Mormons accept gay marriage
Same-Sex Marriage
Legal proceedings and legislative action in a number of countries have given civil recognition to gay marriage relationships, and the question of same-sex marriage continues to be widely debated. As we confront this and other issues, we encourage all to bear in mind our Heavenly Father’s purposes in creating the earth and providing for our mortal birth and experience here as His children. “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”Marriage between a man and a woman was instituted by God and is main to His plan for His children and for the well-being of culture. Strong families, guided by a loving mother and father, serve as the fundamental institution for nurturing children, instilling faith, and transmitting to future generations the moral strengths and values that are vital to
The Mormon state is seen as deeply homophobic. Yet, from polygamy to movement, Mormons themselves are a distinctly queer lot
‘Salt Lake is a very gay place,’ said the historian J Seth Anderson after he and his husband became the first queer couple to be married in Utah, in When most non-Utahns think of the state, probably the last thing that comes to mind is ‘gay’. Instead, they might believe of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS, aka Mormons), whose members constitute 42 per cent of the population. Or maybe they think of Republicans, who outnumber Democrats nearly four to one.
While counterintuitive, Anderson’s statement about Salt Lake City’s queerness is real in most senses of the word. First, Utah defies norms and boundaries. For many who analyze queer theory, queerness isn’t just about who you love or your sexual identity. It’s also a lens for understanding how society defines what’s considered normal or different, and how these definitions alter different behaviours and groups of people. In that sense, Utah can be seen as queer because it defies or ‘queers’ nor
Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
BACKGROUND
Adherence to Christian doctrine is expanded to encompass the teachings of The Manual of Mormon and other teachings originating with Joseph Smith, who established the Church in , in New York State.
The Church has a pyramidal structure. Ultimate authority lies with the First Presidency, and comprises the President, who is most commonly referred to as the Prophet, and his two counsellors. The second-highest governing body, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, is appointed by the president, with each Prophet succeeded by the most senior apostle at his death. Beneath them are the Quorums of 70, which are considered general authorities and can coach and proclaim anywhere in the world.
The Church is divided into 22 regions across the earth. Those regions are further divided into Stakes, each consisting of five to twelve Wards (usually a single church or parish) led by a Bishop.
LGBTQ+ EQUALITY
ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY
The LDS Church follows strict rules of sexual c
Same-Sex Attraction
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges that same-sex attraction is a sensitive issue that requires kindness, sympathy and understanding. The “Same-Sex Attraction” section of reinforces the truths that, in the words of one Latter-day Saint scripture, God “loveth his children” (1 Nephi ), and seeks to aide everyone better understand same-sex attraction from a gospel perspective.
The Church does not take a position on the cause of gay attraction. In , Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “The Church does not have a position on the causes of any of these susceptibilities or inclinations, including those related 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 same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is. Even though individuals perform not choose to have such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them. With love an