The Proposition 8 Controversy and the LDS Church
Gays, Lesbians, Mormons, and (Re)Defining Traditional Marriage
Jun 2, 2006
On June 30, 2008, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints issued a statement to the members of the Church in California. This statement reaffirms that the Church’s position on the matter is that, “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and the formation of families is central to the Creator’s plan for His children. Children are entitled to be born within this bond of marriage.”
This position is rooted in the doctrines professed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The highest positions of leadership in the Church are held by men who are believed to be prophets, seers, and revelators—men who have the responsibility to proclaim Christ’s Gospel on the earth today just as the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ did in ancient days.
LDS General Conference: Its Purpose and its Promise
The Church holds its general conference twice each year, and the messages given in these meetings are used to edify, uplift and inform the world-wide membership of the Church. During the Fall 1995 general conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke during the General Relief Society Meeting that was attended by millions of the women of the Church.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
As part of this talk, President Hinckley introduced a new proclamation titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” The introductory paragraph gets right to the heart of the Church’s position associated with Proposition 8:
“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 first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.”
Given this information, it must be made clear that the Church intends these statements to be applicable to all people in every culture in every part of the world, including those people who are gay. It is also important to point out that the Church has never stated that the Church hates gay members of the Human Family.
The LDS Position on Homosexuality
Homosexuality is viewed by the church as a sexual sin in the same manner that adultery is considered a sexual sin. As affirmed above, “the sacred powers of procreation [sex] are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.” Sexual urges have to be controlled whether you are gay or not, and because gay men and women cannot legally marry, sexual urges must be controlled in the same way.
The church believes that sexual urges can be controlled. Many people argue that gay men and women have a susceptibility towards homosexual behavior—that they are born with the inclination and that they will inevitably follow through with homosexual behaviors. The Church believes that this is untrue. Other groups of people are stereotypically viewed as having a genetically predetermined susceptibility to alcoholism; others to drug and other addictions.
At the end of the day, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints profess love and acceptance to gay members of the Church, and to those who are not members. The LDS Church accepts all people.
