FAIR - Contribuições do utilizador [pt]

Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction

2010-02-10T14:56:53Z

Awyatt: /* The Church Helps People by Empowering Them */

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the two great commandments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No teaching and no commandment conflicts with this law. We believe all mankind are our brothers and sisters. All who are baptized into the Church have made a covenant to "mourn with those who mourn" and "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This is especially true of our brothers and sisters who are attracted to the same gender. {{ref|oaks95}}.

Our Church welcomes all those seeking God and His will, including those with same-gender attraction. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to bring all people peace, generate hope, and nourish life-changing faith. This can lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

==The Church Welcomes All People==

The Church invites all people to come unto Christ. President Hinckley has specifically extended this welcome to those struggling with same-sex attraction. In 1999 he made the following statement:
<blockquote>
"As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church." {{ref|hinckley99}}
</blockquote>
The Church has developed several publications designed to reach out to members with same-sex attraction. The most recent, ''God Loveth His Children'', assures that
<blockquote>
"No one is, or ever could be, excluded from the circle of God’s love or the extended arms of His Church, for we are all His beloved sons and daughters."{{ref|GodLoveth}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks similarly stated:
<blockquote>
"Church leaders are sometimes asked whether there is any place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for persons with homosexual or lesbian susceptibilities or feelings. Of course there is." {{ref|oaks95}}
</blockquote>

Many with same-sex attraction are faithful members of the Church, as evidenced by the several organizations formed by these members:

*[http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen International]
*[http://northstarlds.org North Star]
*[http://www.ldslights.org Northern Lights]

LDS Family Services estimates that there are four or five members in every unit of the Church who are attracted to the same sex.{{ref|EvergreenIndividual}} Their stories have been profiled in the Ensign{{ref|EnsignSSA}} and in several books published by Church members. General Authorities attend these meetings and the proceedings are published on the Church's web site.{{ref|hafen}}

The Church welcomes all those who seek to live according to God's commandments, including those with same-sex attraction.

==The Church Loves Those with Same-Sex Attraction==

The Church teaches that those who struggle with same-sex attraction are beloved sons and daughters of God and are loved by the Church and its leaders. This love has always been extended by leaders of the Church. In one of the Church's first pamphlets geared towards gay people, President Kimball reminds gay people to "Remember, the Lord loves you, the Church loves you."{{ref|kimball71}} President Hinckley followed suit and repeated his love{{ref|hinckley98}} and has affirmed that Church members with same-sex attraction are good people.{{ref|lattin}}

These expressions of love have also been extended to those with same-sex attraction who do not keep the standards of the Church. In the ''Miracle of Forgiveness,'' Spencer W. Kimball said that he found that men who were pursuing same-sex relationships were "basically good people who have become trapped in sin."{{ref|kimball69}}

The Church always strives to adequately express God's love for all people, including those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and their value as human beings. Elder Holland recounts a story of a man who came to him with a question. The man worried that because he was attracted to other men, he couldn't continue being a member of the Church. Elder Holland reiterated his love for this man and stressed that such feelings did not impede him from being a good member of the Church. After recounting the story, he tells of another man with same-sex attraction who was faithful in the Church. Of him, Elder Holland said, "I weep with admiration and respect at the faith and courage of such a man who is living with a challenge I have never faced. I love him and the thousands like him, male or female, who 'fight the good fight' (1 Timothy 6:12). I commend his attitude to all who struggle with—or who are helping others who struggle with—same-gender attraction." {{ref|holland07}}

The Church has instructed leaders of the Church that "when members with homosexual problems come to you for help, they may feel guilty and in despair, having been unable to change their lives. You can instill hope in them. Help them to know that you and their Heavenly Father love them and that they can be healed from their afflictions through the atonement of the Savior."{{ref|lds92}}

== The Church Helps People ==

While the Church seeks to help all people with their problems, a special call has been issued for members of the Church to help those who struggle with same-sex attraction. In 1995, Elder Oaks taught "All should understand that persons (and their family members) struggling with the burden of same-sex attraction are in special need of the love and encouragement that is a clear responsibility of Church members, who have signified by covenant their willingness "to bear one another’s burdens" (Mosiah 18:8) "and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)."{{ref|Oaks95}} Three years later, President Hinckley echoed Elder Oaks remarks by saying "We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties." {{ref|Hinckley98}}

There are many ways in which the Church helps those with same-sex attraction. For example, the Church has advocated employment and housing rights for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. When Salt Lake City asked the Church for its opinion on an ordinance which would protect gay people from housing and employment discrimination, the Church supported the measure. In the official statement, they said it was a "common-sense right" and a question of "human dignity".{{ref|LDS09}} Elder Holland said it could be a model for the rest of Utah.{{ref|Holland09}} This was done even though the Utah legislature, at the time, was against extending such rights.

Beyond advocating such legal protections, the Church has also sought to protect gays from physical and verbal abuse. Elder Oaks taught "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called "gay bashing"—physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."{{ref|Oaks95}}

The Church helps those with same-sex attraction by steering them away from destructive patterns, such as blaming themselves for their sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}} The leadership has warned against aversive therapies that have been used on gay people which have been shown to be abusive by the scientific field.{{ref|Oaks07}} They have spoken out against using marriage as a therapeutic step to change sexual orientation{{ref|Hinckley87}} and have instructed leaders not to encourage members with same-sex attraction to cultivate heterosexual feelings, since it often leads them to frustration and discouragement.{{ref|lds92}} They have assured members that same-sex attraction is not a sin{{ref|oaks07}} and if they remain faithful they can receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised His children, with no requirement to change sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}}

=== The Church Helps the Families of Those with Same-Sex Attraction ===

One of the best services that we can perform for our brothers and sisters is to help them feel the love of God through our actions. One way to accomplish this is by supporting their families. We should encourage family members to love and reach out to family members who struggle with same-sex attraction, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. In a 1992 statement to Church leaders, the Church counseled:
<blockquote>
"If a person with homosexual problems chooses not to change, family members may have difficulty maintaining feelings of love and acceptance toward the person. Encourage them to continue loving the person and hoping that he or she may repent."{{ref|lds92}}
</blockquote>

This was reiterated by Elder Oaks in 1997:
<blockquote>
"Surely if we are counseled as a body of Church membership to reach out with love and understanding to those ‘struggling with these issues,’ that obligation rests with particular intensity on parents who have children struggling with these issues... even children who are engaged in sinful behavior associated with these issues."{{ref|oaks07}}
</blockquote>

Families with gay members are strengthened through living the principles of love and respect taught by Jesus Christ and reiterated in the Proclamation to the World on the Family.{{ref|lds95}} The sister of a woman struggling with same-sex attraction wrote an ''Ensign'' article in which she describes how the Church has helped her with her relationship with her sister (Leigh).
<blockquote>
"I know the best thing I can do to have a close relationship with my sister is to have a close relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son. Leigh recently commented that it has been through the way our family has loved her that she has felt what she understood to be God’s love."{{ref|Leigh}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church Helps People Find Peace ===

The mission of the Church is to invite all unto Christ. We believe this is one of the fundamental ways in which we can serve our brothers and sisters. We believe we can come closer to Christ by taking upon us His name through the covenant of baptism, which includes a covenant to obey His commandments. Teaching and encouraging our brothers and sisters to obey the teachings of Christ is an important part in bringing them to Christ. This is the greatest good we can do for our brothers and sisters, and what will bring them the greatest joy.

The path that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, but we want as many of our brothers and sisters to find that path as possible. Christ taught against fornication and adultery, and we believe that includes all sexual relationships besides those between a husband and a wife. We teach and encourage all to obey this commandment, as part of our duty to bring them to Christ. Elder Oaks explains the natural consequences if people do not follow the law of chastity:
<blockquote>
"Those commandments, if they are not adhered to, result in guilt. That guilt is painful to people. There are two solutions to that guilt. One is to disbelieve in God or hold a congress and pretend that you can change God's commandments. The other is to discontinue that kind of conduct to the best of your ability."{{ref|oaks86}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks teaches there are two approaches to deal with guilt. We believe our approach of promoting the commandments of the Lord will help alleviate the guilt people feel when they break the commandments of God.

There are people who feel that by promoting this higher moral code the Church rejects people—including those who engage in homosexual practices—who choose to not follow this law. Elder Packer responded to this concern by saying:
<blockquote>
"We understand why some feel we reject them. That is not true. We do not reject you, only immoral behavior. We cannot reject you, for you are the sons and daughters of God. We will not reject you, because we love you. You may even feel that we do not love you. That also is not true. Parents know, and one day you will know, that there are times when parents and we who lead the Church must extend tough love when failing to teach and to warn and to discipline is to destroy."{{ref|packer01}}
</blockquote>

There are many gay members of the Church who want to live this higher moral code and find that the teachings of the Church are encouraging. This is one of the reasons why the Church teaches that those with same-sex attraction must abstain from homosexual relationships. Elder Wickman explains:
<blockquote>
"One of the purposes of that discussion was to try to be hopeful and encouraging to those who do but nonetheless want to conform their lives to what they understand the Lord's teachings to be."{{ref|mormonismmodern}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church Helps People by Empowering Them ===

We believe that peace comes through obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe all people are capable of obeying the commandments of God (1 Nephi 3:7). Unfortunately, people are often told they are incapable of obeying the commandments of God, that they are "too hard" or somehow "unfair." This limits their capabilities and prevents them from obtaining the peace that comes through obedience. By ensuring people that they are capable of obedience, we empower them to make their own decision. This enables them to chose whether or not to obey the commandments of God.

Many believe that people with same-sex attraction are incapable of abstaining from same-sex relationships, which by extension means they are incapable of obeying God's commandments. They preach a belief that those attracted to the same sex are created with only one choice about their sexual behavior. For example, in the Californian Supreme Court case "In Re: Marriage", the court ruled that for gay people "choice of a life partner will, by definition, be a person of the same sex." This choice, according to the court, is one "into which the class members are locked by the accident of birth."{ref|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} They leave no room for those with same-sex attraction to make a decision that would be in harmony with gospel, which by extension implies that such people were born to disobey God. This thought is very harmful. Individuals struggling with same-sex attraction may come to believe that they have no power over their sexual urges and the only choice is to act on them. Those who do not want to pursue same-sex relationships are told that option is not available to them. This can cause them to feel trapped and bring feelings of hopelessness and despair.

The message of the Church to all people is that "ye are free, ye are permitted to act for yourselves" (Helaman 14:30). While we teach against sexual relationships outside of a heterosexual marriage, we also teach that all are free to chose good or evil. We uphold that each individual is free to chose their own values according to the dictates of their own conscience (AoF 12) and advocate their free exercise to act according to those values (D&C 134:2). The ability to chose is considered one of the most precious gifts from God. If a person is told and comes to believe that they are incapable of following the commandments of God, they they do not truly have the ability to chose for themselves; they have lost their agency. This is not God's plan for His children.

''God Loveth His Children'' affirms that gay people do have a choice and they are capable of living the commandments of God. It reads: "Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life."{{ref|GodLoveth}}

While other organizations say that those with same-gender attraction are ultimately incapable of obeying the laws of God, the Church tells them that they can. This empowers such people. It teaches that they are in control of their destiny and they can make of their life what they want.

Much of this argument is based under the belief that the Church is true and that same-sex relationships are against the will of the Lord. Whether one agrees with that premise or not, that is the assumption that we are operating under. The Church has no intention other than to bring people unto Christ and empower them to live a life in harmony with God's commandments. Directing his comments to those who pursue same-sex relationships, Spencer W. Kimball taught "the Church and the Lord have no ulterior motives—the only desire being for the restoration of you, yourself, a son of God, made in his image".{{ref|kimball78}} We are a welcoming and empowering church for our brothers and sisters who struggle with same-sex attraction.

==Endnotes==
#{{note|TherapeuticResponse}}{{Citation
|author=American Psychological Association
|title=Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
|year=2009
|url= http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf}}
#{{note|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/revpub/A110449.PDF In re MARRIAGE CASES]
#{{note|Leigh}}[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=35ce1a01e8d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD “The Best Thing I Can Do for Leigh,”] Ensign, Sep 2009, 62–65
#{{note|kimball78}} [http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html New Horizons]
#{{note|EvergreenIndividual}} Evergreen International [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Individuals.htm Resources for Individuals]
#{{note|hafen}} - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.lds.org%2Fldsnewsroom%2Feng%2Fpublic-issues%2Felder-bruce-c-hafen-speaks-on-same-sex-attraction&ei=7ZhjS7PaFo_-sgO45rmdAw&usg=AFQjCNG0NnHSPtjgTuxXZ9LD4KQyRTCkKw&sig2=NwjozIDi2qTV72sM8LJyZw Elder Bruce C. Hafen Speaks on Same-Sex Attraction] - LDS Newsroom
#{{note|Hinckley87}}{{Citation
|last=Hinckley
|first=Gordon B.
|author-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|title=Reverence and Morality
|magazine=Ensign
|date=May 1987
|year=1987
|pages=45
|url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=969567700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
}}
#{{note|hinckley98}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7c86605ff590c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____''1998 What Are People Asking about Us?] Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
#{{note|hinckley99}}Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ff1b6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD. Why We Do Some of the Things We Do]. Ensign.
#{{note|larryking04}}{{Citation
|last1=Hinckley
|first1=Gordon B.
|author1-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|last2=King
|first2=Larry
|author2-link=Larry King
|title=A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|date=December 26 2004
|year=2004
|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/26/lkl.01.html
}}
#{{note|Holland07}}{{Citation
|last=Holland
|first=Jeffrey R.
|title=Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
}}
#{{note|Holland09}} [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13766464 LDS apostle: SLC gay-rights measures could work for state]
#{{note|kimball69}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=The Miracle of Forgiveness
|year=1969
|publisher=Bookcraft
|isbn=978-0-88494-192-7
}}
#{{note|kimball71}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=New Horizons for Homosexuals
|year=1971
|url=http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html
|publisher=LDS Church
}}.
#{{note|lds92}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders
|year=1992
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/protestantism/mormon/mormon-homosexuality
}}.
#{{note|lds95}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=The Family: A Proclamation to the World
|year=1995
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|contribution-url=http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
}}.
#{{note|GodLoveth}}{{cite web |url= http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate= 2007-12-07 }}
#{{note|LDS09}} [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/statement-given-to-salt-lake-city-council-on-nondiscrimination-ordinances Statement Given to Salt Lake City Council on Nondiscrimination Ordinances]
#{{note|lattin}}{{Citation
|last=Lattin
|first=Don
|title=Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley
|year=1997
|date=April 13, 1997
|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/04/13/SC36289.DTL
}}
#{{note|quietDesperation}}{{Citation
|last1= Matis
|first1= Fred
|last2= Matis
|first2= Marilyn
|last3= Mansfield
|first3= Ty
|title= In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction
|url= http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4772927
|accessdate= 2009-07-30
|year= 2004
|publisher= Deseret Book
|location= Salt Lake City, Utah
|isbn= 9781590383315
|oclc= 55644980
}}.
#{{note|mormonismmodern}} {{Citation|title= In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America |quote= Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled. |url= http://pewforum.org/events/?EventID=143 }}
#{{note|oaks95}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=43786e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1''1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement''], Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#{{note|oaks07}}{{Citation
|last=Wickman
|first=Lance B.
|authorlink=Lance B. Wickman
|editor=LDS Church
|title=Same-Gender Attraction
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
}}
#{{note|packer01}} Packer [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=67d1a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Ye Are the Temple of God]
#{{note|PlaceInTheKingdom}}[http://centurypubl.com/Place_Kingdom_Same_Sex_Attraction.htm ''A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.'']
#{{note|EnsignSSA}}For example, see [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20january%201997.htm/becoming%20whole%20again.htm Becoming Whole Again] and [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2002.htm/ensign%20august%202002.htm/my%20battle%20with%20samesex%20attraction.htm My Battle with Same-Sex Attraction]
#{{note|SelfDetermination}} There have been several studies which have investigated the effects of gay affirmative therapies on clients whose religious values go contrary to the ideals of gay affirmative therapy. For example, see {{cite journal |url= http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/651 |title= Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy |last= Beckstead |first= A. Lee |date= 2004 |volume= 32 |number= 5 |pages= 651–690 |doi= 10.1177/0011000004267555 |journal= The Counseling Psychologist }} {{cite journal
|url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/jpcreorientation.pdf
|title=Counseling practices as they relate to ratings of helpfulness by consumers of sexual reorientation therapy
|last=Throckmorton
|first=Warren
|coauthor=Welton
|date=Winter 2005
|publisher=Journal of Psychology and Christianity
|volume=24
|number=4
|pages=332–42|format=PDF}} and {{cite journal
|last=Haldeman
|first=Douglas
|url=http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/691?ck=nck
|title=When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide:Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients
|publisher=The Counseling Psychologist
|volume=32
|number=5
|year=2004
|doi=10.1177/0011000004267560
|journal=The Counseling Psychologist
|pages=691}}. Each have discovered that there are gay people for whom gay affirmative therapy is not helpful. This has lead the American Psychological Associate to issue a statement which reads "Mental health professional organizations call on their members to respect a person's (client's) right to selfdetermination".[http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx] When dealing with these gay patients, they have determined that the appropriate application of affirmative therapeutic interventions is one which "involves therapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients and the facilitation of clients’ active coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome." [Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexual-orientation.aspx]

Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction

2010-02-10T14:48:04Z

Awyatt: /* The Church Helps People */

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the two great commandments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No teaching and no commandment conflicts with this law. We believe all mankind are our brothers and sisters. All who are baptized into the Church have made a covenant to "mourn with those who mourn" and "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This is especially true of our brothers and sisters who are attracted to the same gender. {{ref|oaks95}}.

Our Church welcomes all those seeking God and His will, including those with same-gender attraction. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to bring all people peace, generate hope, and nourish life-changing faith. This can lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

==The Church Welcomes All People==

The Church invites all people to come unto Christ. President Hinckley has specifically extended this welcome to those struggling with same-sex attraction. In 1999 he made the following statement:
<blockquote>
"As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church." {{ref|hinckley99}}
</blockquote>
The Church has developed several publications designed to reach out to members with same-sex attraction. The most recent, ''God Loveth His Children'', assures that
<blockquote>
"No one is, or ever could be, excluded from the circle of God’s love or the extended arms of His Church, for we are all His beloved sons and daughters."{{ref|GodLoveth}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks similarly stated:
<blockquote>
"Church leaders are sometimes asked whether there is any place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for persons with homosexual or lesbian susceptibilities or feelings. Of course there is." {{ref|oaks95}}
</blockquote>

Many with same-sex attraction are faithful members of the Church, as evidenced by the several organizations formed by these members:

*[http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen International]
*[http://northstarlds.org North Star]
*[http://www.ldslights.org Northern Lights]

LDS Family Services estimates that there are four or five members in every unit of the Church who are attracted to the same sex.{{ref|EvergreenIndividual}} Their stories have been profiled in the Ensign{{ref|EnsignSSA}} and in several books published by Church members. General Authorities attend these meetings and the proceedings are published on the Church's web site.{{ref|hafen}}

The Church welcomes all those who seek to live according to God's commandments, including those with same-sex attraction.

==The Church Loves Those with Same-Sex Attraction==

The Church teaches that those who struggle with same-sex attraction are beloved sons and daughters of God and are loved by the Church and its leaders. This love has always been extended by leaders of the Church. In one of the Church's first pamphlets geared towards gay people, President Kimball reminds gay people to "Remember, the Lord loves you, the Church loves you."{{ref|kimball71}} President Hinckley followed suit and repeated his love{{ref|hinckley98}} and has affirmed that Church members with same-sex attraction are good people.{{ref|lattin}}

These expressions of love have also been extended to those with same-sex attraction who do not keep the standards of the Church. In the ''Miracle of Forgiveness,'' Spencer W. Kimball said that he found that men who were pursuing same-sex relationships were "basically good people who have become trapped in sin."{{ref|kimball69}}

The Church always strives to adequately express God's love for all people, including those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and their value as human beings. Elder Holland recounts a story of a man who came to him with a question. The man worried that because he was attracted to other men, he couldn't continue being a member of the Church. Elder Holland reiterated his love for this man and stressed that such feelings did not impede him from being a good member of the Church. After recounting the story, he tells of another man with same-sex attraction who was faithful in the Church. Of him, Elder Holland said, "I weep with admiration and respect at the faith and courage of such a man who is living with a challenge I have never faced. I love him and the thousands like him, male or female, who 'fight the good fight' (1 Timothy 6:12). I commend his attitude to all who struggle with—or who are helping others who struggle with—same-gender attraction." {{ref|holland07}}

The Church has instructed leaders of the Church that "when members with homosexual problems come to you for help, they may feel guilty and in despair, having been unable to change their lives. You can instill hope in them. Help them to know that you and their Heavenly Father love them and that they can be healed from their afflictions through the atonement of the Savior."{{ref|lds92}}

== The Church Helps People ==

While the Church seeks to help all people with their problems, a special call has been issued for members of the Church to help those who struggle with same-sex attraction. In 1995, Elder Oaks taught "All should understand that persons (and their family members) struggling with the burden of same-sex attraction are in special need of the love and encouragement that is a clear responsibility of Church members, who have signified by covenant their willingness "to bear one another’s burdens" (Mosiah 18:8) "and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)."{{ref|Oaks95}} Three years later, President Hinckley echoed Elder Oaks remarks by saying "We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties." {{ref|Hinckley98}}

There are many ways in which the Church helps those with same-sex attraction. For example, the Church has advocated employment and housing rights for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. When Salt Lake City asked the Church for its opinion on an ordinance which would protect gay people from housing and employment discrimination, the Church supported the measure. In the official statement, they said it was a "common-sense right" and a question of "human dignity".{{ref|LDS09}} Elder Holland said it could be a model for the rest of Utah.{{ref|Holland09}} This was done even though the Utah legislature, at the time, was against extending such rights.

