An article in the Huffington Post in March 2013, when the validity of the Defense of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8 had reached the US Supreme Court, was titled “Mormon Church Shift on Gay Marriage Brings Momentum to Pro-Equality Camp.” Has The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly called the Mormon Church) changed its policies regarding gay rights? Has the Church of Jesus Christ changed its doctrine, too?
The title of this Huffington Post article is highly misleading. The doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ are unwavering and simply stated — sexual activity is only acceptable to God if it is practiced within marriage, with marriage defined as the legal union of a man and a woman. God’s Law of Chastity is that of abstinence outside of marriage and complete fidelity within it. The doctrine and practice of the Church regarding gay members is that same-sex attraction is not a sin, but acting on it is. The new website of the Church of Jesus Christ, Mormons and Gays.org, displays sympathy for those confused by same-sex attraction, but shows how gay Mormons have been able, through God’s help, to see their attractions move from the forefront of their lives to a place so far in the background, they are no longer a barrier in living the gospel and even forming a traditional family.
Because of rising awareness of the previously hidden suffering of maturing young people who gradually discover they are attracted to others of the same sex, and of mature adults for whom sexuality has taken center-stage in their lives, leaders of the LDS Church have set out to learn more about the situation. Thus, leaders have met with gay activists, gay Mormons, and experts on same-sex attraction, in order to be able to deal compassionately with gays without offending God, whose doctrines are immutable. One of the seeming “shifts” is a recognition of how intransigent same-sex attraction can be. Although not genetic, environmental influences in the womb can make it seem so. This type of rising awareness can increase compassion, but not change doctrine.
Another perceived shift is that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not been as prominent in the public square as it was during the controversial vote on Proposition 8 in California. Those observing the situation need to be aware that nearly all those states who have now legalized gay marriage have done so through the state courts or legislatures, and not through popular vote, so there has been a general difference in campaigning on both sides. As far as investment of money, private parties and organizations were always the donors on both sides of the issue.
Observers, whether LDS and friends of other faiths or no faith, should not await with baited breath the day that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints begins to approve of gay marriage. Such a thing will never occur. It is against the laws of God. It is only one aspect of Satan’s attack on the institution of marriage, and one thread in the web of decadence that will bring the punishments predicted in the Book of Revelation upon us. Heavenly Father prompted the composition of a proclamation of Mormon belief regarding the family in 1995. It is very clear, and prophetic.
Other threats to marriage include the following:
Birth control—Mormon doctrine holds that when to have children and how many children to bear is up to husband, wife, and God, as they prayerfully seek His counsel. Thus, the LDS Church does not ever preach against birth control within traditional marriage. However, improved birth control methods have led society to a situation where the bearing of children has been devalued to the point where countries cannot even maintain current population levels. Marriage has shifted from the foundation of a family to a simple contract between two people who think they are compatible.
Abortion—Abortion is next to murder in God’s eyes and an abomination of our time. The Church of Jesus Christ considers abortion in cases of rape, incest, or mortal danger to the mother, but even then only after counseling with church leaders and praying for guidance.
Easy divorce— The US divorce rate is very high, with conservative US states having higher divorce rates. “A young couple marrying for the first time today has a lifetime divorce risk of 40 percent [25% for religious couples]….and 60 to 67 percent of second marriages fail, and 70 to 73 percent of third marriages end on the rocks.” [1] The divorce rate for Mormon temple marriages is 6.5%.
Cohabitation—Cohabitation originally started as an experiment in forming a union to test compatibility before marriage, thus adding to the surety that partners are really meant for each other. It hasn’t turned out that way. Couples who cohabit before marriage are much more likely to end up divorced. People who cohabit are likely to cohabit again, creating a lack of security for children. Between 1960 and 1998 “cohabiting couples increased from 439,000 to 4.2 million – a tenfold increase, and greater than the rates of marriage and divorce. These informal unions come into existence and dissolve much more easily than marriages and divorces. The formation and dissolutions increase the fluidity in American life.” [1] [2]
Homosexuality—In order to accommodate homosexuals who want to marry, laws that are the foundation of society must be turned inside out, with gender erased. People who want traditional marriage suffer from these changes, and the changes are already creating chaos. In two states, 3 parents may be listed on birth certificates. Moral training for children, in sex education classes in school, must conform and teach the legitimacy of homosexual sex and marriage. It’s a mess that will only get messier.
Women in the workforce—This is a sacred cow to feminists. Many women have to work, and those who do should get equal pay to men in the same profession. Workplaces should do what they can to ease pressure on families when women work, such as having day-care on site and maternity and paternity leave. Women who work generally limit family size, and still, most are absolutely frazzled most of the time. There is no such thing as substituting scheduled quality time with children when quantity time is gone. The child decides when he or she needs quality attention, which could be at any moment, day or night. That’s why moms are best at hand 24/7. Note that Mormons consult with the Lord and seek to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit in these cases, and it sometimes happen that the Spirit suggests that mom works and dad stays home. Both husbands and wives in the Church have the same directive: No success can compensate for failure in the home.
Pornography—No matter how common or accessible the viewing of porn might be for the general adult public, it is terrifically damaging in marriage. It causes the addict (and it is addictive, terribly so) to objectify his or her partner, so that love begins to wilt to the point of no return. Sexual demands to satisfy increasing lust also may take marriage to the breaking point.
Gay marriage is only one aspect of Satan’s assault on the family. As God’s true church on earth and directed by revelation from God, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must stay true to God’s laws regarding morality. There is no shift, and there will be no shift, on morality.
