| Contents
Hymns of Inspiration
Recent and Upcoming Events
From the Mission Field
International Observances
Remember in your Prayers
Dedicated to Holiness
Blowin' in The Wind
Sunday School Notebook
The Life and Times of Wilford Woodruff
Come Now, and Let us Reason Together
Hymns of Inspiration
What greater gift dost thou bestow
What greater goodness can we know
Than Christ-like friends, Whose gentle ways
Strengthen our faith, Enrich our days
Hymn 293 - Each Life That Touches Ours for Good - click
here to sing along at home!
(Hymns of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
;
Recent and Upcoming Events
Recent Events
Constitutional Amendment
This month we follow the national debate around the failed proposal
for a constitutional amendment.
MESJ has a Resolution on Gay Rights on file,
but historically has been cautious addressing this controversial topic.
And as MESJ does not adopt positions on social or political issues
which contradict official positions of the LDS Church, it's been
somewhat of a dilemma how to best approach the issue. The Coalition for
Marriage however, seeking an amendment to the US Constitution, more or
less has forced the issue. As a Mormon Social Justice organization we
cannot, nor want to, ignore highly publicized civil rights issues, especially
when being introduced by members of the church. The attempt to amend the
Constitution has been highly divisive within and outside the church, but
also has moved the plight of gay and lesbians mormons to the forefront
of dialogue in the church. The MESJ Homepage and this edition of Anxiously
Engaged present some dimensions of the debate, and perhaps as a church
community we may be starting to acknowledge the possibility, even necessity,
of being able to agree
to disagree at times. So whatever the case may be, perhaps this constitutes
a moment in time where we succeed to amend our level of spiritual maturity..
Upcoming Events
Local Chapters
To get an idea what's going on at the local chapters of MESJ all across
the United States, you may want to have a look at the online MESJ
Calendar of Local Events.
Upcoming events have been planned so far by our chapters in San Francisco
and Las Vegas, and more events will be added on the calendar as information
comes available.
If you live within the geographical boundaries of a local MESJ chapter,
please contact the local contact person to offer support and to find out
more about activities.
Becoming Anxiously Engaged
Anxiously Engaged invites you to become Anxiously Engaged!
Please feel free to submit material for our columns From the Mission Field,
Recent and Upcoming Events, and Come Now, and Let Us Reason Together.
In addition, if you know of local events in your area that need our attention,
please email us and let us know.
The Zion Imperative
Saints both ancient and modern have found the quest for Zion
was and is always an imperative where they should build a society that
has no poor.
Indeed, at the very beginning of the restoration of the Jesus Christ's
ancient church the cause of Zion was declared by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
(D&C 6: 7.) Through out early church history its members made Zion
their ultimate cause as they settled in Jackson County, Nauvoo, and the
Great Basin Territory and surrounding areas. New economic
arrangements were instituted that made the pursuit of commerce for the
collective good of God's Kingdom. The saints were trying to achieve economic
equality when the pursuit of wealth was not to be only for personal enrichment.
but that others will be also rich like them selves.
As it is so stated in the Book of Mormon. "But before ye seek
for riches seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtain a
hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them: and ye will seek
them for the intent to do good….to clothe the naked, and to feed
the hungry, and to liberate the
captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted"
(Jacob 2:18-19)
You may also want to read: Mormons
Speak out on ... Poverty
More about The Zion Imperative you'll find in the August
edition of Anxiously Engaged.
From the Mission Field
As our missionaries go out into the world to proclaim the gospel, they
not only proclaim peace and call people to walk in the footsteps of the
Savior, but they also help to create an image of the
church around the world, indeed the church is seen by
most people in the world as a church represented by those sympathetic,
clean looking young men. The missionaries, of course, preach the gospel
plain and simple, and are not involved in political activities of any
kind. Returned missionaries, may however have a strong inclination to
become politically involved based upon their unique social experiences
at home or abroad.
Another venue that greatly determines the public's perception of the
church is her Public Relations Department that regularly issues statements
through Newsroom.lds.org. The following is an excerpt of the
church's statement regarding an ABC's Nightline story:
On 7 June 2006 ABC’s Nightline ran a story on members and former
members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who struggle
with same-gender attraction. This issue is one that evokes strong emotions
and, unfortunately, often perpetuates negative stereotypes on both sides
of the debate. Nightline’s story contained some comments that do
not reflect the views and teachings of the Church and its leaders.
Comment by Daniel Holsinger: “There is a very strong notion
that I am a sinner — fundamentally who I am is hated and reviled
by God. I am alone; there is no one else like me.”
Comment by Morgan Smith: “We’re not recovering from God,
but we are recovering from the put-downs, the discrimination, the people
that come along and say that if you’re gay, you’re not good.”
Comment by Russ Gorringe: “There is no place for me in the gospel
as a person who never married.”
The Church teaches that all of us are sons and daughters of God and
should be honored and respected as such. We reach out to assist people
with all of the challenges of life. Those who struggle with same-gender
attraction are certainly not excluded from the circle of love and fellowship
the Church hopes to provide.
