Mormon views on gays
'Even though I still don't understand everything, I realize that I don't hold to. All I am asked to do is love as God would love.'
This comment, and many others like it, is included in an updated version of 'Mormon and Gay,” an official website from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The site reinforces the reality that, in the words of one Mormon scripture, God “…loveth his children;…” (1 Nephi 11:17), and seeks to serve everyone better understand queer attraction from a gospel perspective.
Laurie’s Story-A Flicker of Light That Brought Me Back to the Saviour
The first version of this website launched in December 2012 under the title 'Mormons and Gays.' The new appellation, 'Mormon and Gay,' reflects the actual world that a person doesn’t need to choose between these two identities — one can, in truth, be gay and reside faithful to the teachings of Christ.
The Church acknowledges that Latter-day Saints experience same-sex attraction in a variety of ways. Some strive to remain celibate and others marry. Some identify as gay or lesbian while others do not.
Personal Accounts and Comments from Church Leaders
Mormonandgay.lds.org features five personal
Gay Rights and the Mormon Church
About the Author
Gregory A. Prince's avocation in history has led him to write dozens of articles and three books, including the award-winning volumes David O. McKay and the Ascend of Modern Mormonism (coauthored with Wm. Robert Wright) and Leonard Arrington and the Writing of Mormon History.
Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
1. Alta Club
2. Genesis
3. The Cure, 1.0
4. Spencer Kimball and The Miracle of Forgiveness
5. The Memorandum
6. Hawaii
7. Backlash, 1.0
8. Proposition 22
9. Amendment 3
10. The Remedy, 2.0
11. A Constitutional Amendment
12. Dallin Oaks and the Interview
13. God Loveth His Children
14. What about Lesbians?
15. Proposition 8
16. Backlash, 2.0
17. The Kiss
18. Hollingsworth v. Perry
19. Three Men, Two Messages
20. Bridges to Somewhere
21. MormonsandGays.org
22. Kitchen v. Herbert
23. SB 296
24. The Last Domino
25. Religious Freedom
26. The Policy
27. Trans
28. Intersex
29. Suicide
30. The Scarlet Letter &#
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 ChurchofJesusChrist.org reinforces the reality that, in the words of one Latter-day Saint scripture, God “loveth his children” (1 Nephi 11:17), and seeks to support everyone better realize same-sex attraction from a gospel perspective.
The Church does not take a position on the generate of same-sex attraction. In 2006, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “The Church does not possess a position on the causes of any of these susceptibilities or inclinations, including those associated 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 experience of homosexual attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals execute not choose to have such attractions, they do elect how to respond to them. With love and kind, the Church reaches out to all God’s children, incl
As a gay Mormon, I build my home in the borderlands. In a theology that says every man must be married to a woman in direct to be with God and progress in heaven, gay Mormons are anomalies. No one quite knows what to do with us.
For a while, the respond was to serve a full-time mission, marry a woman, inform no one, and let 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 significant unit in time and in eternity.”
Every question, 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 work out in the end.” And, yet, despite these difficult and unanswered questions, I choose to continue 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 queer people and their families have a place at the table as equals. But Mormonism is part of me