by Mormons which is described as a “declaration of beliefs regarding governments and laws.” Its first paragraph reads:
We believe that governments were instituted by God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.(5)
And in that same sermon which the President got such a big laugh out of ridiculing, the Savior of mankind said: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (6)
As the Bible repeatedly illustrates, God does hold men accountable for the way they govern, how they lead, and what they teach the people. Unfortunately, President Obama has taken a position inimical to traditional Christian principles and encourages others to do so as well. This does not bode well for him.
Let’s think together again, soon.
Notes:
1. George Q. Cannon said, “... the faithful man may receive the power of God—the greatest He has ever bestowed upon man—namely, the power of procreation. ... there is a glory to which alone that power will be accorded in the life to come.” George Q. Cannon, “Celestial Marriage,” JD 13:207, discourse of 9 October 1869, emphasis added. See also, Dallin H. Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” Ensign, (May 2014), p. 51. He said: “The greatest power God has given to His sons cannot be exercised without the companionship of one of His daughters, because only to His daughters has God given the power ‘to be a creator of bodies ... so that God’s design and the Great Plan might meet fruition.’ Those are the words of President J. Reuben Clark.” See J. Reuben Clark, Jr., “Our Wives and Our Mothers in the Eternal Plan,” Relief Society Magazine, (December 1946), pp. 800.
2. Charles W. Penrose, “Leaves from the Tree of Life,” Eleventh Leaf, The Contributor, 2 (August 1881), p. 337, emphasis added. Those Latter-day Saints, young and old, but particularly the young who have rejoiced in or otherwise supported the recent Supreme Court decision should look carefully at President Penrose's statement about "Those relations are fraught with so much consequence, relating to time and eternity, that the Supreme Ruler should regulate them for the benefit of the parties, the welfare of society and the good of posterity in this world, as well as for eternal results in the life to come" and do some study about the consequences in time, and why the law of chastity is a benefit to individuals, society and posterity.
3. David A. Bednar, “We Believe in Being Chaste,” Ensign (May 2013), p. 42.
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-NzP2U1AR8 The entire argument asserts the supremacy of government over religion. His prefrences and recent action demonstrate the danger of this position.
5. Doctrine and Covenants 134:1, emphasis added.
6. Mt 5:18-19, emphasis added.
6. Mt 5:18-19, emphasis added.
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