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by lyndon_9469 on September 11th, 2004
This will be an upsetting answer to many people. I was brought up in a family with very strong LDS beliefs. My family including: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and so forth are all married and sealed in the Temple. I am heterosexual and married(civil) to a man I love and hope to spend the rest of my life with.
I was taught and I am still reminded today that by our beliefs, same sex marriages and/or relationships are wrong. Like the saying says "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve". Marriage between a man and woman is to be ordained of God. You cannot enter the Celestial Kingdom without being sealed in the Temple. You cannot be sealed in the Temple if you are involved in a same sex relationship.
It is NOT a crime to be gay, yet criminals can get married while behind bars. Why is it fair of us, Mormons or any other Faith, to jugde homosexuality. We all obviously don't agree with each others religions, yet we are not trying to put a ban on that. Vegitarians don't believe in eating meat and the rest of the world is free to eat it if they choose. Child abusers should not be allowed children and still no one stops them from conceiving.
Who are we to stop two people, who love each other, from retaining the same happiness that I as well as many others take for granted every day. The Mormons cannot now nor have they ever been able to "cure" homosexuality. Just because this religion believes it to be wrong, doesn't mean that gays/lesbians should be denied a legal, binding, til death do us part marriage. I can't make myself fall in or out of love and neither can a same sex couple.
by gaycaleb on June 4th, 2004
"We believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We believe that marriage may be eternal through exercise of the power of the everlasting priesthood in the house of the Lord.
[The temple ceremony says that we should not have sexual relations with someone we are not legally and lawfully wedded to, but I am legally and lawfully married to my husband]
"People inquire about our position on those who consider themselves so-called gays and lesbians. My response is that we love them as sons and daughters of God. They may have certain inclinations which are powerful and which may be difficult to control. Most people have inclinations of one kind or another at various times. If they do not act upon these inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the Church. If they violate the law of chastity and the moral standards of the Church, then they are subject to the discipline of the Church, just as others are.
[The church has been unsuccessful in helping anyone to become straight and stay that way for more than 5 years]
"We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties. But we cannot stand idle if they indulge in immoral activity, if they try to uphold and defend and live in a so-called same-sex marriage situation. To permit such would be to make light of the very serious and sacred foundation of God-sanctioned marriage and its very purpose, the rearing of families"
[and yet, I came out of the closet because of an answer to prayer in direct conflict to the teachings of this prophet.]
(Ensign, Nov. 1998, 71).
Indeed, the churches teachings on homosexuality did not begin until Spencer W Kimball. He claimed no revelation or new doctrine, yet it suddenly appeared. The churches homophobia is couched in the Law of Chastity. There is no Law of homosexuality. The church is working against same sex marriage because it defies their Law of Chastity, which official is stated as "sexual relations with someone to whom you are not legally and lawfully wedded. Now same sex Mormon couples are legally and lawfully wedded but still rejected by the church.
by TheMiddleMan on April 9th, 2004
All LDS members are required to maintain sexual abstinence outside of marriage. An LDS marriage is defined as the legal union of a man and a woman. In this regard, LDS members abstain from homosexual relations the same as they abstain from heterosexual relations that are not considered lawful and endorsed by God.
Members are encouraged not to judge people or condemn them. People with lifestyles that are not permitted by the LDS religion should always be treated with kindness and love. All people are considered to be children of a loving Heavenly Father. Although all forms of sin must be shunned, no person should be led to feel that way. Each person must be given respect and shown brotherly kindness even if their actions are not in accordance with LDS teachings. This love must be genuine and sincere.
