Personal Growth and Changing Perspectives

I seem to write very intermittently on this site (and most of you have probably noticed that I haven't posted any art in a while, being busy with college and all) but I think that what I'm about to say is very important. I've been a part of deviantart for a while now and no I'm not leaving, so don't freak out, but I just want to make it clear that during the time that I've been a part of this community, making comments and appreciating art and ideas, I've gone through a lot of significant changes as a person, some of which make some of my previous statements on here seem really childish, naïve and hurtful in hindsight. Since it has been a while since I've participated in the political and religious debates here on deviantart, I cannot recall exactly what I might have said which had the capacity to offend, but I want to make it clear that I never intended any harm, and that especially now, I apologize for my ignorance, arrogance and any self-righteousness that I might have displayed in my immaturity. 

I won't claim that I am perfect now--far from it. But I want to let everyone know that I apologize for some of my previous statements and that in many cases, further research and examination has altered my perspective a great deal. Particularly I want to apologize to the LGBTQ community for misunderstanding their motives, beliefs and experiences and naively insisting that their identities were choices and that they should be barred from the same legal and social privileges that I already enjoy. I have since learned that I was wrong in many ways on these issues, thanks to some very loving, patient and truly amazing people and though I cannot erase all that I have done I hope that my heartfelt apology can be accepted.

I also want to make it clear that despite my changed perspective on LGBTQ rights and issues, I have not changed my personal approach to morality. I still intend to keep myself chaste until I marry, I still intend to marry a man and I am still whole-heartedly committed to the tennets of my faith. But I also want to make it clear that I no longer believe that this is unilaterally the right decision for everyone. The feelings I have which motivate me to make these commitments are strong, powerful and very real to me, but so are the feelings that so many others out there have, and it is not my place to discount that. I think that in a world striving for diversity and understanding, removing discrimination and encouraging love will only increase our capacity to find truth and wholesomeness in this world, not diminish or obscure it.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but I've finally realized (not sure why it took so long) that the love he's asked me to feel for everyone is completely in congruence with supporting the efforts of the gay rights movement to give all people equal treatment in every facet of their lives, including civil marriage. Again, I must be clear that I believe for myself that perusing a homosexual relationship in my own life would not be right for a multitude of reasons, one of those being religious, but I also recognize that the US (where I live) needs to be a place of religious freedom, and that I respect all people's right to worship "how, where or what they may,".

So, long story short, I apologize for my previous insensitivity regarding these issues and have decided to wholeheartedly embrace supporting freedom for everyone. One of the primary principles of my faith is free will, so I think that to exclude others from the same privileges afforded to everyone else is actually against God's will. I hope that in the future there can be more compassion, tolerance and understanding for every walk of life (faith, political ideology, religion etc.) and I believe that is something that everyone can stand for.