Gay Marriage and the LDS Faith

1. Gay Marriage and the LDS Faith What everyone should know…..

2. What is the Divine Institution of Marriage? • Marriage between a man and a woman is central to the plan of salvation. The sacred nature of marriage is closely linked to the power of procreation. Only a man and a woman together have the natural biological capacity to conceive children. • This power of procreation – to create life and bring God’s spirit children into the world – is sacred and precious. Misuse of this power undermines the institution of the family and thereby weakens the social fabric.  • Strong families serve as the fundamental institution for transmitting to future generations the moral strengths, traditions, and values that sustain civilization. • As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms, “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society. • ”We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children . . . The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.

3. Gospel Doctrines • God created us “male and female” (D&C 20:18; Moses 2:27; Gen. 1:27). What we call gender was an essential characteristic of our existence prior to our birth. • The purpose of mortal life and the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to prepare the sons and daughters of God for their destiny—to become like our heavenly parents. •  In all of this, the devil, who has no body, seeks to persuade mortals to corrupt their bodies by “choos[ing] eternal death, according to the will of the flesh … , which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring [them] down to hell, that he may reign over [them] in his own kingdom” (2 Ne. 2:29). • God loves all his children regardless of their circumstances and wants to help them. (Jacob 6:5 and 2 Nephi 1:15.)

4. Tolerance, Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom • The Church has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a husband and a wife united in the bonds of matrimony.   • The Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage neither constitutes nor condones any kind of hostility towards homosexual men and women. • Protecting marriage between a man and a woman does not affect Church members’ Christian obligations of love, kindness and humanity toward all people. • Tolerance does not require abandoning one’s standards or one’s opinions on political or public policy choices • Tolerance obviously requires a non-contentious manner of relating toward one another’s differences. • Tolerance is a way of reacting to diversity, not a command to insulate it from examination.

5. Gender Is an Essential Characteristic of Eternal Identity and Purpose • Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. • “Gender in large measure defines who we are, why we are here upon the earth, and what we are to do and become. For divine purposes, male and female spirits are different, distinctive, and complementary. … The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the plan of happiness.” • “As spirit daughters of God, women ‘received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth’ (D&C 136:56) on the earth. • They were among the ‘noble and great ones’ (D&C 138:55) who ‘shouted for joy’ (Job 38:7) at the creation of the earth because they would be given a physical body with the opportunity to be proven in a mortal sphere (Abraham 3:25). They wished to work side by side with righteous men to accomplish eternal goals that neither can attain independently. • Female roles did not begin on earth, and they do not end here. A woman who treasures motherhood on earth will treasure motherhood in the world to come” (“A ‘Mother Heart,’” Liahonaand Ensign, May 2004, 76).

6. Gay and Mormon?What the church says… • They may have certain inclinations which are powerful and which may be difficult to control. Most people have inclinations of one kind or another at various times. If they do not act upon these inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the Church. • If they violate the law of chastity and the moral standards of the Church, then they are subject to the discipline of the Church, just as others are" (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Nov. 1998, 71). • Those who find themselves struggling with sexual temptations, including feelings of same gender attraction, should not give in to those temptations. • People can choose to avoid such behavior and receive the Lord's help as they pray for strength and work to overcome the problem. • Gay Mormons who remain celibate can continue to be members in good standing, allowed to worship in the temple and assume positions of leadership.

7. Love as I have loved you The Church does not condone abusive treatment of others and encourages its members to treat all people with respect. Express love and friendship for the homosexual family member or friend but do not accept the practice of homosexuality or any re-definition of marriage.  Speaking out against practices with which the Church disagrees on moral grounds – including same-sex marriage – does not constitute abuse or the frequently misused term “hate speech.”