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| + | #REDIRECT[[Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ#What are some of the unique challenges or difficulties faced by Latter-day Saints with same-sex attraction?]] |
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| − | ==Question: What are some of the unique challenges or difficulties faced by Mormons with same-sex attraction?==
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| − | ===A theology that, without question, favors heterosexual relationships over homosexual relationships===
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| − | Latter-day Saints have long believed that men and women were designed to be together in marriage. The Lord told Joseph Smith in 1831 (D&C 49:15-17) that | |
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| − | :15 And again, verily I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man.
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| − | :16 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation;
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| − | :17 And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made.
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| − | Thus, for Latter-day Saints, gender is binary, men and women were designed to be together sexually and maritally, and this design was given to us by God in the pre-existence.
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| − | Joseph Smith further revealed (D&C 131:1-2) that
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| − | 1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
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| − | 2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
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| − | Those who don’t enter into marriage according to the Lord’s way, “neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
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| − | For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.”<ref>D&C 132:16.</ref>
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| − | ===Church leaders have encouraged members to be particularly kind and compassionate to those struggling with SSA===
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| − | Elder Bruce C. Hafen in 2009:
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| − | During a recent stake conference in Europe, I asked the stake president if Sister Hafen and I might visit one or two of his stake members who could use a little encouragement. As we visited one young man, a single returned missionary, we found that he cared deeply about the Church but was also very troubled. When we asked how he was doing, he began to cry and, with a look of real anguish he said, “I suffer from same-gender attraction.” My heart went out to him. The longer we talked, the more compassion I felt, as I learned that the operative word for him really was “suffer.”<ref>{{Periodical:Hafen:Evergreen:2009}}</ref>
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| − | </blockquote>
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| | [[Category:Questions]] | | [[Category:Questions]] |
