LGBT Issues in the church
The official statement from the LDS church regarding same-sex attraction states: The Church’s doctrinal position is clear: Sexual activity should only occur between a man and a woman who are married. However, that should never be used as justification for unkindness. Jesus Christ, whom we follow, was clear in His condemnation of sexual immorality, but never cruel. His interest was always to lift the individual, never to tear down.
In short, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirms the centrality of doctrines relating to human sexuality and gender as well as the sanctity and significance of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, the Church firmly believes that all people are equally beloved children of God and deserve to be treated with love and respect. Church apostle Elder Quentin L. Cook stated, “As a church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach. Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.”
But then you get leaders of the church saying things like the following...
MY THOUGHTS: After going through the transition that I have, I guess I have a different perspective on this topic. I believe that Christ would never condem or shun anyone, no matter their choices in life. And we have been commanded to love one another.
I believe that sexuality is NOT a choice or something that you can pray away or repent of. I can understand why people outside the church get upset at the church because they SAY that they will always support gay members at church. But what are they doing to support them? How do they show their support? During Prop 8, the church advocated against the gay community. The recent November 2015 policy goes against the children of gay parents. Gay's can't get married or be recognized by the church. How would the church propose that an openly gay person be comfortable in the church, when they're asked to not act on their feelings and be celibate and single for the rest of their lives or pretend to be straight and get married? For these and other reasons, I guess its hard for me to see how the church is supporting the gay community. I know that not long ago, the church advocated for fair housing based on sexual orientation, so that was a good thing. Other than that, what else?
Where does a Gay person stand in the plan of salvation? Single and lonely, unless they repent? I guess that's why I wish the church would show more support rather than just say that they are showing support. I've come to realize that I just want to love and accept everybody, despite how different their lifestyle is to mine. People are all different, and my whole life, i've looked at people with almost a chip on my shoulder, thinking that I have the fullness of the gospel, and that I'm somehow better than they are. I hate that about myself, and didn't realize I did this until recently. So I'm trying to be more open to differing opinions and not shut down just because someone has a different opinion than me.
In short, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirms the centrality of doctrines relating to human sexuality and gender as well as the sanctity and significance of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. However, the Church firmly believes that all people are equally beloved children of God and deserve to be treated with love and respect. Church apostle Elder Quentin L. Cook stated, “As a church, nobody should be more loving and compassionate. Let us be at the forefront in terms of expressing love, compassion and outreach. Let’s not have families exclude or be disrespectful of those who choose a different lifestyle as a result of their feelings about their own gender.”
But then you get leaders of the church saying things like the following...
- “Homosexuality is an ugly sin, repugnant to those who find no temptation in it, as well as to many past offenders who are seeking a way out of its clutches. It is embarrassing and unpleasant as a subject for discussion but because of its prevalence, the need to warn the uninitiated, and the desire to help those who may already be involved in it, it is discussed in this chapter.”
- Prophet Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 78 - How Serious Is the Sin of Homosexuality? Of the adverse social effects of homosexuality none is more significant than the effect on marriage and home. The normal, God-given sexual relationship is the procreative act between man and woman in honorable marriage where stands the perversion of homosexuality? Clearly it is hostile to God's purpose in that it negates his first and great commandment to "multiply and replenish the earth." If the abominable practice became universal it would depopulate the earth in a single generation. It would nullify God's great program for his spirit children in that it would leave countless unembodied spirits in the heavenly world without the chance for the opportunities of mortality and would deny to all the participants in the practice the eternal life God makes available to us all. Because of the seriousness of this sin it carries a heavy penalty for the unrepentant. The offender may realize that disfellowshipment or excommunication is the penalty for heavy petting, adultery, fornication and comparable sins if there is not adequate repentance, yet he often supposes that because his acts have not been committed with the opposite sex he is not in sin. Let it therefore be clearly stated that the seriousness of the sin of homosexuality is equal to or greater than that of fornication or adultery; and that the Lord's Church will as readily take action to disfellowship or excommunicate the unrepentant practicing homosexual as it will the unrepentant fornicator or adulterer. After consideration of the evil aspects, the ugliness and prevalence of the evil of homosexuality, the glorious thing to remember is that it is curable and forgivable. The Lord has promised that all sins can be forgiven except certain ones enumerated, and this evil was not among those named. Thus it is forgivable if totally abandoned and if the repentance is sincere and absolute. Certainly it can be overcome, for there are numerous happy people who were once involved in its clutches and who have since completely transformed their lives. Therefore to those who say that this practice or any other evil is incurable, I respond: "How can you say the door cannot be opened until your knuckles are bloody, till your head is bruised, till your muscles are sore? It can be done." Many have been misinformed that they are powerless in the matter, not responsible for the tendency, and that "God made them that way." This is as untrue as any other of the diabolical lies Satan has concocted. It is blasphemy. Man is made in the image of God. Does the pervert think God to be "that way"? Sometimes not heavenly but earthly parents get the blame. Granted that certain conditions make it easier for one to become a pervert, the second Article of Faith teaches that a man will be punished for his own sins. He can, if normal, rise above the frustrations of childhood and stand on his own feet. A man may rationalize and excuse himself till the groove is so deep he cannot get out without great difficulty. But temptations come to all people. The difference between the reprobate and the worthy person is generally that one yielded and the other resisted. And if the yielding person continues to give way he may finally reach the point of "no return." The Spirit will "not always strive with man." (D&C 1:33.) (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, pp. 80–86.)
- “It was intended that we use this power only with our partner in marriage. I repeat, very plainly, physical mischief with another man is forbidden. It is forbidden by the Lord.
