Welcome to my job

This is way fun! Keep in mind where I work and now remember that offices still have a fair amount of videos that get rolled around the floor. I had to share this as a testament of what I've been surrounded with for the past month.

http://www.oldtestamentmovies.wordpress.com

There ya go.

I have a job when I come home!

When I hit Utah, I'll have less than 48 hours to move into a place and make it to my job in downtown Salt Lake City.

It's an internship with the New Era from January to April. I'm not complaining. Downright grateful, actually.

P.S.

Shortest blog post ever.

The Depth of Proposition 8's Impact on Religious Identity

Dear World,

Hi, it's Jake. You may not know me, but some of you have been claiming so in very recent weeks. You see, I am a Mormon - an ardent follower of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

No, seriously, all play aside, my common associates and I have been getting a pretty hard rap from some folk (more so than usual). I understand why, or at least...I think I understand why. Better yet, I really try to understand why. Do I know the feelings of being told the love I hold for another human being is not respected by my government as is the love of another couple? I'm no fool. I know I can't claim it, nor would I want to give you the disservice of doing so.

However, let me launch into the initial purpose of this post. I hope to stay on task. I invite all to be gentle, as this is my goal as well. Let me ask, do you know the feeling of what I committed to in my sacraments processed within the LDS Church? 

As so much emotion passes between groups and individuals, here is why I believe the hierarchy of our church encouraged individual church members to act as they did and why some members of my church may have responded to their askance.

Members of the church I belong to (I'll refrain from using the common slang Mormon and use Saints or fellow Saints in referring to them - I will not recognize the slang term in this discussion). When we covenant to be followers of Christ, we worship our Heavenly Father as both a kind and loving God but also a being who understands and follows the laws of the Universe as He understands them. Considering the common belief that God understands everything, we may share an understanding as to why anyone would want to follow heavenly advice. He knows everything, right? If we believe he wants us to end up in heaven, then it may pay to ask for and follow such concepts. 

For Saints, the idea of coming in line with both God's doctrine and covenants goes deep ... very deep. We actually believe God has a plan of happiness for all of his children, you and me, her and him. We want to follow this plan like directions to any desired destination. In this plan, we believe the classic nuclear family is central to his purposes of rearing children in righteousness and making the world a better place. In fact, we hope and believe that our families can be perpetuated beyond the grave, or, as we even sing in a children's song, that families can be together forever. Mothers and fathers continuing in such familial roles for eternity, like Him. This can be reached if we are willing to operate under the same laws which God goes by. We often rudimentarily call these laws commandments.

I won't attempt to smooth coat such laws as of now. The temptation for proper p.r. urges me to do so, but, rather, I whole heartedly admit that living the commandments can be viewed as difficult, demanding or restricting. I do not feel they are restricting, just as I don't feel the laws of science are restricting. Rather, I feel that by understanding the laws God gives through his spokesperson, I can more readily conduct my daily affairs. Gravity is not a restriction to me. It is something I strive to understand, work within its consequences or use as a tool towards enjoyment.

Saints supporting the campaign of Proposition 8 did so of their own free will, what e'er you may claim of the LDS Church's administrative system. You may say they blindly obeyed (oh, how the suggestion of such insults the intelligence I've been blessed with). You may do so. But they were merely holding with their well-thought out commitment to support and build up the Kingdom of God, as we see it. 

So, in keeping with following the counsel of our Church leaders, we actively believe we are following the counsel of our Heavenly Father. He ultimately and intimately understands the roads we all travel on, through and around. Why not trust His driving directions? He does this in much the same way your parents told you not to stick your finger in the electricity outlet. 

In striving to follow the guidance of our Father in Heaven, you may say the Saints active campaign for Proposition 8 took away someone else's rights. And I see where you're coming from. Rights on both sides of the aisle were at stake. Supporters of the proposition were trying to protect a right they thought they possessed from a previously population majority backed law from eight years ago. That law was very recently repealed by a very small number of judges who overruled that law as unconstitutional. Prop 8'ers vigorously went about to support a (thus far ruled) constitutionally enabled change to the constitution. There are currently those who support the notion that the protesting, ridicule and abasement my church and some members are receiving is fair 'up-and-comin's' for what we peacefully did. I read one blogger's remark about how saying 'pretty please' never got any movement anywhere and so the few radically acting individuals (I believe it is a minority) against this legislation are justified in their actions. Saying pretty please seemed to work OK for us. You may also try it. 

When it comes down to it, there are really two major points as to my approval of a policy that myself and 94 percent of Latter-day Saints are geographically ineligible to even vote for. I make these statements knowing it could alienate myself from good friends. 

The first is, as previously explained, we promise to follow the counsel of a prophet we know receives the word of God from God himself, not only previously recorded messages saved for our time. He makes a connection with him the likes of which is not matched since the days of Moses, Peter and Joseph Smith. My good friends, I want you to know I take no partiality about my religious beliefs. I am far from perfect. Who isn't? But I do believe my Church is true. I force no one into doing what I do or believing what I do. I'm glad I'm incapable of doing that. And though there appears conflict in that and denying marriage terms to kind homosexual couples, I believe Thomas Monson's (The LDS Church President) designated teachings, when he claims it so, are the mind and will of God. And so, I accept it as the morally right thing to do. 

Seems pretty backwards unless you have a grounded trust in the heavenly calling of the Church's leader. He's human and is not authoritatively representing the Lord of the world with every breath; just as a hospital CEO is not running his organization when he is with his family. We, not the Saints but you and I, can hardly blame a people for doing to the best of their knowledge what they believe is their Makers, and should He choose it, their Destroyer's, belief is best for all humanity, His children.

And at the best of humanity is our families. Governments have come and gone; many are likely to follow suit. But, so long as there is a son and a mother, a daughter and a father, there is guaranteed to be the ingredients of a family on the earth. One of the church's leaders, Jeffery Holland, teaches, "Of all the titles He has chosen for Himself, Father is the one that He declares, and creation is His watchword. Especially human creation, creation in His image." And so it is that I believe every child deserves to be raised in a family following the commandments of our Maker as closely as can be arranged. This includes a kind mother and father whose roles are neither confused or substituted for nontraditional options.

Which brings me to my final point and then I shall recall my fingertips. The family is also central to the goals of God in bringing about our mortal living and eternal joy. What child does not ask the attention of their parent in times of need, of which there are many? Our God, my god and your god, has given us advice through His church leaders on how we may follow a path in regards to our families that leads to eternal joy and thanksgiving. The church long ago issued a statement on God's concern for the entire worlds families. We call it A Proclamation to the World and it is available in the link provided. Those words say much of what I hope to embody in my (yet) future family. Yup - single boy pinch hitting for the family's team here.

I guess, to answer the question as to why I, a politically involved and religiously dedicated 'Mormon,' am bothering to offer a potential explanation of Church members' actions, is that I understand and appreciate that my personal beliefs are deeply rooted in the foundation of my faith. That foundation is built upon what I feel is the Church of Christ. There is no other name by which it should be called because it is His church.

I want to protect marriage as God sees it and I see it. My homosexual friends and acquaintances may not agree with me. I respect their right of non-concurrence. But I will endeavor to explain my views in a manner so that like believing individuals may think, "Now that is why I act." I ask you to try to see it as I see it: The great task I am in charge of, and as I am under my word to follow the Prophet.

Until more, here is my belief.