Articles

A collection of articles and reading resources on issues of same-gender attraction. Click the title below to read the entire article. If the link takes you to another Web site, click your browser's Back button to return here.

Articles about same-sex attraction
Evergreen conference and fireside speakers
General articles by Church leaders that apply to same-sex attraction issues

"Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2007Ensign.

“As for why you feel as you do, I can’t answer that question. A number of factors may be involved, and they can be as different as people are different. Some things, including the cause of your feelings, we may never know in this life. But knowing why you feel as you do isn’t as important as knowing you have not transgressed. If your life is in harmony with the commandments, then you are worthy to serve in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with the members, attend the temple, and receive all the blessings of the Savior’s Atonement... You serve yourself poorly when you identify yourself primarily by your sexual feelings. That isn’t your only characteristic, so don’t give it disproportionate attention. You are first and foremost a son of God, and He loves you. What’s more, I love you. My Brethren among the General Authorities love you."

Gospel Topics on LDS.org

Under the entry "Same-Gender Attraction," you'll find official statements from the Church as well as links to many other Church resources (look under the heading "Additional Online Materials").

To find it on LDS.org: Go to Gospel Library > Gospel Topics > Same-Gender Attraction.

In July 2007, the Church published a new booklet about same-gender attraction entitled God Loveth His Children. This booklet was mailed to bishops and branch presidents worldwide. You can order copies at no charge from LDScatalog.com. It is also available in dozens of other languages. Evergreen supports the principles taught in this publication without reservation or exception.

Click here to read the text.

Click here to see the full graphic layout (in PDF format)

To find it on LDS.org:

1. Go to the Gospel Library > Gospel Topics > Same-Gender Attraction > then look under the heading "Additional Online Materials."
2. Go to the Gospel Library > Support Materials > Family Support Materials > then see the booklet at the end of the list

Church Position on Same-Gender Attraction

An interview with Elders Dallin H. Oaks and Lance B. Wickman, responding to questions from members of the Church’s Public Affairs staff to clarify the Church’s stand on these important, complex and sensitive issues.

"Discovering the answers to the questions associated with the issue of same- sex attraction will require our best efforts, most compassionate responses, and faithful reliance on the Lord and the counsel of His servants."

Transcript of an interview conducted March 4, 2006 for the PBS four-hour special "The Mormons.

"I do know that this will not be a post-mortal condition. It will not be a post-mortal difficulty. I have a niece who cannot bear children. That is the sorrow and the tragedy of her life. She who was born to give birth will never give birth, and I cry with her. ... I just say to her what I say to people struggling with gender identity: 'Hang on, and hope on, and pray on, and this will be resolved in eternity.' These conditions will not exist post-mortality. I want that to be of some hope to some. .."

Transcript of an interview conducted March 7, 2006 for the PBS four-hour special "The Mormons.

"The thing that we have to ultimately say ... is, yes, there's nature; yes, there's nurture; but there's also agency. We all have the capacity and power to choose. If you're going to live your life within the framework of the Gospel, within the framework of our doctrine, then you've got to choose to marry someone of the opposite sex, and if you can't do that honestly, then your choice has to be to live a celibate life. That is a very difficult choice for the parents, for the young man, the young woman, for whoever's making that choice, and my heart goes out to them."

"People inquire about our position on those who consider themselves so-called gays and lesbians. My response is that we love them as sons and daughters of God. They may have certain inclinations which are powerful and which may be difficult to control. Most people have inclinations of one kind or another at various times. If they do not act upon these inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the Church. If they violate the law of chastity and the moral standards of the Church, then they are subject to the discipline of the Church, just as others are."

"Some Latter-day Saints face the confusion and pain that result when a man or a woman engages in sexual behavior with a person of the same sex, or even when a person has erotic feelings that could lead toward such behavior. How should Church leaders, parents, and other members of the Church react when faced with the religious, emotional, and family challenges that accompany such behavior or feelings? What do we say to a young person who reports that he or she is attracted toward or has erotic thoughts or feelings about persons of the same sex? How should we respond when a person announces that he is a homosexual or she is a lesbian and that scientific evidence 'proves' he or she was 'born that way'?"

Some Gospel Perspectives on Same-Gender Attraction  by Elder Alexander B. Morrison. Keynote address, 10^th Annual Evergreen conference, September 16, 2000.

"I submit that the light of the gospel of Christ best illuminates the path to follow in coping with same-gender attraction. In this part of life, hope for peace and happiness will not be found in medicine, psychology or political activism. It can be obtained only through obedience to revealed truths."

With some few, there is the temptation which seems nearly overpowering for man to be attracted to man or woman to woman.... Do not experiment; do not let anyone of either gender touch your body to awaken passions that can flame beyond control.... Some think that God created them with overpowering, unnatural desires, that they are trapped and not responsible. That is not true. It cannot be true. Even if they were to accept it as true, they must remember that He can cure and He can heal.

