Why I "support" A&E AND Phil Robertson AND Sister Wives.

People are People:
People are diverse bundles of right and wrong thoughts.
I want a society that's safe to think and believe different, even wrong thoughts.
A society where Mormons, Catholics, Southern Baptists, Polygamists formerly known as Mormons, Pagans, Democrats, Socialists, Republicans, gays, straights, black, white, sinner, saint, whovians and trekkies can all participate in the marketplace of ideas, SAFELY.

Eradicating bad ideas
Yes, there are ideas that are so wrong they should be eradicated (e.g. racism. pedophilia. homicidal psychopathy. socialism (because of how many deaths it leaves in it's wake wherever it grabs hold). twerking (because!)). But eradication should be through peaceful persuasion, education, sharing of better ideas, treating every individual as a worthy contributor to society, but NOT through malice and inhumane treatment. To eradicate ideas, you offer up better ideas.  Replacement of the horse and buggy with the automobile did not need malice and inhumane treatment to take place. The better idea simply won out by virtue of being a better idea. While it takes time, better ideas will eventually win out. Can't we let that process take place without individual malice? Even with behavior/ideas that are so bad there need to be government sanctions (rape, murder, war), such as imprisonment or in the most extreme cases capital punishment, those individuals can still be treated humanely, even while locked up or executed (I'm thinking here both of domestic criminals as well as captured enemy soldiers and yes, even enemy combatants).

Phil:
I don't think Phil Robertson is advocating inhumane treatment of gays, just because he believe homosexual behavior to be a sin. If by calling it a sin he is advocating biblical stoning, he is wrong. My church also calls it a sin, but advocates for "abhoring the sin but loving the sinner". We can allow others to be *wrong* (sinners) and still treat them lovingly.

A&E:
Capitalism is the greatest form of democracy. Everyone gets a vote, with their dollars (and time). When I buy the latest & greatest mouse trap, I vote with my dollar. And, I don't know whether the worker in the factory is white, black, gay, straight, mormon, catholic, male, female, libertarian or socialist, sinner or saint. Capitalism is freedom to buy, freedom to sell, freedom to try, freedom to fail. A&E should be free to tailor their product to whatever audience they want. People's votes with their dollars (and viewing time) will dictate whether they succeed or fail with the unique product they offer.

Sister Wives:
Woohoo! I am so happy for this decision, and for my awesome cousin Robyn Sullivan Brown. It's just a twisted society where adultery, premarital sex, non-commital sex, homosexual sex, serial deadbeat fathers, etc. etc. are not criminalized (or if they are, then not prosecuted), but a religious belief and lifelong commitment to treat multiple women as lifelong partners and "wives" (but only in the religious, not government-sanctioned sense, wink, wink) is both criminal and prosecuted.  I'm NOT advocating that adultery, fornication, homosexual sex, etc. start being prosecuted. I want less prosecution, and more leaving up to the various religions to apply religious sanctions for behavior considered sinful by that particular religion.

Religious Sanctions:
The LDS church should be able to excommunicate polygamists. But they shouldn't be thrown in jail. The church should also be able to excommunicate adulterers and homosexuals (by which I mean those who actually commit adultery, not just have tendencies, and those who actually commit homosexual sex, not just have tendencies.) But adulterers and homosexuals shouldn't be jailed for it. And all sinners with their diverse favorite way of sinning (even me with mine), should be treated with civility, and even better with kindness, and even better with love; even while religious (not government) sanctions are applied.

The Dictates of My Own Conscience:
My church has an article of faith that reads thus:

We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.  

I think this applies to beliefs about polygamy equally well as to beliefs about homosexuality as well as beliefs on politics.

On Marriage:
As for what should define "legal" marriage: Marriage has been a religious sacrament for thousands of years. It functioned just fine without government licensing. Government licensing of marriages started with questionable motives (as a way to enforce racism). My personal opinion (I do not representing my church here), is that government should get out of the business of dictating the form of religious sacraments. I don't think the state should dictate who can or cannot be baptized into any religion (whether they are gay, male, female, black, white, sinner, saint), nor who can or cannot receive higher ordinances such as priesthood, celestial marriage or any other temple ordinances.

I understand this opinion on marriage is not the LDS "party-line". I'm OK with that.

But then, I'm a bundle of right and wrong, same as everyone else.

I reserve the right to think right and wrong ideas and hold right and wrong opinions, and whether you agree or disagree with mine, I welcome yours!

Most Sincerely and Opinionatedly,
 Joe “Don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts-my-mind-is-already-made-up.” Fullmer