Beyond advocating such legal protections, the Church has also sought to protect gays from physical and verbal abuse. Elder Oaks taught "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called "gay bashing"—physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."{{ref|Oaks95}}

The Church helps those with same-sex attraction by steering them away from destructive patterns, such as blaming themselves for their sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}} The leadership has warned against aversive therapies that have been used on gay people which have been shown to be abusive by the scientific field.{{ref|Oaks07}} They have spoken out against using marriage as a therapeutic step to change sexual orientation{{ref|Hinckley87}} and have instructed leaders not to encourage members with same-sex attraction to cultivate heterosexual feelings, since it often leads them to frustration and discouragement.{{ref|lds92}} They have assured members that same-sex attraction is not a sin{{ref|oaks07}} and if they remain faithful they can receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised His children, with no requirement to change sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}}

=== The Church Helps the Families of Those with Same-Sex Attraction ===

One of the best services that we can perform for our brothers and sisters is to help them feel the love of God through our actions. One way to accomplish this is by supporting their families. We should encourage family members to love and reach out to family members who struggle with same-sex attraction, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. In a 1992 statement to Church leaders, the Church counseled:
<blockquote>
"If a person with homosexual problems chooses not to change, family members may have difficulty maintaining feelings of love and acceptance toward the person. Encourage them to continue loving the person and hoping that he or she may repent."{{ref|lds92}}
</blockquote>

This was reiterated by Elder Oaks in 1997:
<blockquote>
"Surely if we are counseled as a body of Church membership to reach out with love and understanding to those ‘struggling with these issues,’ that obligation rests with particular intensity on parents who have children struggling with these issues... even children who are engaged in sinful behavior associated with these issues."{{ref|oaks07}}
</blockquote>

Families with gay members are strengthened through living the principles of love and respect taught by Jesus Christ and reiterated in the Proclamation to the World on the Family.{{ref|lds95}} The sister of a woman struggling with same-sex attraction wrote an ''Ensign'' article in which she describes how the Church has helped her with her relationship with her sister (Leigh).
<blockquote>
"I know the best thing I can do to have a close relationship with my sister is to have a close relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son. Leigh recently commented that it has been through the way our family has loved her that she has felt what she understood to be God’s love."{{ref|Leigh}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church Helps People Find Peace ===

The mission of the Church is to invite all unto Christ. We believe this is one of the fundamental ways in which we can serve our brothers and sisters. We believe we can come closer to Christ by taking upon us His name through the covenant of baptism, which includes a covenant to obey His commandments. Teaching and encouraging our brothers and sisters to obey the teachings of Christ is an important part in bringing them to Christ. This is the greatest good we can do for our brothers and sisters, and what will bring them the greatest joy.

The path that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, but we want as many of our brothers and sisters to find that path as possible. Christ taught against fornication and adultery, and we believe that includes all sexual relationships besides those between a husband and a wife. We teach and encourage all to obey this commandment, as part of our duty to bring them to Christ. Elder Oaks explains the natural consequences if people do not follow the law of chastity:
<blockquote>
"Those commandments, if they are not adhered to, result in guilt. That guilt is painful to people. There are two solutions to that guilt. One is to disbelieve in God or hold a congress and pretend that you can change God's commandments. The other is to discontinue that kind of conduct to the best of your ability."{{ref|oaks86}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks teaches there are two approaches to deal with guilt. We believe our approach of promoting the commandments of the Lord will help alleviate the guilt people feel when they break the commandments of God.

There are people who feel that by promoting this higher moral code the Church rejects people—including those who engage in homosexual practices—who choose to not follow this law. Elder Packer responded to this concern by saying:
<blockquote>
"We understand why some feel we reject them. That is not true. We do not reject you, only immoral behavior. We cannot reject you, for you are the sons and daughters of God. We will not reject you, because we love you. You may even feel that we do not love you. That also is not true. Parents know, and one day you will know, that there are times when parents and we who lead the Church must extend tough love when failing to teach and to warn and to discipline is to destroy."{{ref|packer01}}
</blockquote>

There are many gay members of the Church who want to live this higher moral code and find that the teachings of the Church are encouraging. This is one of the reasons why the Church teaches that those with same-sex attraction must abstain from homosexual relationships. Elder Wickman explains:
<blockquote>
"One of the purposes of that discussion was to try to be hopeful and encouraging to those who do but nonetheless want to conform their lives to what they understand the Lord's teachings to be."{{ref|mormonismmodern}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church Helps People by Empowering Them ===

We believe that peace comes through obeying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe all people are capable of obeying the commandments of God (1 Nephi 3:7). Unfortunately, people are often told they are incapable of obeying the commandments of God, that they are "too hard" or somehow "unfair." This limits their capabilities and prevents them from obtaining the peace that comes through obedience. By ensuring people that they are capable of obedience, we empower them to make their own decision. This enables them to chose whether or not to obey the commandments of God.

Many believe that people with same-sex attraction are incapable of abstaining from same-sex relationships, which by extension means they are incapable of obeying God's commandments. They preach a belief that those attracted to the same sex are created with only one choice about their sexual behavior. For example, in the Californian Supreme Court case "In Re: Marriage", the court ruled that for gay people "choice of a life partner will, by definition, be a person of the same sex." This choice, according to the court, is one "into which the class members are locked by the accident of birth."{ref|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} They leave no room for those with same-sex attraction to make a decision that would be in harmony with gospel, which by extension implies that such people were born to disobey God. This thought is very harmful. Individuals struggling with same-sex attraction may come to believe that they have no power over their sexual urges and the only choice is to act on them. Those who do not want to pursue same-sex relationships are told that option is not available to them. This can cause them to feel trapped and bring feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Psychologists have found that it is unhealthy to prevent a gay person from living according to their values. They found that telling them they are incapable of living according to their values interferes with their autonomy and self-determination, which is a key element to a successful resolution in therapy.{{ref|SelfDetermination}} The American Psychological Association has instructed psychologists to help gay clients make their own informed choices when they come to them for help with unwanted same-sex attractions. They are to support them in living according to their own values, even in this means helping them change their sexual orientation identity.{{ref|TherapeuticResponse}}

The message of the Church to all people is that "ye are free, ye are permitted to act for yourselves." (Helaman 14:30) While we teach against sexual relationships outside of a heterosexual marriage, we also teach that all are free to chose good or evil. We uphold that each individual is free to chose their own values according to the dictates of their own concience (AoF 12), and advocate their free exercise to act according to those values. (D&C 134:2) The ability to chose is considered one of the most precious gifts given from God to man. We fought a war in heaven to protect this agency. If a gay person is told and comes to believe that they are incapable of following the commandments of God, they they do not truly have the ability to chose for themselves. They have lost their agency. This is not God's plan for His children.

''God Loveth His Children'' affirms that gay people do have a choice and they are capable of living the commandments of God. It reads: "Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life."{{ref|GodLoveth}}

While other organizations say that gay people are incapable of obeying the laws of God, the Church tells them that they can. This empowers the gay person. It teaches that they are in control of their destiny, and they can make of their life what they want.

Much of this argument is based under the assumption that the Church is true, and that same-sex relationships are against the will of the Lord. Whether one agrees with that premise or not, that is the assumption that we are operating under. Being anti-gay has a lot to do with intentions, and we have no other intention than to bring peace to our gay brothers and sisters by bringing them to Christ. Our intentions are 100% pro-gay. Directing his comments to gay people who pursue same-sex relationships, Spencer W. Kimball taught "the Church and the Lord have no ulterior motives - the only desire being for the restoration of you, yourself, a son of God, made in his image".{{ref|kimball78}}

What is more important, there are gay people who also operate under the assumption that these things are true. These gay people deserve an organization that fights for their ability to chose an alternative lifestyle to the one the rest of the world presents. In no way, shape or form, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anti-gay.{{ref|larryking04}} We are a welcoming and affirming church for our gay brothers and sisters.

==Endnotes==
#{{note|TherapeuticResponse}}{{Citation
|author=American Psychological Association
|title=Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
|year=2009
|url= http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf}}
#{{note|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/revpub/A110449.PDF In re MARRIAGE CASES]
#{{note|Leigh}}[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=35ce1a01e8d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD “The Best Thing I Can Do for Leigh,”] Ensign, Sep 2009, 62–65
#{{note|kimball78}} [http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html New Horizons]
#{{note|EvergreenIndividual}} Evergreen International [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Individuals.htm Resources for Individuals]
#{{note|hafen}} - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.lds.org%2Fldsnewsroom%2Feng%2Fpublic-issues%2Felder-bruce-c-hafen-speaks-on-same-sex-attraction&ei=7ZhjS7PaFo_-sgO45rmdAw&usg=AFQjCNG0NnHSPtjgTuxXZ9LD4KQyRTCkKw&sig2=NwjozIDi2qTV72sM8LJyZw Elder Bruce C. Hafen Speaks on Same-Sex Attraction] - LDS Newsroom
#{{note|Hinckley87}}{{Citation
|last=Hinckley
|first=Gordon B.
|author-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|title=Reverence and Morality
|magazine=Ensign
|date=May 1987
|year=1987
|pages=45
|url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=969567700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
}}
#{{note|hinckley98}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7c86605ff590c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____''1998 What Are People Asking about Us?] Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
#{{note|hinckley99}}Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ff1b6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD. Why We Do Some of the Things We Do]. Ensign.
#{{note|larryking04}}{{Citation
|last1=Hinckley
|first1=Gordon B.
|author1-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|last2=King
|first2=Larry
|author2-link=Larry King
|title=A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|date=December 26 2004
|year=2004
|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/26/lkl.01.html
}}
#{{note|Holland07}}{{Citation
|last=Holland
|first=Jeffrey R.
|title=Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
}}
#{{note|Holland09}} [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13766464 LDS apostle: SLC gay-rights measures could work for state]
#{{note|kimball69}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=The Miracle of Forgiveness
|year=1969
|publisher=Bookcraft
|isbn=978-0-88494-192-7
}}
#{{note|kimball71}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=New Horizons for Homosexuals
|year=1971
|url=http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html
|publisher=LDS Church
}}.
#{{note|lds92}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders
|year=1992
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/protestantism/mormon/mormon-homosexuality
}}.
#{{note|lds95}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=The Family: A Proclamation to the World
|year=1995
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|contribution-url=http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
}}.
#{{note|GodLoveth}}{{cite web |url= http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate= 2007-12-07 }}
#{{note|LDS09}} [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/statement-given-to-salt-lake-city-council-on-nondiscrimination-ordinances Statement Given to Salt Lake City Council on Nondiscrimination Ordinances]
#{{note|lattin}}{{Citation
|last=Lattin
|first=Don
|title=Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley
|year=1997
|date=April 13, 1997
|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/04/13/SC36289.DTL
}}
#{{note|quietDesperation}}{{Citation
|last1= Matis
|first1= Fred
|last2= Matis
|first2= Marilyn
|last3= Mansfield
|first3= Ty
|title= In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction
|url= http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4772927
|accessdate= 2009-07-30
|year= 2004
|publisher= Deseret Book
|location= Salt Lake City, Utah
|isbn= 9781590383315
|oclc= 55644980
}}.
#{{note|mormonismmodern}} {{Citation|title= In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America |quote= Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled. |url= http://pewforum.org/events/?EventID=143 }}
#{{note|oaks95}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=43786e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1''1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement''], Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#{{note|oaks07}}{{Citation
|last=Wickman
|first=Lance B.
|authorlink=Lance B. Wickman
|editor=LDS Church
|title=Same-Gender Attraction
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
}}
#{{note|packer01}} Packer [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=67d1a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Ye Are the Temple of God]
#{{note|PlaceInTheKingdom}}[http://centurypubl.com/Place_Kingdom_Same_Sex_Attraction.htm ''A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.'']
#{{note|EnsignSSA}}For example, see [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20january%201997.htm/becoming%20whole%20again.htm Becoming Whole Again] and [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2002.htm/ensign%20august%202002.htm/my%20battle%20with%20samesex%20attraction.htm My Battle with Same-Sex Attraction]
#{{note|SelfDetermination}} There have been several studies which have investigated the effects of gay affirmative therapies on clients whose religious values go contrary to the ideals of gay affirmative therapy. For example, see {{cite journal |url= http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/651 |title= Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy |last= Beckstead |first= A. Lee |date= 2004 |volume= 32 |number= 5 |pages= 651–690 |doi= 10.1177/0011000004267555 |journal= The Counseling Psychologist }} {{cite journal
|url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/jpcreorientation.pdf
|title=Counseling practices as they relate to ratings of helpfulness by consumers of sexual reorientation therapy
|last=Throckmorton
|first=Warren
|coauthor=Welton
|date=Winter 2005
|publisher=Journal of Psychology and Christianity
|volume=24
|number=4
|pages=332–42|format=PDF}} and {{cite journal
|last=Haldeman
|first=Douglas
|url=http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/691?ck=nck
|title=When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide:Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients
|publisher=The Counseling Psychologist
|volume=32
|number=5
|year=2004
|doi=10.1177/0011000004267560
|journal=The Counseling Psychologist
|pages=691}}. Each have discovered that there are gay people for whom gay affirmative therapy is not helpful. This has lead the American Psychological Associate to issue a statement which reads "Mental health professional organizations call on their members to respect a person's (client's) right to selfdetermination".[http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx] When dealing with these gay patients, they have determined that the appropriate application of affirmative therapeutic interventions is one which "involves therapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients and the facilitation of clients’ active coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome." [Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexual-orientation.aspx]

Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction

2010-02-10T14:34:29Z

Awyatt: /* The Church helps gay people */

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the two great commandments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No teaching and no commandment conflicts with this law. We believe all mankind are our brothers and sisters. All who are baptized into the Church have made a covenant to "mourn with those who mourn" and "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This is especially true of our brothers and sisters who are attracted to the same gender. {{ref|oaks95}}.

Our Church welcomes all those seeking God and His will, including those with same-gender attraction. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to bring all people peace, generate hope, and nourish life-changing faith. This can lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

==The Church Welcomes All People==

The Church invites all people to come unto Christ. President Hinckley has specifically extended this welcome to those struggling with same-sex attraction. In 1999 he made the following statement:
<blockquote>
"As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church." {{ref|hinckley99}}
</blockquote>
The Church has developed several publications designed to reach out to members with same-sex attraction. The most recent, ''God Loveth His Children'', assures that
<blockquote>
"No one is, or ever could be, excluded from the circle of God’s love or the extended arms of His Church, for we are all His beloved sons and daughters."{{ref|GodLoveth}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks similarly stated:
<blockquote>
"Church leaders are sometimes asked whether there is any place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for persons with homosexual or lesbian susceptibilities or feelings. Of course there is." {{ref|oaks95}}
</blockquote>

Many with same-sex attraction are faithful members of the Church, as evidenced by the several organizations formed by these members:

*[http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen International]
*[http://northstarlds.org North Star]
*[http://www.ldslights.org Northern Lights]

LDS Family Services estimates that there are four or five members in every unit of the Church who are attracted to the same sex.{{ref|EvergreenIndividual}} Their stories have been profiled in the Ensign{{ref|EnsignSSA}} and in several books published by Church members. General Authorities attend these meetings and the proceedings are published on the Church's web site.{{ref|hafen}}

The Church welcomes all those who seek to live according to God's commandments, including those with same-sex attraction.

==The Church Loves Those with Same-Sex Attraction==

The Church teaches that those who struggle with same-sex attraction are beloved sons and daughters of God and are loved by the Church and its leaders. This love has always been extended by leaders of the Church. In one of the Church's first pamphlets geared towards gay people, President Kimball reminds gay people to "Remember, the Lord loves you, the Church loves you."{{ref|kimball71}} President Hinckley followed suit and repeated his love{{ref|hinckley98}} and has affirmed that Church members with same-sex attraction are good people.{{ref|lattin}}

These expressions of love have also been extended to those with same-sex attraction who do not keep the standards of the Church. In the ''Miracle of Forgiveness,'' Spencer W. Kimball said that he found that men who were pursuing same-sex relationships were "basically good people who have become trapped in sin."{{ref|kimball69}}

The Church always strives to adequately express God's love for all people, including those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and their value as human beings. Elder Holland recounts a story of a man who came to him with a question. The man worried that because he was attracted to other men, he couldn't continue being a member of the Church. Elder Holland reiterated his love for this man and stressed that such feelings did not impede him from being a good member of the Church. After recounting the story, he tells of another man with same-sex attraction who was faithful in the Church. Of him, Elder Holland said, "I weep with admiration and respect at the faith and courage of such a man who is living with a challenge I have never faced. I love him and the thousands like him, male or female, who 'fight the good fight' (1 Timothy 6:12). I commend his attitude to all who struggle with—or who are helping others who struggle with—same-gender attraction." {{ref|holland07}}

The Church has instructed leaders of the Church that "when members with homosexual problems come to you for help, they may feel guilty and in despair, having been unable to change their lives. You can instill hope in them. Help them to know that you and their Heavenly Father love them and that they can be healed from their afflictions through the atonement of the Savior."{{ref|lds92}}

== The Church Helps People ==

While the Church seeks to help all people with their problems, a special call has been issued for members of the Church to help those who struggle with same-sex attraction. In 1995, Elder Oaks taught "All should understand that persons (and their family members) struggling with the burden of same-sex attraction are in special need of the love and encouragement that is a clear responsibility of Church members, who have signified by covenant their willingness "to bear one another’s burdens" (Mosiah 18:8) "and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)."{{ref|Oaks95}} Three years later, President Hinckley echoed Elder Oaks remarks by saying "We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties." {{ref|Hinckley98}}

There are many ways in which the Church helps those with same-sex attraction. For example, the Church has advocated employment and housing rights for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. When Salt Lake City asked the Church for its opinion on an ordinance which would protect gay people from housing and employment discrimination, the Church supported the measure. In the official statement, they said it was a "common-sense right" and a question of "human dignity".{{ref|LDS09}} Elder Holland said it could be a model for the rest of Utah.{{ref|Holland09}} This was done even though the Utah legislature, at the time, was against extending such rights.

Beyond advocating such legal protections, the Church has also sought to protect gays from physical and verbal abuse. Elder Oaks taught "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called "gay bashing"—physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."{{ref|Oaks95}}

The Church helps those with same-sex attraction by steering them away from destructive patterns, such as blaming themselves for their sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}} The leadership has warned against aversive therapies that have been used on gay people which have been shown to be abusive by the scientific field.{{ref|Oaks07}} They have spoken out against using marriage as a therapeutic step to change sexual orientation{{ref|Hinckley87}} and have instructed leaders not to encourage members with same-sex attraction to cultivate heterosexual feelings, since it often leads them to frustration and discouragement.{{ref|lds92}} They have assured members that same-sex attraction is not a sin{{ref|oaks07}} and if they remain faithful they can receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised His children, with no requirement to change sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}}

=== The Church Helps the Families of Those with Same-Sex Attraction ===

One of the best services that we can perform for our brothers and sisters is to help them feel the love of God through our actions. One way to accomplish this is by supporting their families. We should encourage family members to love and reach out to family members who struggle with same-sex attraction, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. In a 1992 statement to Church leaders, the Church counseled:
<blockquote>
"If a person with homosexual problems chooses not to change, family members may have difficulty maintaining feelings of love and acceptance toward the person. Encourage them to continue loving the person and hoping that he or she may repent."{{ref|lds92}}
</blockquote>

This was reiterated by Elder Oaks in 1997:
<blockquote>
"Surely if we are counseled as a body of Church membership to reach out with love and understanding to those ‘struggling with these issues,’ that obligation rests with particular intensity on parents who have children struggling with these issues... even children who are engaged in sinful behavior associated with these issues."{{ref|oaks07}}
</blockquote>

Families with gay members are strengthened through living the principles of love and respect taught by Jesus Christ and reiterated in the Proclamation to the World on the Family.{{ref|lds95}} The sister of a woman struggling with same-sex attraction wrote an ''Ensign'' article in which she describes how the Church has helped her with her relationship with her sister (Leigh).
<blockquote>
"I know the best thing I can do to have a close relationship with my sister is to have a close relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son. Leigh recently commented that it has been through the way our family has loved her that she has felt what she understood to be God’s love."{{ref|Leigh}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church Helps People Find Peace ===

The mission of the Church is to bring all people to Christ. We believe that this is one of the fundamental ways in which we can serve our brothers and sisters. We believe we can come closer to Christ by taking upon us his name through the covenant of baptism, which includes a covenant to obey his commandments. Teaching and encouraging our brothers and sisters to obey the teachings of Christ is an important part in bringing them to Christ. This is the greatest good we can do for our brothers and sisters, and what will bring them the greatest joy.

