Before we even checked in at our hotel in
Provo Utah, we found the gays and the gays found us at the local mall food court!
That night our new friends graciously and beautifully helped us to understand the origin, practices, and beliefs of the LDS faith (Latter Day Saints.)
In the Mormon religion the union and commitment and eternal spiritual connection that occurs within a
Temple marriage is taught, sought, and lifted up from an early age.
The procreation of children and family is of utmost honor.
There is no holiness or reason for people of God to seek celibacy as monks or nuns do in other faiths.
The fact that homosexuals in the LDS faith would not be expected or allowed to live up to the highest of standards which they teach makes no sense.
Sure, there are other single LDS people, but they are introduced to possible partners, loved and supported, and given hope that someday soon they too will attain this calling of their religion.
LGBT people’s hope is taken away, and they are expected to lead a life of shame and loneliness.
Family is the top priority of the Mormon faith and yet homosexual people are shunned from their biological families and expelled from and excommunicated from their school and church families.
On our first day at BYU we were allowed on campus, but warned that we would be hard pressed to engage in conversation with students. The groups of 20 or 30 students surrounding every 1 or 2 riders quickly proved this prediction wrong. I personally met more closeted students on this campus than I met at any other. Our day continued with an off-campus rally where 10 speakers took the stage to speak about their experience as former or graduated gay BYU students, mothers of gay LDS sons, and one speaker who had been excommunicated 3 times from the church for being lesbian. The most courageous speaker was a young gay man who is a current BYU student. He spoke of his entire life experience which included serving the church through a 2 year mission, coming out to his Bishop seeking help, and his mother telling him that he would have been better for him to have died in a car wreck than live as a gay person. During our rally we were “welcomed” by a barrage of protestors. Two men posted a banner across from our pavilion saying that we are intolerant because they have as much a choice to choose Mormonism as we have for choosing homosexuality. (Despite the fact that one is a choice and the other is not, and the fact that anyone should be allowed to choose and practice a religion up until the moment that those practices oppress and cause other’s deaths.) They also blasted a boom box of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (in attempts of drowning out our speakers, but in reality it provided a pleasant background mood and music for our event.) The other protestors drove back and forth past the park honking their horns incessantly while other students formed a shouting line where they chanted “Shame on you” and “You are intolerant.” However, despite the cold weather and protestors, the rally was the most widely attended that we’ve had yet. Friends gathered around blankets and children played in the park. Seagulls flew overhead; this was of importance and notice because years ago the Mormon population was threatened due to an infestation of locusts which was destroying their crops. They prayed to God for help and an unheard of number of seagulls arrived taking out the locusts and thus saved the population.
That night groups of us attended various FHE groups (Family Home Evening). Every Monday night is reserved for family in a Mormon home. Students away from family gather to form a new FHE. We were welcomed to two different FHE’s where we prayed, sang, and participated in questions and answers from students. There was much understanding and common ground that we found among ourselves and the LDS students; both Mormons and gays are often hated on sight before someone even has a chance to get to know them. Both receive unfair discrimination and are misunderstood by society. The night was enjoyable and beneficial for all in attendance.
Tuesday morning we started a 30 min. memorial march from the Temple to campus, with seagulls overhead. Each person, whether rider, community member, or student, held a single lily or potted lily plant which represented the Easter understanding of death and hope for resurrection and new life. When we arrived at the gate of campus, one by one, a name and story of an LDS person who had suicided because they could not reconcile their faith with their identity was read. As each was read, a person with a single lily walked on campus and participated in a die-in; one by one we fell to the ground, visibly showing the death which as been swept under the BYU and LDS rug for too long. One by one a police officer placed us under arrest and drove us away from the demonstration. One by one, I have faith that we are saving lives each day. Last night we had dinner with BYU students; the bill (which I can only imagine to be over $400) was picked up by a student who said this was the least she could do for everything we have already done. I received an e-mail this morning from a student, thanking me for the conversation I had with him on campus, letting me know that he now feels less alone, and has hope for his future. Amen.
