I've been saddened and a little angry at the controversy of the Prop 8 in California... my motherland (kinda trying to be joking and dramatic here), and my home town Brea...
I have awesome family and friends who have been fighting very bravely for Prop 8 in CA and they have shared so many stories with me. I am such a wimp I didn't put up our prop 102 sign cause I felt conflicted over it, not wanting to hurt any ones feelings. Its like when I was a missionary... we had to teach people about the laws of God and most of the time they weren't following some of the big ones... sex, recreational drugs... etc.. I always felt we had to use a lot of tact and have the spirit very strong to be able to teach the laws of the Lord, not over-offend anyone, and let the spirit work on them and guide their conscience. Anyway... Just been reading articles on Prop 8... a lot of anger and hatred have come out in opposition of the prop... my brother had his sticker removed from his car by a bunch of guys standing around it... and when he got there and went to get in, he was vaseline-ed!! all under the handles of his car.... kinda stupid, definitely not one of the worst things that have happened to people... but I was reading an article yesterday about people in the church who have written a signed letter with hundreds of thousands of signatures to send to the Brethren speaking out against the Church's position. I just don't get it. Aren't there times where your faith is tested and you pray about, you maybe put it on the shelf and let the Lord show you in time of His ways... you don't go and protest your faith. I think it just shows what a fickle people we can be. But on the other hand, there are people who are donating hundreds of thousands of dollars of their savings and business profits to further the cause of Prop 8. What tremendous faith that must take!! Especially in the economic times we have right now. Its just a little of the separating of the wheat from the tares... i guess
Anyway... just a comment by a dude in Utah... made me sad...
found on BYU NewsNet

Jason Hoggan, a student at the University of Utah, said he believes the LDS Church's involvement in Proposition 8 is inappropriate.

"I can't believe they're supporting Prop. 8," Hoggan said. "The church is supposed to be neutral. That's changed now. They can't support a candidate but they can support a proposition. They've warped their stance. I've had to separate myself from the church because of the way they're handling the 'problem' of homosexuality. It's so against what the church teaches. It's unchristian."

Later is says that this man was under fire on his facebook account and finally admitted being gay. I talked to Chris about it and he said it reminds him of what our mission president used to say... "Falling out of the Church is like falling out of bed. If it happens, then you weren't in far enough." something like that anyway...

The sight followed up with a quote from Elder Oaks

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained why the LDS Church is getting involved in an interview with the church's Public Affairs staff.

"This is much bigger than just a question of whether or not society should be more tolerant of the homosexual lifestyle," Elder Oaks said in the interview. "Over past years we have seen unrelenting pressure from advocates of that lifestyle to accept as normal what is not normal and to characterize those who disagree as narrow-minded, bigoted and unreasonable. Such advocates are quick to demand freedom of speech and thought for themselves but equally quick to criticize those with a different view and, if possible, to silence them by applying labels like 'homophobic.'

"In at least one country where homosexual activists have won major concessions, we have even seen a church pastor threatened with prison for preaching from the pulpit that homosexual behavior is sinful. Given these trends, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must take a stand on doctrine and principle. This is more than a social issue - ultimately it may be a test of our most basic religious freedoms to teach what we know our Father in Heaven wants us to teach."

to see whole article see here... http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/70088

I don't know why the church is getting flack for taking a stance on a moral issue that is central to the foundation of our faith and the plan of happiness. sometimes moral issues are political issues. It's just the way it happens. These are the last days.... can you feel it?