Difference between revisions of "Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ"

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[W]e should always distinguish between sinful acts and inappropriate feelings or potentially dangerous susceptibilities. We should reach out lovingly to those who are struggling to resist temptation. The First Presidency did this in their 14 November 1991 letter. After reaffirming the sinful nature of “fornication, adultery, and homosexual and lesbian behavior,” the Presidency added: “Individuals and their families desiring help with these matters should seek counsel from their bishop, branch president, stake or district president. We encourage Church leaders and members to reach out with love and understanding to those struggling with these issues. Many will respond to Christlike love and inspired counsel as they receive an invitation to come back and apply the atoning and healing power of the Savior. {{ref|oaks95}}
 
[W]e should always distinguish between sinful acts and inappropriate feelings or potentially dangerous susceptibilities. We should reach out lovingly to those who are struggling to resist temptation. The First Presidency did this in their 14 November 1991 letter. After reaffirming the sinful nature of “fornication, adultery, and homosexual and lesbian behavior,” the Presidency added: “Individuals and their families desiring help with these matters should seek counsel from their bishop, branch president, stake or district president. We encourage Church leaders and members to reach out with love and understanding to those struggling with these issues. Many will respond to Christlike love and inspired counsel as they receive an invitation to come back and apply the atoning and healing power of the Savior. {{ref|oaks95}}
 
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===What have Church leaders said about SSA?===
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{{Detail|/Origin|What have past and present Church leaders taught about why some people are tempted by same-sex attraction? }}
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{{Detail|/Boyd K. Packer October 2010 conference talk|Boyd K. Packer October 2010 conference talk}}
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===Bullying and unkindness towards those with SSA===
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{{Detail|/Bullying and unkindness|Bullying and unkindness}}
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===Distinguishing between having feelings and acting upon them===
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{{Detail|/Feelings versus acts|Feelings versus acts}}
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===What does the Church teach about how to treat family members with SSA?===
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{{Detail|/Family members|Family members with SSA}}
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===What were early LDS attitudes toward SSA?===
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{{Detail|/Early LDS attitude toward|Early LDS attitudes toward SSA}}
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===What is the Church's attitude toward non-discrimination ordinances related to SSA?===
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{{Detail|/Non discrimination ordinances|/Non discrimination ordinances}}
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===Terminology related to SSA===
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{{Detail|/Terminology|Terminology}}
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===Does the Church believe that SSA will persist beyond death?===
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{{Detail|/Does not persist beyond death|Does not persist beyond death}}
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===Marriage as therapy?===
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{{Detail|/Marriage as therapy|/Marriage as therapy}}
  
 
==={{Conclusion label}}===
 
==={{Conclusion label}}===

Revision as of 16:13, 27 November 2010

  1. REDIRECTTemplate:Test3
==

Questions

==

  • The Church is accused of rejecting people who experience same-sex attraction.
  • The Church is accused of rejecting people who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual.

Related topics

==

Detailed Analysis

==

The Church's response

I emphasize this, I wish to say that our opposition to attempts to legalize same-sex marriage should never be interpreted as justification for hatred, intolerance, or abuse of those who profess homosexual tendencies, either individually or as a group. As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church. It is expected, however, that they follow the same God-given rules of conduct that apply to everyone else, whether single or married.
—President Gordon B. Hinckley, Why We Do Some of the Things We Do, October 1999 General Conference}}

The Church distinguishes between having same-sex attraction versus acting upon those feelings

Elder Dallin Oaks notes the distinction between having feelings of same-sex attraction and acting upon those feelings,

[W]e should always distinguish between sinful acts and inappropriate feelings or potentially dangerous susceptibilities. We should reach out lovingly to those who are struggling to resist temptation. The First Presidency did this in their 14 November 1991 letter. After reaffirming the sinful nature of “fornication, adultery, and homosexual and lesbian behavior,” the Presidency added: “Individuals and their families desiring help with these matters should seek counsel from their bishop, branch president, stake or district president. We encourage Church leaders and members to reach out with love and understanding to those struggling with these issues. Many will respond to Christlike love and inspired counsel as they receive an invitation to come back and apply the atoning and healing power of the Savior. [1]

What have Church leaders said about SSA?

For a detailed response, see: /Origin and What have past and present Church leaders taught about why some people are tempted by same-sex attraction?

For a detailed response, see: /Boyd K. Packer October 2010 conference talk and Boyd K. Packer October 2010 conference talk

Bullying and unkindness towards those with SSA

For a detailed response, see: /Bullying and unkindness and Bullying and unkindness

Distinguishing between having feelings and acting upon them

For a detailed response, see: /Feelings versus acts and Feelings versus acts

What does the Church teach about how to treat family members with SSA?

For a detailed response, see: /Family members and Family members with SSA

What were early LDS attitudes toward SSA?

For a detailed response, see: /Early LDS attitude toward and Early LDS attitudes toward SSA

What is the Church's attitude toward non-discrimination ordinances related to SSA?

For a detailed response, see: /Non discrimination ordinances and /Non discrimination ordinances

Terminology related to SSA

For a detailed response, see: /Terminology and Terminology

Does the Church believe that SSA will persist beyond death?

For a detailed response, see: /Does not persist beyond death and Does not persist beyond death

Marriage as therapy?

For a detailed response, see: /Marriage as therapy and /Marriage as therapy

===

Answer

=

The Church does not reject those who experience same-sex attraction. It is possible to experience same-sex attraction and be a faithful member in full fellowship. If those feelings take the form of an intimate physical relationship, then this is considered a sin in the same manner as fornication or adultery between a male and female.

Further reading

FairMormon Answers articles

Template:SSA wiki

FairMormon web site

Template:SSA FAIR

External links

Template:SSA links

Printed material

Template:SSA print

== Notes ==

  1. [note] 1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement, Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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