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Main article: Sexuality and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

While The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welcomes all people to attend its church, maintaining membership in the LDS Church may be dependent upon the personal observance of its moral teachings, particularly the Law of Chastity, which mandates the control of all sexual behavior outside the bounds of a marital relationship. The LDS Church only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman. Thus all sexual acts outside of this sort of marriage, including homosexual acts, are viewed as in conflict with the Law of Chastity.

Historically, The LDS church taught that the act of homosexuality was a choice and curable, but that the desire may never go away, comparing it to alcoholism. This position is still held by some leaders in the LDS church. The LDS belief of agency denotes the idea of inborn sexual orientation and states that although these feelings are sometimes unwanted, they can and should be controlled. The Church’s law of chastity forbids all forms of sexual activity outside of marriage, and consistently breaking the law of chastity may result in excommunication. Members who self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual may remain in good standing in the Church, without ramification, if they abstain from homosexual relations.

The Church opposes and campaigns against the extension of marital rights to same-sex couples believing that it would undermine the tradition of heterosexual monogamous marriage (Hinckley, Monson & Faust 2004). The issue of same-sex marriage has in recent years become one of the Church’s foremost political concerns with church members contributing at least 50%, and possibly as much as 75%, of the campaign funds to California Proposition 8 (2008).

History and background

Since its beginning, the church has emphasized the importance of marriage; although the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, two publications that the church considers to be scripture, are silent on anything specific to homosexuality. The Doctrine and Covenants asserts that in order to reach the highest degree of the Celestial kingdom, men and women must enter the "everlasting covenant of marriage." Though the church allowed men to have sexual relationships with multiple women through its doctrine of plural marriage (later to be reversed), sexual relationships outside of marriage were always forbidden. Sexual immorality was considered in the Book of Mormon as the "most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost."

The Bible, as interpreted by some conservative Christians, forbade homosexuality stating "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible is interpreted by some to further clarify the Bible's teachings on homosexuality. In the story of Lot, the translation makes clear the intent of the city of Sodom: "Wherefore they said unto the man, We will have the men, and thy daughters also; and we will do with them as seemeth us good. Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom;." although, this interpretation is in conflict with other verses in the Old Testament, such as the book of Ezekiel which clearly teaches that pride was the chief sin of Sodom. Michael Quinn has suggested that early church leaders had a more tolerant view of homosexuality, but Gordon B. Hinckley has stated that prophets have always considered homosexuality as a "grievous sin."

The first church leader to use the term "homosexuality" was J. Reuben Clark in 1952. In an address to the General Relief Society Conference entitled "Home, and the Building of Home Life," he said "the person who teaches or condones the crimes for which Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed - we have coined a softer name for them than came from old; we now speak of homosexuality, which it is tragic to say, is found among both sexes." This is also considered the first time a church leader recognized lesbianism.

Homosexuality as an illness

In 1959, in response to a rash of arrests of gay men in Utah and Idaho, president David O. McKay assigned apostles Spencer W. Kimball and Mark E. Petersen to work on curing gays within the church (Kimball & Kimball 1977, p. 381). At the time, medical experts classified homosexuality as a mental illness, and Kimball was adamant that it could be cured. Speaking to church educators and LDS psychiatrists in 1964, Kimball said, citing a Medical World News article, that "We know such a disease is curable," and that ex-gay Mormons had emerged from the church's counseling programs cured, although the cure was "like the cure for alcoholism subject to continued vigilance" (Kimball 1964, p. 13). In 1970, Kimball was involved in creating an LDS publication for church leaders to "assist them to effect a cure and ... become normal again" (LDS Church 1970, p. 1). The pamphlet teaches that church leaders may assist in this regard by reciting scripture, appealing to their reason, encouraging them to abandon gay lovers and associates, pray, and replace their life with positive action and straight dating (id., 2–6). The pamphlet made it clear that "Homosexuality CAN be cured" (id., 7; Kimball 1971, p. 32).

In 1992, when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases as a mental illness, the church produced Understanding and Helping Those With Homosexual Problems , which removed all reference to homosexuality as a disease. The church frequently references contemporary scientific research, but explains that should not be taken as a position on "scientific questions," such as the cause of homosexuality.

Publications

In 1965, Spencer W. Kimball addressed homosexuality in his talk "Love vs Lust." He called it a "heinous" sin, but taught those with homosexual "desires and tendencies" could overcome it "the same as if he had the urge toward petting or fornication or adultery." He taught that although everyone is subject to temptations, "the difference between the reprobate and the worthy person is generally that one yielded and the other resisted." In 1969, he expanded this talk in the Miracle of Forgiveness , in which he teaches that masturbation can lead to the act of homosexuality. However, he views many homosexuals as "basically good people who have become trapped in sin" and that "some totally conquer homosexuality in a few months." Kimball makes clear the book is only his personal opinion and "absolves" the church from any errors in the book.

In 1970, the church produced Hope for Transgressors and in 1971 New Horizons for Homosexuals , both of which advocated a cure for those with homosexual tendencies.

In 1976, the church issued a widely-circulated pamphlet for young men based on a speech by Boyd K. Packer which strongly condemned gay sex. He commended a missionary who was upset after he "floored" his assigned male companion in response to unwanted sexual advances. In 1978, Packer followed this up with another sermon, published as a pamphlet, characterizing homosexual interaction as a perversion and presented the possibility that it had its roots in selfishness and could be cured with "unselfish thoughts, with unselfish acts" (p. 16). He states that the church had not previously talked more about homosexuality because "some matters are best handled very privately" (p. 3) and "we can very foolishly cause things we are trying to prevent by talking too much about them" (p. 19).

In October 1995, the Church published an article "Same-Gender Attraction" by Elder Dallin H. Oaks in the October 1995 Ensign magazine.

In April 2007, the Church published an extensive interview with Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Lance B. Wickman to clarify the Church’s stand on homosexuality.

In July 2007, the Church published a booklet entitled God Loveth His Children, which is addressed to Latter-day Saints with same-gender attraction and clarifies the Church's doctrine and policies.

In October 2007, the Church published an article "Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland in the October 2007 Ensign magazine.

A summary of the Church position on homosexuality and a listing of all the current Church publications can be found in the Gospel Topics section the Church's Web site LDS.org. Also see a listing of references to homosexuality by leaders of the Church.

Current theology and policy

President Gordon B. Hinckley, the previous president of the church, officially welcomed gay people in the church, and affirmed them as good people in an interview "Now we have gays in the church. Good people. We take no action against such people – provided they don’t become involved in transgression, sexual transgression. If they do, we do with them exactly what we’d do with heterosexuals who transgress" (Lattin 1997). The church teaches that homosexual problems can be overcome "through faith in God, sincere repentance, and persistent effort." "Homosexual relations" is included on the church's list of "serious transgressions" that may result in a disciplinary council and, if the person does not desist, excommunication (LDS Church 1998, p. 95). The church defines "serious transgressions" to include "murder, rape, forcible sexual abuse, spouse abuse, intentional serious physical injury of others, adultery, fornication, homosexual relations, deliberate abandonment of family responsib

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