Difference between revisions of "Question: What are some of the unique challenges or difficulties faced by Mormons with same-sex attraction?"

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==Question: What are some of the unique challenges or difficulties faced by Mormons with same-sex attraction?==
 
===A theology that, without question, favors heterosexual relationships over homosexual relationships===
 
Latter-day Saints have long believed that men and women were designed to be together in marriage. The Lord told Joseph Smith in 1831 (D&C 49:15-17) that
 
 
 
:15 And again, verily I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man.
 
:16 Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation;
 
:17 And that it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his creation before the world was made.
 
 
 
Thus, for Latter-day Saints, gender is binary, men and women were designed to be together sexually and maritally, and this design was given to us by God in the pre-existence.
 
 
 
Joseph Smith further revealed (D&C 131:1-2) that
 
 
 
1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;
 
2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage];
 
 
 
Those who don’t enter into marriage according to the Lord’s way, “neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
 
For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.”<ref>D&C 132:16.</ref>
 
 
 
===Church leaders have encouraged members to be particularly kind and compassionate to those struggling with SSA===
 
 
 
Elder Bruce C. Hafen in 2009:
 
 
 
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During a recent stake conference in Europe, I asked the stake president if Sister Hafen and I might visit one or two of his stake members who could use a little encouragement. As we visited one young man, a single returned missionary, we found that he cared deeply about the Church but was also very troubled.  When we asked how he was doing, he began to cry and, with a look of real anguish he said, “I suffer from same-gender attraction.”  My heart went out to him. The longer we talked, the more compassion I felt, as I learned that the operative word for him really was “suffer.”<ref>{{Periodical:Hafen:Evergreen:2009}}</ref>
 
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Latest revision as of 21:33, 4 June 2024