The path that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, but we want as many of our brothers and sisters to find that path as possible. Christ taught against fornication and adultery, and we believe that includes all sexual relationships besides that of a husband and a wife. We teach and encourage all to obey this commandment, as part of our duty to bring them to Christ. Elder Oaks explains the natural consequences if gay people do not follow the law of chastity:
<blockquote>
"Those commandments, if they are not adhered to, result in guilt. That guilt is painful to people. There are two solutions to that guilt. One is to disbelieve in God or hold a congress and pretend that you can change God's commandments. The other is to discontinue that kind of conduct to the best of your ability."{{ref|oaks86}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks teaches there are two approaches to deal with guilt. We believe our approach of promoting the commandments of the Lord will help alleviate the guilt people feel when they break the commandments of God.

There are people who feel that by promoting this higher moral code, we are rejecting gay people who chose not follow this law. Elder Packer responded to this concern by saying:
<blockquote>
"We understand why some feel we reject them. That is not true. We do not reject you, only immoral behavior. We cannot reject you, for you are the sons and daughters of God. We will not reject you, because we love you. You may even feel that we do not love you. That also is not true. Parents know, and one day you will know, that there are times when parents and we who lead the Church must extend tough love when failing to teach and to warn and to discipline is to destroy." {{ref|packer01}}
</blockquote>

There are many gay members of the Church who want to live this higher moral code and find that the teachings of the Church are encouraging. This is one of the reasons why the Church teaches gay people to abstain from same-sex relationships. Elder Wickman explains:
<blockquote>
"One of the purposes of that discussion was to try to be hopeful and encouraging to those who do but nonetheless want to conform their lives to what they understand the Lord's teachings to be."{{ref|mormonismmodern}}
</blockquote>

Joseph Smith once taught that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things cannot produce the faith necessary for salvation. Certainly, we would want both gay and straight members of the Church to be able to produce the faith necessary for salvation. Our eternal family would not be complete without our gay brothers and sisters.

=== The Church helps gay people by empowering them ===

We believe that this peace can come through obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe all people are capable of obeying the commandments of God.(1 Nephi 3:7) Unfortunately, too often people are told they are incapable of obeying the commandments of God. This limits their capabilities and prevents them from obtaining the peace that comes through obedience. By ensuring people that they are capable of obedience, we empower to make their own decision. This enables them to chose whether or not to obey the commandments of God.

Many believe that gay people are incapable of abstaining from same-sex relationships, which by extension means they are incapable of obeying God's commandments. They preach the doctrine that gay people are created with only one choice about their sexual behavior. For example, in the Californian Supreme Court case "In Re: Marriage", the court ruled that for gay people "choice of a life partner will, by definition, be a person of the same sex." This choice, according to the court, is one "into which the class members are locked by the accident of birth".{{ref|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} They leave no room for a gay person to make a decision that would be in harmony with gospel, which by extension implies that gay people were born to disobey God. This thought is very harmful to gay people. They may come to believe that the have no power over their sexual urges, and the only choice is to act on them. Those who do not want to pursue same-sex relationships are told that option is not available to them. This can cause them to feel trapped and bring feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Psychologists have found that it is unhealthy to prevent a gay person from living according to their values. They found that telling them they are incapable of living according to their values interferes with their autonomy and self-determination, which is a key element to a successful resolution in therapy.{{ref|SelfDetermination}} The American Psychological Association has instructed psychologists to help gay clients make their own informed choices when they come to them for help with unwanted same-sex attractions. They are to support them in living according to their own values, even in this means helping them change their sexual orientation identity.{{ref|TherapeuticResponse}}

The message of the Church to all people is that "ye are free, ye are permitted to act for yourselves." (Helaman 14:30) While we teach against sexual relationships outside of a heterosexual marriage, we also teach that all are free to chose good or evil. We uphold that each individual is free to chose their own values according to the dictates of their own concience (AoF 12), and advocate their free exercise to act according to those values. (D&C 134:2) The ability to chose is considered one of the most precious gifts given from God to man. We fought a war in heaven to protect this agency. If a gay person is told and comes to believe that they are incapable of following the commandments of God, they they do not truly have the ability to chose for themselves. They have lost their agency. This is not God's plan for His children.

''God Loveth His Children'' affirms that gay people do have a choice and they are capable of living the commandments of God. It reads: "Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life."{{ref|GodLoveth}}

While other organizations say that gay people are incapable of obeying the laws of God, the Church tells them that they can. This empowers the gay person. It teaches that they are in control of their destiny, and they can make of their life what they want.

Much of this argument is based under the assumption that the Church is true, and that same-sex relationships are against the will of the Lord. Whether one agrees with that premise or not, that is the assumption that we are operating under. Being anti-gay has a lot to do with intentions, and we have no other intention than to bring peace to our gay brothers and sisters by bringing them to Christ. Our intentions are 100% pro-gay. Directing his comments to gay people who pursue same-sex relationships, Spencer W. Kimball taught "the Church and the Lord have no ulterior motives - the only desire being for the restoration of you, yourself, a son of God, made in his image".{{ref|kimball78}}

What is more important, there are gay people who also operate under the assumption that these things are true. These gay people deserve an organization that fights for their ability to chose an alternative lifestyle to the one the rest of the world presents. In no way, shape or form, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anti-gay.{{ref|larryking04}} We are a welcoming and affirming church for our gay brothers and sisters.

==Endnotes==
#{{note|TherapeuticResponse}}{{Citation
|author=American Psychological Association
|title=Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
|year=2009
|url= http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf}}
#{{note|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/revpub/A110449.PDF In re MARRIAGE CASES]
#{{note|Leigh}}[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=35ce1a01e8d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD “The Best Thing I Can Do for Leigh,”] Ensign, Sep 2009, 62–65
#{{note|kimball78}} [http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html New Horizons]
#{{note|EvergreenIndividual}} Evergreen International [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Individuals.htm Resources for Individuals]
#{{note|hafen}} - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.lds.org%2Fldsnewsroom%2Feng%2Fpublic-issues%2Felder-bruce-c-hafen-speaks-on-same-sex-attraction&ei=7ZhjS7PaFo_-sgO45rmdAw&usg=AFQjCNG0NnHSPtjgTuxXZ9LD4KQyRTCkKw&sig2=NwjozIDi2qTV72sM8LJyZw Elder Bruce C. Hafen Speaks on Same-Sex Attraction] - LDS Newsroom
#{{note|Hinckley87}}{{Citation
|last=Hinckley
|first=Gordon B.
|author-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|title=Reverence and Morality
|magazine=Ensign
|date=May 1987
|year=1987
|pages=45
|url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=969567700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
}}
#{{note|hinckley98}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7c86605ff590c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____''1998 What Are People Asking about Us?] Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
#{{note|hinckley99}}Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ff1b6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD. Why We Do Some of the Things We Do]. Ensign.
#{{note|larryking04}}{{Citation
|last1=Hinckley
|first1=Gordon B.
|author1-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|last2=King
|first2=Larry
|author2-link=Larry King
|title=A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|date=December 26 2004
|year=2004
|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/26/lkl.01.html
}}
#{{note|Holland07}}{{Citation
|last=Holland
|first=Jeffrey R.
|title=Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
}}
#{{note|Holland09}} [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13766464 LDS apostle: SLC gay-rights measures could work for state]
#{{note|kimball69}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=The Miracle of Forgiveness
|year=1969
|publisher=Bookcraft
|isbn=978-0-88494-192-7
}}
#{{note|kimball71}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=New Horizons for Homosexuals
|year=1971
|url=http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html
|publisher=LDS Church
}}.
#{{note|lds92}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders
|year=1992
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/protestantism/mormon/mormon-homosexuality
}}.
#{{note|lds95}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=The Family: A Proclamation to the World
|year=1995
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|contribution-url=http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
}}.
#{{note|GodLoveth}}{{cite web |url= http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate= 2007-12-07 }}
#{{note|LDS09}} [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/statement-given-to-salt-lake-city-council-on-nondiscrimination-ordinances Statement Given to Salt Lake City Council on Nondiscrimination Ordinances]
#{{note|lattin}}{{Citation
|last=Lattin
|first=Don
|title=Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley
|year=1997
|date=April 13, 1997
|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/04/13/SC36289.DTL
}}
#{{note|quietDesperation}}{{Citation
|last1= Matis
|first1= Fred
|last2= Matis
|first2= Marilyn
|last3= Mansfield
|first3= Ty
|title= In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction
|url= http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4772927
|accessdate= 2009-07-30
|year= 2004
|publisher= Deseret Book
|location= Salt Lake City, Utah
|isbn= 9781590383315
|oclc= 55644980
}}.
#{{note|mormonismmodern}} {{Citation|title= In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America |quote= Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled. |url= http://pewforum.org/events/?EventID=143 }}
#{{note|oaks95}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=43786e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1''1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement''], Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#{{note|oaks07}}{{Citation
|last=Wickman
|first=Lance B.
|authorlink=Lance B. Wickman
|editor=LDS Church
|title=Same-Gender Attraction
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
}}
#{{note|packer01}} Packer [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=67d1a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Ye Are the Temple of God]
#{{note|PlaceInTheKingdom}}[http://centurypubl.com/Place_Kingdom_Same_Sex_Attraction.htm ''A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.'']
#{{note|EnsignSSA}}For example, see [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20january%201997.htm/becoming%20whole%20again.htm Becoming Whole Again] and [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2002.htm/ensign%20august%202002.htm/my%20battle%20with%20samesex%20attraction.htm My Battle with Same-Sex Attraction]
#{{note|SelfDetermination}} There have been several studies which have investigated the effects of gay affirmative therapies on clients whose religious values go contrary to the ideals of gay affirmative therapy. For example, see {{cite journal |url= http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/651 |title= Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy |last= Beckstead |first= A. Lee |date= 2004 |volume= 32 |number= 5 |pages= 651–690 |doi= 10.1177/0011000004267555 |journal= The Counseling Psychologist }} {{cite journal
|url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/jpcreorientation.pdf
|title=Counseling practices as they relate to ratings of helpfulness by consumers of sexual reorientation therapy
|last=Throckmorton
|first=Warren
|coauthor=Welton
|date=Winter 2005
|publisher=Journal of Psychology and Christianity
|volume=24
|number=4
|pages=332–42|format=PDF}} and {{cite journal
|last=Haldeman
|first=Douglas
|url=http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/691?ck=nck
|title=When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide:Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients
|publisher=The Counseling Psychologist
|volume=32
|number=5
|year=2004
|doi=10.1177/0011000004267560
|journal=The Counseling Psychologist
|pages=691}}. Each have discovered that there are gay people for whom gay affirmative therapy is not helpful. This has lead the American Psychological Associate to issue a statement which reads "Mental health professional organizations call on their members to respect a person's (client's) right to selfdetermination".[http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx] When dealing with these gay patients, they have determined that the appropriate application of affirmative therapeutic interventions is one which "involves therapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients and the facilitation of clients’ active coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome." [Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexual-orientation.aspx]

Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction

2010-02-10T14:23:15Z

Awyatt:

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the two great commandments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No teaching and no commandment conflicts with this law. We believe all mankind are our brothers and sisters. All who are baptized into the Church have made a covenant to "mourn with those who mourn" and "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This is especially true of our brothers and sisters who are attracted to the same gender. {{ref|oaks95}}.

Our Church welcomes all those seeking God and His will, including those with same-gender attraction. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to bring all people peace, generate hope, and nourish life-changing faith. This can lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

==The Church Welcomes All People==

The Church invites all people to come unto Christ. President Hinckley has specifically extended this welcome to those struggling with same-sex attraction. In 1999 he made the following statement:
<blockquote>
"As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church." {{ref|hinckley99}}
</blockquote>
The Church has developed several publications designed to reach out to members with same-sex attraction. The most recent, ''God Loveth His Children'', assures that
<blockquote>
"No one is, or ever could be, excluded from the circle of God’s love or the extended arms of His Church, for we are all His beloved sons and daughters."{{ref|GodLoveth}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks similarly stated:
<blockquote>
"Church leaders are sometimes asked whether there is any place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for persons with homosexual or lesbian susceptibilities or feelings. Of course there is." {{ref|oaks95}}
</blockquote>

Many with same-sex attraction are faithful members of the Church, as evidenced by the several organizations formed by these members:

*[http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen International]
*[http://northstarlds.org North Star]
*[http://www.ldslights.org Northern Lights]

LDS Family Services estimates that there are four or five members in every unit of the Church who are attracted to the same sex.{{ref|EvergreenIndividual}} Their stories have been profiled in the Ensign{{ref|EnsignSSA}} and in several books published by Church members. General Authorities attend these meetings and the proceedings are published on the Church's web site.{{ref|hafen}}

The Church welcomes all those who seek to live according to God's commandments, including those with same-sex attraction.

==The Church Loves Those with Same-Sex Attraction==

The Church teaches that those who struggle with same-sex attraction are beloved sons and daughters of God and are loved by the Church and its leaders. This love has always been extended by leaders of the Church. In one of the Church's first pamphlets geared towards gay people, President Kimball reminds gay people to "Remember, the Lord loves you, the Church loves you."{{ref|kimball71}} President Hinckley followed suit and repeated his love{{ref|hinckley98}} and has affirmed that Church members with same-sex attraction are good people.{{ref|lattin}}

These expressions of love have also been extended to those with same-sex attraction who do not keep the standards of the Church. In the ''Miracle of Forgiveness,'' Spencer W. Kimball said that he found that men who were pursuing same-sex relationships were "basically good people who have become trapped in sin."{{ref|kimball69}}

The Church always strives to adequately express God's love for all people, including those who struggle with same-sex attraction, and their value as human beings. Elder Holland recounts a story of a man who came to him with a question. The man worried that because he was attracted to other men, he couldn't continue being a member of the Church. Elder Holland reiterated his love for this man and stressed that such feelings did not impede him from being a good member of the Church. After recounting the story, he tells of another man with same-sex attraction who was faithful in the Church. Of him, Elder Holland said, "I weep with admiration and respect at the faith and courage of such a man who is living with a challenge I have never faced. I love him and the thousands like him, male or female, who 'fight the good fight' (1 Timothy 6:12). I commend his attitude to all who struggle with—or who are helping others who struggle with—same-gender attraction." {{ref|holland07}}

The Church has instructed leaders of the Church that "when members with homosexual problems come to you for help, they may feel guilty and in despair, having been unable to change their lives. You can instill hope in them. Help them to know that you and their Heavenly Father love them and that they can be healed from their afflictions through the atonement of the Savior."{{ref|lds92}}

== The Church helps gay people ==

While the Church seeks to help all people with their problems, a special call has been issued for members of the Church to help gay people. In 1995, Elder Oaks taught "All should understand that persons (and their family members) struggling with the burden of same-sex attraction are in special need of the love and encouragement that is a clear responsibility of Church members, who have signified by covenant their willingness "to bear one another’s burdens" (Mosiah 18:8) "and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)."{{ref|Oaks95}} Three years later, President Hinckley echoed Elder Oaks remarks by saying "We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties." {{ref|Hinckley98}}

There are many ways in which the Church helps the gay population. For example, the Church is an advocate for employment and housing rights for gay people. When Salt Lake City asked the Church for its opinion on an ordinance which would protect gay people from housing and employment discrimination, the Church supported the measure. In the official statement, they said it was a "common-sense right" and a question of "human dignity".{{ref|LDS09}} Elder Holland said it could be a model for the rest of Utah.{{ref|Holland09}} This was done even though the Utah legislature was against these rights.

Beyond advocating legal protections for gay people, the Church has also sought to protect gay people from physical and verbal abuse. Elder Oaks taught "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called "gay bashing"-physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."{{ref|Oaks95}}

The Church helps gay people by steering them away from destructive patterns, such as blaming themselves for their sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}} The leadership has warned against aversive therapies that have been used on gay people which have been shown to be abusive by the scientific field.{{ref|Oaks07}} They have spoken out against using marriage as a therapeutic step to change sexual orientation,{{ref|Hinckley87}} and have instructed leaders not to encourage gay members to cultivate heterosexual feelings, since it often leads them to frustration and discouragement.{{ref|lds92}} They have assured gay members that being gay is not a sin{{ref|oaks07}} and if they remain faithful they can receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised his children, with no requirement to change sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}}

=== The Church helps family members of gay people ===

One of the best services that we can perform for our gay brothers and sisters is to help them feel the love of God through our actions. One way to accomplish this is by supporting their families. We should encourage family members to love and reach out to their gay family members, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. In a 1992 statement to Church leaders, the Church counseled:
<blockquote>
"If a person with homosexual problems chooses not to change, family members may have difficulty maintaining feelings of love and acceptance toward the person. Encourage them to continue loving the person and hoping that he or she may repent." {{ref|lds92}}
</blockquote>

This was reiterated by Elder Oaks in 1997:
<blockquote>
"Surely if we are counseled as a body of Church membership to reach out with love and understanding to those ‘struggling with these issues,’ that obligation rests with particular intensity on parents who have children struggling with these issues... even children who are engaged in sinful behavior associated with these issues" {{ref|oaks07}}
</blockquote>

Families with gay members are strengthened through living the principles of love and respect taught by Jesus Christ and reiterated in the Proclamation to the World on the Family.{{ref|lds95}} One woman with a lesbian sister wrote an Ensign article in which she describes how the Church has helped her with her relationship with her sister (Leigh).
<blockquote>
"I know the best thing I can do to have a close relationship with my sister is to have a close relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son. Leigh recently commented that it has been through the way our family has loved her that she has felt what she understood to be God’s love." {{ref|Leigh}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church helps gay people find peace ===

The mission of the Church is to bring all people to Christ. We believe that this is one of the fundamental ways in which we can serve our brothers and sisters. We believe we can come closer to Christ by taking upon us his name through the covenant of baptism, which includes a covenant to obey his commandments. Teaching and encouraging our brothers and sisters to obey the teachings of Christ is an important part in bringing them to Christ. This is the greatest good we can do for our brothers and sisters, and what will bring them the greatest joy.

The path that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, but we want as many of our brothers and sisters to find that path as possible. Christ taught against fornication and adultery, and we believe that includes all sexual relationships besides that of a husband and a wife. We teach and encourage all to obey this commandment, as part of our duty to bring them to Christ. Elder Oaks explains the natural consequences if gay people do not follow the law of chastity:
<blockquote>
"Those commandments, if they are not adhered to, result in guilt. That guilt is painful to people. There are two solutions to that guilt. One is to disbelieve in God or hold a congress and pretend that you can change God's commandments. The other is to discontinue that kind of conduct to the best of your ability."{{ref|oaks86}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks teaches there are two approaches to deal with guilt. We believe our approach of promoting the commandments of the Lord will help alleviate the guilt people feel when they break the commandments of God.

There are people who feel that by promoting this higher moral code, we are rejecting gay people who chose not follow this law. Elder Packer responded to this concern by saying:
<blockquote>
"We understand why some feel we reject them. That is not true. We do not reject you, only immoral behavior. We cannot reject you, for you are the sons and daughters of God. We will not reject you, because we love you. You may even feel that we do not love you. That also is not true. Parents know, and one day you will know, that there are times when parents and we who lead the Church must extend tough love when failing to teach and to warn and to discipline is to destroy." {{ref|packer01}}
</blockquote>

There are many gay members of the Church who want to live this higher moral code and find that the teachings of the Church are encouraging. This is one of the reasons why the Church teaches gay people to abstain from same-sex relationships. Elder Wickman explains:
<blockquote>
"One of the purposes of that discussion was to try to be hopeful and encouraging to those who do but nonetheless want to conform their lives to what they understand the Lord's teachings to be."{{ref|mormonismmodern}}
</blockquote>

Joseph Smith once taught that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things cannot produce the faith necessary for salvation. Certainly, we would want both gay and straight members of the Church to be able to produce the faith necessary for salvation. Our eternal family would not be complete without our gay brothers and sisters.

