What Jesus Christ Would Do and Say to the LGBT+ Community, Religious Communities, and Everyone In Between

Don’t you love/hate it when you wake up at 1:30 in the morning feeling inspired, but unable to go back to sleep until you get all the thoughts out of your head and down on paper.  That is what happened to me this morning.  Yesterday, a friend of mine shared a blog post on facebook that had me doing some introspection and much pondering.  The blog article was this http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/gays-religious-traditionalists-and-the-feeling-of-being-under-siege/389694/?utm_source=btn-facebook-control.  

It discussed empathy between the LGBT+ community and “religious traditionalist.”  The more I pondered on the empathy idea, the more I felt that if any two groups should have empathy for one another it is these two groups.  We’ve all been in darkness because of sin and felt the loneliness and sorrow that comes with it.  Not only that, but persecution is not new for either group and too often there has been physical hurt along with the emotional, mental, and economical pain suffered by both.  These two groups have actually walked in each other shoes and should therefore, be understanding and empathetic to each other. Yet, and unfortunately, some of those belonging to these two groups are caught in an eye for an eye cycle of persecution, instead of living the golden rule. In situations like these, where there seems to be an impasse, the question always comes to the mind of the follower of Christ: What would Jesus do?

To both of these groups along with everyone in between I would say that Christ’s actions and words were and are always intended to lift, comfort, bless, and rescue all of the children of God.  He would show love, be compassionate, serve, and heal according to the faith of the receiver.  He would teach a higher, nobler, and holier way.  We know what Christ would say because we have His words and teachings today.  “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden light (Matthew 11: 28-30, King James Version of the Holy Bible).  “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34, JKV).  “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, KJV).  “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33, KJV).   “For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3: 16-17, KJV).   “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8: 11, KJV).  “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all that they might not suffer if they would repent…. Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed from every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 19: 16, 18-19).

“And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11: 32).  And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and shall pray unto the Father in my name” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 20: 31).

Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, along with the prophets of old and the prophets today, send invitations to all men everywhere to come and partake of eternal life: believe, repent, be baptized by authority given from God, and endure to the end and receive eternal life.  This is the message true followers of Christ want all men to hear.

“And now, my beloved brethren [and sisters]… and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ…. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 33: 10).  “Yeah come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:32).  In the name of Jesus Christ amen.