Yancey 1 Amanda Yancey Elizabeth Miossec-Baker WR323 12 March 2014 The Liberal Mormon: Yes They Exist When

thinking of words associated with Mormons one will generally think of terms such as: Conservatives and Heterosexuals. After all, these two defining attributes are something the majority of Mormons identify with. For those of us unfamiliar with Mormons, we typically see their viewpoints expressed primarily through political figures, such as former Governor Mitt Romney, a self-proclaimed devout Mormon, who almost won the Presidential Election in 2012. However, it would be incorrect to assume that all Mormons are just like Mitt Romney. What about the Mormons who voted for Obama? The Liberal Mormons? Were you even aware of their existence? If the answer is no, here is a chance for you to hear their voices. It is important to first address that Liberal Mormonism is not a modern movement. While African Americans were allowed in the Church, men were not allowed to hold the Priesthood, until the President/Prophet of the Church said so in 1978. In Chris Henrichsens blog post Why, Yes. I am a Liberal Mormon he discusses some of the earlier Liberal Mormons who were not ok with this discrimination. He writes, Eugene England and Lowell Bennion were both minority voices. Both found themselves at the wrong side of the LDS Church Education System. Both men vocally opposed exclusion of blacks form the Mormon priesthood.

Yancey 2 Yet, both still loved Mormonism and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is not to say that this is not difficult, if not downright painful, at times (Henrichsen). It is a struggle, definitely, to love ones religion, but to also disagree with it at times. I think this is one of the biggest struggles Liberal Mormons face. In high school millions of teenage Mormons attend seminary, which is basically like one hour of Sunday school at church, usually in the mornings. Every year students learn something different. The first year the Old Testament is taught, the second year is the New Testament, the third year is all about the Book of Mormon, and the fourth is Doctrines and Covenants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Seminary webpage proclaims, Our purpose is to help youth and young adults understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ, quality for the blessings of the temple, and prepare themselves, their families, and others for eternal life with their Father in Heaven ("Importance of Seminary"). One of the many lessons taught in Seminary is the life of Joseph Smith, the Churchs first President and Prophet. At age fifteen Smith went into the woods, got down on his knees, and prayed to God, asking Him which church he should join. According to his account, while praying Joseph was visited by two personages who identified themselves as God the Father and Jesus Christ. He was told not to join any of the churches (Joseph Smith). In 1823, when he was eighteen, Joseph Smith was visited by the angel Moroni, who told him of an ancient record containing Gods dealings with the former inhabitants of the American continent (PBS). This record was written in Egyptian on golden plates Smith dug up from the ground and then translated into what resulted as the manuscript for the Book of the Mormon. In 1830

Yancey 3 Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is most commonly known to the general public as the Mormon Church. Seminary often paints Joseph Smith as the perfect man of God, but Liberal Mormons realize this was not necessarily true. Henrichsen admits, I am not sure if I would have gotten along with Joseph Smith if I had lived in his day. Like Brigham Young, he seemed to be a rather controlling figure. I would likely have been more comfortable with Oliver Cowdery (Henrichsen). Henrichsen realizes that the Church makes Smith out to be this perfect man, but it would not be the first man in history to be taught in an idealized way. Henrichsen explains: I recognize that church history is not as rosy as it seemed in seminary. However, American history is not what it seemed like in high school, either. With further study, I have discovered greater detail and nuance. Yet, much like my study of Jefferson and Lincoln, I appreciate knowing better the human side of Joseph Smith. It may not be the Joseph Smith that I sometimes hear about in church or a visitor centers. But I also recognize that Abraham Lincoln might not be as awesome as I portrayed him in my American Heritage lectures (though he was awesome). We all do this at times when talking about those we love and those who are our heroes. Nothing wrong with having heroes, but we should recognize that our hero-worship does not make good historyand it makes for really bad metaphysics.

Yancey 4 This understanding that the prophets are not made out to be who the Church tells us they are is an important distinction between Conservative Mormons and Liberal Mormons. Liberals Mormons understand that just like our leaders, we are all flawed. In her post You are Not a Member in Good Standing if Maurine Proctor tells a story of woman her husband met on his mission: When my husband, Scot, was young in a very small branch in Ankara, Turkey, a woman came to church who had clearly just smoked a cigarette only moments before. She still smelled strongly of the smoke and people noticedthough they tried not to react. It was testimony meeting that day and she got up and said something he never forgot. I know you all smelled the smoke on me when I came into church today, but you know if every sin had an odor, the church would be a pretty stinky place (Proctor). This is a great quote because it reminds people not to judge one another, that we all sin in some way, and that we need to recognize that. Speaking of sins, one of the most talked about sins in Mormonism is being a homosexual. In Stephanie Mencimers article How the Mormons Ensured Victory for Gay Marriage she explains, Mormon church doctrine still defines homosexuality as a sin. The gay Mormon website clarifies that while having a samesex attraction is not a sin, acting on it is (Mencimers). This way of thinking was portrayed accurately in the recent hit Broadway Musical Book of Mormon. In the scene involving the song Turn it Off a missionary who has homosexual thoughts seeks help from his fellow missionaries. They tell him:

