2014-01-12: Geh mawwiage

In my post Coming or Going? (Mormons as Ugly Americans, etc.), I said that the Mormon church had already done things in the political arena (to say nothing of things in other arenas) that to my mind have fully merited my resigning… were it not for my decision to wait until my parents have departed from this mortal realm. (Note poetic euphemism. We do like our euphemisms! — But I digress.)

One such set of actions and policies has to do with gay marriage. This past month has been a humdinger: a federal judge ruled that Utah’s Amendment 3 to its state constitution — which categorically defines marriage as consisting of a man and a woman (ironic indeed for the former? polygamy capital of the western world) — was unconstitutional. About 1,300 gay couples went and got married, some more easily than others (I’m frankly surprised that there wasn't even more ass-holiness among the county clerks, quite honestly, but shame on those deceitful few!). Utah asked for a stay, which was ultimately granted… meaning that the marriages have stopped until such time as the Supreme Court will consider the matter, which probably won’t be this year.

Then Governor Herbert — the same “moral” guy who allegedly secretly sold the Utah voter registration lists to various parties (after removing his own name and info, of course) — declared that Utah would not honor the marriages that it had legally performed for these gay couples, throwing those couples and their families once more into limbo. The US DOJ announced that these marriages would, in fact, be recognized at the federal level… and so what we have is a mess. 

The Mormon church has indicated that it will not file an amicus brief.† Publicity ploy? Maybe — oh, hell, sure. The church leadership has made its position crystal-clear that gay marriage is an Awful Thing… apparently far more awful than so many true moral issues and outrages that I can scarcely begin to list them all (income inequality, environmental degradation, etc.; kiwimormon's post sums it up well). On these overarching issues — any one of which has an unquestionably deleterious impact on human life and happiness — the church is as silent as the tomb. Its “moral leadership,” if it can be called such, seems to hover exclusively around issues of human sexuality, and indeed, the church has strained at this gnat for my entire life, for the most part ignoring far weightier questions about moral behavior.

Assuming the biosphere endures long enough, I think it is possible that LDS, Inc., will ultimately come to accept gay marriage… at least civilly. It’s been painting itself into a tighter and tighter corner about the eternal implications, what with its reliance on the ridiculous Crock-Proc (Proclamation on the Family — “the next best thing to genuine revelation!”™). So while I don’t believe there is any real “eternal” reason to refuse a temple marriage to a gay couple, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. (I hesitate to say “not in my lifetime,” but… well.) (I have lots of things I could say about temple marriage and the whole notion of “sealings” in general, but I’ll forebear at the moment.)

I fault the church because of the fundamental dishonesty with which it has conducted itself during the entire period of the gay rights movement (up to and including gay marriage). It has secretly belonged to and funded groups which have disseminated lies and misinformation, pandering to the very worst elements in society. It has cuddled up with bigots and cheats… some of whom (of the evangelical persuasion in particular) were and are more than happy to take every bit of support from LDS, Inc. … until the time when they, the faux-Christians, have the opportunity to turn their hateful efforts to annihilating the mormons — the cult they so despise.

I fault the church because of its doctrinal inconsistency, for its apparent inability to distinguish between inspiration and conservative political thought and tactics, and its for its willingness to let members believe that its leaders are receiving revelation from God when none has been forthcoming. I fault it because so many of its decisions in this area (and in far too many others) seem to have been made with utterly no consideration of that well-worn cliché, “what would Jesus do?” Instead, the church and its conservative U.S. members are working hard to portray themselves as victims. Grüß Gott.

Meanwhile, the newly-married gay couples are once again experiencing fear and uncertainty and blatant discrimination. Were it really and truly the church of Jesus Christ, the church (a) would never have opposed gay marriage in the first place (which might have rendered point “b” moot), and (b) would put pressure on the state to do the right thing by its gay constituents, rather than wasting millions on appeals that will only delay the time when justice and fairness will prevail.

It all makes me sad and ashamed. Maybe a bit of reconsideration is in order.

† Update, Feb. 8: Apparently the church lied (quelle surprise) and has filed an amicus brief anyway.

Update, 2020: Mr Mo and I resigned from the church in November 2015, following the church's adoption of a policy (since rescinded) of not allowing gay couples' children to be baptized.