Meridian Magazine

01 November 2008

An open letter to Steve Young and all those disinclined to support California’s Proposition 8, especially LDS.

Shame on you.

We graduated BYU the same year. We even had a class together. I thrilled when you did so well in Football: The final game winning touchdown catch against Illinois in the Holiday Bowl; Your $40 million contract with the Express; Your great career with the 49ers.

So it is with utmost respect and brotherly love I say, you are wrong.

Now, I don’t know your specific reasoning for opposing this piece of legislation. You may have huge pressure from family or loved ones. I myself have people close to me whom I love dearly, who live a homosexual lifestyle or who struggle with those desires. I can only guess what your motivation is. Most LDS who oppose this proposition and who have trouble with other moral issues like it, such as abortion, wrongly think that establishing laws (actually in this case we are upholding a law) to proscribe behavior is somehow “forcing” people to behave in a particular way and therefore wrong. This arises from a misunderstanding of Agency and Our Heavenly Father’s plan.

It is not Satan’s way to make laws and punish for their infraction. That is how Heavenly Father works and how a good parent trains their child. Satan works by lying, persuading, obfuscating, He lied in the Garden of Eden and he lies today. Agency does not imply unlimited freedom to choose. A simple look at our world will show that each one of us has a differing level of freedom to choose. It would go counter to Heavenly Father’s plan to give everyone the same opportunities in this life.

Many people act like this is the natural progression of society, the natural next step. It is natural for society to tend ever increasingly towards permissiveness and amorality. But, it is not Progress. It leads toward no good.

Many people think homosexuals were born with a predisposition toward their unrighteous behavior. Be that as it may. Perhaps I was born with a predisposition to be promiscuous. That fact would not absolve me of the duty to obey God’s commandments and be bound by them.

Some homosexuals seek for relevance and approval for one of their behaviors. Since biology and nature marginalize them, in our day of brash open wickedness they make their homosexuality their most significant trait and thrust it on society to accept them. There was a time when Society’s mores kept amoral behavior in check. The shame of society kept unrighteous behavior hidden. You may say it is hypocritical to hide the truth. But, it does serve a purpose; to keep the encroachment of wickedness at bay.

As Pat Buchanan so eloquently said: “Homosexuality has gone from "the love that dare not speak its name" to "the love that won't shut up."

Some people say that allowing homosexuals this small insignificant favor does no harm. A careful study of the Atonement will bring you to realize that any wrong, any infraction of a Commandment, even an innocent offense contributes to the overall burden of the Savior and thereby does harm. It drags our world further away from its rightful place as a Heavenly world. There are no victimless transgressions.

You find yourself at odds with the Lord’s Prophet. That does not seem like a good place to be. I assume that you believe your great grandfather was a Prophet. At what point did our current Prophets lose their inspiration and direction from the Lord? At what point has the Church gone astray?

Our society has gone so far down the road toward ruin; it may be too late to rescue humanity. Perhaps the line must be drawn here. This may be our last stand. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed when it became impossible for the children to be taught correctly and have a chance to succeed in righteousness.

Satan has taught some of our society to see good as evil and evil as good. He paints with great skill and makes it difficult to see the way. He continues to try to thwart Heavenly Father’s plan by lying and persuading and telling us that we won’t have to face the consequences of our crimes. Despite those mocking from all quarters we have to hold to the truth and stand for what is right.

Shame on you.

You may call me a hater. But, I am not. You may call me intolerant. But, I am not.

UPDATE: I understand now that news releases of Steve's opposition to 8 may have been premature. He may be in a very hard place between his own views and those of his wife.

1 comment:

A Lane said...