“There are some men who entice young men to join them in these immoral acts. If you are ever approached to participate in anything like that, it is time to vigorously resist.
“While I was in a mission on one occasion, a missionary said he had something to confess. I was very worried because he just could not get himself to tell me what he had done.
“After patient encouragement he blurted out, ‘I hit my companion.'
“ ‘Oh, is that all,' I said in great relief.
“ ‘But I floored him,” he said.
“After learning a little more [his companion was gay], my response was ‘Well, thanks. Somebody had to do it, and it wouldn't have been well for a General Authority to solve the problem that way.'
“I am not recommending that course to you, but I am not omitting it. You must protect yourself.
"There is a falsehood that some are born with an attraction to their own kind, with nothing they can do about it. They are just "that way" and can only yield to those desires. That is a malicious and destructive lie. While it is a convincing idea to some, it is of the devil. No one is locked into that kind of life. From our premortal life we were directed into a physical body. There is no mismatching of bodies and spirits. Boys are to become men --masculine, manly men --ultimately to become husbands and fathers. No one is predestined to a perverted use of these powers."
-(Boyd K. Packer, “To Young Men Only,” General Conference, Oct. 1976; online at Link is here.) - "Sometimes masturbation is the introduction to the more serious sins of exhibitionism and the gross sin of homosexuality. We would avoid mentioning these unholy terms and these reprehensible practices were it not for the fact that we have a responsibility to the youth of Zion that they be not deceived by those who would call bad good, and black white." "The unholy transgression of homosexuality is either rapidly growing or tolerance is giving it wider publicity. If one has such desires and tendencies, he overcomes them the same as if he had the urge toward petting or fornication or adultery. The Lord condemns and forbids this practice with a vigor equal to his condemnation of adultery and other such sex acts. And the Church will excommunicate as readily any unrepentant addict." "Good men, wise men, God-fearing men everywhere still denounce the practice as being unworthy of sons of God; and Christ’s church denounces it and condemns it so long as men have bodies which can be defiled."
The Prophet Spencer W. Kimball, "President Kimball Speaks Out on Morality," Official Mormon Publication, LDS New Era, Nov. 1980, Page 39 - "I do not find in the Bible the modern terms "petting" nor "homosexuality," yet I found numerous scriptures which forbade such acts under by whatever names they might be called. I could not find the term "homosexuality," but I did find numerous places where the Lord condemned such a practice with such vigor that even the death penalty was assessed."
- Apostle (later the prophet) Spencer W. Kimball, "Love Versus Lust", BYU Doctinal Speech January 5, 1965 - Question: How can homosexual members of the church live and remain steadfast in the gospel?
Answer: First I want to change the question. There are no homosexual members of the church. We are not defined by sexual attraction. We are not defined by sexual behavior. We are sons and daughters of God and all of us have different challenges in the flesh. There are many different types of challenges. Would it be a challenge to be very beautiful or very handsome, and in the world in which we live, never develop deep character because we are able to open doors and have success just because of our physical appearance? And we become shallow and superficial in many aspects of our lives. That can be a challenge in the flesh. Some people have physical limitations. They may be born with a body that is not fully functional, or we may have an inclination to be attracted to those of the same sex. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we are blessed with moral agency. Agency is the capacity to act and not simply be acted upon.
(David A. Bednar, February 23, 2016, found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4_wTGv8Ao&feature=youtu.be
MY THOUGHTS: After going through the transition that I have, I guess I have a different perspective on this topic. I believe that Christ would never condem or shun anyone, no matter their choices in life. And we have been commanded to love one another.
I believe that sexuality is NOT a choice or something that you can pray away or repent of. I can understand why people outside the church get upset at the church because they SAY that they will always support gay members at church. But what are they doing to support them? How do they show their support? During Prop 8, the church advocated against the gay community. The recent November 2015 policy goes against the children of gay parents. Gay's can't get married or be recognized by the church. How would the church propose that an openly gay person be comfortable in the church, when they're asked to not act on their feelings and be celibate and single for the rest of their lives or pretend to be straight and get married? For these and other reasons, I guess its hard for me to see how the church is supporting the gay community. I know that not long ago, the church advocated for fair housing based on sexual orientation, so that was a good thing. Other than that, what else?
Where does a Gay person stand in the plan of salvation? Single and lonely, unless they repent? I guess that's why I wish the church would show more support rather than just say that they are showing support. I've come to realize that I just want to love and accept everybody, despite how different their lifestyle is to mine. People are all different, and my whole life, i've looked at people with almost a chip on my shoulder, thinking that I have the fullness of the gospel, and that I'm somehow better than they are. I hate that about myself, and didn't realize I did this until recently. So I'm trying to be more open to differing opinions and not shut down just because someone has a different opinion than me.
REFERENCES:
- https://www.lds.org/topics/same-gender-attraction?lang=eng
- http://mormonsandgays.org/
- http://www.mormonthink.com/QUOTES/homosexuality.htm
- http://rationalfaiths.com/timeline-of-mormon-thinking-about-homosexuality/
- http://www.rawstory.com/2016/02/mormon-leader-we-are-not-bigots-because-there-are-no-homosexual-members-of-the-church/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mormon-leader-homosexuality_us_56d5c8a3e4b03260bf782ee5
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4_wTGv8Ao&feature=youtu.be
- https://www.lds.org/pages/church-handbook-changes?lang=eng
- https://www.lds.org/church/news/elder-christofferson-says-handbook-changes-regarding-same-sex-marriages-help-protect-children?lang=eng
- http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/same-sex-marriage-and-proposition-8
- https://www.lds.org/church/news/church-leaders-counsel-members-after-supreme-court-same-sex-marriage-decision?lang=eng