Church of latter day saints gay marriage
Take It From An Ex-Mormon: The Church's New Stance On Legal Gay Marriage is Misguided
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints just became a little less socially conservative and more politically exact, and long term, that's bad news for its already stagnant membership numbers.
This month, the LDS church released a statement in support of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill recently passed by the Senate which would require the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages.
The move marks a turning point for what was once the most conservative religious group in the country. It is a signal to Mormons and non-Mormons alike that they are more interested in current cultural norms and preserving their U.S. membership numbers than in defending their doctrines.
The LDS church opened its statement with the claim that the church's doctrine "related to marriage between a dude and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged." But then it goes on to explain that the church supports the Respect for Marriage Act because of its "religious freedom protections." I
As a gay Mormon, I make my home in the borderlands. In a theology that says every man must be married to a woman in order to be with God and progress in heaven, gay Mormons are anomalies. No one quite knows what to undertake with us.
For a while, the answer was to serve a full-time mission, marry a woman, declare no one, and permit things work themselves out.
When that approach led to tragedy and broken families, the answer became celibacy, which is less of an answer and more of a holding pattern in a religion that declares the family to be &#;the most important unit in period and in eternity.&#;
Every ask, from &#;How can I be happy with no possibility of finding a companion?&#; to &#;Will I still be gay after this life?&#; seems to be met with official answers amounting to &#;Have faith. It will operate out in the end.&#; And, yet, despite these difficult and unanswered questions, I choose to persist to participate in my Latter-day Saint congregation and community.
So if I don&#;t belong, why stay? There are plenty of affirming faith communities where gender non-conforming people and their families
Same-Sex Attraction
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges that same-sex attraction is a sensitive issue that requires kindness, compassion and understanding. The “Same-Sex Attraction” section of reinforces the existence that, in the words of one Latter-day Saint scripture, God “loveth his children” (1 Nephi ), and seeks to help everyone better understand homosexual attraction from a gospel perspective.
The Church does not get a position on the cause of same-sex attraction. In , Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “The Church does not have a position on the causes of any of these susceptibilities or inclinations, including those related to same-gender attraction.”
Feelings of same-sex attraction are not a sin. President M. Russell Ballard said: “Let us be clear: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that ‘the life of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals do not choose to acquire such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them. With adore an
Same-Sex Marriage
Legal proceedings and legislative move in a number of countries have given civil recognition to same-sex marriage relationships, and the question of same-sex marriage continues to be widely debated. As we confront this and other issues, we encourage all to bear in mind our Angelic Father’s purposes in creating the earth and providing for our mortal birth and experience here as His children. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” “Therefore shall a gentleman leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”Marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God and is central to His plan for His children and for the well-being of society. Strong families, guided by a loving mother and father, serve as the fundamental institution for nurturing children, instilling faith, and transmitting to future generations the moral strengths and values that are vital to