I'm David Rampton, and this is my Blog.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Gotta Love them Haterz

The recent protests of prop 8 held in front of the LDS Temple in Westwood, California have brought some very stirring thoughts to mind. Personally, I have found the actions of the protestors in front of the temple thus far to be quite inappropriate. The mere fact that the aggressive behavior of these individuals merited the dispatch of a tactical response team in full body armor and the arrest of at least 7 protestors is manifest of the violence imbedded in their cause.

The Temple on Santa Monica Blvd is a symbol of many things to those both in and out of the Mormon faith. Primarily, and especially to those who have entered in there, it is a symbol of reverence, of sanctity. As the engraving above the entrance reads “Holiness to the Lord”. It is a sanctuary for escaping the chaos and tumultuous storm that is life on earth. The protestor’s outlandish display of mindless fury yesterday immediately stripped them of any cloak of benevolence they hoped to hide behind by exposing the contentious nature of their motives. In unholy and un-American attempts to interrupt the worship of quiet temple patrons, they decry the hate of a reverent people while with passionate ignorance exude the same.

The Yes on Prop 8 campaign was extremely well planned and organized. It was a highly unified, grass roots effort that extended beyond The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. However, since the LDS church is being singled out in this ‘hissy-fit’ of those who childishly oppose the democratic system, it is important to note how the Mormons composed themselves in the campaigning of prop 8. Decisions were made after prayer was invoked. Efforts were made primarily from the comfort of quiet homes over the phone, guided by non-confrontational scripts. Signs were tactfully displayed. Members engaged in conversations via the World Wide Web to voice opinions. And though not perfect, for the most part they tried to be accurate and respectful. Motivated by a love and reverence for the family as well as a trust in their leaders, members of the LDS faith went forth with Christian courage, steady and united in standing for what the media portrayed as an unpopular belief. Had they been motivated by the anger and hate for which they are falsely accused, their actions would be more reminiscent of the opposition to the prop; disorganized, scattered, accusatory, rambunctious and violent.

“….by their fruits ye shall know them.” Regardless of adherence to Christian doctrine, this statement rings true with the logical and sound mind. To paraphrase the late philosopher James Allen, author of the timeless treatise on thought, As A Man Thinketh, people are like gardens. Thoughts are seeds planted in the garden of the mind. The fruits of those seeds that sprout forth are the actions of humans resulting from the thought seeds. To those who accuse the Mormons of hatred and bigotry by their insulting signs, angry chants and threatening shouts I say, ‘Wherein lies the hate?’