=== The Church helps gay people by empowering them ===

We believe that this peace can come through obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe all people are capable of obeying the commandments of God.(1 Nephi 3:7) Unfortunately, too often people are told they are incapable of obeying the commandments of God. This limits their capabilities and prevents them from obtaining the peace that comes through obedience. By ensuring people that they are capable of obedience, we empower to make their own decision. This enables them to chose whether or not to obey the commandments of God.

Many believe that gay people are incapable of abstaining from same-sex relationships, which by extension means they are incapable of obeying God's commandments. They preach the doctrine that gay people are created with only one choice about their sexual behavior. For example, in the Californian Supreme Court case "In Re: Marriage", the court ruled that for gay people "choice of a life partner will, by definition, be a person of the same sex." This choice, according to the court, is one "into which the class members are locked by the accident of birth".{{ref|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} They leave no room for a gay person to make a decision that would be in harmony with gospel, which by extension implies that gay people were born to disobey God. This thought is very harmful to gay people. They may come to believe that the have no power over their sexual urges, and the only choice is to act on them. Those who do not want to pursue same-sex relationships are told that option is not available to them. This can cause them to feel trapped and bring feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Psychologists have found that it is unhealthy to prevent a gay person from living according to their values. They found that telling them they are incapable of living according to their values interferes with their autonomy and self-determination, which is a key element to a successful resolution in therapy.{{ref|SelfDetermination}} The American Psychological Association has instructed psychologists to help gay clients make their own informed choices when they come to them for help with unwanted same-sex attractions. They are to support them in living according to their own values, even in this means helping them change their sexual orientation identity.{{ref|TherapeuticResponse}}

The message of the Church to all people is that "ye are free, ye are permitted to act for yourselves." (Helaman 14:30) While we teach against sexual relationships outside of a heterosexual marriage, we also teach that all are free to chose good or evil. We uphold that each individual is free to chose their own values according to the dictates of their own concience (AoF 12), and advocate their free exercise to act according to those values. (D&C 134:2) The ability to chose is considered one of the most precious gifts given from God to man. We fought a war in heaven to protect this agency. If a gay person is told and comes to believe that they are incapable of following the commandments of God, they they do not truly have the ability to chose for themselves. They have lost their agency. This is not God's plan for His children.

''God Loveth His Children'' affirms that gay people do have a choice and they are capable of living the commandments of God. It reads: "Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life."{{ref|GodLoveth}}

While other organizations say that gay people are incapable of obeying the laws of God, the Church tells them that they can. This empowers the gay person. It teaches that they are in control of their destiny, and they can make of their life what they want.

Much of this argument is based under the assumption that the Church is true, and that same-sex relationships are against the will of the Lord. Whether one agrees with that premise or not, that is the assumption that we are operating under. Being anti-gay has a lot to do with intentions, and we have no other intention than to bring peace to our gay brothers and sisters by bringing them to Christ. Our intentions are 100% pro-gay. Directing his comments to gay people who pursue same-sex relationships, Spencer W. Kimball taught "the Church and the Lord have no ulterior motives - the only desire being for the restoration of you, yourself, a son of God, made in his image".{{ref|kimball78}}

What is more important, there are gay people who also operate under the assumption that these things are true. These gay people deserve an organization that fights for their ability to chose an alternative lifestyle to the one the rest of the world presents. In no way, shape or form, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anti-gay.{{ref|larryking04}} We are a welcoming and affirming church for our gay brothers and sisters.

==Endnotes==
#{{note|TherapeuticResponse}}{{Citation
|author=American Psychological Association
|title=Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
|year=2009
|url= http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf}}
#{{note|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/revpub/A110449.PDF In re MARRIAGE CASES]
#{{note|Leigh}}[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=35ce1a01e8d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD “The Best Thing I Can Do for Leigh,”] Ensign, Sep 2009, 62–65
#{{note|kimball78}} [http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html New Horizons]
#{{note|EvergreenIndividual}} Evergreen International [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Individuals.htm Resources for Individuals]
#{{note|hafen}} - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.lds.org%2Fldsnewsroom%2Feng%2Fpublic-issues%2Felder-bruce-c-hafen-speaks-on-same-sex-attraction&ei=7ZhjS7PaFo_-sgO45rmdAw&usg=AFQjCNG0NnHSPtjgTuxXZ9LD4KQyRTCkKw&sig2=NwjozIDi2qTV72sM8LJyZw Elder Bruce C. Hafen Speaks on Same-Sex Attraction] - LDS Newsroom
#{{note|Hinckley87}}{{Citation
|last=Hinckley
|first=Gordon B.
|author-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|title=Reverence and Morality
|magazine=Ensign
|date=May 1987
|year=1987
|pages=45
|url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=969567700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
}}
#{{note|hinckley98}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7c86605ff590c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____''1998 What Are People Asking about Us?] Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
#{{note|hinckley99}}Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ff1b6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD. Why We Do Some of the Things We Do]. Ensign.
#{{note|larryking04}}{{Citation
|last1=Hinckley
|first1=Gordon B.
|author1-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|last2=King
|first2=Larry
|author2-link=Larry King
|title=A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|date=December 26 2004
|year=2004
|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/26/lkl.01.html
}}
#{{note|Holland07}}{{Citation
|last=Holland
|first=Jeffrey R.
|title=Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
}}
#{{note|Holland09}} [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13766464 LDS apostle: SLC gay-rights measures could work for state]
#{{note|kimball69}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=The Miracle of Forgiveness
|year=1969
|publisher=Bookcraft
|isbn=978-0-88494-192-7
}}
#{{note|kimball71}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=New Horizons for Homosexuals
|year=1971
|url=http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html
|publisher=LDS Church
}}.
#{{note|lds92}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders
|year=1992
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/protestantism/mormon/mormon-homosexuality
}}.
#{{note|lds95}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=The Family: A Proclamation to the World
|year=1995
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|contribution-url=http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
}}.
#{{note|GodLoveth}}{{cite web |url= http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate= 2007-12-07 }}
#{{note|LDS09}} [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/statement-given-to-salt-lake-city-council-on-nondiscrimination-ordinances Statement Given to Salt Lake City Council on Nondiscrimination Ordinances]
#{{note|lattin}}{{Citation
|last=Lattin
|first=Don
|title=Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley
|year=1997
|date=April 13, 1997
|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/04/13/SC36289.DTL
}}
#{{note|quietDesperation}}{{Citation
|last1= Matis
|first1= Fred
|last2= Matis
|first2= Marilyn
|last3= Mansfield
|first3= Ty
|title= In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction
|url= http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4772927
|accessdate= 2009-07-30
|year= 2004
|publisher= Deseret Book
|location= Salt Lake City, Utah
|isbn= 9781590383315
|oclc= 55644980
}}.
#{{note|mormonismmodern}} {{Citation|title= In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America |quote= Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled. |url= http://pewforum.org/events/?EventID=143 }}
#{{note|oaks95}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=43786e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1''1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement''], Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#{{note|oaks07}}{{Citation
|last=Wickman
|first=Lance B.
|authorlink=Lance B. Wickman
|editor=LDS Church
|title=Same-Gender Attraction
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
}}
#{{note|packer01}} Packer [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=67d1a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Ye Are the Temple of God]
#{{note|PlaceInTheKingdom}}[http://centurypubl.com/Place_Kingdom_Same_Sex_Attraction.htm ''A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.'']
#{{note|EnsignSSA}}For example, see [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20january%201997.htm/becoming%20whole%20again.htm Becoming Whole Again] and [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2002.htm/ensign%20august%202002.htm/my%20battle%20with%20samesex%20attraction.htm My Battle with Same-Sex Attraction]
#{{note|SelfDetermination}} There have been several studies which have investigated the effects of gay affirmative therapies on clients whose religious values go contrary to the ideals of gay affirmative therapy. For example, see {{cite journal |url= http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/651 |title= Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy |last= Beckstead |first= A. Lee |date= 2004 |volume= 32 |number= 5 |pages= 651–690 |doi= 10.1177/0011000004267555 |journal= The Counseling Psychologist }} {{cite journal
|url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/jpcreorientation.pdf
|title=Counseling practices as they relate to ratings of helpfulness by consumers of sexual reorientation therapy
|last=Throckmorton
|first=Warren
|coauthor=Welton
|date=Winter 2005
|publisher=Journal of Psychology and Christianity
|volume=24
|number=4
|pages=332–42|format=PDF}} and {{cite journal
|last=Haldeman
|first=Douglas
|url=http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/691?ck=nck
|title=When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide:Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients
|publisher=The Counseling Psychologist
|volume=32
|number=5
|year=2004
|doi=10.1177/0011000004267560
|journal=The Counseling Psychologist
|pages=691}}. Each have discovered that there are gay people for whom gay affirmative therapy is not helpful. This has lead the American Psychological Associate to issue a statement which reads "Mental health professional organizations call on their members to respect a person's (client's) right to selfdetermination".[http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx] When dealing with these gay patients, they have determined that the appropriate application of affirmative therapeutic interventions is one which "involves therapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients and the facilitation of clients’ active coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome." [Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexual-orientation.aspx]

Utilizador:InProgress/Same-sex attraction

2010-02-10T14:14:36Z

Awyatt:

"Love thy neighbor as thyself" is one of the two great commandments in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. No teaching and no commandment conflicts with this law. We believe all mankind are our brothers and sisters. All who are baptized into the Church have made a covenant to "mourn with those who mourn" and "comfort those who stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This is especially true of our brothers and sisters who are attracted to the same gender. {{ref|oaks95}}.

Our Church welcomes all those seeking God and His will, including those with same-gender attraction. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to bring all people peace, generate hope, and nourish life-changing faith. This can lead to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

==The Church Welcomes All People==

The Church invites all people to come unto Christ. President Hinckley has specifically extended this welcome to those struggling with same-sex attraction. In 1999 he made the following statement:
<blockquote>
"As I said from this pulpit one year ago, our hearts reach out to those who refer to themselves as gays and lesbians. We love and honor them as sons and daughters of God. They are welcome in the Church." {{ref|hinckley99}}
</blockquote>
The Church has developed several publications designed to reach out to members with same-sex attraction. The most recent, ''God Loveth His Children'', assures that
<blockquote>
"No one is, or ever could be, excluded from the circle of God’s love or the extended arms of His Church, for we are all His beloved sons and daughters."{{ref|GodLoveth}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks similarly stated:
<blockquote>
"Church leaders are sometimes asked whether there is any place in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for persons with homosexual or lesbian susceptibilities or feelings. Of course there is." {{ref|oaks95}}
</blockquote>

Many with same-sex attraction are faithful members of the Church, as evidenced by the several organizations formed by these members:

*[http://www.evergreeninternational.org Evergreen International]
*[http://northstarlds.org North Star]
*[http://www.ldslights.org Northern Lights]

LDS Family Services estimates that there are four or five members in every unit of the Church who are attracted to the same sex.{{ref|EvergreenIndividual}} Their stories have been profiled in the Ensign{{ref|EnsignSSA}} and in several books published by Church members. General Authorities attend these meetings and the proceedings are published on the Church's web site.{{ref|hafen}}

The Church welcomes all those who seek to live according to God's commandments, including those with same-sex attraction.

==The Church affirms gay people==

Like all of God's children, the Church teaches that gay people are beloved sons and daughters of God and are loved by the Church and its leaders. This love has always been extended by leaders of the Church. In one of the Church's first pamphlets geared towards gay people, President Kimball reminds gay people to "Remember, the Lord loves you, the Church loves you."{{ref|kimball71}} President Hinckley has followed suit and repeated his love for gay people,{{ref|hinckley98}} and has affirmed that the gay members of the Church are good people.{{ref|lattin}}

This affirmation of gay people has also been extended to gay people who do not keep the standards of the Church. In the Miracle of Forgiveness, Spencer W. Kimball said that he found that men who were pursuing same-sex relationships were "basically good people who have become trapped in sin."{{ref|kimball69}}

The Church always strives to affirm gay people in our love for them, and in their value as human beings. Elder Holland recounts a story of a gay man who came to him with a question. The man worried that because he was gay, he couldn't continue being a member of the Church. Elder Holland reiterated his love for this gay man affirmed that being gay did not impede him from being a good member of the Church. After recounting the story, he tells of another man with same-sex attractions who was faithful in the Church. Of him, Elder Holland said "I weep with admiration and respect at the faith and courage of such a man who is living with a challenge I have never faced. I love him and the thousands like him, male or female, who "fight the good fight" (1 Timothy 6:12). I commend his attitude to all who struggle with-or who are helping others who struggle with-same-gender attraction." {{ref|holland07}}

The Church has instructed leaders of the Church that "when members with homosexual problems come to you for help, they may feel guilty and in despair, having been unable to change their lives. You can instill hope in them. Help them to know that you and their Heavenly Father love them and that they can be healed from their afflictions through the atonement of the Savior."{{ref|lds92}}

== The Church helps gay people ==

While the Church seeks to help all people with their problems, a special call has been issued for members of the Church to help gay people. In 1995, Elder Oaks taught "All should understand that persons (and their family members) struggling with the burden of same-sex attraction are in special need of the love and encouragement that is a clear responsibility of Church members, who have signified by covenant their willingness "to bear one another’s burdens" (Mosiah 18:8) "and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2)."{{ref|Oaks95}} Three years later, President Hinckley echoed Elder Oaks remarks by saying "We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them with their problems and to help them with their difficulties." {{ref|Hinckley98}}

There are many ways in which the Church helps the gay population. For example, the Church is an advocate for employment and housing rights for gay people. When Salt Lake City asked the Church for its opinion on an ordinance which would protect gay people from housing and employment discrimination, the Church supported the measure. In the official statement, they said it was a "common-sense right" and a question of "human dignity".{{ref|LDS09}} Elder Holland said it could be a model for the rest of Utah.{{ref|Holland09}} This was done even though the Utah legislature was against these rights.

Beyond advocating legal protections for gay people, the Church has also sought to protect gay people from physical and verbal abuse. Elder Oaks taught "Our doctrines obviously condemn those who engage in so-called "gay bashing"-physical or verbal attacks on persons thought to be involved in homosexual or lesbian behavior."{{ref|Oaks95}}

The Church helps gay people by steering them away from destructive patterns, such as blaming themselves for their sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}} The leadership has warned against aversive therapies that have been used on gay people which have been shown to be abusive by the scientific field.{{ref|Oaks07}} They have spoken out against using marriage as a therapeutic step to change sexual orientation,{{ref|Hinckley87}} and have instructed leaders not to encourage gay members to cultivate heterosexual feelings, since it often leads them to frustration and discouragement.{{ref|lds92}} They have assured gay members that being gay is not a sin{{ref|oaks07}} and if they remain faithful they can receive all the blessings that Heavenly Father has promised his children, with no requirement to change sexual orientation.{{ref|Holland07}}

=== The Church helps family members of gay people ===

One of the best services that we can perform for our gay brothers and sisters is to help them feel the love of God through our actions. One way to accomplish this is by supporting their families. We should encourage family members to love and reach out to their gay family members, regardless of how they chose to live their lives. In a 1992 statement to Church leaders, the Church counseled:
<blockquote>
"If a person with homosexual problems chooses not to change, family members may have difficulty maintaining feelings of love and acceptance toward the person. Encourage them to continue loving the person and hoping that he or she may repent." {{ref|lds92}}
</blockquote>

This was reiterated by Elder Oaks in 1997:
<blockquote>
"Surely if we are counseled as a body of Church membership to reach out with love and understanding to those ‘struggling with these issues,’ that obligation rests with particular intensity on parents who have children struggling with these issues... even children who are engaged in sinful behavior associated with these issues" {{ref|oaks07}}
</blockquote>

Families with gay members are strengthened through living the principles of love and respect taught by Jesus Christ and reiterated in the Proclamation to the World on the Family.{{ref|lds95}} One woman with a lesbian sister wrote an Ensign article in which she describes how the Church has helped her with her relationship with her sister (Leigh).
<blockquote>
"I know the best thing I can do to have a close relationship with my sister is to have a close relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son. Leigh recently commented that it has been through the way our family has loved her that she has felt what she understood to be God’s love." {{ref|Leigh}}
</blockquote>

=== The Church helps gay people find peace ===

The mission of the Church is to bring all people to Christ. We believe that this is one of the fundamental ways in which we can serve our brothers and sisters. We believe we can come closer to Christ by taking upon us his name through the covenant of baptism, which includes a covenant to obey his commandments. Teaching and encouraging our brothers and sisters to obey the teachings of Christ is an important part in bringing them to Christ. This is the greatest good we can do for our brothers and sisters, and what will bring them the greatest joy.

The path that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow, but we want as many of our brothers and sisters to find that path as possible. Christ taught against fornication and adultery, and we believe that includes all sexual relationships besides that of a husband and a wife. We teach and encourage all to obey this commandment, as part of our duty to bring them to Christ. Elder Oaks explains the natural consequences if gay people do not follow the law of chastity:
<blockquote>
"Those commandments, if they are not adhered to, result in guilt. That guilt is painful to people. There are two solutions to that guilt. One is to disbelieve in God or hold a congress and pretend that you can change God's commandments. The other is to discontinue that kind of conduct to the best of your ability."{{ref|oaks86}}
</blockquote>

Elder Oaks teaches there are two approaches to deal with guilt. We believe our approach of promoting the commandments of the Lord will help alleviate the guilt people feel when they break the commandments of God.

There are people who feel that by promoting this higher moral code, we are rejecting gay people who chose not follow this law. Elder Packer responded to this concern by saying:
<blockquote>
"We understand why some feel we reject them. That is not true. We do not reject you, only immoral behavior. We cannot reject you, for you are the sons and daughters of God. We will not reject you, because we love you. You may even feel that we do not love you. That also is not true. Parents know, and one day you will know, that there are times when parents and we who lead the Church must extend tough love when failing to teach and to warn and to discipline is to destroy." {{ref|packer01}}
</blockquote>

There are many gay members of the Church who want to live this higher moral code and find that the teachings of the Church are encouraging. This is one of the reasons why the Church teaches gay people to abstain from same-sex relationships. Elder Wickman explains:
<blockquote>
"One of the purposes of that discussion was to try to be hopeful and encouraging to those who do but nonetheless want to conform their lives to what they understand the Lord's teachings to be."{{ref|mormonismmodern}}
</blockquote>

Joseph Smith once taught that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things cannot produce the faith necessary for salvation. Certainly, we would want both gay and straight members of the Church to be able to produce the faith necessary for salvation. Our eternal family would not be complete without our gay brothers and sisters.

=== The Church helps gay people by empowering them ===

We believe that this peace can come through obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe all people are capable of obeying the commandments of God.(1 Nephi 3:7) Unfortunately, too often people are told they are incapable of obeying the commandments of God. This limits their capabilities and prevents them from obtaining the peace that comes through obedience. By ensuring people that they are capable of obedience, we empower to make their own decision. This enables them to chose whether or not to obey the commandments of God.

Many believe that gay people are incapable of abstaining from same-sex relationships, which by extension means they are incapable of obeying God's commandments. They preach the doctrine that gay people are created with only one choice about their sexual behavior. For example, in the Californian Supreme Court case "In Re: Marriage", the court ruled that for gay people "choice of a life partner will, by definition, be a person of the same sex." This choice, according to the court, is one "into which the class members are locked by the accident of birth".{{ref|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} They leave no room for a gay person to make a decision that would be in harmony with gospel, which by extension implies that gay people were born to disobey God. This thought is very harmful to gay people. They may come to believe that the have no power over their sexual urges, and the only choice is to act on them. Those who do not want to pursue same-sex relationships are told that option is not available to them. This can cause them to feel trapped and bring feelings of hopelessness and despair.

Psychologists have found that it is unhealthy to prevent a gay person from living according to their values. They found that telling them they are incapable of living according to their values interferes with their autonomy and self-determination, which is a key element to a successful resolution in therapy.{{ref|SelfDetermination}} The American Psychological Association has instructed psychologists to help gay clients make their own informed choices when they come to them for help with unwanted same-sex attractions. They are to support them in living according to their own values, even in this means helping them change their sexual orientation identity.{{ref|TherapeuticResponse}}

The message of the Church to all people is that "ye are free, ye are permitted to act for yourselves." (Helaman 14:30) While we teach against sexual relationships outside of a heterosexual marriage, we also teach that all are free to chose good or evil. We uphold that each individual is free to chose their own values according to the dictates of their own concience (AoF 12), and advocate their free exercise to act according to those values. (D&C 134:2) The ability to chose is considered one of the most precious gifts given from God to man. We fought a war in heaven to protect this agency. If a gay person is told and comes to believe that they are incapable of following the commandments of God, they they do not truly have the ability to chose for themselves. They have lost their agency. This is not God's plan for His children.

