Suicide rates and reasons in Utah, we are being mislead. Reasons and rates matter.

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

First of all, any child or young adult, or for any adult is a tragedy. As such "EVERY" effort should be made to curb this epidemic, no matter the cost or cause. However recently efforts have been made to suggest that Homosexuality and our Faith are why Utah is number five in the U.S., and it!s territories, are the primary blame. However studies have shown that "High Altitudes" are a contributing factor, as one thread here pointed out recently. Also it is highest among Whites and Indians, than any most other groups. The Church should make every effort to understand the problem, and have also donated $25,000 to local Gay groups to help with counseling, which is proper and Christlike. 

Many have suggested that the Church's policies on Homosexuality are primarily to blame, but if it is the doctrines of the Church that is to blame, why is Utah 5th? When it comes to other Faith's we pale in comparison to the extreme hard line of other Faith's. In fact many Evangelical Churches have started call Mormonism, "Gay loving". The important question is why aren't all Christian Faiths, loving of all? It is not just our doctrines that cause those who are Gay to believe that such feelings and actions are outside the norm, but the multimillions of people of Faith, and those with no faith who live differently.  

(Case in point, number 1) When a member of my local Bishop (I was a member of the Bishopric) a single brother who was socially awkward and a member who was the representative of the "Single Adults", complained every Sunday in Ward Counsel, that he felt left out because 90% of the adults in the Ward were married and had children. I made sure to never speak out concerning his remarks, then one Sunday, the Bishop asked; how can we make Brother X (not going to list his name) feel more a part of the Ward and Stake? My reply was quick, we have tried for over a year to do everything in our power to make him feel a part, but his primary complaint is how many married with children are members of the Ward, so what do you suggest? He won't attend the Sungle Adult group, he seldom goes to any activities, what are we to do? Should we all divorce to make him feel better? Of course my Bishop told me I don't have the right attitude. What are we to do as a Church, and as a society, stop being heterosexual, so others no longer feel differently? 

(Second case in point, number 2) 90% or more of the world is heterosexual, by contrast those who are not will always see this, and will see and feel differently, and there is nothing that can be done about. My countless friends who are African American, as upset and even angry that their plight has been linked with the Gay Movement. They point out all the time that they "cannot hide", they "cannot pretend not be Black", they "have no closet in which to hide". More importantly, their skin color is not listed in scripture as sinful, (although our Faith and others have tried to claim so). Also the allowance of them being allowed to hold the Priesthood is the "righting of a wrong", as well as the many apologies given to them by other Faiths. However Homosexual acts are condemn in both the Old and New Testements, books, espistles and scripture all upon which we believe and profess that their is a God. As such, our Church is bound by those scriptures and teachings, no matter how many podcasts are floating around in cyberspace. I have a Gay child, and like any parent, because I love that child I want God to pardon her choices. Just as I would love that God would pardon my choices and weaknesses without repentance.

(Case in point, number 3) I have someone very close to me, who feels that he just cannot be content with just one woman, and that God made him that way. In short, he believes that he was born that way, and feels his excommunication is unfair, and that his wife and the Church should make an exception. Now, I am not talking about polygamy, and being sealed to others, or married to them, he does not want that hassle. He just wants the world, the Church and scripture to accept the condition of his birth. 

That should be enough, so...thoughts? 

Please forgive any errors, long posts are difficult for me.