'Mormon and Gay': LDS Says You Can be Both

Mormon and Gay: LDS Says You Can be Both

'Mormon and Gay': LDS Says You Can be Both

LDS ‘Mormon and Gay’ website features videos from gay LDS members.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has taken an official step towards recognizing homosexuality as a reality among its members by launching the website ‘Mormons and Gay.’ Now, the church has taken its acceptance of gay Mormons a step further by updating the website and renaming it as ‘Mormon and Gay,’ meaning that being gay does not mean a person is no longer a Mormon.

However, this in no way means the LDS Church accepts homosexual relationships. The LDS Church has simply declared it accepts gay people as children of God, but maintains its traditional teachings that attraction to members of the same sex is a problem. The website is a resource center for gay people who need help dealing with their attractions, rather than a website to promote gay rights.

‘Mormon and Gay’: LDS Says You Can be Both[/tweetthis]

The website contains stories by several gay Mormons who speak about how they faced their ‘problem’ using their faith. These stories are meant to guide other homosexual Mormons who are looking for ways to be committed to their faith even if they are gay. The page reflects the current Mormon beliefs that homosexuality can be cured, and homosexuals can continue to live their lives as normal straight couples with the support and spiritual help from the Mormon community.

This move can have conflicting implications. While it can be a sign of hope for Mormons who are secretly gay, it can also increase the mental pressure they experience as they will be forced to believe their behavior is unnatural. On one hand, gay Mormons can come out without any fear as they will be protected by the LDS Church. However, this support from the church will be extended to them only if they remain celibate, or get married to a member of the opposite gender.

Member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, Elder Quentin L. Cook, believes it’s the church’s duty to be loving and compassionate. Acts of segregating Mormons just because they are gay is very un-Christian and goes against what the church stands for. As such, church leaders and will be trained to cater to the needs and concerns of gay people, and to help members of the Church make gay Mormons feel accepted and loved. 

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