''God Loveth His Children'' affirms that gay people do have a choice and they are capable of living the commandments of God. It reads: "Notwithstanding your present same-gender attractions, you can be happy during this life, lead a morally clean life, perform meaningful service in the Church, enjoy full fellowship with your fellow Saints, and ultimately receive all the blessings of eternal life."{{ref|GodLoveth}}

While other organizations say that gay people are incapable of obeying the laws of God, the Church tells them that they can. This empowers the gay person. It teaches that they are in control of their destiny, and they can make of their life what they want.

Much of this argument is based under the assumption that the Church is true, and that same-sex relationships are against the will of the Lord. Whether one agrees with that premise or not, that is the assumption that we are operating under. Being anti-gay has a lot to do with intentions, and we have no other intention than to bring peace to our gay brothers and sisters by bringing them to Christ. Our intentions are 100% pro-gay. Directing his comments to gay people who pursue same-sex relationships, Spencer W. Kimball taught "the Church and the Lord have no ulterior motives - the only desire being for the restoration of you, yourself, a son of God, made in his image".{{ref|kimball78}}

What is more important, there are gay people who also operate under the assumption that these things are true. These gay people deserve an organization that fights for their ability to chose an alternative lifestyle to the one the rest of the world presents. In no way, shape or form, is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anti-gay.{{ref|larryking04}} We are a welcoming and affirming church for our gay brothers and sisters.

==Endnotes==
#{{note|TherapeuticResponse}}{{Citation
|author=American Psychological Association
|title=Report of the American Psychological Association Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
|year=2009
|url= http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/therapeutic-response.pdf}}
#{{note|CaliforniaSupremeCourt}} [http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/revpub/A110449.PDF In re MARRIAGE CASES]
#{{note|Leigh}}[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=35ce1a01e8d43210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD “The Best Thing I Can Do for Leigh,”] Ensign, Sep 2009, 62–65
#{{note|kimball78}} [http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html New Horizons]
#{{note|EvergreenIndividual}} Evergreen International [http://www.evergreeninternational.org/Individuals.htm Resources for Individuals]
#{{note|hafen}} - [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewsroom.lds.org%2Fldsnewsroom%2Feng%2Fpublic-issues%2Felder-bruce-c-hafen-speaks-on-same-sex-attraction&ei=7ZhjS7PaFo_-sgO45rmdAw&usg=AFQjCNG0NnHSPtjgTuxXZ9LD4KQyRTCkKw&sig2=NwjozIDi2qTV72sM8LJyZw Elder Bruce C. Hafen Speaks on Same-Sex Attraction] - LDS Newsroom
#{{note|Hinckley87}}{{Citation
|last=Hinckley
|first=Gordon B.
|author-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|title=Reverence and Morality
|magazine=Ensign
|date=May 1987
|year=1987
|pages=45
|url=http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=969567700817b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
}}
#{{note|hinckley98}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&sourceId=7c86605ff590c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____''1998 What Are People Asking about Us?] Gordon B. Hinckley, Official Site of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved on September 28, 2007.
#{{note|hinckley99}}Hinckley, Gordon B. (Nov 1999). [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=ff1b6a4430c0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD. Why We Do Some of the Things We Do]. Ensign.
#{{note|larryking04}}{{Citation
|last1=Hinckley
|first1=Gordon B.
|author1-link=Gordon B. Hinckley
|last2=King
|first2=Larry
|author2-link=Larry King
|title=A Conversation with Gordon B. Hinckley, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
|date=December 26 2004
|year=2004
|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0412/26/lkl.01.html
}}
#{{note|Holland07}}{{Citation
|last=Holland
|first=Jeffrey R.
|title=Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
}}
#{{note|Holland09}} [http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13766464 LDS apostle: SLC gay-rights measures could work for state]
#{{note|kimball69}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=The Miracle of Forgiveness
|year=1969
|publisher=Bookcraft
|isbn=978-0-88494-192-7
}}
#{{note|kimball71}}{{Citation
|last=Kimball
|first=Spencer W.
|authorlink=Spencer W. Kimball
|title=New Horizons for Homosexuals
|year=1971
|url=http://www.connellodonovan.com/horizons.html
|publisher=LDS Church
}}.
#{{note|lds92}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=Understanding and Helping Those Who Have Homosexual Problems: Suggestions for Ecclesiastical Leaders
|year=1992
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|url=http://www.qrd.org/qrd/religion/judeochristian/protestantism/mormon/mormon-homosexuality
}}.
#{{note|lds95}}{{Citation
|author=LDS Church
|title=The Family: A Proclamation to the World
|year=1995
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|contribution-url=http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html
}}.
#{{note|GodLoveth}}{{cite web |url= http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=3e05c8322e1b3110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ |title=God Loveth His Children |accessdate= 2007-12-07 }}
#{{note|LDS09}} [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/statement-given-to-salt-lake-city-council-on-nondiscrimination-ordinances Statement Given to Salt Lake City Council on Nondiscrimination Ordinances]
#{{note|lattin}}{{Citation
|last=Lattin
|first=Don
|title=Musings of the Main Mormon: Gordon B. Hinckley
|year=1997
|date=April 13, 1997
|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle
|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1997/04/13/SC36289.DTL
}}
#{{note|quietDesperation}}{{Citation
|last1= Matis
|first1= Fred
|last2= Matis
|first2= Marilyn
|last3= Mansfield
|first3= Ty
|title= In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-gender Attraction
|url= http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4772927
|accessdate= 2009-07-30
|year= 2004
|publisher= Deseret Book
|location= Salt Lake City, Utah
|isbn= 9781590383315
|oclc= 55644980
}}.
#{{note|mormonismmodern}} {{Citation|title= In Focus: Mormonism in Modern America |quote= Every person on this planet has personal challenges. Some have challenges with same-sex attraction, some have problems with opposite-gender attraction that have to be controlled. |url= http://pewforum.org/events/?EventID=143 }}
#{{note|oaks95}} [http://lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=43786e9ce9b1c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1''1995 Dallin H. Oaks Statement''], Official Site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#{{note|oaks07}}{{Citation
|last=Wickman
|first=Lance B.
|authorlink=Lance B. Wickman
|editor=LDS Church
|title=Same-Gender Attraction
|place=Salt Lake City, Utah
|publisher=LDS Church
|year=2007
|url=http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD
}}
#{{note|packer01}} Packer [http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=67d1a1615ac0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 Ye Are the Temple of God]
#{{note|PlaceInTheKingdom}}[http://centurypubl.com/Place_Kingdom_Same_Sex_Attraction.htm ''A Place in the Kingdom: Spiritual Insights from Latter-day Saints about Same-Sex Attraction.'']
#{{note|EnsignSSA}}For example, see [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/1997.htm/ensign%20january%201997.htm/becoming%20whole%20again.htm Becoming Whole Again] and [http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Magazines/Ensign/2002.htm/ensign%20august%202002.htm/my%20battle%20with%20samesex%20attraction.htm My Battle with Same-Sex Attraction]
#{{note|SelfDetermination}} There have been several studies which have investigated the effects of gay affirmative therapies on clients whose religious values go contrary to the ideals of gay affirmative therapy. For example, see {{cite journal |url= http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/651 |title= Mormon Clients’ Experiences of Conversion Therapy |last= Beckstead |first= A. Lee |date= 2004 |volume= 32 |number= 5 |pages= 651–690 |doi= 10.1177/0011000004267555 |journal= The Counseling Psychologist }} {{cite journal
|url=http://www.drthrockmorton.com/jpcreorientation.pdf
|title=Counseling practices as they relate to ratings of helpfulness by consumers of sexual reorientation therapy
|last=Throckmorton
|first=Warren
|coauthor=Welton
|date=Winter 2005
|publisher=Journal of Psychology and Christianity
|volume=24
|number=4
|pages=332–42|format=PDF}} and {{cite journal
|last=Haldeman
|first=Douglas
|url=http://tcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/32/5/691?ck=nck
|title=When Sexual and Religious Orientation Collide:Considerations in Working with Conflicted Same-Sex Attracted Male Clients
|publisher=The Counseling Psychologist
|volume=32
|number=5
|year=2004
|doi=10.1177/0011000004267560
|journal=The Counseling Psychologist
|pages=691}}. Each have discovered that there are gay people for whom gay affirmative therapy is not helpful. This has lead the American Psychological Associate to issue a statement which reads "Mental health professional organizations call on their members to respect a person's (client's) right to selfdetermination".[http://www.apa.org/topics/sexuality/orientation.aspx] When dealing with these gay patients, they have determined that the appropriate application of affirmative therapeutic interventions is one which "involves therapist acceptance, support, and understanding of clients and the facilitation of clients’ active coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, without imposing a specific sexual orientation identity outcome." [Report of the APA Task Force on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/sexual-orientation.aspx]

Utilizador:InProgress/Common questions page 1

2009-10-09T16:04:33Z

Awyatt: /* 19. How can you say your church is true if you don’t know very much about other churches? */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=''Common Questions - p. 1''
|author=
|noauthor=
|section=
|previous=
|next=[[../Common questions page 2|Page 2]]
|notes=
}}
=Common Chat Questions=
==1. What’s different about the Mormon faith?==

The two things that probably most distinguish us is that we believe God continues to talk to prophets, and that he provides us with scripture in addition to the Holy Bible.

A third point is the concept of priesthood authority.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
'''''Distinctive beliefs:'''''
* [[Book of Mormon basics]]
* [[Apostasy]]

==2. Polygamy questions…Do Mormons really have more than one wife?==

Some Mormons practiced polygamy in the nineteenth century because they believed God had commanded them to. This practice was stopped more than a century ago by the Church prophets, and is forbidden to modern Mormons.

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy|l1=Joseph Smith and polygamy (summary article)}}

==3. I’m depressed . . . how can I find happiness?==

Depression can come from many causes. Some causes of depression include:

#medical illness - if we have a medical illness, we may wish to consult a physician for help;
#sins - if we do things we know are wrong, this will make us feel guilty and unhappy. Freedom from sins comes by repenting, receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and living righteously afterwards.
#trials or the difficulties of life - sometimes we feel depressed because we feel our life has no purpose, or because the burdens and challenges of life are overwhelming. A deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ can help us have peace in this life, and joy in the life to come.

Virtually everyone's life can be improved by repenting, and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught, service to others also has a wonderful way of lightening our own burdens. For some, professional treatment may also be needed.

==4. Can you prove the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon to me through archeological evidences?==

There is physical evidence that supports the Book of Mormon. We believe, however, that conversion to Jesus Christ (conviction about the Book of Mormon) will come only when people receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon's truthfulness. Archaeology cannot "prove" that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are correct when they teach that Jesus was the Son of God. Only God can provide this proof, though other evidences can help us decide to exercise our faith.

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_archaeology|l1=Book of Mormon and archaeology|Archeology_and_the_Bible|l2=Comparing archaeology of Bible and Book of Mormon}}

==5. How do I know the difference between my own feelings and the Spirit?==

The Holy Ghost does not speak to us just through feelings. The Lord tells us that "you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong"

This tells us that the Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and our feelings--they both must be in agreement. This is often something that occurs after much study and consideration of the question involved. An answer from God,through the Holy Ghost, will only come to those that sincerly want to know the truth and are truly willing to accept the testimony they receive.
{{SeeAlso|Burning in the bosom}}

==6. Why is Lucifer Christ’s brother?==

Lucifer was a spirit child of God, as was Jesus. Lucifer rebelled against God; Jesus was perfectly obedient and united to his father. Saying that Lucifer and Jesus are "the same" because they are both spirit child of God is like saying that Gandhi and Hitler were "the same" because they were both humans. They became very different beings because of the choices they made.

Or as one person suggested, Lucifer left the family a long time ago and to suggest that he is a brother to Jesus Christ implies a personal relationship that just no longer the case.
{{SeeAlso|Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan|l1=Lucifer as the brother of Christ}}

==7. Why did Joseph Smith marry a fourteen year old?==

We know very little detail about Joseph Smith's marriage to Helen Mar Kimball. We do know that marriage at a young age was not as uncommon, or as frowned upon, in the mid-1800s as it is today. We do know that consent was given by both Helen and her parents. We also know that both Joseph and Helen described the marriage in spiritual rather than romantic terms. Some historians have suggested that the marriage was "dynastic" rather than romantic in nature - a way to spiritually bind together faithful members of the Church in family-ties. There is no evidence that the marriage with Helen was consummated.

The sealing of people together in covenant bonds before God was always a primary focus of Joseph Smith's ministry. It can be seen in his efforts to build the community of "Zion" - a people of one heart and one mind, in the practice of polygamy, and in his concern for what happens to our departed dead. Joseph Smith was always seeking for ways to offer to human beings the same sort of unity that our Heavenly Father and his son - Jesus Christ share.

Would you like to hear more about how we can make covenants to draw closer to God and to other people?

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Helen_Mar_Kimball|l1=Helen Mar Kimball|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women|l2=Plural marriages to younger women}}

==8. Why isn’t eternal marriage mentioned in the Bible?==

There are some scriptures that discuss the importance of marriage in God's plan. The apostle Paul taught, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Cor 11:11). However, we believe that some important doctrines were hidden or removed from the writings that later became the Bible by those without authority from God. This is why having modern prophets is so important--God can teach us what it is important for us to know today.

{{EoMWiki|Marriage}}
'''''See also:'''''
{{MarriageWiki}}

==9. Why do you believe Christ is separate from God the Father?==

Christ is a separate personage from the Father, but he is united to him in will, in attributes, and in character. (Jesus prayed for the disciples to be "one" as Jesus and the Father were one--and yet, the disciples are clearly not one in "essence" (see {{b||John|17|11,21-22}}). We know them to be seperate as a result of the First Vision to Joseph Smith, where he testifies of seeing two seperate and distinct personages, one God the Father and the other Jesus Christ. We also have the testimonhy from scripture because the Bible teaches this--Jesus prays to his Father, he pleads for his will to match the Father's will, he ascends to his Father, and so forth. Finally, we believe the testimony of modern prophets, who have seen the Father and the Son, and bear witness of them ({{s||JS-H|1|17}}).

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead_and_the_Trinity|l1=Godhead and the Trinity}}

==10. Why do you believe that you can become a god?==

We accept the Bible's, as well as modern scripture, teachings that those who are saved are given our Heavenly Father's kind of life: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" ({{b||Revelations|3|21}}).

This does not mean we will be separate or independent of God, but will be part of His eternal family and will be part of God's great plan for His children.

{{EoMWiki|Exaltation}}
{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man|l1=Man becoming like Heavenly Father}}

==11. Do Mormons believe that they get their own planet?==

We know very little about what the life of the redeemed will involve. We know that they will be in God's presence, and we know that they will remain together in families. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," taught Paul ({{b|1|Corinthians|2|9}}).

{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man/Gods_of_their_own_planets|l1=God of their own planets?}}

==12. I’m already saved. Why do I need the Mormon baptism?==

We believe that anyone who already has faith in Christ would be anxious to learn more about him and more about what he has told us today. We would not expect you to be rebaptized unless you were convinced that God wanted you to do so. Baptism is not the first step; first you must learn what we believe God has revealed about Jesus in our day, and decide if it is true.

We beleive that baptism must be performed by one who has the proper priesthood authority. That authority was restored through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is available to bless the lives of all who are willing to accept this truth.

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}
{{SeeAlso|Why_preach_to_other_Christians|l1=Why does the Church preach to other Christians?}}

==13. What happens after we die?==

When we die, we go to a place called the "spirit world." For those who have been righteous, the spirit world is a place of peace and rest. For the wicked, this is called "spirit prison" or "hell," where they suffer for their sins. People who did not have a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life can learn about it in the spirit world. Eventually, every person will be resurrected--they will receive their body again. All will have an opportunity to accept the Savior and repent of their sins. The righteous will be resurrected to live with God and Jesus Christ; the wicked will also be resurrected, but must leave God the Father's presence forever. With few exceptions all will go and live in a place of glory that far exceeds this earth life in joy and happiness.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Three_degrees_of_glory_not_biblical|l1=Three degrees of glory in Bible}}

==14. What’s with the special underwear?==

Members of the Church who have made promises in the temple wear a modest form of underwear which reminds them of the promises they have made. Just as some Christians wear crosses or religious clothing of various types to remind them of their faith, Latter-day Saints do something similar.

{{EoMWiki|Garments}}
{{SeeAlso|Temple_garments|l1=Temple garments}}

==15. What does it take to get to heaven?==

To return to live with Our Heavenly Father, we must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized by someone who has authority, and receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost purifies us as if by fire, and we must then endure to the end in our new life by keeping the promises we made at baptism, and continuing to have faith in Jesus.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_and_the_fulness_of_the_gospel#What_is_the_gospel.3F|l1=Fulness of the gospel as taught in the Book of Mormon}}

==16. Why does God allow suffering in the world?==

God wants us to learn to make good choices without being forced to do so. He wants us to use our free will to do right.

This life is a time to learn how to make these kinds of choices. But, for us to be free to make these choices, God needs to be "out of sight." God allows bad things to happen because of natural laws and because of the bad choices of ourselves and other people.

But, he promises us that if we turn to him, he will give us comfort and strength to endure any bad things that happen, and he will help us to help others.

{{EoMWiki|Suffering_in_the_World|l1=Suffering in the World|Trials}}

==17. I’m losing my faith in God, what should I do?==

Having faith in God is like having a relationship with a friend. Our relationship with our friends would not be very close if we never spoke to them, never thought of them, or never wrote to them. To build faith in God, we should start by reading what God has written to us--this includes the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We should try to put into practice what we read. And, we should pray to God--we should talk to him, explain our problems, and ask for his help. We can be helped in this process by talking with others who have faith in God, such as the missionaries from the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Faith}}
==18. Do Mormons believe in multiple gods?==

Like other Christians, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Latter-day Saints understand this unity differently than some other Christians. Other Christians believe God is one in "essence," while Latter-day Saints believe they are separate personages that are one in love, in will, and in character. Because of this, some describe Latter-day Saints as believing in "many gods," but we consider that inaccurate. We simply understand how God is one in a different way.

{{EoMWiki|Godhood}}
{{SeeAlso|Polytheism|l1=Many gods?|%22No_God_beside_me%22|l2="No gods besides me" (Isaiah 43-46 questions)}}

==19. How can you say your church is true if you don’t know very much about other churches?==

It is not necessary to know all things in order to know what is true. The apostles who followed Christ during His ministry didn't know everything about all the religions of their day, but they were able to recognize the truth in Christ. That Jesus was the Christ, the true Messiah, was revealed to them by the Spirit of revelation. (See Matthew 16:15-17.)

We say our Church is true because God has similarly revealed it to us by His Holy Spirit. We do not expect others to take our word for it. We ask them not to believe us, but to take the steps necessary so that they can know for themselves.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==20. How can you be so presumptuous to say that you are the only true church when God loves all his children?==

It is true that God loves all his children, and so we do not believe that God would cause confusion or arguing about his Church. We believe that he will tell everyone who sincerely seeks whether what we teach comes from him or not.

We also believe that all churches and religions have many good, true things in them which also come from God. We invite all those who have truth to bring the truth they have, and see if we cannot add to it.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

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Utilizador:InProgress/Common questions page 1

2009-10-09T15:59:24Z

Awyatt: /* 19. How can you say your church is true if you don’t know very much about other churches? */

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=Common Chat Questions=
==1. What’s different about the Mormon faith?==

The two things that probably most distinguish us is that we believe God continues to talk to prophets, and that he provides us with scripture in addition to the Holy Bible.

A third point is the concept of priesthood authority.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
'''''Distinctive beliefs:'''''
* [[Book of Mormon basics]]
* [[Apostasy]]

==2. Polygamy questions…Do Mormons really have more than one wife?==

Some Mormons practiced polygamy in the nineteenth century because they believed God had commanded them to. This practice was stopped more than a century ago by the Church prophets, and is forbidden to modern Mormons.

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy|l1=Joseph Smith and polygamy (summary article)}}

==3. I’m depressed . . . how can I find happiness?==

Depression can come from many causes. Some causes of depression include:

#medical illness - if we have a medical illness, we may wish to consult a physician for help;
#sins - if we do things we know are wrong, this will make us feel guilty and unhappy. Freedom from sins comes by repenting, receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and living righteously afterwards.
#trials or the difficulties of life - sometimes we feel depressed because we feel our life has no purpose, or because the burdens and challenges of life are overwhelming. A deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ can help us have peace in this life, and joy in the life to come.

Virtually everyone's life can be improved by repenting, and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught, service to others also has a wonderful way of lightening our own burdens. For some, professional treatment may also be needed.

==4. Can you prove the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon to me through archeological evidences?==

There is physical evidence that supports the Book of Mormon. We believe, however, that conversion to Jesus Christ (conviction about the Book of Mormon) will come only when people receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon's truthfulness. Archaeology cannot "prove" that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are correct when they teach that Jesus was the Son of God. Only God can provide this proof, though other evidences can help us decide to exercise our faith.

