Woe Unto Them That Call Evil Good and Good Evil

Isaiah 5:20 is a scripture that has significantly stood out in my mind of late.

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

When a "woe" (or a "wo") is pronounced in the scriptures, it is usually a warning. To me, these statements really stand out. A "woe" says to me, "Hey Scott, stop for a second and pay attention. You probably should read this again and maybe a few more times still, because this is really important".

I never thought homosexuality would become so widely accepted and such a divisive issue that this evil would be called good. To me, this is a very clear issue. Homosexual acts are wrong (see Leviticus 18:22) People, and frankly the adversary, disguise this evil as good calling it "love". Even more, those who do good are being called evil. Members of my religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or the Mormons, and many other Christian religions doing good and standing up for what is right have had this good reclassified by many as feelings of "hate", "intolerance", "bigotry", and a slew of other names towards those people with the opposite opinion. In general, as Christians, we do not "hate" people, or we are in fact guilty of sin. Rather, we hate the sinful action.

Just because many people commit a sin, even to the point of it gaining popularity, this does not make the sin change to being right or good.

Am I intolerant for my believe that homosexuality is wrong and sinful? By definition, I am. I am absolutely intolerant of this sin. However, this does not mean I hate or even dislike those who act on homosexual desires. I believe they are wrong in their actions, but I do not dislike them and I certainly do not hate them. I believe many people are what some call "born gay", just as every person on this Earth is born with weaknesses. There is nothing wrong with having weaknesses. The sin is acting on the weakness.

A large number of people act on their weaknesses and are open about it, so much so that 48% of voting Californians voted to change the definition of marriage. This still does not make evil good. Sin is and always will be evil, even if many call it by other names. (For a matter of clarity, no one has ever been trying to take away the rights of California citizens. They all have the right to marry one person of the opposite sex. What those opposing Proposition 8 were and are seeking is a special right to change the definition of marriage.)

And thus we see that the end of days is nearing, as wickedness is becoming more predominant in our society.

I know that God lives. I know that all goodness and morality originates from him at the teachings of his holy prophets and apostles. Many of these words are given to us in the holy scriptures. I know that Jesus Christ lived, suffered for our sins so that we can be forgiven and made whole, died, and rose again on the third day that we might also rise again. I know, as I am not perfect, from personal experience in succumbing to my weaknesses that what the great prophet, and he himself once one of the vilest of sinners, Alma taught "wickedness never was happiness" is true. This is my testimony that I share with you from the depths of my heart. In the name of the Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, and King, even Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. Amen.