Tolerance

One of the sections of required reading this week for my class was from an official statement made by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in January of 2014.  It is entitled The Divine Institution of Marriage and it talks a lot about how in our church, we believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.  That is the way Heavenly Father always meant for it to be!  At the very beginning of the statement, four purposes are given for why the church made this statement in the first place.  It says:

"One purpose of this document is to reaffirm the Church’s declaration that marriage is the lawful union of a man and a woman.

Another purpose is to reaffirm that the Church has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are acceptable to God only between a husband and a wife who are united in the bonds of matrimony.

A third purpose is to set forth the Church’s reasons for defending marriage between a man and a woman as an issue of moral imperative. The Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage derives from its doctrine and teachings, as well as from its concern about the consequences of same-sex marriage on religious freedom, society, families, and children.

A fourth purpose of this document is to reaffirm that Church members should address the issue of same-sex marriage with respect and civility and should treat all people with love and humanity." (The Divine Institution of Marriage)  

I REALLY like this section of the statement!  Especially the fourth reason.  A lot of times I hear member of the church who are very intolerant of people who may have different beliefs from them.  I know I have been guilty of this as well, but we can still love people who are different than us, without condoning their lifestyle!  I think this is a really important thing to remember!  There is a part later on in the statement that says 

"Tolerance does not require abandoning one's standards or one's opinions on political or public policy choices.  Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination.  The savior taught that we should love the sinner without condoning the sin."

Another quote says:

"The church's affirmation of marriage as being between a man and a woman 'neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility toward gays and lesbians.'"  

In all, I felt this statement was very worthwhile to read.  While I don't believe that same sex marriage is right in any way, I do believe that God loves all of his children and he was us to love each other.  Hating someone for their beliefs is not going to make the world a better place.  You don't have to accept or be okay with the choices someone is making to love them.