case study (2)

Case Study Name : Evelin Acosta Case Study Option (A, B, C, or D) : A: You have a friend who shares with you that he experiences same-sex attraction. He loves the Lord, and loves the Church, but struggles to move forward in Church experience. Instructions The purpose of this assignment is to apply your knowledge and deepen your learning by responding to real life examples that you or others may face in defending the Proclamation and the eternal family . Your response to the case study you have chosen may be written in essay format, or you may choose to write your response as if you were speaking or writing directly to someone facing the situation described. Your response must show thought, reflection, pondering, and depth, and be presented with college-level writing skills. The following should be integrated into your response:  The gospel doctrines or principles that are involved in the case study, and how they help to clarify and give direction in addressing the situation.  Messages from scripture, the proclamation, and the course readings for the current unit of study that address the dilemma and how those messages would be helpful.  Your own suggestions and ideas about actions that would be helpful in addressing the issue. Your response must include:  At least four references, each from a different talk or article in the current course readings. These may be direct quotes or paraphrases of statements, and must include appropriate in-text citations. (See Good Writing Practices for REL 200 )  A pertinent passage from the Proclamation  A scripture that would support your thoughts and ideas  As an option, you may choose to use two statements from two of the most recent General Conference addresses in place of two references from the current course readings Be sure to connect the references to your thoughts and discuss why or how the reference helps to address the situation in the case study . These assignments help you to dig deeply into the readings for the course and to show your understanding of the content, but they are not a place to simply regurgitate what you have learned. Please have at least 50% or more of the text be your thoughts and comments. It may be helpful to bold or use a different color of text for your references and citations. This will help you see how much of the text is from quotes and words of others and how much is your own words. Case Study Report In 1-2 page(s), write a response to the case study that you have chosen and that meets the requirements explained above. BYU-Idaho 1 REL 200

Having feelings for the same sex can be confusing. It can bring lots of negative feelings against us, other people, or even the church. To begin with, the first thought could be that it is not okay to have those feelings. We can feel shame. We did not look for it, and we did not even want to have those feelings. Besides, we can be judged by others. It is easy for others to make comments when they cannot even understand the whole situation. People can be rude and cruel, and we can see that everywhere in the world. Elder Tood said “ I understand people’s feelings at times that they may not feel needed. And sometimes others are guilty of saying we don’t need this person, we don’t need that person, we are fine as we are. Neither one is true. That’s not the Christian way. That’s not the way Christ sees us. He sees all of us with infinite worth .” Lastly, it can bring us negative feelings toward the church. How could the church of Jesus Christ welcome us, and how could we be part of it? I aim to answer this last question in the following paragraphs to make those confused about having answers and peace in coming to church without having those feelings. It is imperative to understand that having same-sex attraction is not a sin. For so many years, there has been shame in having those feelings, but it is not a sin unless someone acts on them. Elder Ballard reminds us that “the experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals do not choose to have such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them. With love and understanding, the Church reaches out to all God’s children, including [those with same-sex attraction].” Second, it is important to know that nobody is alone. It can be easy to feel isolated and lonely when having same-sex attraction, however, nobody is ever alone. One of the qualities of church members is that we have great love and patience for everyone. We do not feel entitled to fix or amend anyone’s feelings. We do not expect it to change in a week, a month, or years. We love people for who they are and for their divine potential. Nobody is ever alone. We are all different, and we embrace our differences. Elder Todd Christofferson reminds us that “One thing that is always important is to recognize the feelings of a person, that they are real. That they are authentic. That we don’t deny that someone feels a certain way. We take reality to where it is, and we go from there. And we want people to feel that they have a home here. That we have much, much more in common than anything that’s different about us.” Third, Elder Quentin L. Cooks said “ As a Church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. … Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion, and outreach. Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.” We believe in caring, understanding, and accepting everyone. There is no other place to go to feel accepted and loved other than the church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. We believe in respect, and we embrace that every person is different. Having feelings for the same gender does not mean losing credibility, respect, and love. Nobody should feel excluded, and if that ever happens is not what the church has taught has for so many years. Finally, everyone should know that their life is precious and divine. In the Proclamation, we read : “We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.” Nobody should feel shame for living, for feeling, and for being. We are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. Nephi 2:26:33 says: “… he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” We are alike unto God. He loves us unconditionally, and there is no doubt that He is always waiting for us with open arms. Our life is divine and precious, and every day we should be grateful for who we are and for all the love we get from others and mainly our Father in Heaven. I reassure those who are having a same-sex attraction that they are welcome, they are loved, and they have a divine nature. They are welcome and we love them very much. BYU-Idaho 2 REL 200