The Sexual Sins of Homosexuality and Lesbianism

This is a good link also to the LDS pamplet God Loveth His CHildren. http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____

The irony of your bigoted faith rejecting homosex but accepting multiple wives

Rock on, Rachel! I like posts that stand bodly for the immutable laws of God.

John, homosexual sin is not on par with what you might call the sin of plural marriage. God has never sanctioned homosexual relationships, but he has sanctioned plural wives. Examples include Kings David and Solomon. So is it possible that God approved plural marriage in the early 19th century Restored Gospel because He has done it in the past. Yes. Who are you to limit God in this way?

Actually God is OK with Gay and Lesbians-they are his children too. Time and time again science has shown that to be gay is no more a choice than to have blue eyes. It makes me sad when I see religious blogs that are cleary not Christian. God gave the healthy among us freedom of choice and brains. You really need to get out in the world more and see all of God’s creation. It’s a vast world with many views-and your intolerance in the 21st century is quite alarming. I pray that you get some clarity in the future and become more understanding of the true nature of things. God is the ultimate genius-and the truth can only be found in finding the commonality in our differences. You need to get a group on homosexuality or you will sound like a total jerk to people more enlightened than yourself.

I couldn’t agree with Jill more. Yes- you need to get a grip on homosexuality! The Episcopal church has embraced homosexuals and I so admire that church. So much about Mormonism daunts me. I have meant some very nice Mormons-but most seem incredibly shelthered. I am not saying all Mormon’s are like you Rachel-but you are an example of someone who seeks knowledge in the wrong place. I hate to break it to you-but if the only place you seek knowlegde is in the Bible or the Book of Mormon, or the Mormon Church-you will be severly mislead. These books are not written by infallible profits, but by human beings-who by their very nature are fallible. And past on through the years, much has been left to interpretation-and some by some not so level headed people-I am sorry to say. Please read “The Naked Ape,” by Dr. Desmond Morris, or “Silent Spring,” by Rachel Carson. Please read Hemingways, “The Sun Also Rises,” and while your at it, “The Catcher in the Rye,” by JD Salinger. I ask you to please read something that will give you a new perspective and to give the Book of Mormon and the Bible a rest for awhile. If you truly have faith you will see that the Devil really can’t hurt you just because you break out and give yourself and education. God would like you to be more enlightened-no doubt.

Rachel….your narrowmindnrsss leaves me cold.We are all children of god weather we are gay or not.If this is what the Mormon Church teaches its members then you should all be ashamed of yourselves.Go get a life and see how the real world lives you never know you may learn something useful to put on your webpage

Rachel, I have another point of view I’d like to share.
I am LDS, and I am gay! My father was my bishop a youth growing up in the church! I went on a mission to Puerto Rico in 88 to 90! When I got home in 90, the struggle of homosexuality still plagued me, and I began to waiver, then finally I embraced that lifestyle for almost 10 years!! I now have been in a 17 year relationship with the same man! When we 1st met, we were 24. During that time period, 2 years after getting home from my mission, I went to my 1st gay bar with a gay friend, and there I met my partner! 2 years after that…we were both diagnosed HIV positive. Then in 98 we were both diagnosed with AIDS. My partner became very ill and almost died that summer! Upon staring death in the face, we evaluated our lives and our situation. We had no one to turn to but each other! So my beliefs in God and who my Savior is became once again very important to me, to us. He was asking me questions that only by drawing upon my religious beliefs, could I answer. We both had some very significant experiences that summer that changed our lives forever. We learned that we really did need God in our lives. We had been so consumed with our bodies and its needs, that we had neglected our spirits and its needs!
We decided to make a change in our lives, in our relationship. We put God and his Savior 1st. We put our faith in them, that if we “chose” to be obedient, then he would gladly bless us and our lives. We put that faith to the test. We redefined our relationship to exclude sexual intimacy. We chose celibacy! We began going to a LDS congregation, and talking with the bishop in our ward. Pretty soon, my partner wanted to be baptized, and I was able to do that!, at which point my partner almost died! About that time they came out with new AIDS drugs, and we both had a new lease on life. But during that period, we both went through some very traumatic and spiritual experiences…things that made a very powerful impact on us both!! (to say the least!) It wasn’t an easy decision for us to make! But we did, and have never looked back!! Not to say we didn’t slip a few times defining our relationship…but we did it!
It now been 11 years of celibacy…and going strong!!

We will be celebrated 17 years together this past January. We still live with each other, and love each other very much. Not only have we become room-mates in EVERY sense of the word, but he IS my very BEST FRIEND and the person I have chosen to spend the rest of my life with! And we will be there for each other until the end! We are BOTH very active in our ward, we each have temple recommend’s and attend the temple regularly. We are very grateful for each other, and for the path we were given!

Thank you for letting me share! Keep up the good work! Remember…there will always be those that oppose and ridicule~ they don’t want to understand! It is what it is!!

Wow, Cinaed, that is amazing. Good for you. I really admire you and your strength. Thanks for posting your experience for others to learn from.

The basic sexual canon of all Christianity and its denominations(including Anglicanism Gary)prohibits homosexuality (married or not), heterosexual sex outside of marriage (fornification), in the bonds of marriage sex with someone who is not your wife or husband (adultery). Each overlaps the other. This is true in Judaism and Islam too. So why are some of the above posters acting like the website guide and her church invented religious prohibition of homosexuality. It is really embarrassing whether we don’t believe all the tenets of another church to stand by watch them get the brunt of persecution and hate crimes on the their various public intellectual, spiritual, and physical properties for having the courage to speak more publically about a belief that the church we attend also openly supports.

