Why there will not be a 'revelation on gay marriage' like there was with blacks and the Priesthood.
One comment I often hear from progressive Latter-day Saints is the notion that there will be a 'revelation on gay marriage' just like there was one on Blacks and the Priesthood. Every time I have heard this statement it has made me feel uneasy. For the past few weeks, I have been having a strong prompting to write on this topic, so here is my attempt: The idea that eventually there will be a revelation on gay marriage like there was with blacks and the priesthood exposes false ideas about the restriction on blacks and the priesthood as well as ignorance on how the LGBTQ agenda is incompatible with the Plan of Salvation.
Blacks and the Priesthood.
Many progressive Latter-day Saints, simply view the restriction of blacks and the priesthood as Brigham Young being racist and banning blacks from receiving the Priesthood. Just today I saw a post on Facebook that has had thousands of members share it that made the claim also.
But this is a dangerous train of thought, whereas it might be easy to dismiss addressing Blacks and the Priesthood by simply saying he was racist, it begs the question: "If Brigham Young was a racist and taught racism and instituted racist practices claiming they were approved of God when they were not, then how is he not a fallen prophet leading the Church astray? Many of my progressive friends will admit they struggle with the notion of Brigham Young and whether he was a fallen prophet. This becomes even more dangerous when one asks, "If racism was the root, and Brigham Young was a fallen prophet, then why did John Taylor not revoke it as soon as Brigham Young died?" Some avoid this train of thought with the idea that John Taylor (and other prophets till the ban ended) simply did not ask God if it should be revoked.
But this theory fails an examination. Elijah Abel requested his endowment in 1879 after Brigham Young's death from John Taylor, who was then the prophet. He was denied. Did John Taylor simply ignore the request of this faithful man and not even ask God? Or Was he racist too? Suddenly you are doing mental gymnastics to keep your theory alive. What about Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, Joseph F. Smith, Heber J. Grant, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, and Harold B. Lee?? Did they ignore the pleadings of black saints or were racists themselves?? Now you are accusing 10 of the 17 prophets of the restoration of racism or being heartless and unwilling to ask a question despite the pleading of the black Saints.
Furthermore, you have ALL the apostles during this time, if the policy was, in fact, counter to God's will and based on racism and lies by Brigham, would they not be indicted for supporting that lie, or being racist themselves? Suddenly you throw out 90%+ of the restoration with this train of thought! It is an easy answer, but it causes far more issues than it solves.
Acceptability and Historical Precedence
The alternative to this train of thought is simple: We do not know why, but God confirmed to Brigham Young that the restriction of blacks from holding the Priesthood was acceptable. As such, it required revelation to change this policy, a revelation that was canonized! All theories as to why this restriction was put in place The Church has denounced, including the theory that Brigham Young was racist.
When one understands the acceptability nature of prophetic leadership (See Why I Follow A Fallible Prophet, And You Should Too!) Then you can look at the three-pronged attacks and trials Brigham and the Church were facing: Plural Marriage, Native Americans being viewed as equal, and ordaining black men which was against commonly accepted protestant beliefs. Within this context, one can then see how Brigham, seeing the first two as doctrinal points, could've come up with a temporary policy to stop the attacks by moving the Church into the mainstream protestant viewpoint that Blacks should not be ordained clergy. Getting confirmation that this policy was acceptable to resolve the existential threat, Brigham would then be accurate in teaching it as from God, (as it had His approval) and any future prophet would then need confirmation revelation that an alternative plan to amend the policy was acceptable too. But once again, this is just a plausible counter to the racism theory.
Ultimately, we do NOT know the reasons that the Lord approved the implementation of the restriction on Blacks receiving the priesthood, but we DO know that this is not the first time that there has been a restriction to access to the Priesthood or the gospel. In the days of Moses, God denied everyone the ability to be ordained to the Priesthood unless they were from the tribe of Levi, and of the tribe of Levi, only Aaron and his son could be Priests. Do we know why the Lord did this? No, we do not. The same with Blacks and the Priesthood.
The same pattern can also be seen in denying the Gentiles the gospel in the days of Christ. It was not until the promised time of the Gentiles receiving the gospel that the Lord's chief apostle (Peter) received the revelation to take the gospel to all the world and the Gentiles flocked to the Church. God has a pattern of restrictions on how His work is to be done, and He has NOT given a reason nor does he need to give one to us.