"When we remember who we really are, we will never feel far from God's infinite and eternal love for each of us. I know with absolute certainty as the years pile up for me that seeking and serving the Lord in study and prayer and service brings one of two things into our lives: (1) He either uses some way to solve our problems and answer our prayers, or (2) He gives us the strength and knowledge and gifts to endure the challenges and to succeed on His time line."

"Several publications are now being circulated about the Church which defend and promote gay or lesbian conduct. They wrest the scriptures attempting to prove that these impulses are inborn, cannot be overcome, and should not be resisted; and therefore, such conduct has a morality of its own.... Some choose to reject the scriptures out of hand and forsake their covenants. But they cannot choose to avoid the consequences.... All of us are subject to feelings and impulses. Some are worthy and some of them are not; some of them are natural and some of them are not. We are to control them, meaning we are to direct them according to the moral law."

1. Moderate your response to the news of your loved one’s homosexual struggles.
2. Express your own feelings and testimony of change.
3. While maintaining a loving concern for the person, reiterate the Lord’s position that homosexual relations are sinful, and don’t lose sight of this gospel truth.
4. Kindly encourage the individual to seek counsel from the bishop.
5. Avoid the temptation to try to take control of or fix the situation.
6. Use professional resources.
7. Keep the communication lines open.
8. Pray trustingly.
9. If your loved one is not already married, do not encourage him or her to marry as a “cure” for homosexuality.
10. Never give up on a loved one—never!

"Let me begin by suggesting that on the whole the Christian world has not taken Christ seriously. Oh, we believe he was divine, that he taught as one having authority from God, that he worked miracles, that he healed the sick and even raised the dead, and that he died and rose again from the tomb. And most of us are thoroughly convinced that he suffered and bled on our behalf in Gethsemane and on Golgotha and thereby offered himself as a ransom for the sins of all humankind. To be sure, we believe all of that. I'm not sure, however, we have given the Master a real try when it comes to facing some of life's greatest challenges."

"Through my experience, I have learned key principles that have helped me in my struggle. These principles can be applied by anyone seeking to overcome a moral weakness.... I cherish the peace I have found in my own life as I have emerged from the bondage that held me captive for so long. I have learned that Heavenly Father loves us more than we can imagine and that if we allow Him, He will help us in our struggles. How grateful I am for that knowledge and for the freedom I have found as I have followed His counsel."

"One day as he was praying and pondering about this difficult challenge in his life, he said he felt a still, small voice say, 'Remember, I loved them first. Trust Me.'”

"I express my love and total respect to my brothers and sisters struggling with same gender attraction. You who are true to the faith and obedient to sacred covenants are not few in number. I commend you for your unshakable faith in the face of the unwanted feelings you did not choose to have. I commend you for never forgetting that God loves you and that you are His sons and daughters. I commend you for not forgetting your magnificent divine potential and for using your God-given moral agency in resisting temptation and evil."

Keynote address given at the Evergreen International 14th Annual Conference, September 18, 2004

"I congratulate those who are striving to live the gospel of Jesus Christ in spite of the many challenges and temptations that exist. Also, it is wonderful that there are many people who are willing to support those who struggle. Almost everyone wants a productive life and, for those who are willing to submit their will to eternal truths, there is hope."

Fireside address at the Evergreen International 14th Annual Conference, September 18, 2004

"When I think about all that the Holy Ghost can do for you, perhaps the slogan for Evergreen could be either “The Holy Ghost: Don’t struggle with SSA without Him!” or “Let The Holy Ghost be your Companion!”

"When we remember who we really are, we will never feel far from God's infinite and eternal love for each of us. I know with absolute certainty as the years pile up for me that seeking and serving the Lord in study and prayer and service brings one of two things into our lives: (1) He either uses some way to solve our problems and answer our prayers, or (2) He gives us the strength and knowledge and gifts to endure the challenges and to succeed on His time line."

"Let me begin by suggesting that on the whole the Christian world has not taken Christ seriously. Oh, we believe he was divine, that he taught as one having authority from God, that he worked miracles, that he healed the sick and even raised the dead, and that he died and rose again from the tomb. And most of us are thoroughly convinced that he suffered and bled on our behalf in Gethsemane and on Golgotha and thereby offered himself as a ransom for the sins of all humankind. To be sure, we believe all of that. I'm not sure, however, we have given the Master a real try when it comes to facing some of life's greatest challenges."

Keynote address given at the 10^th Annual Evergreen conference, September 16, 2000

"I submit that the light of the gospel of Christ best illuminates the path to follow in coping with same-gender attraction. In this part of life, hope for peace and happiness will not be found in medicine, psychology or political activism. It can be obtained only through obedience to revealed truths."
 