The church statement above of course has everything to do with the present
political situation within the United States around the attempt to amend
the US Constitution. Because of the hard work and the devotion of our
missionaries worldwide the majority of Latter-Day Saints now live outside
the United States, where the US Constitution is seen as irrelevant, except
perhaps as an historical example of a document that guarantees liberty.
So the pressing question remains: what will our missionaries abroad do
when sharing the gospel with legally married gay and lesbian families,
with or without children? Being able to adapt to a multitude of different
cultures is a priority for a missionary church.
Anxiously Engaged welcomes
submissions from returned or presently
serving missionaries!
Even if you served your mission many years ago, your observations of the
social circumstances of the people that you served, are likely to create
a greater awareness among us of social injustice.
International Observances
From our list
of international observances promoted by the United Nations: click
on each link for suggestions about how to commemorate the observance with
a brief family devotional (perhaps at the dinner table or before family
prayer).
July 01 International
Day of Cooperatives
July 11 World
Population Day
and please remember these observances in your prayers (see the column
below)
Remember
in your Prayers
Give thanks for the LDS heritage of cooperative enterprise.
Give thanks that the principle of cooperation is gaining acceptance worldwide.
Pray for the success of cooperatives.
Pray that throughout the world, selfishness will continue to give way
to a spirit of cooperation.
Give thanks for the gifts of life and family.
Give thanks for the natural resources Heavenly Father has prepared for
His children.
Pray for wiser management and equitable distribution of the earth's resources.
Pray that men and women will be responsible and prudent in using their
sacred powers of procreation.
Freiberg Germany Temple
Dedicated to Holiness
Latter-day Temples dot the globe in ever greater numbers, and MESJ would
like to reflect on their significance, specifically in regard to what
these holy edifices have been dedicated for in relation to an equitable,
just, peaceful and sustainable society. In our series 'Dedicated to Holiness'
we'll tour temples around the world, inspiring us to aspire to something
higher! This month's selection:
From
the Freiberg, Germany Temple Dedicatory Prayer:
" Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we assemble in this
Thy holy house. We are met to rededicate this temple. Seventeen years
ago we dedicated the original structure. It was built under remarkable
circumstances and has well served Thy faithful sons and daughters. Since
then, marvelous and wonderful happenings have occurred in this land. The
nation of Germany, once divided, has become one. The infamous wall is
gone, and the people of the land mingle freely together."
After the dark years of the Second World War, and the oppression in a
divided post-war Germany, the Freiberg Temple in former Eastern Germany
(DDR) was rededicated by president Hinckley in 2002.
The rededicated temple was enlarged, a statue of Moroni added to her steeple,
all symbolic for the added freedom that had arrived with the unification
of Germany as a nation. President Hinckley:
" The nation of Germany, once divided, has become one. The infamous
wall is gone, and the people of the land mingle freely together."
A thriving democracy, Germany indeed is a land that allows her people
to 'freely mingle together'.
Whereas in the United States and in other places in the world there is
ongoing and heated debate around the issue of the legal position of gays
and lesbians, in Germany, with an increasing number of Later-Day Saints,
the issue
of gay rights has largely been settled.
The contrast between oppression and freedom is particularly striking in
a nation like Germany, specifically in relation to the legal position
and treatment of gays and lesbians. A now very tolerant Germany during
the Nazi era, allowed her fear, hatred and intolerance to lead to outright
persecution, that has been well
documented in history.
Under Paragraph 175 of the criminal code, male homosexuality was illegal
in Germany. The Nazis arrested an estimated 100,000 homosexual men, 50,000
of whom were imprisoned.
During the Nazi regime, the police had the power to jail indefinitely--without
trial--anyone they chose, including those deemed dangerous to Germany's
moral fiber.
Between 5,000 and 15,000 gay men were interned in concentration camps
in Nazi Germany. These prisoners were marked by pink triangle badges and,
according to many survivor accounts, were among the most abused groups
in the camps.
Nazis interested in finding a "cure" for homosexuality conducted
medical experiments on some gay concentration camp inmates. These experiments
caused illness, mutilation, and even death, and yielded no scientific
knowledge.
President Hinckley concluded his prayer for the saints visiting the temple
as follows:
"May they reach out with love to their fellow men, walking in righteousness
and faith as becomes the Saints of God."
Blowin' in The Wind
Where have all the protest songs gone? Well, we're collecting them
in our MESJ Music Archive!
Nothing drives a point home better than a good old protest song, sung
from the heart with conviction.
Many protest songs are a little rough on the edges, evident for feelings
of frustration and indignation that are so often being denied expression
elsewhere. This month's selection:
The Cowboy - ( audio running time
: 5:13 ) by the German Kaiser Blues band
A 'smoking' protest song about modern cowboys and indians, about the wild-west
mentality of intolerant, even violent ideologies. In a world where extreme
Islam and extreme Christianity seem to re-enact the crusades all over
, one seriously wonders if we're watching a bad Hollywood western.
