A ridiculous dream... and a thought for the day

I had a dream last night that my parents got a boa constrictor and also a polar bear.

I think I've watched too much Lost lately.

A friend of mine said recently he was considering not paying tithing because he couldn't get married. Not to embarrass him, since that is not my intention, but it got me thinking. How often do we excuse our behavior based on our sexual attractions? How often do we use them as a crutch to hide behind?

I am reading the book The Secret Garden because I like to read childrens' books to then be able to recommend and discuss with my nieces.

For those who don't know the story, a young girl goes to live with relatives after being orphaned in India. She meets her cousin, Colin, who is a bedridden very spoiled child. He uses his illness as an excuse for his ill-temper, lack of kindness and for how miserable he is. A doctor recommended to his caretakers that Colin wouldn't be ill if he chose not to be.

Do we ever do this?

"I am same-sex attracted... so then I don't have to go to church because its too hard for me..."
"... I don't have to follow all the rules because the church has abandoned me..."
"... I don't have to follow the Prophet's counsels because HE doesn't know what I'm going through..."

The list of excuses we allow ourselves is astronomical. And, to be quite blunt, a little ridiculous and stupid.

Sometimes we follow rules and commandments simply because they are commandments.

What makes US different as single SSA men (or in fact married men as the case may be) from any other members of the church? We don't look different, minus the nicer couture on occasion. :) We don't smell different. We don't talk different necessarily. We are all still men.

Single SSA men are no different from their straight counter-parts as far as their anatomy. I am just as much a male as any man at church who fathers 12 children. And if I was married, I'd be just as much a married male as any married man at church.

We allow those excuses into our lives as a crutch to keep us from doing what is right. We know the commandments. Most of us went to Primary or Seminary. So why do we pretend we don't know the commandments? Or, why do we use excuses not to follow them?

You're not so special you are not subject to the same laws as anyone else.