Above and beyond the patterns of the scriptures, the prohibition on the Gospel and the Priesthood (both black and Levite) was never a doctrine (which is unchanging), but a policy (which is always subject to change). Many prophets and apostles spoke of the long-promised day when the restriction would be lifted, and when the Lord saw fit it was. Joseph Smith (who was before Brigham Young) ordained black men to the Priesthood. So any idea that this was a doctrine is, simply put, false. It was a policy and it was understood to be temporary. And the minute the policy on blacks and the priesthood was changed, those who had once been denied flocked to the Church, just like in the days of Peter. Most people do not know, but we have more Saints in Africa than in Europe! And not by a small margin, more than 20% more!
Gay Marriage.
Now that we have established that the policy prohibiting blacks from being ordained to the priesthood was not a doctrine, but a temporary policy and was not due to Brigham Young being a racist, let's address the notion of gay marriage only being prohibited due to homophobia.
The doctrine behind why the church does not support gay marriage is actually the very core pillars of our doctrine. It is the very premise of the Plan of Salvation. The entire reason we came to earth was to become like our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. This is exaltation. President Ezra Taft Benson taught, “Exaltation is eternal fatherhood and eternal motherhood.” (‘To the Elect Women of the Kingdom of God,’ Nauvoo Illinois Relief Society Dedication, 30 June 1978.)” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 548).
The whole reason we are here on earth is to create an eternal family. A family unit, as defined by God, is a husband and wife that have been sealed by the Holy Priesthood and entered into the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. For those of you who do not understand, the crux of the plan of salvation is eternal heterosexual marriage with the ability to have an eternal increase of your posterity.
So when progressive members of the Church say we need to be more loving and accept gay marriage, they have missed the fundamental boat. The plan of salvation is about exalting people! And exalting people to live in a heterosexual relationship with the continuation of their seed. To want the Church to accept and endorse gay marriage would be asking the Church to forsake the plan of salvation and tell people to settle for less than exaltation. That is not real love! As our beloved prophet has taught, "Real love for the sinner may compel courageous confrontation—not acquiescence! Real love does not support self-destructing behavior." Therefore, The Church will stand for exaltation and there will not be a 'revelation on gay marriage.' Dallin H. Oaks taught this clearly in the October of 2019 General Conference:
The work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is ultimately concerned with preparing the children of God for the celestial kingdom, and most particularly for its highest glory, exaltation or eternal life. That highest destiny is possible only through marriage for eternity. Eternal life includes the creative powers inherent in the combination of male and female—what modern revelation describes as the “continuation of the seeds forever and ever.”
In his talk to young adults, President Nelson taught, “Abiding by God’s laws will keep you safe as you progress toward eventual exaltation”—that is, to become like God, with the exalted life and divine potential of our Heavenly Parents. That is the destiny we desire for all we love. Because of that love, we cannot let our love supersede the commandments and the plan and work of God, which we know will bring those we love their greatest happiness.
But there are many we love, including some who have the restored gospel, who do not believe in or choose not to follow God’s commandments about marriage and the law of chastity. What about them?
God’s doctrine shows that all of us are His children and that He has created us to have joy. Modern revelation teaches that God has provided a plan for a mortal experience in which all can choose obedience to seek His highest blessings or make choices that lead to one of the less glorious kingdoms.”
Two Great Commandments by President Dallin H. Oaks (bold and italics added).
Seeking to change The Church.
To those seeking to change the Church, hoping and pushing for whatever social cause is their fancy, be it LGBTQ issues or women being ordained to the Priesthood or anything else. I want to leave you with the words of President Harold B. Lee and Elder John A. Widtsoe: Unfortunately, some are among us who claim to be Church members but are somewhat like the scoffers in Lehi’s vision—standing aloof and seemingly inclined to hold in derision the faithful who choose to accept Church authorities as God’s special witnesses of the gospel and his agents in directing the affairs of the Church." The Iron Rod by Harold B. Lee, April 1971 Conference.
Elder John A. Widtsoe, a former member of the Quorum of the Twelve and an eminent educator, made a statement relative to this word liberal as it applied to those in the Church. And it is equally applicable to those who are progressive, he said: “The self-called liberal [Or progressive in the Church] is usually one who has broken with the fundamental principles or guiding philosophy of the group to which he belongs. … He claims membership in an organization but does not believe in its basic concepts; and sets out to reform it by changing its foundations.” (“Evidences and reconciliations,” Improvement Era, vol. 44 [1941], p. 609.)
Therefore what?
