I've been sitting on the Honor Code stuff, just thinking about it, because I've had more pressing issues than trying to formulate any solid take. So at last, here's my take on all this, and I'm going to talk about Lehi's dream to start.

Lehi sees a tree with white fruit, a rod made of iron, a building full of people, a river, and many other things. The most interesting bit, what has occupied many of my waking thoughts is that river.

Looking at the images in a Google search, the artists don't make much of that river at all. Look at it, peacefully winding through the landscape, a beautiful waterway. Which is interesting, to say the least, because Lehi doesn't describe it.

But you know who does describe it? His very own son! When his brothers ask "What did that river mean?" Nephi replies "Filthiness, but he was too preoccupied with all the other things going on to notice".
Lehi was too busy thinking about his family, the darkness, the people there.

Lehi was so busy he missed a huge symbol that was HIGHLY visible. This has fascinated me for the last two months. The implications are huge. Prophets do not always understand or even SEE what the Lord wants them too. He may be telling them, showing them, but they are PREOCCUPIED.

Preoccupied with running a worldwide organization. Preoccupied with their own ideas of the way things are. Preoccupied with the fates of their own families. Preoccupied with seeing what they want to see.

Perhaps this is the confusion on LGBTQ+ issues. Perhaps this is why it feels God is silent on the institutional level. Not that our prophets and revelators aren't seeing vision or revelations. Not that God wishes for this to be so hard for us in His church.

Maybe those imperfect men just haven't seen or understood what God is already trying to tell them. Things are confusing right now at BYU. Things aren't clear. I don't know what the way forward is. I don't know how to understand what's happening.

I don't believe the administration has dealt fairly or kindly with the students, but I'm not certain anything has been done from malice. Callousness, perhaps. Is it wrong they propogated confusion through a botched rollout mid year? Yes.

Is it wrong LGBTQ+ students don't feel safe on campus? Yes.
An honor code that endangers and demeand does not seem very honorable to me. An administration that does not treat us fairly and above the board is not very honorable.

I wish BYU was kinder. I wish the institutional Church was kinder. Maybe we can change these things. I certainly hope so. So let's fight for our rights. I support you all who are.

But let's be kind to those who maybe, like the painters and Lehi, haven't yet noticed the river.