The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available for every affliction in mortality.

A man wrote...about how the power of the Atonement helped him with his problem of same-gender attraction...

“…we must change anything we can change that may be part of the problem… We thank our Father in Heaven we are allowed to change, we thank Jesus we can change, and ultimately we do so only with Their divine assistance. Certainly not everything we struggle with is a result of our actions. Often it is the result of the actions of others or just the mortal events of life. But anything we can change we should change, and we must forgive the rest. In this way our access to the Savior's Atonement becomes as unimpeded as we, with our imperfections, can make it. He will take it from there… Brothers and sisters, whatever your distress, please don't give up and please don't yield to fear.”

As we persist, we will feel the need for the influence of the Holy Ghost because our task will seem beyond us…. [It] will require determination, effort, and faith…. Through sin the gift can be lost. King Benjamin taught that we are responsible for the determined effort necessary to resist temptation…. With the help of the Holy Ghost, we can watch over ourselves…. There will surely be some who hear my voice who will have this thought come into their minds: ‘But the temptations are too great for me. I have resisted as long as I can. For me, the commandments are too hard. The standard is too high.’ That is not so. The Savior is our Advocate with the Father. He knows our weaknesses. He knows how to succor those who are tempted.

We mortals have a limited view of life from the eternal perspective. But if we know and understand Heavenly Father’s plan, we realize that dealing with adversity is one of the chief ways we are tested. Our faith in our Heavenly Father and his beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of inner strength. Through faith we can find peace, comfort, and the courage to endure....When the plan of our Heavenly Father is understood, the answers to life’s questions are found in the gospel of Christ. May we learn to accept with faith the doctrines and teachings of the gospel and accept the plan of salvation with believing hearts and minds.

"The gospel teaches us that relief from torment and guilt can be earned through repentance. Save for those few who defect to perdition after having known a fulness, there is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no offense exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness."

"The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience."

"If you have ignored warnings and your life has been damaged or disabled by a rough road, there is help available.... Open your heart to the Lord and ask Him to help you. You will earn the blessing of forgiveness, peace, and the knowledge you have been purified and made whole. Find the courage to ask the Lord for strength to repent, now."

"I speak to you who find yourselves caught in a pattern of life that you neither enjoy nor want. You may publicly profess that all is well and reject the efforts of others to help you with a comment that you know what you are doing and can handle it yourself. Yet, in quiet moments, you know you are miserable, lonely, and sometimes afraid. You avoid thinking too much about what you are doing. The walls seem to close in around you. You are driven by appetites that bring momentary physical response but are followed by periods of deep depression. Let me help you as we reason together."

"Instead of enjoying the countless edifying experiences, precious wholesome relationships, and the wondrous beauties of the earth the Lord has given for our happiness, do you pursue excitement beyond the bounds He has set? Do you seek transitory stimulation, even recognizing that it is always followed by powerful negative feelings? Do tantalizing emotions stimulate your appetite, creating an insatiable thirst for more? Does that thirst override the motivation to improve that should result from the negative harvest of transgression? Is your focus on satisfying appetite through increased participation, even though you begin to sense that inevitably it will bring very unpleasant consequences? Have you wondered how and when you will stop?"

Unless healed by the Lord, mental, physical, or sexual abuse can cause you serious, enduring consequences.... To be helped, you must understand some things about eternal law.... I solemnly testify that when another’s acts of violence, perversion, or incest hurt you terribly, against your will, you are not responsible and you must not feel guilty. You may be left scarred by abuse, but those scars need not be permanent. In the eternal plan, in the Lord’s timetable, those injuries can be made right as you do your part. Here is what you can do now.

"Is there someone in your life who perhaps needs forgiveness? Is there someone in your home, someone in your family, someone in your neighborhood who has done an unjust or an unkind or an unchristian thing? All of us are guilty of such transgressions, so there surely must be someone who yet needs your forgiveness. And please don’t ask if that’s fair—that the injured should have to bear the burden of forgiveness for the offender. Don’t ask if 'justice' doesn’t demand that it be the other way around. No, whatever you do, don’t ask for justice. You and I know that what we plead for is mercy—and that is what we must be willing to give. Can we see the tragic and ultimate irony of not granting to others what we need so badly ourselves?"

"Life in today’s world can be at times so complicated and the challenges so overwhelming as to be beyond our individual capacity to resolve them. We all need help from the Lord. Yet there are many individuals who don’t know how to receive that help. They feel their urgent pleas for help have often gone unattended."

Oh, how we all need the healing the Redeemer can provide. Mine is a message of hope for you who yearn for relief from heavy burdens that have come through no conscious act of your own while you have lived a worthy life.

It is so hard when sincere prayer about something we desire very much is not answered the way we want.... This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning. To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience.