Propositions and Prophets

From the First Presidency

On June 20, 2008, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter to the General Authorities, Area Seventies and the following in California: State and Mission Presidents; Bishops and Branch Presidents.

The letter was to be read in sacrament meeting on June 29, 2008.

From the letter:

“The Church's teachings and position on this moral issue are unequivocal. 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…We ask that you do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage.”

The First Presidency’s position on Proposition 8 is not ambiguous. If we believe that we are lead by a living prophet, the only person on earth who receives revelation to guide the entire Church, then it is our duty as latter-day saints to do all we can to support Proposition 8. To do otherwise would be to go against the will of God as revealed through His modern-day prophet.

Response

Yet, a quick Google-search of Proposition 8 reveals a smattering of articles making reference to Mormons who have taken a stand against this measure. Such actions are unequivocally in direct contradiction with what we have been instructed to do by our prophet. As missionaries, we taught that sin is the willful disobedience of God’s commandments or a failure to act righteously despite a knowledge of the truth. Assuming that those individuals have received the above instructions from the Prophet and have come to the knowledge of God’s will, aren’t their actions in opposition sins?

(Note – calling opposition to Proposition 8 “sin” is not as damning as it may seem. After all, do we not all, at times, willfully disobey the commandments of God? We are all overcoming personal weaknesses. I doubt that opposing Proposition 8, by itself, will keep someone from obtaining salvation. Nevertheless, I think it is important to recognize what it is.)

There have been many appealing arguments made in opposition to Proposition 8. However, upon the First Presidency’s unambiguous expression of the will of God on this issue, which rarely occurs for matters to be voted upon by the people, the answer as to which way we should vote is clear – Yes.

It is now our responsibility to understand why that is the correct answer.

A Firm Foundation

I think the first step to do in response to a commandment from the pulpit like this is to perform a self-analysis of our personal testimony. Do we believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God? Do we believe that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ? Do we believe that we are led by a prophet who receives revelation from God?

If we believe these three things, but still have reservations about what we are being asked to do, then we need to explore the doctrines of God to come to an understanding of why following the commandment is important and why it is the right thing to do. Note – if the answers to the foundational questions are yes, then our inquiry into the doctrine should not be a question of “whether” the First Presidency is right but “why” the First Presidency is right. If we have doubts with respect to the foundational questions, then we need go through the steps outlined in Moroni 10:3-5.

Our belief in a living prophet does not preclude our right to seek confirmation from God that the message from the First Presidency is from Him. Yet, assuming our belief in Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith and modern prophets, the answer from God should be yes. Remember, we are often asked to do things by God without a complete understanding of the reasons behind the actions. Recall Adam’s response to the angel of the Lord who asked him why he offered sacrifices, “I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” Like Adam, we can know that the Lord has commanded us to support Proposition 8 without a complete understanding as to why we should support Proposition 8. Our understanding as to “why” will become more complete as we follow the commandment.

Why Support Proposition 8

As a backdrop to the discussion below, I think it is important to remember that the purpose of this life is to prepare ourselves to become like God. As Man is, God once was; As God is, Man may become. The marriage ceremony in the temple is the penultimate ordinance required for us to obtain eternal life.

From The Family: A Proclamation to the World, “Marriage between a man and woman is essential to His eternal plan…[W]e warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”

Interview with Elder Oaks and Elder Wickman

I found a lot of my answers here, which is an interview with Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve and Elder Lance B. Wickman of the Seventy on the issues surrounding same-sex attraction.

Nature vs. Nurture

Notably, the Church does not have a position on the “nature vs. nurture” discussion that is ongoing. Rather, the Church’s position, as articulated in the interview, focuses on the distinction between feelings or inclinations and behavior. “It’s no sin to have inclinations that if yielded to would produce behavior that would be a transgression. The sin is in yielding to temptation.”

Nevertheless, the position that homosexual behavior is always a transgression, whereas heterosexual behavior is permitted within the confines of marriage, begs the following question: “If somebody has a very powerful heterosexual drive, there is the opportunity for marriage. If a young man thinks he’s gay, what we’re really saying to him is that there is simply no other way to go but to be celibate for the rest of his life if he doesn’t feel any attraction to women?”

Elder Oaks’ response: “That is exactly the same thing we say to the many members who don’t have the opportunity to marry. We expect celibacy of any person that is not married.”

A Mortal Trial

This uniform application of God’s commandment to have no sexual relations outside of marriage can be difficult for people, particularly those who do not or are unable to become married. I do not pretend to understand how difficult it must be to go through life without intimacy. Yet, such a trial is a mortal concern, not one that carries forth into eternity. In this, perhaps, one can find comfort.

Elder Wickman:

“Gratefully, the answer is that same-gender attraction did not exist in the pre-earth life and neither will it exist in the next life. It is a circumstance that for whatever reason or reasons seems to apply right now in mortality, in this nano-second of our eternal existence.

“The good news for somebody who is struggling with same-gender attraction is this: 1) It is that ‘I’m not stuck with it forever.’ It’s just now. Admittedly, for each one of us, it’s hard to look beyond the ‘now’ sometimes. But nonetheless, if you see mortality as now, it’s only during this season. 2) If I can keep myself worthy here, if I can be true to gospel commandments, if I can keep covenants that I have made, the blessings of exaltation and eternal life that Heavenly Father holds out to all of His children apply to me. Every blessing — including eternal marriage — is and will be mine in due course.”

Elder Oaks:

“Let me just add a thought to that. There is no fullness of joy in the next life without a family unit, including a husband, a wife, and posterity. Further, men are that they might have joy. In the eternal perspective, same-gender activity will only bring sorrow and grief and the loss of eternal opportunities.”

In Conclusion

Elder Oaks:

“God loves all of His children. He has provided a plan for His children to enjoy the choicest blessings that He has to offer in eternity. Those choicest blessings are associated with marriage between a man and a woman by appropriate priesthood authority to bring together a family unit for creation and happiness in this life and in the life to come.

“We urge persons with same-gender attractions to control those and to refrain from acting upon them, which is a sin, just as we urge persons with heterosexual attractions to refrain from acting upon them until they have the opportunity for a marriage recognized by God as well as by the law of the land. That is the way to happiness and eternal life. God has given us no commandment that He will not give us the strength and power to observe. That is the Plan of Salvation for His children, and it is our duty to proclaim that plan, to teach its truth, and to praise God for the mission of His Son Jesus Christ. It is Christ’s atonement that makes it possible for us to be forgiven of our sins and His resurrection that gives us the assurance of immortality and the life to come. It is that life to come that orients our views in mortality and reinforces our determination to live the laws of God so that we can qualify for His blessings in immortality.”