Prop 8--Reaffirmation of my Decision

When I tell people I was at Disneyland during Gay Days at Anaheim, I get a variety of comments, most of which I abhor. I mean, yes, I know I live in Utah County, but honestly, I'm disappointed in the blatant prejudice, and these are people I generally like! When I get emails forwarded to me about supporting Prop 8, and pray for those poor Mormons who couldn't get to the temple because of protesters . . . that's what they get! If you want to force your beliefs on the lifestyles of others, you should expect some response. As soon as I heard the church leaders announced from the pulpit their support for prop 8, I felt further affirmation that I had made the right choice to leave. I took a genetics class at BYU, about 14 years ago, and that's when I knew that I would never judge a person for their sexuality. Who chooses to be XO, XXX, XXY, or all the other variations in between? And I don't buy that, "it's their test in this life." Life is about finding joy and making the universe better because of your sheer existence in it. Honestly, is prop 8 making the universe a better place? Is prop 8 allowing others to have joy in this life? Oh, no, they have to wait to have joy in the next life because they've been given this "condition/disease" to suffer through. What do I care if a gay couple gets married? How does that destroy my own family or my own traditions and values? It doesn't. It's about this, and it's always about this-- I'm right. And since I'm right, you're wrong. And since you're wrong, you don't deserve the rights I have. And if you don't have the rights I have, that verifies that I must have been right, so absolutely I'm right. I mean, yes, I understand that God made man and woman, and I know how all the parts fit, but I also understand that God made a lot more than man and woman, and if gender and gender roles is so critical to the Plan, then why would he make such an oopsy? He didn't give them a test; He gave us the test. And Prop 8 just shows that we're failing. We're failing to treat our fellow human beings with respect, dignity, equal rights, granting them the pursuit of happiness and God-given civil rights. What I value is loyalty, monogamy-- let them marry! I can think of a lot more heterosexuals who do not deserve the right to marry, because they do not value loyalty, fidelity, monogamy, true love-- hey, now there's a good prop for you!

shocking aftermath

Okay, so I've avoided using this label-- "ex-mo" aka one who has recently or not so recently left the Mormon church. I don't want that to define me-- it is not who I am. I am not bitter. I don't hate all Mormons. Most of my friends are Mormon, and I love them to pieces. Most of my family is Mormon, and naturally, I love them, too. So why is it they cannot love ME completely and fully for who I am? I don't share the details of why I left because I want to avoid doctrinal issues that make it sound like I'm persuading them to alter their beliefs. Yet it is the entire premise of the Church that they should alter everyone else's beliefs to be the same as theirs, because of course, they have the ultimate, unconditional truth and everyone else should want it or have it or they will not be truly happy. Has it occurred to anyone that I am truly happy now?

So what got me started on this little tyrade, enough to begin a blog in fact, is this: I'm PTA President. Yippee for me, right? Well, I just found out today that two moms found out about my ever-so-quiet exit from the Church and expressed to another mom that they had concerns about me being the PTA President. Luckily for me, the other mom is an active Church member who's own father has left the church. She asked why the PTA president had to be Mormon and basically defended me.

What shocks me is that anyone would have such an idiotic reaction in the first place. That's the most ludicrous, judgmental reaction I've ever heard, and I don't think that I can look at these ladies the same again. Only in Utah County would I be persecuted for not being Mormon! Worse than a non-Mormon is an ex-Mormon, of course.

Well, I'll be the best damn PTA president they've ever had and I hope they wallow in guilt for their unfair prejudice and gossip!