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_archaeology|l1=Book of Mormon and archaeology|Archeology_and_the_Bible|l2=Comparing archaeology of Bible and Book of Mormon}}

==5. How do I know the difference between my own feelings and the Spirit?==

The Holy Ghost does not speak to us just through feelings. The Lord tells us that "you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong"

This tells us that the Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and our feelings--they both must be in agreement. This is often something that occurs after much study and consideration of the question involved. An answer from God,through the Holy Ghost, will only come to those that sincerly want to know the truth and are truly willing to accept the testimony they receive.
{{SeeAlso|Burning in the bosom}}

==6. Why is Lucifer Christ’s brother?==

Lucifer was a spirit child of God, as was Jesus. Lucifer rebelled against God; Jesus was perfectly obedient and united to his father. Saying that Lucifer and Jesus are "the same" because they are both spirit child of God is like saying that Gandhi and Hitler were "the same" because they were both humans. They became very different beings because of the choices they made.

Or as one person suggested, Lucifer left the family a long time ago and to suggest that he is a brother to Jesus Christ implies a personal relationship that just no longer the case.
{{SeeAlso|Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan|l1=Lucifer as the brother of Christ}}

==7. Why did Joseph Smith marry a fourteen year old?==

We know very little detail about Joseph Smith's marriage to Helen Mar Kimball. We do know that marriage at a young age was not as uncommon, or as frowned upon, in the mid-1800s as it is today. We do know that consent was given by both Helen and her parents. We also know that both Joseph and Helen described the marriage in spiritual rather than romantic terms. Some historians have suggested that the marriage was "dynastic" rather than romantic in nature - a way to spiritually bind together faithful members of the Church in family-ties. There is no evidence that the marriage with Helen was consummated.

The sealing of people together in covenant bonds before God was always a primary focus of Joseph Smith's ministry. It can be seen in his efforts to build the community of "Zion" - a people of one heart and one mind, in the practice of polygamy, and in his concern for what happens to our departed dead. Joseph Smith was always seeking for ways to offer to human beings the same sort of unity that our Heavenly Father and his son - Jesus Christ share.

Would you like to hear more about how we can make covenants to draw closer to God and to other people?

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Helen_Mar_Kimball|l1=Helen Mar Kimball|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women|l2=Plural marriages to younger women}}

==8. Why isn’t eternal marriage mentioned in the Bible?==

There are some scriptures that discuss the importance of marriage in God's plan. The apostle Paul taught, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Cor 11:11). However, we believe that some important doctrines were hidden or removed from the writings that later became the Bible by those without authority from God. This is why having modern prophets is so important--God can teach us what it is important for us to know today.

{{EoMWiki|Marriage}}
'''''See also:'''''
{{MarriageWiki}}

==9. Why do you believe Christ is separate from God the Father?==

Christ is a separate personage from the Father, but he is united to him in will, in attributes, and in character. (Jesus prayed for the disciples to be "one" as Jesus and the Father were one--and yet, the disciples are clearly not one in "essence" (see {{b||John|17|11,21-22}}). We know them to be seperate as a result of the First Vision to Joseph Smith, where he testifies of seeing two seperate and distinct personages, one God the Father and the other Jesus Christ. We also have the testimonhy from scripture because the Bible teaches this--Jesus prays to his Father, he pleads for his will to match the Father's will, he ascends to his Father, and so forth. Finally, we believe the testimony of modern prophets, who have seen the Father and the Son, and bear witness of them ({{s||JS-H|1|17}}).

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead_and_the_Trinity|l1=Godhead and the Trinity}}

==10. Why do you believe that you can become a god?==

We accept the Bible's, as well as modern scripture, teachings that those who are saved are given our Heavenly Father's kind of life: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" ({{b||Revelations|3|21}}).

This does not mean we will be separate or independent of God, but will be part of His eternal family and will be part of God's great plan for His children.

{{EoMWiki|Exaltation}}
{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man|l1=Man becoming like Heavenly Father}}

==11. Do Mormons believe that they get their own planet?==

We know very little about what the life of the redeemed will involve. We know that they will be in God's presence, and we know that they will remain together in families. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," taught Paul ({{b|1|Corinthians|2|9}}).

{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man/Gods_of_their_own_planets|l1=God of their own planets?}}

==12. I’m already saved. Why do I need the Mormon baptism?==

We believe that anyone who already has faith in Christ would be anxious to learn more about him and more about what he has told us today. We would not expect you to be rebaptized unless you were convinced that God wanted you to do so. Baptism is not the first step; first you must learn what we believe God has revealed about Jesus in our day, and decide if it is true.

We beleive that baptism must be performed by one who has the proper priesthood authority. That authority was restored through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is available to bless the lives of all who are willing to accept this truth.

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}
{{SeeAlso|Why_preach_to_other_Christians|l1=Why does the Church preach to other Christians?}}

==13. What happens after we die?==

When we die, we go to a place called the "spirit world." For those who have been righteous, the spirit world is a place of peace and rest. For the wicked, this is called "spirit prison" or "hell," where they suffer for their sins. People who did not have a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life can learn about it in the spirit world. Eventually, every person will be resurrected--they will receive their body again. All will have an opportunity to accept the Savior and repent of their sins. The righteous will be resurrected to live with God and Jesus Christ; the wicked will also be resurrected, but must leave God the Father's presence forever. With few exceptions all will go and live in a place of glory that far exceeds this earth life in joy and happiness.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Three_degrees_of_glory_not_biblical|l1=Three degrees of glory in Bible}}

==14. What’s with the special underwear?==

Members of the Church who have made promises in the temple wear a modest form of underwear which reminds them of the promises they have made. Just as some Christians wear crosses or religious clothing of various types to remind them of their faith, Latter-day Saints do something similar.

{{EoMWiki|Garments}}
{{SeeAlso|Temple_garments|l1=Temple garments}}

==15. What does it take to get to heaven?==

To return to live with Our Heavenly Father, we must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized by someone who has authority, and receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost purifies us as if by fire, and we must then endure to the end in our new life by keeping the promises we made at baptism, and continuing to have faith in Jesus.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_and_the_fulness_of_the_gospel#What_is_the_gospel.3F|l1=Fulness of the gospel as taught in the Book of Mormon}}

==16. Why does God allow suffering in the world?==

God wants us to learn to make good choices without being forced to do so. He wants us to use our free will to do right.

This life is a time to learn how to make these kinds of choices. But, for us to be free to make these choices, God needs to be "out of sight." God allows bad things to happen because of natural laws and because of the bad choices of ourselves and other people.

But, he promises us that if we turn to him, he will give us comfort and strength to endure any bad things that happen, and he will help us to help others.

{{EoMWiki|Suffering_in_the_World|l1=Suffering in the World|Trials}}

==17. I’m losing my faith in God, what should I do?==

Having faith in God is like having a relationship with a friend. Our relationship with our friends would not be very close if we never spoke to them, never thought of them, or never wrote to them. To build faith in God, we should start by reading what God has written to us--this includes the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We should try to put into practice what we read. And, we should pray to God--we should talk to him, explain our problems, and ask for his help. We can be helped in this process by talking with others who have faith in God, such as the missionaries from the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Faith}}
==18. Do Mormons believe in multiple gods?==

Like other Christians, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Latter-day Saints understand this unity differently than some other Christians. Other Christians believe God is one in "essence," while Latter-day Saints believe they are separate personages that are one in love, in will, and in character. Because of this, some describe Latter-day Saints as believing in "many gods," but we consider that inaccurate. We simply understand how God is one in a different way.

{{EoMWiki|Godhood}}
{{SeeAlso|Polytheism|l1=Many gods?|%22No_God_beside_me%22|l2="No gods besides me" (Isaiah 43-46 questions)}}

==19. How can you say your church is true if you don’t know very much about other churches?==

It is not necessary to know all things in order to know what is true. We say our Church is true because God has revealed it to us by His Holy Spirit. We do not expect others to take our word for it. We ask them not to believe us, but to take the steps necessary so that they can know for themselves.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==20. How can you be so presumptuous to say that you are the only true church when God loves all his children?==

It is true that God loves all his children, and so we do not believe that God would cause confusion or arguing about his Church. We believe that he will tell everyone who sincerely seeks whether what we teach comes from him or not.

We also believe that all churches and religions have many good, true things in them which also come from God. We invite all those who have truth to bring the truth they have, and see if we cannot add to it.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

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Utilizador:InProgress/Common questions page 2

2009-10-07T17:11:02Z

Awyatt: /* 48. What’s the difference between Mormons and Christians? */

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==21. Can you help me with my report on Mormonism?==

The best place to find information about Mormonism is probably a Mormon friend, or the [http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Encyclopedia_of_Mormonism Encyclopedia of Mormonism].

Volunteer members also answer questions about historical or doctrinal matters from a lay members' perspective at such sites as [http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php FAIR]. Many questions have already been answered as such sites as the [http://en.fairmormon.org FAIR wiki]. (Note that FAIR is a private group that is not affiliated with, and does not speak for, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

==22. Why would God create homosexual people?==

Part of our Heavenly Father's plan requires that we be in a world where natural laws and processes operate on their own. For example, without a miracle, if someone steps out of a window, they will naturally fall to the ground.

Part of these natural laws involve imperfections--children can be born with mental challenges, or blindness, or deafness, or a physical deformity.

God did not necessarily "cause" these deformities, challenges, or problems, but he permits them to occur.

People who struggle with homosexual feelings have often done nothing to cause such feelings--just as those who are blind, or deaf, or troubled in some other way have done nothing to "deserve" them or cause them. With every difficulty, God promises that if we obey him, he will provide a way to overcome our challenges, be happy, and return to him.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==23. I’m homosexual – will the church accept me?==

The church will accept you as it will accept any other person who repents and desires to follow Christ. You will likewise be expected to keep the same commandments as other members of the Church. This means that you will have no sexual relations with anyone, unless you are legally married to a person of the opposite sex.

Those with homosexual feelings are welcome. Those who commit homosexual acts would face Church discipline. All people—in or out of the church, homosexual or otherwise—are loved and respected as children of God. But, the Church cannot approve all the acts of God's children.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==24. What should I do if I have homosexual feelings?==

Homosexuals feelings should be approached the same way we would approach any other feeling or desire which does not have a moral expression. We all feel desires we should not express or act on: the desire to anger, the desire to steal, the desire for violence, etc. Instead of acting on our desires we should:
* avoid places, situations, or thoughts that encourage or strengthen the feeling we wish to avoid
* fill our minds, hearts, and activities with elements which encourage the desires we wish to act on
* pray to God for help in our weaknesses
* study the scriptures and understand true doctrine, which can motivate us to make wise choices
* repent of past unrighteous behavior, and resolve not to return to our sins.

Having homosexual feelings is not a sin. Acting on those feelings is.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==25. Why does the church hate homosexuals?==

The Church does not hate homosexuals. We love all our Heavenly Father's children. Since he has taught us that any sexual behavior outside of a marriage between a man and a woman will not bring lasting happiness now or after death, we share this information with others. They must decide whether to obey or not, but we would not be loving if we remained silent when someone we loved did something dangerous or damaging.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==26. Is God real?==

Yes. One of the powerful testimonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God is quite real and has been seen by a modern prophets. Jesus Christ Himself has visited the earth many times since the founding of the Church and directs the work of the Church. People who wonder about the reality of God are invited to study what God has said and to learn for themselves that He is not only real, but a loving father who will send His spirit into the lives of those who want to know Him.

{{EoMWiki|God}}

==27. Can you prove there is a God?==

No. There are many evidences of God, and there are many testimonies of those who have seen or experienced God. But the only proof of God is in one’s personal experience. We invite you to meet with the missionaries and to study what God has said about Himself. As you meet and honestly study with the missionaries, we believe you will experience the presence of God in your life through the power of the Holy Ghost.

{{EoMWiki|God}}
==28. Is there a heaven?==

Yes. Modern prophets have not only received revelation from God about heaven, but they have been given visions of its glory. The missionaries have a lesson that explains the Plan of Salvation and that will teach you where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going after this life is over.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==29. Why aren’t blacks allowed into the Mormon church?==

This is a common misconception, but blacks have always been allowed into the Church. The Church never even had segregated congregations, unlike some other Christian denominations. However, for over 100 years, from the mid 1800s to 1978, blacks were not ordained to the Church's lay priesthood. This was changed by a revelation from God to the prophet in 1978. Today there is absolutely no distinction made in any way between members of different colors or races, and blacks can be found serving in all positions in the church in fully integrated congregations.

{{EoMWiki|Race%2C_Racism|l1=Race, Racism}}
{{SeeAlso|Blacks_and_the_priesthood|l1=Blacks and the priesthood (summary page)}}

==30. Are you saved through Christ or Joseph Smith?==

We are saved through Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a prophet, like Peter, Moses, or Paul. Peter and Paul taught important things ''about'' Jesus, but their audience is saved only through Jesus, not through them.

Joseph Smith once wrote, “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}

==31. Are Mormons Christians?==

Yes. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and was crucified for the sins of the wold, and that he was resurrected after three days. Only through Him can we be saved.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==32. Why can’t you drink tea or coffee?==
We do not drink tea or coffee because God has given us this command by a modern prophet. In the Old Testament, God commanded his people not to eat pork. Later, he removed this command. It is wonderful that God will continue to give us advice and counsel for our day. Members of the Church also abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

{{EoMWiki|Word_of_Wisdom|l1=Word of Wisdom}}
{{SeeAlso|Word_of_Wisdom/Hot_drinks|l1="Hot drinks" (tea and coffee in Word of Wisdom)}}

==33. Why don’t you believe in the trinity?==

We believe in the trinity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--but we do not believe ideas added to the trinity after the Bible was written. We do not, for example, believe that the trinity is one is essence. We believe they are one in intent, in goal, in love, and in purpose. This is sometimes called a form of "social trinitarianism." (For more information, see answer to [[#9._Why_do_you_believe_Christ_is_separate_from_God_the_Father.3F|Question #9]].)

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead and the Trinity}}

==34. What is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost?==

The “laying on of hands” is a religious ordinance, like baptism, that is performed by a person holding the priesthood. The person receiving this ordinance will sit in a chair and one or more priesthood holders will stand around the chair with their hands on the person’s head. One of the priesthood holders will then give the person the gift of the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that this ordinance was performed in the New Testament church and at other times when Christ’s church was on the earth. The person receiving the Holy Ghost is given the right and privilege to have the Holy Ghost be a constant companion to offer comfort, guidance, and protection.

{{EoMWiki|Laying_on_of_Hands|l1=Laying on of Hands}}

==35. Where are there scriptures about authority in the Bible?==

The scriptures relating to authority are found in the gospels where Christ gave authority to the twelve apostles and to the seventy. Other passages can be found in Acts, Hebrews, and other epistles where authority is either given or discussed.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
{{SeeAlso|What_does_the_Bible_teach_about_priesthood|l1=Bible teachings on priesthood and authority|Priesthood_restoration|l2=Need for priesthood restoration}}

==36. What authority did Jesus have?==

Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth. As the Son of God and as a member of the Godhead, Jesus was the agent through whom God created all things. Jesus has authority over death and resurrection as well as over all sin and redemption.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==37. Why doesn’t your church have ordained clergy?==

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t have a professional clergy because Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, has directed that it should not. Jesus has revealed through His living prophets and apostles that all local leaders should be chosen from the lay membership of the congregation where they live. No one attends school or "decides" that being a minister or clergy member will be their profession or means of earning a living.

Technically, however, Latter-day Saint leaders are ordained. All men and women called to serve as leaders in their congregations are “set apart” by the laying on of hands to serve in those capacities.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==38. Can non-Mormons go to heaven?==

Yes, if by “non-Mormon” you mean someone who never joined the Church during his or her life. The means of going to heaven are the same for everyone, and those means were chosen by Jesus Christ, the judge and redeemer of all. The missionaries have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation where they will explain where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going after this life is over. No one can be saved and live with God unless he or she has accepted Christ and covenanted with Him to become a son or daughter of God. But there are many who have lived on the earth who have never had a chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, either because of when they lived or where they lived. These people will not be denied the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, and they will have an equal chance to enter heaven and live eternally with God.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==39. Where does your doctrine of agency come from if the word "agency" never appears in the Bible?==

The doctrine of agency, as with all doctrines, comes from God by revelation to His prophets. The doctrine that all people have the ability to choose between good and evil—and are responsible for their choices—is taught directly and indirectly in the Bible. Other terms which could be used include "free will," or "choice." ("Choose ye this day," said Joshua, "whom ye will serve" [{{b||Joshua|24|15}}]).

Although the word “agency” is not used, this principle has been taught and evidenced from the time of the Garden of Eden to the end of the New Testament. In fact, many of the teachings and commandments of the Savior presume such a principle and doctrine.

{{EoMWiki|Agency}}

==40. Why did God give Adam and Even conflicting commandments?==

God gave Adam and Eve a number of commandments and the ability to choose between them. God’s plan from the beginning was to provide a savior for the world who would redeem men from their sins and from the effects of the Fall. As such, Adam and Eve were free to choose how they would act given their understanding of what God had said.

==41. When is the end of the world?==

God has not revealed when the world will end. There are many things that have not yet happened that have been prophesied, so one could argue that the end of the world is still a ways off. Yet God also said that the end would come at a time when people were not expecting it. God’s prophets have said that we each should be living our lives in such a way that we are always prepared for “the end,” whether that end is the end of the world or the end of our own mortal lives.

God does not wish us to live in fear and dread of the "end times." He has told us that if we have faith in Jesus Christ and keep his commandments, we will have "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come" ({{s||DC|59|23}}).

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==42. Will the world end in 2012?==

There is no reason to believe that 2012 has any special significance at all. That year comes from the Mayan calendar, which will do nothing more than go through a cycle similar to our calendar’s year 2000 change.

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==43. Why do we need the Book of Mormon when we already have the Bible?==

The Book of Mormon was given by God for several reasons. First of all, the Book of Mormon is strong evidence for the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church. Secondly, the Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day and is not merely a collection of ancient writings. The Book of Mormon was written as a witness of the divinity of Christ and its powerful testimony of Christ has been the key to many people gaining faith in Christ and repenting of their sins. Thirdly, the Book of Mormon authors wrote about some doctrines and practices that are covered lightly or ambiguously in the Bible. The Book of Mormon thus teaches with great power and clarity some doctrines and principles that have been disputed and debated for centuries among Christians with only the Bible to draw on for authoritative statements.

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Book of Mormon basics|Plain_and_precious_Book_of_Mormon_doctrines|l2=Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines}}

==44. Where is Kolob?==

Kolob is mentioned in the Book of Abraham as part of Abraham’s discourse about the greatness of God. In Abraham’s cosmology, he likens the heavens to a series of concentric rings where each ring dominates in glory and power the ring beneath it. In Abraham’s cosmology, the greatest ring of heaven is the dwelling place of God, and a star within that ring has the name “Kolob.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no doctrine of any kind regarding Kolob or its location. Some members may view that as being a real place or object somewhere in the universe, while others may view it as just part of an ancient view of the world (along the lines of the "vault of heaven" and rain coming through holes in the "firmament of heaven"). That is, the Church has no doctrine about whether Kolob should be taken literally or figuratively and thus for some members Kolob is just an ancient (and unscientific according to modern standards) belief that was used by Abraham to explain that God was greater, more powerful, and more glorious than any other divine being that other nations may have worshiped.

{{SeeAlso|Kolob}}

==45. Why can’t we see the gold plates?==

The gold plates were taken back by the Angel Moroni after the translation process was complete. God did permit a number of people to see, touch, lift, or hear the (rustling) plates, and we have the written testimony of their experiences. The Book of Mormon lists three people who saw the plates, saw an angel, and heard the voice of God. Also in the Book of Mormon is the testimony of eight people who saw, felt, and lifted the plates. In addition to these eleven people, we have Joseph Smith’s testimony and the testimonies of several others who were not official witnesses but who had experiences with the physical plates.

To read more: [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/thrwtnss Testimony of Three Witnesses] and [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/eghtwtns Testimony of Eight Witnesses]

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l1=Book of Mormon witnesses (summary)|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Eight_witnesses|l2=Eight witnesses|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Other_Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l3=Other witnesses}}

==46. Where are the gold plates now?==

God has not said where they are.

==47. If this is the true church, why doesn’t God just announce it to everyone?==

God has announced it to everyone in exactly the same way that He announced the resurrection of His Son to everyone. Apostles, prophets, seventies, and other missionaries have traveled to virtually every country of the world preaching the message.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==48. What’s the difference between Mormons and Christians?==

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are a type of Christian. The relationship between Mormons and Christianity is the same as that between Californians and Americans—all Californians live in the United States, but there are many who live in the United States who are not Californians. In reality, members of the Church form a subset of Christianity, as do Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and members of other Christian sects.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==49. Why don’t you believe in the Bible?==

Members of the Church do believe in the Bible. They study the Bible for two out of every four years in Sunday School, and as teenagers in week-day instruction called "seminary."