Steve Young and I also attended BYU at the same time. Most notably I remember Steve standing in the doorway of the local "Disco" club near the campus as he would ogle at the herds of anxious young women full of undaunting hope of being the "Pick of the night" and or prospective "wife" of the talanted Quarterback. Ah yes, back in the day, when BYU likened to the current hapless team struggling to "prove" itself as a national contender, mopping up the pathetic teams of the "Mountain West Conferance" it was the WAC back in the day, and struggling as well as losing against the non-conference and mediocre teams (like UNLV who I played for) on their schedule.
The Steve Young I have since met and know and worked with as a Federal Prosecutor needs no criticism. A consumate professional, Athlete, Attorney and husband Steve has usually always taken the middle road, especially when it comes to politics. As an NFL Hall of Famer, Steve needs only to live by and continue to set the example of being Brigham Youngs great great Grandson. He didn't ask for that. I personally admire Mr. Young for his decision to forgo a Mormon Mission to play for the Cougars, my beloved Alumni. I remember the firestorm it created when he decided not to go. I for one understood his decision. As the Prolific BYU player that he was was a much more superior Missionary tool for the LDS Church than going out and pounding on doors for two years. For those who love and hate me all know that I despise the LDS Missionary program as a disfunctional waste of a young mans life. It rates right up there with the older Singles program. I too dissapointed many by forgoing a Mission back in the day when it wasn't exceptable to not go, everyone did. We had a war going on at the time, for the sake of argument we now have Mormon Missionaries proselyting new membership in that country. It's not about for or against anymore this day and age. It's about Example to others. I will put up a Mormon Iraqi combat veteran any day against a Mormon return missionary. These guys are the "real" men. They know what commitment and Honor are all about.
They put their lives on the line for our freedoms that we enjoy everyday. Yet come back with little thanks for their courage and sacrifices. Compared to a return missionarys return of a huge church meeting, feast and honoring. Does anyone or everyone besides me see anything wrong with this picture?
It's not about Steve Youngs position about anything. It's time to throw out the "Mormon Coolade" and set an example. It's no wonder the Mormon religion is on it's rapid decline across the world. The youth of today are chained to their peer groups desires. I cringe when I attend Sacrament meeting and see the way both the old and young members dress. Less and less ties on the men, more tennis shoes. Where is the respect for our "Father in Heaven"? I use a personal family issue which has caused a horrific rift within our large family. My first cousins son, eight or nine weeks out of the year (I don't follow it personally) guides the BUY cougars against hapless highschool level talented opposition and when up against real competition(TCU) they fold like a cheap card table. But the Mormon Coolade drinkers just can't get enough of "Max Hall"... A young boy who commited to His "Father in Heaven" to serve a "Mormon Mission" but pulled strings as to get a stateside mission in an effort as to not incure any health problems that might disrupt his "Undecided" football future. After only nine months of his mission, Mr. Max decided he had had enough of one of the greatest callings the LDS church has to offer its members and "Quit". Of course being married in the Temple only two weeks after quitting his mission, |(makes one ponder how much prior time in the "Field" was spent to planning such a gala?") and avowed to his Mission President that his heart wasn't in it and that football was more important than his mission"! Was pounding on doors in nowhere midwest harder than playing college football? According to Max Hall son of Mark Eugene Hall and Crystal (Dallas Cowboys QB's Danny Whites little sister) impregnated out of wed lock after his Mission and first Temple Marriage failed) So Max was released. To add insult to injury the recidivous leaders of the LDS Church cleared him to play for my beloved Cougar football team taken to glory by Mark Wilson, Jim McMahon, Steven Young and Robie Bosco. My point? "Shame on all of you" who would judge Steve Young or those who choose to lead a deviant life style. We are not to be judging anyone. Yes, I'm sure I read that somewhere!..
Steve Young unlike Max Hall is an honorable man, who stood for his beliefs, he was judged on Prop 8 before the facts came out. Does it matter either way? For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past two years, this great country "The United States of America" of which I defended in four Combat theaters, obtaining the rank of Lt. Col in the United States Marine Corps died on November 4th 2008. Congratulations to those of you who voted the wrong way. Remember, you "Reap what you Sew" yes, I'm sure I read that somewhere as well.
Thank you Steve Young for not taking sides but for simply continuing to SET AN EXAMPLE for the LDS members and those who are not. This day and age pointing fingers is simply immature and childish. Setting an example of character, integrity, honor and decentcy is how a Man's Man handles this day and age. Perhaps that is why my Bishops and Stake Presidents of Yore were such great men. Most of them were either WWII, Korea or Viet Nam Veteran's.
The majority of LDS leaders of today are men of small stature, meek, week and most likely got sand kicked in their face on a secluede beach somewhere in front of their dates. Most of them I'm sure went out pounding on doors somewhere as well. No doubt Max Hall will become a fine Stake President in the future if this existance is still around in the next twenty years. I for one hope not. I for one desire to return soon or welcome in my Father in Heaven and try and figure out all this mess. As for leaders like Steve Young? I was always first to hire a Veteran in my Firm before an RM... Let us not be judgemental, let us be an Example to those who have not the same beliefs as us. It's time to throw away the "Mormon Coolade" and step up to try and save this soon to be not so Great Country... Be an example of your beliefs. Be patient, loving and above all educate. They can throw rocks, call names and the like, they can strip me naked and put me on a steet corner. But they can't take away my Testimony, my integrity, my Honor and the Title of U.S. Marine. I earned those. Stand up for what you believe. Be THE Example. Show Leadership! Don't be swayed by what others might think of you. Be an individual. (I'm very sure there are multitudes out there who have me confused with someone who cares.)
God Bless each and everyone of you.
Thank you for allowing me to "Opine" on this Blog..
Semper FI
A Lane