LDS doctrine teaches that the sin is greater for he who does not forgive and that all judgments are to be made by God alone.
by Kim Siever on April 2nd, 2004
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that homesxual acts are wrong. They also teach that marriage is for one man and one woman.
by Elder Gibby on April 21st, 2004
Some subjects you just can't be flowery and graceful about, this is one of those times. 1 Cor. 11:11 sums it up quite nicely, and God says it not me. (#1 biggest cop-out) "Nevertheless neither is the man without the women, neither the women without the man, in the Lord." May I ask a question to everyone? Why was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed? Do we want this to happen to us?
by Anonymous on March 31st, 2004
The Mormon belief on this matter is the same as that of any other Christian — at least of any Christian who accepts what the Bible clearly says regarding this matter:
Leviticus 18:22 http://scriptures.lds.org/lev/18/22#22
Romans 1:27 http://scriptures.lds.org/rom/1/27#27
1 Corinthians 6:9 http://scriptures.lds.org/1_cor/6/9#9
1 Timothy 1:10 http://scriptures.lds.org/1_tim/1/10#10
[Added c. 20:00 on 01 April 2004, in response to Kim Siever]
I don't see what is vague or incomplete about my answer. The Bible clearly condemns homosexuality as evil, and as an abomination. The church agrees with the Bible on this point.
And if homosexuality is an abomination, then it stands to reason that “gay marriage” is an abomination right along with it; and this seems quite clearly as well to be the position of the church.
by Mike Walbridge on February 25th, 2004
See the other section on the religion for another answered question about excommunication and homosexuality.
Homosexuality is wrong. Type in "Homosexual twin studies" in an advanced google search and you'll see that science does not support that it is inborn. This link is also very good, and discusses why the few studies that say it is inborn are weak. Typically, there are about four studies that frequently get quoted and this article goes through those studies.
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schlaw/academics/lawreview/articles/14_2Byrd.pdf
Romans 1, Jude, and other Biblical passages condemn it. We do not hate them, love the sinner and hate the sin of course, and that's that. But we do not believe it is right.
(edit: the site changed, so I changed it. Sorry if you couldn't see it before).
by John Pacella on December 4th, 2005
Here is one passage from the Bible that talks about Homosexuality. I believe it is quite clear.
Romans Chapter 1:22-32
" 22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
"
by Seanette on April 1st, 2004
Frankly, I think this is best summed up by what we call the Proclamation on the Family, issued by our Prophet, his counselors, and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on September 23, 1995. See http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html for the text of this proclamation.
by John Cox on September 30th, 2011
We believe that sexual relations outside of marraige between a man and a woman is a violation of God's law of chastity. The church doesn't teach that those people who break the law of Chastity through homosexuality are any better or worse than those who break it through heterosexuality.
Several of the LDS leaders have stated that same gender attraction itself is not a sin, we only sin when we act.
The church is opposed to gay marraige.
I got married in the Mormon church, but was never sealed. What type of ceremony was that? Also, I have since been divorced...what does the Mormon say about this type of situation? Is it recognizable? Please explain.
by Gr8scap on February 28th, 2008
| 1 person likes this
If a member commits sexual acts before they are married, could they get married in the Temple, after repentance and full membership is active again?
by Anonymous on May 14th, 2006
| 1 person likes this
What consequences are there for a Mormon who remains unmarried?
by Alatea on November 18th, 2005
| 1 person likes this
Do Mormons need to be virgins when they get married?
by Anonymous on November 16th, 2005
| 1 person likes this
Can a prospective missionary get married before he leaves for a mission?
by Angeles on May 12th, 2005
| 1 person likes this
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Comments
Amen, sister! The only answer that answers the question and makes sense.
by mister_c on September 30th, 2004
Great answer! I really agree with you thoughts on this issue.
by Lynniegrace on October 28th, 2004
...oh, brother...
by Charles Sampson on January 12th, 2005
Finally, an honest, heartfelt response that makes sense and shows character!
by Marci Cox on February 16th, 2005
I agree with a lot of this, but homosexuality CAN be cured with sincere repentance, and ppl have been cured.
by Matt6466 on September 14th, 2005
So, God did NOT create Steve? Who did?
by WillWho on November 8th, 2005
If the Church is led by God through revelation to His prophets as we claim, then your argument is with God not with His church. If we are not led by God, then we are the wrong church and you should find the one that is correct.
by Glenn Blaylock on June 18th, 2006
Mormons cannoot cure it, but Jesus Christ can through his atonement. It is our lot to have faith and believe. Homosexual feelings are trials to over come just like pornography.
by Rodric Johnson on October 3rd, 2006