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Bible basics|Template:Biblewiki|l2=Full list of Bible-related wiki questions}}

==50. Why don’t Mormons believe in hell?==

Members of the Church do believe in hell. In the Church, the term "hell" can refer to more than one thing. There are many similarities, and some differences, between how Latter-day Saints and others understand it.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Hell}}

==51. What does your church believe about evolution?==

The Church has no position on organic evolution, save that it regards Adam as the primal parent of the human race, and does not see humans as merely advanced animals. Members and leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions on most such matters, and a variety of views have been expressed in the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Evolution}}
{{SeeAlso|Evolution|l1=Official statements about evolution|Evolution:Primary_sources|l2=Variety of views|Mormonism_and_science|l3=The Church and science}}
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Awyatt: /* 45. Why can’t we see the gold plates? */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=''Common Questions - p. 2''
|author=
|noauthor=
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==21. Can you help me with my report on Mormonism?==

The best place to find information about Mormonism is probably a Mormon friend, or the [http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Encyclopedia_of_Mormonism Encyclopedia of Mormonism].

Volunteer members also answer questions about historical or doctrinal matters from a lay members' perspective at such sites as [http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php FAIR]. Many questions have already been answered as such sites as the [http://en.fairmormon.org FAIR wiki]. (Note that FAIR is a private group that is not affiliated with, and does not speak for, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

==22. Why would God create homosexual people?==

Part of our Heavenly Father's plan requires that we be in a world where natural laws and processes operate on their own. For example, without a miracle, if someone steps out of a window, they will naturally fall to the ground.

Part of these natural laws involve imperfections--children can be born with mental challenges, or blindness, or deafness, or a physical deformity.

God did not necessarily "cause" these deformities, challenges, or problems, but he permits them to occur.

People who struggle with homosexual feelings have often done nothing to cause such feelings--just as those who are blind, or deaf, or troubled in some other way have done nothing to "deserve" them or cause them. With every difficulty, God promises that if we obey him, he will provide a way to overcome our challenges, be happy, and return to him.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==23. I’m homosexual – will the church accept me?==

The church will accept you as it will accept any other person who repents and desires to follow Christ. You will likewise be expected to keep the same commandments as other members of the Church. This means that you will have no sexual relations with anyone, unless you are legally married to a person of the opposite sex.

Those with homosexual feelings are welcome. Those who commit homosexual acts would face Church discipline. All people—in or out of the church, homosexual or otherwise—are loved and respected as children of God. But, the Church cannot approve all the acts of God's children.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==24. What should I do if I have homosexual feelings?==

Homosexuals feelings should be approached the same way we would approach any other feeling or desire which does not have a moral expression. We all feel desires we should not express or act on: the desire to anger, the desire to steal, the desire for violence, etc. Instead of acting on our desires we should:
* avoid places, situations, or thoughts that encourage or strengthen the feeling we wish to avoid
* fill our minds, hearts, and activities with elements which encourage the desires we wish to act on
* pray to God for help in our weaknesses
* study the scriptures and understand true doctrine, which can motivate us to make wise choices
* repent of past unrighteous behavior, and resolve not to return to our sins.

Having homosexual feelings is not a sin. Acting on those feelings is.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==25. Why does the church hate homosexuals?==

The Church does not hate homosexuals. We love all our Heavenly Father's children. Since he has taught us that any sexual behavior outside of a marriage between a man and a woman will not bring lasting happiness now or after death, we share this information with others. They must decide whether to obey or not, but we would not be loving if we remained silent when someone we loved did something dangerous or damaging.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==26. Is God real?==

Yes. One of the powerful testimonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God is quite real and has been seen by a modern prophets. Jesus Christ Himself has visited the earth many times since the founding of the Church and directs the work of the Church. People who wonder about the reality of God are invited to study what God has said and to learn for themselves that He is not only real, but a loving father who will send His spirit into the lives of those who want to know Him.

{{EoMWiki|God}}

==27. Can you prove there is a God?==

No. There are many evidences of God, and there are many testimonies of those who have seen or experienced God. But the only proof of God is in one’s personal experience. We invite you to meet with the missionaries and to study what God has said about Himself. As you meet and honestly study with the missionaries, we believe you will experience the presence of God in your life through the power of the Holy Ghost.

{{EoMWiki|God}}
==28. Is there a heaven?==

Yes. Modern prophets have not only received revelation from God about heaven, but they have been given visions of its glory. The missionaries have a lesson that explains the Plan of Salvation and that will teach you where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going after this life is over.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==29. Why aren’t blacks allowed into the Mormon church?==

This is a common misconception, but blacks have always been allowed into the Church. The Church never even had segregated congregations, unlike some other Christian denominations. However, for over 100 years, from the mid 1800s to 1978, blacks were not ordained to the Church's lay priesthood. This was changed by a revelation from God to the prophet in 1978. Today there is absolutely no distinction made in any way between members of different colors or races, and blacks can be found serving in all positions in the church in fully integrated congregations.

{{EoMWiki|Race%2C_Racism|l1=Race, Racism}}
{{SeeAlso|Blacks_and_the_priesthood|l1=Blacks and the priesthood (summary page)}}

==30. Are you saved through Christ or Joseph Smith?==

We are saved through Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a prophet, like Peter, Moses, or Paul. Peter and Paul taught important things ''about'' Jesus, but their audience is saved only through Jesus, not through them.

Joseph Smith once wrote, “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}

==31. Are Mormons Christians?==

Yes. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and was crucified for the sins of the wold, and that he was resurrected after three days. Only through Him can we be saved.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==32. Why can’t you drink tea or coffee?==
We do not drink tea or coffee because God has given us this command by a modern prophet. In the Old Testament, God commanded his people not to eat pork. Later, he removed this command. It is wonderful that God will continue to give us advice and counsel for our day. Members of the Church also abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

{{EoMWiki|Word_of_Wisdom|l1=Word of Wisdom}}
{{SeeAlso|Word_of_Wisdom/Hot_drinks|l1="Hot drinks" (tea and coffee in Word of Wisdom)}}

==33. Why don’t you believe in the trinity?==

We believe in the trinity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--but we do not believe ideas added to the trinity after the Bible was written. We do not, for example, believe that the trinity is one is essence. We believe they are one in intent, in goal, in love, and in purpose. This is sometimes called a form of "social trinitarianism." (For more information, see answer to [[#9._Why_do_you_believe_Christ_is_separate_from_God_the_Father.3F|Question #9]].)

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead and the Trinity}}

==34. What is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost?==

The “laying on of hands” is a religious ordinance, like baptism, that is performed by a person holding the priesthood. The person receiving this ordinance will sit in a chair and one or more priesthood holders will stand around the chair with their hands on the person’s head. One of the priesthood holders will then give the person the gift of the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that this ordinance was performed in the New Testament church and at other times when Christ’s church was on the earth. The person receiving the Holy Ghost is given the right and privilege to have the Holy Ghost be a constant companion to offer comfort, guidance, and protection.

{{EoMWiki|Laying_on_of_Hands|l1=Laying on of Hands}}

==35. Where are there scriptures about authority in the Bible?==

The scriptures relating to authority are found in the gospels where Christ gave authority to the twelve apostles and to the seventy. Other passages can be found in Acts, Hebrews, and other epistles where authority is either given or discussed.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
{{SeeAlso|What_does_the_Bible_teach_about_priesthood|l1=Bible teachings on priesthood and authority|Priesthood_restoration|l2=Need for priesthood restoration}}

==36. What authority did Jesus have?==

Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth. As the Son of God and as a member of the Godhead, Jesus was the agent through whom God created all things. Jesus has authority over death and resurrection as well as over all sin and redemption.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==37. Why doesn’t your church have ordained clergy?==

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t have a professional clergy because Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, has directed that it should not. Jesus has revealed through His living prophets and apostles that all local leaders should be chosen from the lay membership of the congregation where they live. No one attends school or "decides" that being a minister or clergy member will be their profession or means of earning a living.

Technically, however, Latter-day Saint leaders are ordained. All men and women called to serve as leaders in their congregations are “set apart” by the laying on of hands to serve in those capacities.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==38. Can non-Mormons go to heaven?==

Yes, if by “non-Mormon” you mean someone who never joined the Church during his or her life. The means of going to heaven are the same for everyone, and those means were chosen by Jesus Christ, the judge and redeemer of all. The missionaries have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation where they will explain where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going after this life is over. No one can be saved and live with God unless he or she has accepted Christ and covenanted with Him to become a son or daughter of God. But there are many who have lived on the earth who have never had a chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, either because of when they lived or where they lived. These people will not be denied the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, and they will have an equal chance to enter heaven and live eternally with God.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==39. Where does your doctrine of agency come from if the word "agency" never appears in the Bible?==

The doctrine of agency, as with all doctrines, comes from God by revelation to His prophets. The doctrine that all people have the ability to choose between good and evil—and are responsible for their choices—is taught directly and indirectly in the Bible. Other terms which could be used include "free will," or "choice." ("Choose ye this day," said Joshua, "whom ye will serve" [{{b||Joshua|24|15}}]).

Although the word “agency” is not used, this principle has been taught and evidenced from the time of the Garden of Eden to the end of the New Testament. In fact, many of the teachings and commandments of the Savior presume such a principle and doctrine.

{{EoMWiki|Agency}}

==40. Why did God give Adam and Even conflicting commandments?==

God gave Adam and Eve a number of commandments and the ability to choose between them. God’s plan from the beginning was to provide a savior for the world who would redeem men from their sins and from the effects of the Fall. As such, Adam and Eve were free to choose how they would act given their understanding of what God had said.

==41. When is the end of the world?==

God has not revealed when the world will end. There are many things that have not yet happened that have been prophesied, so one could argue that the end of the world is still a ways off. Yet God also said that the end would come at a time when people were not expecting it. God’s prophets have said that we each should be living our lives in such a way that we are always prepared for “the end,” whether that end is the end of the world or the end of our own mortal lives.

God does not wish us to live in fear and dread of the "end times." He has told us that if we have faith in Jesus Christ and keep his commandments, we will have "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come" ({{s||DC|59|23}}).

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==42. Will the world end in 2012?==

There is no reason to believe that 2012 has any special significance at all. That year comes from the Mayan calendar, which will do nothing more than go through a cycle similar to our calendar’s year 2000 change.

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==43. Why do we need the Book of Mormon when we already have the Bible?==

The Book of Mormon was given by God for several reasons. First of all, the Book of Mormon is strong evidence for the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church. Secondly, the Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day and is not merely a collection of ancient writings. The Book of Mormon was written as a witness of the divinity of Christ and its powerful testimony of Christ has been the key to many people gaining faith in Christ and repenting of their sins. Thirdly, the Book of Mormon authors wrote about some doctrines and practices that are covered lightly or ambiguously in the Bible. The Book of Mormon thus teaches with great power and clarity some doctrines and principles that have been disputed and debated for centuries among Christians with only the Bible to draw on for authoritative statements.

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Book of Mormon basics|Plain_and_precious_Book_of_Mormon_doctrines|l2=Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines}}

==44. Where is Kolob?==

Kolob is mentioned in the Book of Abraham as part of Abraham’s discourse about the greatness of God. In Abraham’s cosmology, he likens the heavens to a series of concentric rings where each ring dominates in glory and power the ring beneath it. In Abraham’s cosmology, the greatest ring of heaven is the dwelling place of God, and a star within that ring has the name “Kolob.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no doctrine of any kind regarding Kolob or its location. Some members may view that as being a real place or object somewhere in the universe, while others may view it as just part of an ancient view of the world (along the lines of the "vault of heaven" and rain coming through holes in the "firmament of heaven"). That is, the Church has no doctrine about whether Kolob should be taken literally or figuratively and thus for some members Kolob is just an ancient (and unscientific according to modern standards) belief that was used by Abraham to explain that God was greater, more powerful, and more glorious than any other divine being that other nations may have worshiped.

{{SeeAlso|Kolob}}

==45. Why can’t we see the gold plates?==

The gold plates were taken back by the Angel Moroni after the translation process was complete. God did permit a number of people to see, touch, lift, or hear the (rustling) plates, and we have the written testimony of their experiences. The Book of Mormon lists three people who saw the plates, saw an angel, and heard the voice of God. Also in the Book of Mormon is the testimony of eight people who saw, felt, and lifted the plates. In addition to these eleven people, we have Joseph Smith’s testimony and the testimonies of several others who were not official witnesses but who had experiences with the physical plates.

To read more: [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/thrwtnss Testimony of Three Witnesses] and [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/eghtwtns Testimony of Eight Witnesses]

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l1=Book of Mormon witnesses (summary)|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Eight_witnesses|l2=Eight witnesses|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Other_Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l3=Other witnesses}}

==46. Where are the gold plates now?==

God has not said where they are.

==47. If this is the true church, why doesn’t God just announce it to everyone?==

God has announced it to everyone in exactly the same way that He announced the resurrection of His Son to everyone. Apostles, prophets, seventies, and other missionaries have traveled to virtually every country of the world preaching the message.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==48. What’s the difference between Mormons and Christians?==

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are a type of Christian. The relationship between Mormons and Christianity is the same as that between Californians and Americans—all Californians live in the United States, but there are many who live in the United States who are not Californians.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==49. Why don’t you believe in the Bible?==

Members of the Church do believe in the Bible. They study the Bible for two out of every four years in Sunday School, and as teenagers in week-day instruction called "seminary."

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Bible basics|Template:Biblewiki|l2=Full list of Bible-related wiki questions}}

==50. Why don’t Mormons believe in hell?==

Members of the Church do believe in hell. In the Church, the term "hell" can refer to more than one thing. There are many similarities, and some differences, between how Latter-day Saints and others understand it.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Hell}}

==51. What does your church believe about evolution?==

The Church has no position on organic evolution, save that it regards Adam as the primal parent of the human race, and does not see humans as merely advanced animals. Members and leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions on most such matters, and a variety of views have been expressed in the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Evolution}}
{{SeeAlso|Evolution|l1=Official statements about evolution|Evolution:Primary_sources|l2=Variety of views|Mormonism_and_science|l3=The Church and science}}
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Awyatt: /* 44. Where is Kolob? */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=''Common Questions - p. 2''
|author=
|noauthor=
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|previous=[[../Common questions page 1|Page 1]]
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==21. Can you help me with my report on Mormonism?==

The best place to find information about Mormonism is probably a Mormon friend, or the [http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Encyclopedia_of_Mormonism Encyclopedia of Mormonism].

Volunteer members also answer questions about historical or doctrinal matters from a lay members' perspective at such sites as [http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php FAIR]. Many questions have already been answered as such sites as the [http://en.fairmormon.org FAIR wiki]. (Note that FAIR is a private group that is not affiliated with, and does not speak for, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

==22. Why would God create homosexual people?==

Part of our Heavenly Father's plan requires that we be in a world where natural laws and processes operate on their own. For example, without a miracle, if someone steps out of a window, they will naturally fall to the ground.

Part of these natural laws involve imperfections--children can be born with mental challenges, or blindness, or deafness, or a physical deformity.

God did not necessarily "cause" these deformities, challenges, or problems, but he permits them to occur.

People who struggle with homosexual feelings have often done nothing to cause such feelings--just as those who are blind, or deaf, or troubled in some other way have done nothing to "deserve" them or cause them. With every difficulty, God promises that if we obey him, he will provide a way to overcome our challenges, be happy, and return to him.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==23. I’m homosexual – will the church accept me?==

The church will accept you as it will accept any other person who repents and desires to follow Christ. You will likewise be expected to keep the same commandments as other members of the Church. This means that you will have no sexual relations with anyone, unless you are legally married to a person of the opposite sex.

Those with homosexual feelings are welcome. Those who commit homosexual acts would face Church discipline. All people—in or out of the church, homosexual or otherwise—are loved and respected as children of God. But, the Church cannot approve all the acts of God's children.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==24. What should I do if I have homosexual feelings?==

Homosexuals feelings should be approached the same way we would approach any other feeling or desire which does not have a moral expression. We all feel desires we should not express or act on: the desire to anger, the desire to steal, the desire for violence, etc. Instead of acting on our desires we should:
* avoid places, situations, or thoughts that encourage or strengthen the feeling we wish to avoid
* fill our minds, hearts, and activities with elements which encourage the desires we wish to act on
* pray to God for help in our weaknesses
* study the scriptures and understand true doctrine, which can motivate us to make wise choices
* repent of past unrighteous behavior, and resolve not to return to our sins.

Having homosexual feelings is not a sin. Acting on those feelings is.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==25. Why does the church hate homosexuals?==

The Church does not hate homosexuals. We love all our Heavenly Father's children. Since he has taught us that any sexual behavior outside of a marriage between a man and a woman will not bring lasting happiness now or after death, we share this information with others. They must decide whether to obey or not, but we would not be loving if we remained silent when someone we loved did something dangerous or damaging.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==26. Is God real?==

Yes. One of the powerful testimonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God is quite real and has been seen by a modern prophets. Jesus Christ Himself has visited the earth many times since the founding of the Church and directs the work of the Church. People who wonder about the reality of God are invited to study what God has said and to learn for themselves that He is not only real, but a loving father who will send His spirit into the lives of those who want to know Him.

{{EoMWiki|God}}

==27. Can you prove there is a God?==

No. There are many evidences of God, and there are many testimonies of those who have seen or experienced God. But the only proof of God is in one’s personal experience. We invite you to meet with the missionaries and to study what God has said about Himself. As you meet and honestly study with the missionaries, we believe you will experience the presence of God in your life through the power of the Holy Ghost.

{{EoMWiki|God}}
==28. Is there a heaven?==

Yes. Modern prophets have not only received revelation from God about heaven, but they have been given visions of its glory. The missionaries have a lesson that explains the Plan of Salvation and that will teach you where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going after this life is over.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==29. Why aren’t blacks allowed into the Mormon church?==

This is a common misconception, but blacks have always been allowed into the Church. The Church never even had segregated congregations, unlike some other Christian denominations. However, for over 100 years, from the mid 1800s to 1978, blacks were not ordained to the Church's lay priesthood. This was changed by a revelation from God to the prophet in 1978. Today there is absolutely no distinction made in any way between members of different colors or races, and blacks can be found serving in all positions in the church in fully integrated congregations.

{{EoMWiki|Race%2C_Racism|l1=Race, Racism}}
{{SeeAlso|Blacks_and_the_priesthood|l1=Blacks and the priesthood (summary page)}}

==30. Are you saved through Christ or Joseph Smith?==

We are saved through Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a prophet, like Peter, Moses, or Paul. Peter and Paul taught important things ''about'' Jesus, but their audience is saved only through Jesus, not through them.

Joseph Smith once wrote, “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}

==31. Are Mormons Christians?==

Yes. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and was crucified for the sins of the wold, and that he was resurrected after three days. Only through Him can we be saved.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==32. Why can’t you drink tea or coffee?==
We do not drink tea or coffee because God has given us this command by a modern prophet. In the Old Testament, God commanded his people not to eat pork. Later, he removed this command. It is wonderful that God will continue to give us advice and counsel for our day. Members of the Church also abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

{{EoMWiki|Word_of_Wisdom|l1=Word of Wisdom}}
{{SeeAlso|Word_of_Wisdom/Hot_drinks|l1="Hot drinks" (tea and coffee in Word of Wisdom)}}

==33. Why don’t you believe in the trinity?==

We believe in the trinity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--but we do not believe ideas added to the trinity after the Bible was written. We do not, for example, believe that the trinity is one is essence. We believe they are one in intent, in goal, in love, and in purpose. This is sometimes called a form of "social trinitarianism." (For more information, see answer to [[#9._Why_do_you_believe_Christ_is_separate_from_God_the_Father.3F|Question #9]].)

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead and the Trinity}}

==34. What is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost?==

The “laying on of hands” is a religious ordinance, like baptism, that is performed by a person holding the priesthood. The person receiving this ordinance will sit in a chair and one or more priesthood holders will stand around the chair with their hands on the person’s head. One of the priesthood holders will then give the person the gift of the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that this ordinance was performed in the New Testament church and at other times when Christ’s church was on the earth. The person receiving the Holy Ghost is given the right and privilege to have the Holy Ghost be a constant companion to offer comfort, guidance, and protection.

{{EoMWiki|Laying_on_of_Hands|l1=Laying on of Hands}}

==35. Where are there scriptures about authority in the Bible?==

The scriptures relating to authority are found in the gospels where Christ gave authority to the twelve apostles and to the seventy. Other passages can be found in Acts, Hebrews, and other epistles where authority is either given or discussed.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
{{SeeAlso|What_does_the_Bible_teach_about_priesthood|l1=Bible teachings on priesthood and authority|Priesthood_restoration|l2=Need for priesthood restoration}}

==36. What authority did Jesus have?==

Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth. As the Son of God and as a member of the Godhead, Jesus was the agent through whom God created all things. Jesus has authority over death and resurrection as well as over all sin and redemption.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==37. Why doesn’t your church have ordained clergy?==

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t have a professional clergy because Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, has directed that it should not. Jesus has revealed through His living prophets and apostles that all local leaders should be chosen from the lay membership of the congregation where they live. No one attends school or "decides" that being a minister or clergy member will be their profession or means of earning a living.