We are all children of the same Heavenly Parents, our identity should be focused on that eternal truth and that eternal truth alone. This truth alone should end racism and persecution of any nature. For when you strip it down, all the labels we place on ourselves and others are meaningless and temporal! There are no Democratic or Republican parties in heaven. There are no rich or poor in heaven. There are no Progressives or Conservatives in heaven. There are no races, no Whites, Blacks, Asians, or Latinos. There are no straight or LGBTQ individuals. These are all titles we use to explain our fallen nature or status.
President Oaks taught this truth when he said, "Most important, each of us is a child of God with a potential destiny of eternal life. Every other label, even including occupation, race, physical characteristics, or honors, is temporary or trivial in eternal terms. Don’t choose to label yourselves or think of yourselves in terms that put a limit on a goal for which you might strive." Dallin H. Oaks, "Where Will This Lead?" April 2019.
Thank you for this righteous clarification.
Truth is truth is truth!
Hi Kayleen, loved your comment. Have a blessed day!
Following the Prophet and the commandments is the only safe way to get through this life. The Church follows the American Medical Association in that Same Sex Attraction is not a choice. That a person does not have a mental disorder if they are Same Sex Attracted. Being Bisexual, even though includes Same-Sex Attraction is looked at somewhat differently. The Kinsey Scale has relevance. https://kinseyinstitute.org/research/publications/kinsey-scale.php
According to some Professors and Therapist, if a person is a 0-4 or X on the Kinsey Scale, they should marry. If they are a 5 or 6, they should not marry. The results of that marriage would not work. With that being said, there is a promise that those who have same sex attractions and will keep the commandments and obey the Law of Chastity, they can receive the same blessings as their opposite sex brothers and sisters with the exception of Temple Marriage to a same-sex person. There is also a promise that if they are faithful, they will not have those attractions in the next life and will have the opportunity to have a wife and be sealed to them. There is a way of thinking that same-sex attracted people have to go through this life with no possibility for sexual relations and that is not fair. However, the single adult population in the Church is around 50%. Many single adults that are heterosexual still have to obey the Law of Chastity and most will go through this life without having sexual relations. For those who are experiencing same-sex attraction, Don't beat yourself up for having feelings of same sex attraction. Keep the commandments and you will have peace in this life and have full fellowship in His Church.
@Jaxman, the church has never once said that being gay is not a choice. Ironically the scientists in the past who pushed the so called gay gene theory (Dean Hamer) actually had that study retracted (although it was quietly retracted and ignored by the media) due to research improprieties (they left heterosexual twins out of the control group). The federal office of research integrity conducted and investigation and well, that claim was fraudulent.
More recent studies has confirmed there is no gene that can be isolated to show sexual orientation. The idea that being gay is not a choice is not consistent with the gospel. Going on to carnal desires is part of the natural man. We need to over come the natural man and become a new creature and have no more disposition to do everlasting like king Benjamin’s listeners.
@SAIRS, What Elder Dallin Oaks said once at BYU (he was a member of the Twelve at the time), using alcoholism in the example, is that someone may have a genetic predisposition toward that disorder, but as long as they never take the first drink, they are not an alcoholic. I know people who had multigenerational histories of alcoholism in their families but finally said "enough is enough" and started a tradition of sobriety they passed on to their posterity. One of the glorious truths of the Restored Gospel is that we are the masters of our destiny, that we are not on a proscribed track to Heaven or Hell regardless of our works or desires. Even if you have something in your nature that could lead to certain actions, you're the one who makes the final call.
@SAIRS,
President M. Russell Ballard said: “Let us be clear: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that ‘the experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people. The attraction itself is not a sin, but acting on it is". "Even though individuals do not choose to have such attractions, they do choose how to respond to them".
So yes, the Church does say that Same Sex Attraction is NOT a choice. Acting on those impulses is a sin.
When it comes to Opposite Sex Attraction, the same rules apply.
With that being said, It seems every other week this subject is brought up "ad nauseum". Why is there so much attention given, so often, about a segment of society that is only 3-5% of the population? Not once have I heard anything said about the breaking the law of chastity, co-habitating and not being married, within the Opposite Sex Attracted segment of society, who make up 95-97 % of the population. Statistics show that in America today, around 70% of people cohabit before marriage, and almost 90% have sex before they marry. Moreover, around 40% of kids are born to unmarried moms. But yet NOTHING is said about these people. Absolute silence.
Some view the sex acts of SSA people to be disgusting and abhorrent. I was not in the church for 25 years and can say that the sex acts that go on in the bedrooms of OSA people is the same for SSA people, just not as common.
President Nelson said "“Finally, we also clarified that homosexual immorality would be treated in the eyes of the Church in the same manner as heterosexual immorality.”
