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Spirituality and Affirmation

May, 1999
By Paul Mortensen

This past month I listened to General Conference and heard the spiritual pleading and guidance of some of the General Authorities. Also this past month was Easter and with it I watched "Jesus of Nazareth" on TV and was very moved by Christ's message. These two events made me think about my own spiritual well-being and how well I was living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In asking myself what I was doing to keep close to my Father in Heaven I began thinking what is Affirmation doing to help its members with their spiritual wellbeing and their salvation.

It is certainly true that the main goals of Affirmation are to provide positive support to the gay Mormon and to educate the Church to ultimately bring about change. But in providing positive support it seems to me this should also mean actively living the Gospel and encouraging others to do so. Just because the Church has rejected us gives us no excuse to become so consumed by our Gay life with the emphasis on physical and social needs that we forget that our spiritual needs are just as important. We need Christ and His teachings and they should be a part of our lives, FIRST. And not left to chance because the Church has left us.

So often in the past two and a half years that I have been working in Affirmation I have seen the Gay LDS person upon being rejected by the Church turn around and become themselves totally rejective of the Church and Christianity. So often I have seen the Gay person become so wrapped up in the Gay lifestyle and in themselves that they have no room for anyone else unless that someone can be of help to them; so that they can"use" someone. This same person soon finds no time to help his brother and sister who are hungry and in need and especially if that person is Straight. and it goes without saying that as this is happening, prayer is no longer a part of their lives.

Christianity and the Gospel are no longer a part of their lives. If Affirmation is not actively involved in bringing it back into their lives, then we are missing the boar. We are actually hurting our own salvation by not encouraging our brothers and sisters to seek after theirs. And it won't hurt our image with the Church either.

We have had people come to an Affirmation function and not come back because they were turned off by our LDS appearance. For example they were uncomfortable with us opening our functions with prayer. My heart aches for the person who once had a testimony of the Gospel, but now feels uncomfortable in a gathering where we call upon His guidance. Shouldn't we be involved in helping that person back to feeling comfortable with prayer? Shouldn't we be involved in encouraging a person to live Christian principles and thereby insure both our salvation? I don't think we have a choice.

I hope that we will never lose sight of the fact that we are Christian and spiritual beings first. Sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven here on earth to work out our salvation. It is my prayer that Affirmation can be active in helping others with these important aspects of life and never lose sight of the fact that our spiritual well-being as Gay and Lesbian persons is just as important as our social and physical well-being.