In the movies nobody get's really hurt of course, whereas in the real
world innocent bystanders, often women and children, become the victims
of modern-day 'chariots of fire', sophisticated weaponry specifically
designed to 'liberate the world'..
The stereotype cowboy, the manly hero on the white screen, shoots from
the hip with a smile on his face. As Latter-Day Saints we are concerned
about our men to be role models for their children and in that light the
question could be asked: Amidst the heated debate of role models and gender
expression, which type of cowboy do we prefer? The aggressive kind, the
violent cowboy shooting-from-the-hip, or the more gentle kind riding the
slopes of Brokeback Mountain?
Sunday School Notebook
by Susan Morgan
Sunday School Notebook recognizes the importance of connecting spirituality
and social justice through the scriptures. Following the Gospel
Doctrine Lesson Schedule for each week, we encourage you to actively
participate in the class discussions.
The following are the scheduled reading assignments for the sunday school
this year, which may vary from ward to ward. Click on each assignment
to read the reflections from Susan Morgan in our Sunday School Notebook.
The permanent link: The Scriptures
on the MESJ homepage will take you to an index page where all commentary
will be permanently available to assist you with your studies.
Sunday School Notebook will continue to add commentary as new material
becomes available, so please come back and visit often!
Just click on the reading assignments below, to read Susan Morgan's commentary.
The Life and Times of Wilford Woodruff
by Robert Poort
Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, is the seventh
in a series of books of the teachings of Presidents of the Church, used
for personal study and for Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society instruction
in church on the second and third Sundays . MESJ during 2006 will examine
the life and times of Wilford Woodruff in connection with social justice
issues each month in this online newsletter. This month in The Life and
Times of Wilford Woodruff:
In Defense of Plural Marriage
President Wilford Woodruff was thirty when he married and nearly forty
before he entered polygamy. During thirty years after the death of Joseph
Smith he married ten plural wives, several of whom are lesser-known wives
who divorced him. Although he married wives after the 1862 polygamy law,
he had married none since the Edmunds Act of 1882, which legitimized all
the plural children ever born to him.The Manifesto was issued in defense
of a church under siege, under attack because of plural marriage, but
there's not one single Latter-Day Saint who is not still outraged by the
flagrant violation of basic human rights and the resulting pain that was
so harshly inflicted upon our forefathers.
It has been documented that polygamy was an opportunity for the enemies
of the church to address their underlying fears and hatred for anything
Mormon with their social, economic, and political aspirations. These fears
were of course totally unfounded, but hatred reigned nevertheless.
Unfortunately for Latter-Day Saints these days polygamy is immediately
associated by many with abhorrent sexual and social behavior of the likes
of Warren Jeffs,
claiming to operate under the banner of heaven, but in reality insulting
entire generations of Latter-Day Saints who are proud descendents of honorable
polygamous Mormon pioneers. You may be one yourself, and if so, you're
in good company, sharing a heritage with a prominent football quarterback,
a former governor of Utah, or even a possible future president of the
United States.
A statement by Larry King: "The governor, Mike Leavitt, says that
there are legal reasons why the state of Utah has not prosecuted alleged
polygamists. Leavitt said plural marriage may be protected by the First
Amendment. He is the great-great-grandson -- is the governor -- of a polygamist."
(from: Larry King Interview-President Gordon B. Hinckley CNN Transcript.
September 8, 1998)
President Woodruff demonstrated great tolerance
for people with different religious views, even after the persecution
of the saints by those who were out to deny basic human rights of self
determination:
"When you go into a neighborhood to preach the Gospel, never attempt
to tear down a man’s house, so to speak, before you build him a
better one; never, in fact, attack any one’s religion, wherever
you go. Be willing to let every man enjoy his own religion. It is his
right to do that. If he does not accept your testimony with regard to
the Gospel of Christ, that is his affair, and not yours. Do not spend
your time in pulling down other sects and parties. We haven’t time
to do that. It is never right to do that".
(Contributor, August 1895, pp.636–37.)
Come Now, and Let us Reason Together
Isaiah 1:18
Who says Latter-Day Saints aren't interested in social justice issues?
MESJ is taking note of awareness creating online discussions on the internet
that can make all the difference. The following external links will connect
you to a number of web logs. While MESJ feels these discussions are relevant
to issues of equality and social justice, she of course doesn't necessarily
agree with all opinions voiced in these discussions. Please join the conversation!
A Mormon
Image: Mormons on the Picket Line - by Nate Oman
Marriage
Amendment to the Constitution - by Beliefnet
Mormons, Polygamy and
Gay Marriage - by Matt Evans
On the left: pioneer
ancestors and the International Church - by Wilfried Decoo
A Funny Thing Happened at the Forum on Mormon Feminism - by Kristine
Haglund Harris
Hiroshima - by Wilfried
Decoo
Mormons and Darfur -
by Ronan Head
Earth Day and the Church
- by Wilfried Decoo
If you know of other interesting online discussions for this column please
let us know!
|
