Thursday, April 9, 2015

Traditional Family Values

As I watched general conference, I would occasionally check on the reactions from the gay community.  Almost universally, people were upset about the focus in the early sessions on strengthening the traditional family.  In addition, many were upset that there wasn't a talk somewhere that specifically spoke to them, that addressed homosexuality.

But I'd like to look at what the focus on traditional family values actually does.  I would say that any family member that withholds love and acceptance from a child, brother, or sister for any reason is not following the council of the leaders of the church.  The conference talks make it clear that we are to always extend love to our family members.  Those who reject their children due to sexual orientation harm their families, and this often leads to youth homelessness and suicide.  The church can take a stand by promoting family values and love in the home.  So I welcome messages designed to strengthen the family.

I wish all gay oriented members of the church had grown up in a family that, like mine, communicated unconditional love.  I never doubted that my family would love me regardless of my situation.  I still haven't admitted my orientation to my family, but their love for me was never in question.  I never felt as if rejection were a danger.  Disagreement, lack of understanding, these kinds of issues would certainly had come up if I had ever come out of the closet.  They are definitely there for other issues.  But they would never withhold love and acceptance.

That's the nature of a strong traditional family, and it is (or at least should be) the backbone of the church structure.  Other family situations (single parent families, for example) can certainly have love and acceptance, but they can be supported in the church by being surrounded by strong traditional families.  So those traditional families need to be talked about, need to be nurtured, need desperately to be encouraged during general conference.

So please don't be offended when the leaders of the church talk about supporting the traditional family.  They are trying to make things better for everybody.

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