Litmus of Progress

Let's first consider the enduring Mormon view of homosexuality exemplified in the seminal exposition on morality by Spencer Kimball, the twelfth president of the LDS Church:

The Miracle of Forgiveness (first published in 1969)

"Homosexuality is an ugly sin, repugnant...embarrassing and unpleasant as a subject...This perversion: Sexual desire of the same sex OR sexual relations between individuals of the same sex'...It is a sin of the ages...Sodom and Gomorrah are symbols of wretched wickedness more especially related to this perversion...So degenerate had Sodom become...the Lord had to destroy it...But the revolting practice has persisted...'the abominable and detestable crime against nature' ...perhaps as an extension of homosexual practices, men and women have sunk to seeking sexual satisfactions with animals...All such deviations from normal, proper heterosexual relationships are not merely unnatural but wrong in the sight of God...Like adultery, incest, and bestiality they carried the death penalty under the Mosaic Law (Lev, 20:13,15,16).

"The law is less severe now, and so REGRETTABLY is the community's attitude to these grave sins - another evidence of the deterioration of society. In some countries the act per-se is not even illegal. This "liberalizing" process is reflected in the United States by communities of homosexuals in our larger cities who demand acceptance of their deviate beliefs and practices as 'normal,' who sponsor demonstrations and draw up petitions to this end, who are formally organized, and who even print their own PERVERTED journals. All this is done in the open, to the detriment alike of impressionable minds, susceptible urges, and our national decency.

"If all the people in the world were to accept homosexuality...the practice would still be deep, dark sin...Those who would claim that the homosexual is a third sex and that there is nothing wrong in such associations can hardly believe in God or in his scriptures...one could never justify it while accepting the holy scriptures.

"Threat to Family Life...Where stands the perversion of homosexuality? Clearly it is hostile to God's purpose..."multiply and replenish the earth"...If the ABOMINABLE practice became universal it would depopulate the earth in a single generation.

"As Grievous as Adultery...Because of the seriousness of this sin it carries a heavy penalty for the unrepentant...Let it therefore be clearly stated that the seriousness of the sin of homosexuality is equal to or greater than that of fornication of adultery.

"Curable and Forgivable...As with any other sin, forgiveness and recovery are dependent upon the offender's repentance, which begins with recognition of the sin and acceptance of personal responsibility for it. There are those who are deeply entrenched in the habit and have no apparent desire to cleanse themselves and build toward a moral life. They are belligerent and totally uncooperative.

"Many have been misinformed that they are powerless in the matter, not responsible for the tendency, and that 'God made them that way.' This is as untrue as any other of the diabolical lies Satan has concocted. It is blasphemy. Man is made in the image of God. Does the PERVERT think God to be 'that way'?"

(p.78-85; emphasis added)

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Now let's compare these explicit, authoritative views with some more oblique statements from the talk given by Boyd Packer, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, on October 3, 2010, to millions of Mormons during the LDS Church's 180th semiannual General Conference:

"We teach a standard of moral conduct that will protect us from Satan’s many substitutes or counterfeits for marriage. We must understand that any persuasion to enter into any relationship that is not in harmony with the principles of the gospel must be wrong. From the Book of Mormon we learn that “wickedness never was happiness.”

"Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn tendencies toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone? Remember, He is our Heavenly Father.

"Paul promised that “God . . . will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” You can, if you will, break the habits and conquer an addiction and come away from that which is not worthy of any member of the Church. As Alma cautioned, we must “watch and pray continually.”

"Isaiah warned, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

(He shares a story about school children wanting to vote on the sex of a kitten.)

“You may laugh at this story, but if we are not alert, there are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God’s laws and nature. A law against nature would be impossible to enforce. For instance, what good would a vote against the law of gravity do?

“There are both moral and physical laws “irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world” that cannot be changed. History demonstrates over and over again that moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot. To legalize that which is basically wrong or evil will not prevent the pain and penalties that will follow as surely as night follows day.

“Regardless of the opposition, we are determined to stay on course. We will hold to the principles and laws and ordinances of the gospel. If they are misunderstood either innocently or willfully, so be it. We cannot change; we will not change the moral standard. We quickly lose our way when we disobey the laws of God. If we do not protect and foster the family, civilization and our liberties must needs perish.

“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”

“Every soul confined in a prison of sin, guilt, or perversion has a key to the gate. The key is labeled “repentance.”

“For those who truly desire, there is a way back. Repentance is like unto a detergent. Even ground-in stains of sin will come out.”

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Here's a link to the full text of this talk showing the content changes made by the LDS Church from the original broadcast:

http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=299

It's provided by Mormons for Marriage, an excellent advocacy group for marriage equality.

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It should go without saying that I consider both Kimball’s and Packer’s views on homosexuality myopic and bigoted. Though the former’s words were more incendiary the latter’s were potentially more injurious as they effectively negate what many LDS progressives considered substantial strides toward meaningful inclusion and acceptance of homosexuals by Mormons, both culturally and ecclesiastically, over the last four decades.

(In the near future we’ll dissect and categorize the various Mormon affiliates that believe homosexuals eventually will have a stable niche will in Mormonism.)

There was a series of reactions to Packer’s talk, first by the local media, then by civil/LGBT rights organizations, and finally by the Church itself. An amended transcript of the broadcasted talk was disseminated by the Church and will be printed in November 2010 editions of the Ensign and Liahona magazines.

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1298-23,00.html

A Church spokesperson, Michael Otterson, responded to a petition, bearing 150,000 signatures, issued by the Human Right Campaign.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12795071&pid=1

http://beta-newsroom.lds.org/article/church-mormon-responds-to-human-rights-campaign-petition-same-sex-attraction

Otterson's diplomatic statement was simply an overdue spoon-full-of-sugar to temper Packer's acrid message. It was neither apology nor retraction.

Dieter Uchdorf, 2^nd counselor of the First Presidency, also extended an olive branch to gay Mormons and their families last Sunday, October 25, during a regional conference for 200,000 Utah Mormons:

http://amoraloutrage.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/president-uchtdorf-on-same-sex-attractions/

Uchdorf comes across as genuinely compassionate and concerned for the wellbeing of all people gay or straight.

These efforts should not go unnoticed (nor should the many others that precede them) but the truth is that fundamentally the LDS faith and hierarchy are destructive forces in the lives of gays both in and out of the Church. That fact has spurred me to contribute to this blog created by my dear friend Lilith.

Let’s see where this controversial rabbit-hole leads.