The new African-American: LDS

Two Dudes kissing each other at Temple Square are arrested and kicked off public property; quickly followed by protests. Prop 8 legislation prohibiting marriage rights to homosexuals passes with considerable support from the LDS church; quickly followed by protests, boycotts, and even vandalism. If you had to assign a 'persecuted' label to either the LDS church or the Gay Rights, which would it be?

According to Elder Oaks, it'd be the church.

In a speech at BYU-I, Elder Oaks compared the treatment of the church to the treatment of blacks in the 1960's. He said that the church's position and experience in Prop 8 echoed that of the African-Americans in that the church is being persecuted for using its first amendment right to freely speak out on issues.

A shaky statement at best, especially given the church's less than ideal stance on blacks in the past (At the time that African-Americans experienced what Elder Oaks is referring to, they also weren't allowed to hold the priesthood in the LDS church). The logic is heard to see. It's the equivalent of the U.S. government complaining of persecution during the civil rights march in D.C. The gay community is seeking rights and the church played a large role in denying them those rights. What follows it a natural backlash. Gay Rights groups are angry and the church gets flack. No Duh. What did they expect to happen?

Elder Oaks is right that the church has every right to say and proclaim whatever they want. But the public has just as much right to boycott and protest (although not vandalize) the church because of what it says. It's seems to be a two way street this free-speech thing. We can say homosexuality is un-natural and un-godly, and they can say we are bigots and homophobic.

The church has been know to play the victim card. Ever since the extermination order was issued back in Missouri, persecution is something of a confirmation of belief for us. But in this particular case, if you had to pick which group is more like the evil galactic empire and which group is the rebellion, then us Mormons are looking an awful lot like storm troopers these days (no matter how much President Kimball looked like Yoda).

I think the real issue is that both sides want respect from the other, which of course is ridiculous. Homosexuals are never going to understand why the church thinks they are an abomination, and the Church is never going to condone homosexuality. Gay Rights groups want the church to let Gays into the temple. The church wants gays to stop fighting for rights and seek help for their 'condition'. Neither is likely, because the two groups vastly disagree and mostly hate each other--which by the way would go against both the church's aim to be Christ-like and the homosexual's claim that they just want more acceptance and higher minded ideals.

But lets look at the bright side. At least Mormons going to conference get to see the rather hilarious sight of gays and evangelicals protesting side by side. Strange anti-Mormon bedfellows indeed.