I Believe

"I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows..."

Wait...no, no.  Don't worry.  I'm not going to start out with a cheesy LeAnn Rimes song.  No, what I want to talk about is all my traditionally sacrilegious beliefs.

Yep, you guessed it!  A list:

My Sacrilegious Articles of Faith

1.  I believe there are other intelligent beings in our universe that we may one day contact.

2.  I believe I will one day have my own planet. 

3.  I believe I can have spirit children with another man. 

4.  I believe Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene. 

5.  I believe Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene had children with each other. 

6.  I believe the "Plan of Salvation" also fits for LGBT+ individuals. 

7.  I believe in aliens...to an extent. 

8.  I believe LDS prophets are men, not divine beings speaking only truth. 

9.  I believe I have a Heavenly Father as well as a Heavenly Mother. 

10. I believe God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and individual beings united in purpose. 

11. I believe polygamy should be legal - as well as any other type of polyamory. 

Me and my boyfriend

12. I believe I was gay in the pre-existence.

13. I believe I was born gay.

14. I believe I will be gay in the next life. 

15. I believe "being gay" is part of my soul. 

16. I believe a woman has the right to choose whether to carry her baby to full term or abort it. 

God...doing science

17. I believe in the powerful potential of stem cells and in fully funding stem cell research. 

18. I believe gender and sexuality are not solidified and constant. 

19. I believe God is the perfect scientist. 

20. I believe women can lead religious congregations. 

21. I believe.

Wooooo....I'm so liiiiiiiberrrrrrrallllllll!

Go ahead, un-follow me, defriend me, un... + me?  Or just comment - that's more fun for both of us anyway.

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

Fence-Sitting

Am I just crazy?
Am I missing something?
Am I just not with it any more?
Have I gone off the deep end? 
Am I a lunatic?
I don't understand...

Why is it so difficult to comprehend being both Mormon and gay?
I don't think it's that difficult...
Why are you so worried about what everyone else thinks about you?
Why do they feel so compelled to live "all or nothing" lives?
Why do you want to conform?
Being Mormon is a part of you.
Being gay is a part of you.
Why deny either of those aspects?

Some call it fence-sitting.

If "fence-sitting" is what it takes so you don't kill yourself...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes so you can finally find some peace in this life...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes so you don't make the biggest mistake of your life...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes for you to forgive yourself...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes for you to forgive everyone else...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes for you to be yourself...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes to literally keep your sanity...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes to truly soul-search...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes to discover your own opinions and beliefs...
If "fence-sitting" is what it takes...
                                                     how on earth can it be so wrong?

The gays aren't right about everything.
The Mormons aren't right about everything.
They both have things to contribute.
They even coincide!

So...
Am I just crazy?
                                                    Or are you?
Am I missing something?
                                                    Or are you?
Am I just not with it any more?
                                                    Or are you?

Have I gone off the deep end? 

                                                    Or have you?
Am I a lunatic?
                                                    Or are you?
I don't understand...
                                                    you.

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.

To all the (difficult) parents of gay children:

It's not a phase.
It won't change.
It can't change.

Do you honestly think your child would choose to be this way?
Why would you want your child to change?
Why do you want your child to change?
Why can't you love them the way they are?
It's not like you didn't have a suspicion...

It's not your "fault."
It's not their "fault."
You played enough catch with him.
You had enough tea parties with her.
He had enough interaction with you, dad.  
And mom, you weren't "overbearing."

How dare you hit him?
How dare you slap her?
How dare you kick him out of your house?
How dare you call her those names?
How dare you disown your child?
Maybe you don't deserve to have your own child as part of your life anyway.

Don't you get it?
Your religion can't "save" him.
Your counselor can't "fix" her.
What is there to save?
What is there to fix?

Remember that thing called unconditional love?
Use it.

He confided in you because he trusts you.
She told you because she wants, no, needs your support.

What makes him happy?
What gives her joy?
Support that.
The rest will fall into place.

You don't hold the answer.
Neither do they.
Just hop on for the ride.
Take it day by day.

Jason

Those of you on Facebook, "Follow" me at http://jasonhoggan.blogspot.com/.