Understanding Same-Gender Attraction... as a Mormon

Have you been abreast of the movement at BYU to bring the gay issue to the talking table? In case you missed it:

BYU's Gay Mormon Panel a Huge Success

I was anxious to forward this on to some friends the moment I came across it and have since had lengthy dialogue with several people regarding it. Observation #1: This would never have happened in my days at BYU! Observation #2: This issue is becoming upsetting to me.

It's not news to anyone that the gay issue is a hot topic. For me in my life experiences, it's been particularly prevalent. I experienced California Prop 8 AND was attending a liberal arts school in LA at the time. I've been required to consider where I am with this issue several times and have been called to bat for it. Even in the field I now work in, fashion design, it's something that comes up a lot because (believe it or not) many men in my field are gay.

Unlike many Mormons, I am very clear and calm about Prop 8. Mormon or not, I would support it and I've never felt foggy or conflicted about it. It's easy for me talk about and defend. I still feel that way. But what I am unclear on is where to place my understanding of homosexuality in the context of my faith. The more I watched the "It Gets Better At BYU" YouTube videos, the more harrowed up I felt. I guess I really hurt for the people who struggle with this and I can't fully image how conflicting it feels for them to pursue their faith as a homosexual. And listening to them tell their struggles against the backdrop of President Packer's words, that this is not something people are born with, didn't settle well with me. I dunno. A friend offered this response:

The answer is not easy, but it isn’t that complicated, either. God has put his plan in motion. It proceeds through natural laws that are, in fact, God’s laws. Since they are his, he is bound by them, as are we. I recognize for purposes we mortals may not understand, the Lord can control the elements. For the most part, however, he does not cause but he allows nature to run its course. In this imperfect world, bad things sometimes happen. The earth’s rocky underpinnings occasionally shift and move, resulting in earthquakes. Certain weather patterns cause hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and drought.
Answers To Life's Questions, M. Russell Ballard

With all this open dialogue I've considered how we, as a culture, cling to being open and speaking our mind like it is an unchallenged virtue. But I submit that there is a time to keep things in your heart and it is not always progress to put our thoughts and experiences on the table to talk about. Just an observation- Observation #3.