Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction/The Church and gay rights

For the most part, the Church does not involve itself in politics. It makes a few exceptions when it comes to moral issues. The Church officially opposes same-sex marriage, but has made clear that the official opposition is limited to marriage, and does not extend to other gay rights. The statement reads as follows:

The focus of the Church’s involvement is specifically same-sex marriage and its consequences. The Church does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights, so long as these do not infringe on the integrity of the family or the constitutional rights of churches and their adherents to administer and practice their religion free from government interference." ^[1]

Larry King asked President Hinckley whether or not the Church was in favor of civil unions. President Hinckley responded "Well, we want to be very careful about that, because that - whatever may lead to gay marriage, we're not in favor of."^[2] Here, the emphasis again was on marriage, not on any other rights.

Doesn't the church's teachings on same-sex relationships interfere with its teachings on agency?

One of the fundamental doctrines of the Church is that men are free to chose good and evil. The role of the Church is not to force people to obey the commandments of God. The Church invites all to come to Christ, but it is up to the individual to come unto Christ. We teach that sexual relationships are only allowed between a husband and a wife, but allow individuals to make their own choices. The eleventh article of faith states: "We claim the privilege of worshiping the Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscious, and allow all men the same privilege. Let them worship how, where or what they may." We believe that all people have the ability to chose their own sexual conduct.

Legislation that is herald as gay rights legislation actually puts limitations on the ability of gay and lesbian people to chose their own sexual conduct. For example, the recent decision by the Iowa Supreme Court stated that "you're marriage isn't fulfilling." While we respect the rights of gay and lesbian people who

this really is my own beef. I will get back to it, just not right now.

Endnotes

1. [note] American Psychiatric Association 2000
2. [note] American Psychological Association Help Center Sexual Orientation and Homosexuality
3. [note] Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
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5. [note]  The Honor Code and Applications: Live a Chaste and Virtuous Life , Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University off-site .
6. [note]  Aversion Therapy glptq.com off-site
7. [note]  Evergreen International Resources for Individuals
8. [note] AP, The New York Times & Washington Post Style
9. [note]  Hegna K, Larsen CJ. Straightening out the queer? Same-sex experience and attraction among young people in Norway.
10. [note] Hinckley, Gordon B., (1987), Reverence and Morality off-site
11. [note]  1998 What Are People Asking about Us? Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
12. [note] Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). Why We Do Some of the Things We Do. Ensign.
13. [note]  (2004), First Presidency Statement on Same-Gender Marriage , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church off-site
14. [note]  (2004), A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints off-site
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16. [note] Jarvik, Elaine, (2006), LDS to push marriage amendment off-site
17. [note] Kimball, Spencer W., (1964), A Counselling Problem in the Church (transcript) off-site
18. [note] Kimball, Spencer W., (1964), BYU Speeches of the Year off-site
19. [note] Kimball, Spencer W., (1969), The Miracle of Forgiveness Bookcraft
20. [note] Spencer W. Kimball and Mark E. Petersen Hope for Transgressors 1970.
21. [note] Kimball, Spencer W., (1971), New Horizons for Homosexuals LDS Church off-site .
22. [note] Spencer W. Kimball, “President Kimball Speaks Out on Morality,” Ensign, Nov 1980, 94
23. [note]  (1970), Hope for Transgressors LDS Church off-site .
24. [note]  (1992), Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church off-site .
25. [note]  (1995), The Family: A Proclamation to the World , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church .
26. [note]  (1998), Church Handbook of Instructions , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church .
27. [note] God Loveth His Children, off-site
28. [note]  Sexual Purity, For the Strength of Youth: Fulfilling Our Duty to God, 26
29. [note] "First Presidency Statement on Same-Gender Marriage," 19 October 2004)
30. [note]  (2007), Gospel Library Gospel Topics , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church .
31. [note]  (2007), Gospel Library Gospel Topics , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church .
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33. [note] The Divine Institution of Marriage
34. [note] Lattin, Don, (1997), Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley, "president, prophet, seer and revelator: of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sits at the top of one of the world's fastest-growing religions off-site
35. [note]  (2004), In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction Deseret Book off-site .
36. [note] McBride, Max Ford, (1976), Effect of Visual Stimuli in Electric Aversion Therapy (Dissertation presented to the Department of Psychology of Brigham Young University) , Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah:
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39. [note]  In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America off-site Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled.
40. [note]  1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement, Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
41. [note] Wickman, Lance B., (2007), Same-Gender Attraction , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church off-site
42. [note]  Packer Ye Are the Temple of God
43. [note] Packer, Boyd K., (1972), The Message: Why Stay Morally Clean LDS Church off-site .
44. [note] Packer, Boyd K., (1976), To Young Men Only: General Conference Priesthood Session, October 2, 1976 LDS Church off-site .
45. [note] Packer, Boyd K., (1978), To the One: Address given to the Twelve Stake Fireside, Brigham Young University, March 5, 1978 LDS Church off-site .
46. [note] Park, Jason, (1997), Resolving Homosexual Problems: A Guide for LDS Men Century Publishing off-site .
47. [note] D. Michael Quinn, "Prelude to the National 'Defense of Marriage' Campaign: Civil Discrimination Against Feared or Despised Minorities", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 33:3, p. 1-52 (2001)
48. [note] Scott, Richard G., The Atonement Can Secure Your Peace and Happiness off-site .
49. [note] STEPHANIE SIMON A New Therapy on Faith and Sexual Identity : Psychological Association Revises Treatment Guidelines to Allow Counselors to Help Clients Reject Their Same-Sex Attractions
50. [note] Throckmorton, Warren , "Initial empirical and clinical findings concerning the change process for ex-gays", Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 242–248
51. [note] Snow, Lorenzo, {{{title}}} .
52. [note]  Savin-Williams RC, Ream GL. Prevalence and stability of sexual orientation components during adolescence and young adulthood.
53. [note] p. 156, Seligman, Martin E.P., What You Can Change and What You Can't: The Complete Guide to Self Improvement Knopf, 1993; ISBN 0-679-41024-4
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57. [note] A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.
58. [note] Wichstrøm L, Hegna K. Sexual orientation and suicide attempt: a longitudinal study of the general Norwegian adolescent population.
59. [note]  Yarhouse MA. Same-sex attraction, homosexual orientation, and gay identity: a three-tier distinction for counseling and pastoral care