I appreciate your story, Cinaed. Please tell me you are on North Star. I too, have same-sex attractions. I felt deeply ashamed growing up. I was always taught that homosexuality was a choice, but I didn’t feel I had chosen my same-sex attractions. I ended up very closeted, even to myself. Then I met a gay Mormon man who said he was very happily married to his wife. He helped me to see God did love all of his children, a fact which Jill and Gary have brought up which was woefully absent from Rachel’s article.

I became more open with my sexuality. I told my family, friends and even my ward. Rather than hating myself for my temptations, I learned to put my life in God’s hands, like clay in the potter’s hands. Fortunately, I have been blessed to have found a woman to whom I was able to develop a sexual attraction, to whom I am now happily married.

Jill and Gary accuse the church of not loving gays. I am SO grateful to the church for their stance on same-sex relationships. It was through repentance and reliance on the Savior that I have found peace and the great blessings of married life. Our leaders love us. One of my favorite quotes from President Hinckley is “Now we have gays in the Church. Good people.”

Rachel, I do appreciate your gospel stance on this issue, but I have issues with your approach. The subtitle is “God’s Law of Chastity & Same-Sex Attraction”, yet you said nothing of same-sex attraction, only about same-sex relationships. You defined homosexuality to be “sexual relations between members of the same sex,” although it is defined by the American Psychological Association as a sexual orientation. Using different vocabulary than what is accepted by the rest of the non-Mormon world only serves to confuse and create problems.

Finally, as mentioned before, your article showed a severe lack of love for gays and lesbians. The D&C teaches us that we should “Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;” You failed to do that. Is it any wonder why so many gays and lesbians esteem us to be their enemy? Read any recent statement by the modern church leaders about homosexuality. Every single one will include an expression of love.

That being said, I do appreciate your boldness in teaching the commandments of God, through which we can obtain the greatest happiness possible here on Earth. It is so needed in this day and age where they teach that happiness is found through fulfilling your sexual urges, not submitting your will to God’s.

Great for you, Cinead. I wish more people could see things from your point of view.

I’d like to thank all those who left positive comments, including your personal stories and experiences.

I just finished typing up a follow up article that explains how God loves all His children, the difference between same-sex behaviors and feelings, how there’s hope for those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and the Church’s position on this issue including the Church’s involvement with Proposition 8:
Church Policy on Gay Marriage and Same-Sex Attraction

Its quite bothersome to see posts that state that God loves all his childeren the same as all childeren is technically correct but circumvent the fact homosexuality is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord a detestable sin stated THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE.There are good posts in here on both sides I just wish debate could sustain itself without hostilites and labeling christians i.e. Rachel.I challenge you to name another species on Gods earth the mates with the same gender.Let me save you time on research there is not one.My prayers go out to the afflicted just remember the Lord wil forgive and show His mercy to those who repent and accept Him as Lord and Saviour.God Bless everyone.

Rachel I see nothing wrong with your article.The problem with this debate is that both sides of the spectrum feel passionate about their views .I honestly believe that a majority of lgtb community believe that homosexuality is not a sin.This is a work of Satan and the afflicted need much prayer.GOD BLESS everyone.

Cinaed and Joshua your stories are uplifting it gives hope to many people.If someone could only put a book of the like out avail to all its a start.God Bless everyone.

I think In Christ is confusing homosexual orientation which a person can have and not engage in homosexual sex. I feel That Jesus loves all of us and we are all sinners. Our actions in this life may keep us from returning to God’s presence but even so God still loves us. Mercy can’t rob justice. We still have a responsibility for our actions in this life.

I am a Christian who lived a homosexual lifestyle for 12+ years of my life and I believed all the lies that Satan wants us to believe, such as “God made me this way”, “It’s not my choice”, and so forth. As a Christian you either believe all of the Bible or None of it. You can not pick and choose what you want to believe so as to fit your faith to your lifestyle.
Yes we are all God’s children and God loves us. He meets us where we are and that includes those who are living out a homosexual lifestyle. However, God loves us too much to allow us to continue on in our sin. God created man and woman each with complimentary sexual organs so as to procreate. After accepting Christ, God opened my eyes to the fact that being Gay and a practicing Christian didn’t go together, meaning that when a homosexual truly accepts Christ, God will eventually open their eyes to this same fact. Then it is up to them as to whether or not they want to follow Him.
If you are living a homosexual lifestyle, know that God wants a relationship with you right now and with His strength you can turn away from that lifestyle. It is a process, but God is great!

Thank you Ashley for your excellent comments they are very much appreciated!

what does the bible mean when god created all equal,that evey one that has gay issuses and some in a realtionship,what if this person was born with same sex and opposite sex organs, and in some it is in the genes, god loves all his children eually and I feel we are judging and maybe leave out the person or persons that have to live whith it, I personally believe it is okay as long as the sex part of th same sex is not initiated.

I have been actively involved in homosexual sin for 12 years now since I was 35. I know in my heart that being a male homosexual is wrong, but I can’t help my feelings and desires for having sex with other men. Also, I feel like no one in the church really understands about these issues.

Homosexuality is an addiction like alcoholism. It is not something people are born with. Anyone who allows themselves to succumb to the temptation can become addicted. Treatment and help centers, including 12-step groups and religious counseling, should be established to help those overcome it, who are willing to acknowledge this sinful addiction. Those who have fallen into addiction from this temptation can overcome it. They are not born into it. It is no different than alcoholism in this respect.

Thank you Frank for your comment. I agree with everything you’ve said. There are excellent resources available to help those who struggle with addiction, including the addiction of homosexuality. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a 12 step program with support groups. Here’s an article about Overcoming Addiction.