Yancey 5 ELDER PRICE: Well Elder McKinley, I think its ok that your having gay thoughts, just so long as you never act on them. ELDER MCKINLEY: No, because then your just keeping it down, Like a dimmer switch on low, (On low!) Thinking nobody needs to know! (Uh oh!) ELDER PRICE: But that\'s not true! ELDER MCKINLEY: Being gay is bad, but lying is worse, So just realize you have a curable curse, And turn it off! (Turn it off, turn it off!) The response to a Mormon coming out depends on their family and friends. There are good stories as well as tragic stories. In Eric Ethingtons article Gay Mormon, Excommunicated From Church, Commits Suicide he writes about a forty-year-old man by the name of Bryan Michael Egnew who was a father of five and came out as being a homosexual to his friends, family, and Church. He was excommunicated from church and shunned by his family. He ended up committing suicide. Ethington explains, Egnews case is made worse by the fact that his family has tried to suppress and hide what happened and who Egnew was since his suicide on Sept. 10, 2011. His obituary made no references to the fact that he was gay or the horror that his Church put him

Yancey 6 through in the last weeks of his life. His Facebook page was scrubbed of any mention of the truth and family members blocked anyone who might tell Egnews story (Ethington). While Egnews story is one of the worst-case scenarios of a Mormon coming out, there are happier stories, such as Jamison Manwarings. He has found support from both his family and his Church. In an NPR article After Coming Out, Gay Mormon Finds Support at Home Manwaring noted that he does not think that changing the marriage law will solve everything. He admitted, The bigger issue for me was not knowing anybody who was gay who was happy, healthy, ambitious and looked up to by the community Thats something that changes by the culture, not by law. I think that this change helps with that, but I hope that the hearts of people change with it (NPR Staff). This is a very important idea about laws versus cultural change. Laws may change, which is great, but the biggest change in acceptance comes from society and their response to minority groups such as religious gays, lesbians, transgendered, bisexual, and queers. Maybe one day the President of the Church will have a revelation about allowing any couple to marry, just like in 1978 when African American men were allowed to hold the Priesthood. The most important thing is that they love each other and want to live a Christian lifestyle. Maybe one day when you think of Mormons you will think of four words instead of two. You will know that it is perfectly normal for Liberals, Conservatives, Heterosexuals, and Homosexuals to be Mormon.

Yancey 7 Works Cited Ethington, Eric . "Gay Mormon, excommunicated from his church, commits suicide."LGBTQNATION. N.p. , 20 Sept. 2011. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/09/gay-mormon-excommunicatedfrom-his-church-commits-suicide/>. Henrichsen, Chris. "Why, Yes. I am a Liberal Mormon." Blog. Approaching Justice .Patheos: Hosting the Conversation of Faith. N.p., 31 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/approachingjustice/2013/10/31/why-yesi-am-a-liberal-mormon/ "Importance of Seminary." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. N.p. , Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://seminary.lds.org/importance?lang=eng>. "Joseph Smith." OPB. PBS, 2001. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/people/s_z/young.htm>. Mencimer , Stephanie. "A History of the LDS Church's Political Engagement on Marriage Equality." Mormon Liberals. N.p. , 10 May 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://www.mormonliberals.org/a-history-of-the-lds-churchs-politicalengagement-on-marriage-equality/>. NPR Staff, . "After Coming Out, Gay Mormon Finds Support At Home." NPR. N.p., 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://www.npr.org/2013/12/22/256211176/after-coming-out-gaymormon-finds-unlikely-support-at-church>.

Yancey 8 Proctor , Maurine. "You are Not a Member in Good Standing if...." Meridian Magazine: Latter-day Saints Shaping Their World. Lds Mag, 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. <http://ldsmag.com/article/1/13499>. "Turn it Off ." The Musical Lyrics . N.p., Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.themusicallyrics.com/b/225-the-book-of-mormonmusical/1307-turn-it-off.html>.