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Why Are Christians and Latter-Day Saints Under Attack?

Some very troubling, very real, very visceral, visible, and scary attacks against Christians have happened over the past few weeks. As an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints myself, seeing these attacks has been troubling. At the same time, I aim to see other people's viewpoints and seek to understand how people could get to a place of such anger and hate to carry out such murderous acts. What is it about Christians that people seem to hate. Perhaps it's the "other" things that come along with being Christian. Being different. Being bold. Standing for things that aren't popular. Standing up for heterosexual marriage. It can be complicated. I have good friends and even family members who are members of the LGBTQ+ community. They are wonderful people. In my eyes, they are even Christlike, often in more ways than I am. I can not even imagine how painful it must be for them to grapple with the fact that if they marry someone they love of their same sex, they cannot be married for time and all eternity in the temple and they cannot receive the same blessings of endless posterity and kingdoms. I try to put myself in their shoes and think what it would be like. And it just really really hurts me. It feels like a continual nightmare. How do they do it? How do they hang on? Some do. They strive to be members of a church where they don't feel they can reach the true measure of THEIR creation. And this must be gut-wrenching. Others hold on for as long as they can but then realize the way they feel cannot be reconciled with church doctrine and covenants. I see them still live wonderful lives, but step away from the church. And if I am being honest, this is not my place to judge. In fact, I can deeply appreciate why someone would make this choice. Many, it seems, find more peace following this path. And after all, God said that men are that they might have joy. So in many ways, I am very happy for them and the peace they have found. So what is the deal? Why would God ever send someone to earth gay and then shut them out of his kingdom. It feels immeasurably cruel. I like to believe things are much more nuanced than they appear here. I like to think we don't yet have all the answers. And I choose to love all as my brothers and sisters. We see through a glass darkly. We cannot comprehend all the things God can comprehend. His ways are higher than our ways. I don't know everything, but as Nephi stated, I KNOW that God loveth his children. He loves me. He loves you. He loves those who have committed brutal murder. He loves those who were murdered. Jesus died and felt the pains of both the murderers and the victims. I do not fathom HOW, but I feel deeply in my mind and heart that he does. And by personal Gethsemane experiences in mental hospitals and other soul-stretching traumas, I KNOW the Jesus is my Christ. He is my friend. He is my best bro. I am so grateful for him. My deep desire is that everyone can feel that brotherly love that surpasses all. He loves you. So so so very much.

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