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MY STAY-AT-HOME EDUCATION By Katherine Padilla Published in the Ensign, March 2005 For the HTML version, click here. For the PDF version, click here.

REBUTTAL TO "ACCEPTING GAY LIFESTYLE" By Katherine Padilla Published in the Father's Day 1991 issue of The Mt. Airy News To the editor: I was disturbed by a recent article written by Carol Lane Lewis, "Accepting Gay Lifestyle," and wish to present an alternate point of view. Homosexuality may be gaining acceptance in this society, but it is no where near being a "prevalent" lifestyle, as Ms. Lewis states. Advocates of homosexuality proclaim that a person cannot change his sexual orientation any more than he can change his race or his gender. Those of us who reject homosexuality disagree with this claim, believing instead that it is an immoral practice one chooses. I believe in freedom of choice, but I also believe that there are basic unchanging laws of God and nature that cannot be broken without consequence to the individual, the family, and society, and that these basic laws don't always correspond with cultural norms. Ms. Lewis herself feels that truthfulness is "a more inherent value--one that truly distinguishes right from wrong," but the popular view of this society seems to be that there is no such thing as absolute truth, that all truth is relative to the person and the situation, that a person, in essence, has the right to choose his own morality, his own truth. Does freedom of choice give us such license? Such belief shows a contempt for truth that I find inexcusable. I do the best to live the truth as I know it and to teach my children that truth so that they can hopefully avoid making many of the mistakes others have made and live happy and successful lives. I consider this my right as well as my responsibility, and I believe that I, as a parent, have the right to set rules of conduct in my home that will provide the type of atmosphere in which I wish to live. If I believe homosexuality is immoral, then I am not meeting my responsibility as a parent if I do not try to instill this belief in my children. To live the truth as I know it and then take the attitude that my children have the freedom to choose whatever truth they decide is convenient for them, does nothing but cause confusion in my children and in my home. I doubt any of us would be so quick to grant the freedom to choose to a child who was a drug addict, who was robbing or raping people, or who was intending to commit suicide. Granted, children will make mistakes, and some will even be rebellious, but we can love them and respect their uniqueness without tolerating the behavior we consider morally offensive. By the same token, we can love and respect others, even if their actions are morally unacceptable to us, and we can teach our children to do the same. We can also teach our children to live the truth that they know rather than to crumble under social pressure. Such values will give them fortitude and direction and even individuality. Do we really believe that homosexuality should be accepted as a natural practice in this society, or is "freedom of choice" an empty phrase we hide behind to avoid standing up for what we believe? Is it a meaningless phrase we shout when we are too lazy to make a choice? Like it or not, society's acceptance of homosexuality does not only concern those who practice homosexuality. Do we want to recognize the homosexual couple as a basic social unit and legalize homosexual marriage? What if a homosexual couple moved in next door and was often seen holding hands and kissing, freely demonstrating their affection the way any normal married couple would? Is this the kind of moral influence we want on our children? What if one of our daughters became pregnant out of wedlock and wished to put her child up for adoption? Would we have any qualms about that child being adopted by a homosexual couple? Would it bother us to see a homosexual literature class being offered at our child's high school? Do we want our federal tax money being used to support an exhibit of homosexual art? What would happen if a person caught up in homosexuality wanted to change? If homosexuality becomes accepted as natural and right, the physicians and psychologists and even some clergymen to whom this person might go for help would feel justified in telling him that he was just born that way and that he should accept himself as he is. Do we as a society want to trap people into this lifestyle? What then happens to freedom of choice? If we don't make moral choices, others will make them for us, and our culture will reflect that apathy. I believe that if we as individuals and as a society devote our lives to discovering, teaching, and living truth, that our rights as human beings will take care of themselves and that the phrase "freedom of choice" will come alive with meaning and power. Can true freedom of choice and absolute truth ever be compatible? I can only refer to these great words by Jesus Christ: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

		Unless otherwise expressly stated, all original material created by Katherine Padilla and included on this web page is licensed under a Creative Commons License.