No one is going to be straight in Heaven? Really?!!! After you just got through explaining that exaltation is an eternal and procreative heterosexual union?!
I think you misunderstood the point I was making. No one will be "straight" in heaven, because you don't need a label for something that everyone is. It isn't helpful to point out a person as "that person" because everyone in there is a person. Make sense? Sorry for the confusion my friend.
Thank you for an exceptional article. In reference to "progressive" members of the Church, President Harold. B. Lee unequivocally stated in General Conference that one cannot be a liberal and be a good member of the Church. The principles are incompatible. Being a liberal is a reflection of a weak or non-existent testimony of the truth. If you are a liberal then you need to repent and submit your will to that of the Father's. Lucifer became perdition for rebelling against God in the pre-existence. He deceived a third of God's children then and he continues to do so now. We have already received a revelation on the matter of homosexual marriage. It is called The Proclamation on the Family.
Great summary. It reminded me of a talk by Elder Renlund given at a regional singles fireside in Tacoma, Washington in 2015. He called the many acts, other than forming an Eternal Family, "Plan Stoppers." The many include postponing marriage or not getting married, disrupting families, same-sex relationships/marriage, and now the transgender/gender confusion as the latest "Plan Stopper." I recently listened to an address by Elder Elray L. Christiansen (my father's mission president in the 1930's). He called the Celestial Kindgom "The Family Kingdom."
@James S Brown, is this talk recorded anywhere?
I too would love a link if you have it James.
Thank you for this timely article, and for daring to stand alone. I hope you do not get persecuted for speaking the truth. However, we know that the truth is hard for many to take. Commenting for you to know you are not alone in these thoughts.
Love everyone and be kind. Love them so much that when they are choosing a difficult or compromised path, kindly ask them if they could open their hearts to a better way. Present sound reason. Thanks for your example.
I am constantly astonished how people can get so lost in their beliefs. Is it a desire for perfection in a designed-to-be imperfect world? Is it a weakness they are trying to justify? Is it pride, self-aggrandizement? Is it ignorance? Misplaced loyalty? Maybe the truth is too common, but infinitely profound and rarely understood? The path is indeed narrow. May God bless, magnify and inspire you.
Absolutely correct and straight forward. I’ve been saying the very same for years.
Great article and very timely. I suspect that there will be many church members offended by the truths stated. I often wonder how we can claim to be devoted followers of Christ and yet continue to fight against His plan by embracing beliefs that would obviously frustrate it's implementation.
Many of us of this modern generation may not remember news stories of teachers who were hung; along with their students, for daring to teach a Black person to read and write. And I'm not talking pre-civilal war days, I'm talking into the 1950's and 60's,
We may appease ourselves with the thought that from the days of Brigham Young to Spencer W. Kimball, our fellow saints of African descent would not have been targetted or goodhearted church members if it was learned that priesthood was given to all walks of life. Look at the persecutions we suffered because of Polygamy.
Before we declare Brigham Young or his succesors to have been racist, try to comprehend their day and age and the challenges that they faced instead of judging them according to our personal circumstances and situations.
For that matter, why didn't we get this two hour block thirty years ago?
There is incomplete information here about the blacks not being able to hold the priesthood and it is that not all blacks were prohibited. When Brigham Young made the announcement he specifically stated "black Africans". I don't know how that eventually became the policy that all blacks could not hold the priesthood, but that seems to have been the case. Still, the reason is not known and need not be as the message is still the same. He even said there would come a tine for it to happen and that tine did eventually come.
Correct, Black Polynesians were allowed to be baptized and given the priesthood.
I’m a little confused on the whole ‘there won’t be any races or sexualities in Heaven’ thing. Surely there will not be either racism or homophobia, but is there any scripture that says either race or sexuality will change at death?
What Jeremy meant by that was we will not have classifications or labels for race or sexualities because it won't matter what you identified as in those regards while on the earth. We will all be equal, and those details of our life on earth will not matter.
Sometimes taking a thought to its logical conclusion helps to see the absurdity of the thought. If there were gay couples in the Celestial Kingdom, where would their children or posterity come from in a place where there are no orphans to adopt. They would be a lone couple in a sea of couples each surrounded by posterity. To continue supporting the absurdity of this logical conclusion, more absurdities, with no basis in scripture or reality, would have to be made up.
Jeremy, this is by far the best article you have written.
Keep up with the good works, the righteous words of the Lord.
Let no man (or woman) sway you.
As someone that has walked the path of being gay there are a couple of things I would like to say. 1st, it took me 40 years to figure this out. And it is in no way how the Savior would teach. 2nd, you are wrong that there will not be more revelation on this, There already has been. Through Pres Ballard and others that advocate for love and inclusion. 3rd, God is who God is. That I agree with and God is not changing. But how God deals with all children does change from time to time. We know that God did not allow divorce and now God does. But you will never see God getting divorced. So if you got divorced are you excluded? No of course not, but hopefully at some point you come to understand what God thinks and feels on the matter. It is only through the Savior that these things are possible to understand. 4th This is a top down argument. In other words you are starting with perfection and making claims. This feels judgmental to some, especially those that do not understand the temple and what is taught there, be careful and loving. 5th for that reason you should always include love and how you bridge the gap. You would do that with your own children and friends - do it everywhere. Everyones growth is the object. 6th if you are making an argument against temple marriage change, then state that and make it. Hone in a little better. 7th We all have to figure out what we want and how to get there. In the meantime we love and accept and encourage each other in that learning. I believe we can try and follow the savior and let him teach us. I have found it to be a very sweet process. He will explain everything in due time, like why do some of us have this challenge of being gay and what are we to do about it. He shows the way. 8th (and sorry these are in no order) I do believe straight people need to be a better example of celestial marriage. I so appreciate when they are. It stands on its own. And what I see it takes time and effort to get there. Thanks Linnette
FYI: I just posted this article on the latterdaysaints subreddit, and the moderators removed it because "it reads like a witch hunt". I replied that it's doctrinally accurate and civilly written, that it's not "hate speech" to condemn false doctrine in a civil manner, and perhaps the problem are those who get angry at the truth of God.
I don’t think it’s hard logic why the Lord withholds blessings of the priesthood. Every single time, it’s because the more priesthood, the more expectation to become a Zion people. Those who do not unite as one when given those blessings and laws incur the judgements of God. When He withholds the laws and blessings, it is a mercy to people He knows cannot overcome their social and racial prejudices sufficiently enough to progress in faith and love for their fellow men. It is a judgment only God can make because it judges the limits of a society. I believe that every society from whom He has withdrawn priesthood growth would have failed to live up to the higher law and brought destruction upon themselves and the world. And since He covenanted with Noah to never again destroy the earth for fallen priesthood, He limits societies until they prove there is enough righteousness to love their fellow men. I believe Americans proved that in the through Emancipation and the Civil Rights Era. I believe Europeans proved that when they embraced the Bible and sought for religious freedom. I believe noble and righteous Africans are welcoming healing light into a nation long at war with one another. I believe early Saints had certain blessings revoked because they were too scarred and calloused after being mobbed, massacred, and driven from their homes to fulfill their mission in one generation. Hence the great need for the spirit of Elijah. We have yet to build the New Jerusalem and live the law of consecration. More is coming. I’m grateful to my grandparents and parents for carrying the unifying spirit of the Civil Rights era into my generation. Now our hearts may more purely accept God’s law as we embrace our brothers and sisters with the love they deserve, a love worthy of Zion.
Also, I believe no love is wasted. Any pure love is welcome in Zion. When LGBTQ and heterosexual attraction errs, it is in chastity. People get it wrong because they do not fully understand the deep implications of what it means to be chaste and pure before God. Christ said anyone who even thinks in a sexual manner towards someone not their eternal companion has committed adultery. I believe this is literal and possible because an eternal marriage is by definition not bound to laws of time. A successful eternal union has no beginning or end. We are chaste even before meeting our spouse because if eternal commitment is in our hearts, God has guaranteed to grant us an eternal companion with whom we can create forever. And so we practice fidelity even before meeting our spouse. (Divorce and remarriage is completely healed through the powers of Christ’s Atonement.) We defend that eternal relationship, our fidelity, at all costs, with every thought and deliberate action which should govern the powers of procreation with us. It is God’s power after all, and He will revoke it from those who don’t use it as He has commanded. Spirit children deserve parents who can guarantee them what our heavenly parents have given to us. There will be no unwanted children in heaven to adopt. But we can and will all be united in perfect love because we will have a fullness of God’s law. Let’s not break what He has given us.
We don't get answers to all the questions but at list we all know what is right or wrong . Let's follow the Prophet He knows the way . " O be wise what can I say more ? "
Spot on. I find that too many people are putting their faith and hope in change in this doctrine rather than in Jesus Christ and His Gospel. What happens as time goes on and that faith and hope in change becomes shattered as the change does not happen? Disappointment and dissolution for those saints will be the inevitable result. How many will continue to hold onto the iron rod when that day comes for each of them?