The Parable of Prop 8

For those of you who don't know, Molly and I were called to teach seminary to the youth in the Alameda Ward starting this school year and it's been an awesome experience so far. It's been fun studying and preparing lessons with Molly and for the most part the kids are great. The past couple days we've been discussing why Jesus taught a lot gospel principles by using parables. In Mark 4:34 during part of the Saviors Galilean ministry the record states that "without a parable spake he not unto them." We learn the reason for the method. It was to veil the meaning. The parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence; to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story, "seeing they see not," while to the instructed and spiritual it reveals the mysteries or secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Thus it is that the parable exhibits the condition of all true knowledge. Only he who seeks finds! So...I want to share with you the parable of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It goes a little something like this:

Behold a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was prepared to be made into a delicious morsel of satisfying grub for lunch...or maybe dinner...or maybe even breakfast. One piece of bread was laid upon the counter and in a few swift motions was smothered by delectable smooth peanut butter whilst the other slice of bread was smothered by mouth-watering raspberry jam. When the bread with the peanut butter and the bread with the jam were placed together as one it was approved of God and called a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Now behold there were some who were absolutely in love with peanut butter and had no interest in jam so both slices of bread were covered with Skippy. And then there were some who couldn't resist the mouth watering taste of the jam therefore both pieces of bread were soaked with Smuckers. WHO HATH EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. And those reading this blog post said unto K.C., why speakest thou unto us in parables? And K.C. quoting Jesus said, "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." And it came to pass that for some odd reason those who made peanut butter and peanut butter sandwiches along with those who made jelly and jelly sandwiches wished with all their heart that they could call their sandwiches "peanut butter and jelly sandwiches" and fought and fought and fought (I could go on forever) for the right to call their sandwiches "peanut butter and jelly sandwiches". I say unto you all ye ends of the earth, WO WO WO unto ye residents of CA...and all ye ends of the earth... who wish to call those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!!! For they are not so! If ye make a "like" spreaded sandwich ye are not permitted to call it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. To you it may be delicious and you can enjoy the benefits of the sandwich thereof but IT IS NOT A PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH! "They seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they UNDERSTAND....For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I (the Savior...not K.C.) should heal them."

So that's that! The parable makes perfect sense to me and I hope it makes sense to you too. I know that marriage between a man and a woman was and always has been ordained of God from the days of Adam until now. Everyone who is registered to vote in CA...PLEASE vote yes on Prop 8 if you wish to preserve the sacred institution of marriage. If I didn't believe in the power of marriage and family I wouldn't be married to the beautiful woman that I love so much with all my heart. Next time you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich...ENJOY IT! And remember that it actually makes sense to name it as such.