The Conservative Church has no Defense Against Gay Members

It was a first, but perhaps not the last. The valedictorian of the graduating class at Brigham Young University came out for the first time as a gay man in his acceptance speech. Homosexual people have been seen as sinners of the worst kind by Mormons and across conservative religion. When a member of the family announces he/she is gay it is a fork in the road. I think the majority of parents and siblings come to accept their gay family members. Now conservative denominations have to make that same decision.

I don't see how a church or a denomination can defend its position that homosexuality is a sin. They might have been somewhat successful when it was believed all the gays lived in San Francisco so they could point at them like animals in a zoo. But things are different when church officials are in the same cage as the animal on display.

There is first the problem that the Bible is vague about homosexuality. Several passages refer to straight men acting as women but referred to as homosexuals by conservative Bible pundits. These involved rituals following battles.

The other problem is that of "cause." If the gay person has no choice in the matter how can same sex attraction be a sin? It makes no sense.

Then there is the whole issue of "family." Christianity is often claimed as a religion promoting family life. Does it follow that parents and siblings should label their gay family member a sinner? Or, is it a sin if two gay men or women decide to devote their lives to a faithful relationship with another person?

I hope Mormons and all other Christian denominations drop the foolish condemnation of gay people and gay marriage. It will help both the denominations and their gay members.