Technically, however, Latter-day Saint leaders are ordained. All men and women called to serve as leaders in their congregations are “set apart” by the laying on of hands to serve in those capacities.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==38. Can non-Mormons go to heaven?==

Yes, if by “non-Mormon” you mean someone who never joined the Church during his or her life. The means of going to heaven are the same for everyone, and those means were chosen by Jesus Christ, the judge and redeemer of all. The missionaries have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation where they will explain where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going after this life is over. No one can be saved and live with God unless he or she has accepted Christ and covenanted with Him to become a son or daughter of God. But there are many who have lived on the earth who have never had a chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, either because of when they lived or where they lived. These people will not be denied the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, and they will have an equal chance to enter heaven and live eternally with God.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==39. Where does your doctrine of agency come from if the word "agency" never appears in the Bible?==

The doctrine of agency, as with all doctrines, comes from God by revelation to His prophets. The doctrine that all people have the ability to choose between good and evil—and are responsible for their choices—is taught directly and indirectly in the Bible. Other terms which could be used include "free will," or "choice." ("Choose ye this day," said Joshua, "whom ye will serve" [{{b||Joshua|24|15}}]).

Although the word “agency” is not used, this principle has been taught and evidenced from the time of the Garden of Eden to the end of the New Testament. In fact, many of the teachings and commandments of the Savior presume such a principle and doctrine.

{{EoMWiki|Agency}}

==40. Why did God give Adam and Even conflicting commandments?==

God gave Adam and Eve a number of commandments and the ability to choose between them. God’s plan from the beginning was to provide a savior for the world who would redeem men from their sins and from the effects of the Fall. As such, Adam and Eve were free to choose how they would act given their understanding of what God had said.

==41. When is the end of the world?==

God has not revealed when the world will end. There are many things that have not yet happened that have been prophesied, so one could argue that the end of the world is still a ways off. Yet God also said that the end would come at a time when people were not expecting it. God’s prophets have said that we each should be living our lives in such a way that we are always prepared for “the end,” whether that end is the end of the world or the end of our own mortal lives.

God does not wish us to live in fear and dread of the "end times." He has told us that if we have faith in Jesus Christ and keep his commandments, we will have "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come" ({{s||DC|59|23}}).

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==42. Will the world end in 2012?==

There is no reason to believe that 2012 has any special significance at all. That year comes from the Mayan calendar, which will do nothing more than go through a cycle similar to our calendar’s year 2000 change.

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==43. Why do we need the Book of Mormon when we already have the Bible?==

The Book of Mormon was given by God for several reasons. First of all, the Book of Mormon is strong evidence for the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church. Secondly, the Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day and is not merely a collection of ancient writings. The Book of Mormon was written as a witness of the divinity of Christ and its powerful testimony of Christ has been the key to many people gaining faith in Christ and repenting of their sins. Thirdly, the Book of Mormon authors wrote about some doctrines and practices that are covered lightly or ambiguously in the Bible. The Book of Mormon thus teaches with great power and clarity some doctrines and principles that have been disputed and debated for centuries among Christians with only the Bible to draw on for authoritative statements.

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Book of Mormon basics|Plain_and_precious_Book_of_Mormon_doctrines|l2=Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines}}

==44. Where is Kolob?==

Kolob is mentioned in the Book of Abraham as part of Abraham’s discourse about the greatness of God. In Abraham’s cosmology, he likens the heavens to a series of concentric rings where each ring dominates in glory and power the ring beneath it. In Abraham’s cosmology, the greatest ring of heaven is the dwelling place of God, and a star within that ring has the name “Kolob.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no doctrine of any kind regarding Kolob or its location. Some members may view that as being a real place or object somewhere in the universe, while others may view it as just part of an ancient view of the world (along the lines of the "vault of heaven" and rain coming through holes in the "firmament of heaven"). That is, the Church has no doctrine about whether Kolob should be taken literally or figuratively and thus for some members Kolob is just an ancient (and unscientific according to modern standards) belief that was used by Abraham to explain that God was greater, more powerful, and more glorious than any other divine being that other nations may have worshiped.

{{SeeAlso|Kolob}}

==45. Why can’t we see the gold plates?==

The gold plates were taken back by the Angel Moroni after the translation process was complete. God did permit a number of people to see, touch, lift, or hear (the rustling) plates, and we have the written testimony of their experiences. The Book of Mormon lists three people who saw the plates and an angel and heard the voice of God. Also in the Book of Mormon is the testimony of eight people who saw, felt, and lifted the plates. In addition to these eleven people, we have Joseph Smith’s testimony and the testimonies of several others who were not official witnesses but who had experiences with the physical plates.

To read more: [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/thrwtnss Testimony of Three Witnesses] and [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/eghtwtns Testimony of Eight Witnesses]

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l1=Book of Mormon witnesses (summary)|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Eight_witnesses|l2=Eight witnesses|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Other_Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l3=Other witnesses}}

==46. Where are the gold plates now?==

God has not said where they are.

==47. If this is the true church, why doesn’t God just announce it to everyone?==

God has announced it to everyone in exactly the same way that He announced the resurrection of His Son to everyone. Apostles, prophets, seventies, and other missionaries have traveled to virtually every country of the world preaching the message.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==48. What’s the difference between Mormons and Christians?==

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are a type of Christian. The relationship between Mormons and Christianity is the same as that between Californians and Americans—all Californians live in the United States, but there are many who live in the United States who are not Californians.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==49. Why don’t you believe in the Bible?==

Members of the Church do believe in the Bible. They study the Bible for two out of every four years in Sunday School, and as teenagers in week-day instruction called "seminary."

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Bible basics|Template:Biblewiki|l2=Full list of Bible-related wiki questions}}

==50. Why don’t Mormons believe in hell?==

Members of the Church do believe in hell. In the Church, the term "hell" can refer to more than one thing. There are many similarities, and some differences, between how Latter-day Saints and others understand it.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Hell}}

==51. What does your church believe about evolution?==

The Church has no position on organic evolution, save that it regards Adam as the primal parent of the human race, and does not see humans as merely advanced animals. Members and leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions on most such matters, and a variety of views have been expressed in the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Evolution}}
{{SeeAlso|Evolution|l1=Official statements about evolution|Evolution:Primary_sources|l2=Variety of views|Mormonism_and_science|l3=The Church and science}}
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__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
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==21. Can you help me with my report on Mormonism?==

The best place to find information about Mormonism is probably a Mormon friend, or the [http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Encyclopedia_of_Mormonism Encyclopedia of Mormonism].

Volunteer members also answer questions about historical or doctrinal matters from a lay members' perspective at such sites as [http://www.fairlds.org/contact.php FAIR]. Many questions have already been answered as such sites as the [http://en.fairmormon.org FAIR wiki]. (Note that FAIR is a private group that is not affiliated with, and does not speak for, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

==22. Why would God create homosexual people?==

Part of our Heavenly Father's plan requires that we be in a world where natural laws and processes operate on their own. For example, without a miracle, if someone steps out of a window, they will naturally fall to the ground.

Part of these natural laws involve imperfections--children can be born with mental challenges, or blindness, or deafness, or a physical deformity.

God did not necessarily "cause" these deformities, challenges, or problems, but he permits them to occur.

People who struggle with homosexual feelings have often done nothing to cause such feelings--just as those who are blind, or deaf, or troubled in some other way have done nothing to "deserve" them or cause them. With every difficulty, God promises that if we obey him, he will provide a way to overcome our challenges, be happy, and return to him.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==23. I’m homosexual – will the church accept me?==

The church will accept you as it will accept any other person who repents and desires to follow Christ. You will likewise be expected to keep the same commandments as other members of the Church. This means that you will have no sexual relations with anyone, unless you are legally married to a person of the opposite sex.

Those with homosexual feelings are welcome. Those who commit homosexual acts would face Church discipline. All people—in or out of the church, homosexual or otherwise—are loved and respected as children of God. But, the Church cannot approve all the acts of God's children.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==24. What should I do if I have homosexual feelings?==

Homosexuals feelings should be approached the same way we would approach any other feeling or desire which does not have a moral expression. We all feel desires we should not express or act on: the desire to anger, the desire to steal, the desire for violence, etc. Instead of acting on our desires we should:
* avoid places, situations, or thoughts that encourage or strengthen the feeling we wish to avoid
* fill our minds, hearts, and activities with elements which encourage the desires we wish to act on
* pray to God for help in our weaknesses
* study the scriptures and understand true doctrine, which can motivate us to make wise choices
* repent of past unrighteous behavior, and resolve not to return to our sins.

Having homosexual feelings is not a sin. Acting on those feelings is.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==25. Why does the church hate homosexuals?==

The Church does not hate homosexuals. We love all our Heavenly Father's children. Since he has taught us that any sexual behavior outside of a marriage between a man and a woman will not bring lasting happiness now or after death, we share this information with others. They must decide whether to obey or not, but we would not be loving if we remained silent when someone we loved did something dangerous or damaging.

* [http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/public-issues/same-gender-attraction LDS Newsroom article] - discussion with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman
{{EoMWiki|Homosexuality|Chastity%2C_Law_of|l2=Chastity, Law of}}

==26. Is God real?==

Yes. One of the powerful testimonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that God is quite real and has been seen by a modern prophets. Jesus Christ Himself has visited the earth many times since the founding of the Church and directs the work of the Church. People who wonder about the reality of God are invited to study what God has said and to learn for themselves that He is not only real, but a loving father who will send His spirit into the lives of those who want to know Him.

{{EoMWiki|God}}

==27. Can you prove there is a God?==

No. There are many evidences of God, and there are many testimonies of those who have seen or experienced God. But the only proof of God is in one’s personal experience. We invite you to meet with the missionaries and to study what God has said about Himself. As you meet and honestly study with the missionaries, we believe you will experience the presence of God in your life through the power of the Holy Ghost.

{{EoMWiki|God}}
==28. Is there a heaven?==

Yes. Modern prophets have not only received revelation from God about heaven, but they have been given visions of its glory. The missionaries have a lesson that explains the Plan of Salvation and that will teach you where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going after this life is over.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==29. Why aren’t blacks allowed into the Mormon church?==

This is a common misconception, but blacks have always been allowed into the Church. The Church never even had segregated congregations, unlike some other Christian denominations. However, for over 100 years, from the mid 1800s to 1978, blacks were not ordained to the Church's lay priesthood. This was changed by a revelation from God to the prophet in 1978. Today there is absolutely no distinction made in any way between members of different colors or races, and blacks can be found serving in all positions in the church in fully integrated congregations.

{{EoMWiki|Race%2C_Racism|l1=Race, Racism}}
{{SeeAlso|Blacks_and_the_priesthood|l1=Blacks and the priesthood (summary page)}}

==30. Are you saved through Christ or Joseph Smith?==

We are saved through Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was a prophet, like Peter, Moses, or Paul. Peter and Paul taught important things ''about'' Jesus, but their audience is saved only through Jesus, not through them.

Joseph Smith once wrote, “the fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}

==31. Are Mormons Christians?==

Yes. Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and was crucified for the sins of the wold, and that he was resurrected after three days. Only through Him can we be saved.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==32. Why can’t you drink tea or coffee?==
We do not drink tea or coffee because God has given us this command by a modern prophet. In the Old Testament, God commanded his people not to eat pork. Later, he removed this command. It is wonderful that God will continue to give us advice and counsel for our day. Members of the Church also abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

{{EoMWiki|Word_of_Wisdom|l1=Word of Wisdom}}
{{SeeAlso|Word_of_Wisdom/Hot_drinks|l1="Hot drinks" (tea and coffee in Word of Wisdom)}}

==33. Why don’t you believe in the trinity?==

We believe in the trinity--the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit--but we do not believe ideas added to the trinity after the Bible was written. We do not, for example, believe that the trinity is one is essence. We believe they are one in intent, in goal, in love, and in purpose. This is sometimes called a form of "social trinitarianism." (For more information, see answer to [[#9._Why_do_you_believe_Christ_is_separate_from_God_the_Father.3F|Question #9]].)

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead and the Trinity}}

==34. What is the laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost?==

The “laying on of hands” is a religious ordinance, like baptism, that is performed by a person holding the priesthood. The person receiving this ordinance will sit in a chair and one or more priesthood holders will stand around the chair with their hands on the person’s head. One of the priesthood holders will then give the person the gift of the Holy Ghost in the name of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that this ordinance was performed in the New Testament church and at other times when Christ’s church was on the earth. The person receiving the Holy Ghost is given the right and privilege to have the Holy Ghost be a constant companion to offer comfort, guidance, and protection.

{{EoMWiki|Laying_on_of_Hands|l1=Laying on of Hands}}

==35. Where are there scriptures about authority in the Bible?==

The scriptures relating to authority are found in the gospels where Christ gave authority to the twelve apostles and to the seventy. Other passages can be found in Acts, Hebrews, and other epistles where authority is either given or discussed.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
{{SeeAlso|What_does_the_Bible_teach_about_priesthood|l1=Bible teachings on priesthood and authority|Priesthood_restoration|l2=Need for priesthood restoration}}

==36. What authority did Jesus have?==

Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth. As the Son of God and as a member of the Godhead, Jesus was the agent through whom God created all things. Jesus has authority over death and resurrection as well as over all sin and redemption.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==37. Why doesn’t your church have ordained clergy?==

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints doesn’t have a professional clergy because Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, has directed that it should not. Jesus has revealed through His living prophets and apostles that all local leaders should be chosen from the lay membership of the congregation where they live. No one attends school or "decides" that being a minister or clergy member will be their profession or means of earning a living.

Technically, however, Latter-day Saint leaders are ordained. All men and women called to serve as leaders in their congregations are “set apart” by the laying on of hands to serve in those capacities.

{{EoMWiki|Priesthood}}
==38. Can non-Mormons go to heaven?==

Yes, if by “non-Mormon” you mean someone who never joined the Church during his or her life. The means of going to heaven are the same for everyone, and those means were chosen by Jesus Christ, the judge and redeemer of all. The missionaries have a lesson on the Plan of Salvation where they will explain where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going after this life is over. No one can be saved and live with God unless he or she has accepted Christ and covenanted with Him to become a son or daughter of God. But there are many who have lived on the earth who have never had a chance to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ, either because of when they lived or where they lived. These people will not be denied the opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel, and they will have an equal chance to enter heaven and live eternally with God.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}

==39. Where does your doctrine of agency come from if the word "agency" never appears in the Bible?==

The doctrine of agency, as with all doctrines, comes from God by revelation to His prophets. The doctrine that all people have the ability to choose between good and evil—and are responsible for their choices—is taught directly and indirectly in the Bible. Other terms which could be used include "free will," or "choice." ("Choose ye this day," said Joshua, "whom ye will serve" [{{b||Joshua|24|15}}]).

Although the word “agency” is not used, this principle has been taught and evidenced from the time of the Garden of Eden to the end of the New Testament. In fact, many of the teachings and commandments of the Savior presume such a principle and doctrine.

{{EoMWiki|Agency}}

==40. Why did God give Adam and Even conflicting commandments?==

God gave Adam and Eve a number of commandments and the ability to choose between them. God’s plan from the beginning was to provide a savior for the world who would redeem men from their sins and from the effects of the Fall. As such, Adam and Eve were free to choose how they would act given their understanding of what God had said.

==41. When is the end of the world?==

God has not revealed when the world will end. There are many things that have not yet happened that have been prophesied, so one could argue that the end of the world is still a ways off. Yet God also said that the end would come at a time when people were not expecting it. God’s prophets have said that we each should be living our lives in such a way that we are always prepared for “the end,” whether that end is the end of the world or the end of our own mortal lives.

God does not wish us to live in fear and dread of the "end times." He has told us that if we have faith in Jesus Christ and keep his commandments, we will have "peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come" ({{s||DC|59|23}}).

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==42. Will the world end in 2012?==

There is no reason to believe that 2012 has any special significance at all. That year comes from the Mayan calendar, which will do nothing more than go through a cycle similar to our calendar’s year 2000 change.

{{EoMWiki|Millennium}}

==43. Why do we need the Book of Mormon when we already have the Bible?==

The Book of Mormon was given by God for several reasons. First of all, the Book of Mormon is strong evidence for the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the Church. Secondly, the Book of Mormon was written specifically for our day and is not merely a collection of ancient writings. The Book of Mormon was written as a witness of the divinity of Christ and its powerful testimony of Christ has been the key to many people gaining faith in Christ and repenting of their sins. Thirdly, the Book of Mormon authors wrote about some doctrines and practices that are covered lightly or ambiguously in the Bible. The Book of Mormon thus teaches with great power and clarity some doctrines and principles that have been disputed and debated for centuries among Christians with only the Bible to draw on for authoritative statements.

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Book of Mormon basics|Plain_and_precious_Book_of_Mormon_doctrines|l2=Plain and precious Book of Mormon doctrines}}

==44. Where is Kolob?==

We do not know where Kolob is located. It is mentioned in the Book of Abraham as part of Abraham’s discourse about the greatness of God. In Abraham’s cosmology, he likens the heavens to a series of concentric rings where each ring dominates in glory and power the ring beneath it. In Abraham’s cosmology, the greatest ring of heaven is the dwelling place of God, and a star within that ring has the name “Kolob.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has no doctrine of any kind regarding Kolob. Some members may view that as being a real place or object somewhere in the universe, while others may view it as just part of an ancient view of the world (along the lines of the "vault of heaven" and rain coming through holes in the "firmament of heaven"). That is, the Church has no doctrine about whether Kolob should be taken literally or figuratively and thus for some members Kolob is just an ancient (and unscientific according to modern standards) belief that was used by Abraham to explain that God was greater, more powerful, and more glorious than any other divine being that other nations may have worshiped.

{{SeeAlso|Kolob}}

==45. Why can’t we see the gold plates?==

The gold plates were taken back by the Angel Moroni after the translation process was complete. God did permit a number of people to see, touch, lift, or hear (the rustling) plates, and we have the written testimony of their experiences. The Book of Mormon lists three people who saw the plates and an angel and heard the voice of God. Also in the Book of Mormon is the testimony of eight people who saw, felt, and lifted the plates. In addition to these eleven people, we have Joseph Smith’s testimony and the testimonies of several others who were not official witnesses but who had experiences with the physical plates.

To read more: [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/thrwtnss Testimony of Three Witnesses] and [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/bm/eghtwtns Testimony of Eight Witnesses]

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l1=Book of Mormon witnesses (summary)|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Eight_witnesses|l2=Eight witnesses|Book_of_Mormon_witnesses/Other_Book_of_Mormon_witnesses|l3=Other witnesses}}

==46. Where are the gold plates now?==

God has not said where they are.

==47. If this is the true church, why doesn’t God just announce it to everyone?==

God has announced it to everyone in exactly the same way that He announced the resurrection of His Son to everyone. Apostles, prophets, seventies, and other missionaries have traveled to virtually every country of the world preaching the message.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==48. What’s the difference between Mormons and Christians?==

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are a type of Christian. The relationship between Mormons and Christianity is the same as that between Californians and Americans—all Californians live in the United States, but there are many who live in the United States who are not Californians.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
{{SeeAlso|Latter-day_Saints_aren%27t_Christians|l1=Are Latter-day Saints Christians?}}

==49. Why don’t you believe in the Bible?==

Members of the Church do believe in the Bible. They study the Bible for two out of every four years in Sunday School, and as teenagers in week-day instruction called "seminary."

{{EoMWiki|Scriptures}}
{{SeeAlso|Bible basics|Template:Biblewiki|l2=Full list of Bible-related wiki questions}}

==50. Why don’t Mormons believe in hell?==

Members of the Church do believe in hell. In the Church, the term "hell" can refer to more than one thing. There are many similarities, and some differences, between how Latter-day Saints and others understand it.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Hell}}

==51. What does your church believe about evolution?==

The Church has no position on organic evolution, save that it regards Adam as the primal parent of the human race, and does not see humans as merely advanced animals. Members and leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions on most such matters, and a variety of views have been expressed in the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Evolution}}
{{SeeAlso|Evolution|l1=Official statements about evolution|Evolution:Primary_sources|l2=Variety of views|Mormonism_and_science|l3=The Church and science}}
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
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Utilizador:InProgress/Common questions page 1

2009-10-07T16:50:20Z

Awyatt: /* 18. Do Mormons believe in multiple gods? */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
|title=''Common Questions - p. 1''
|author=
|noauthor=
|section=
|previous=
|next=[[../Common questions page 2|Page 2]]
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=Common Chat Questions=
==1. What’s different about the Mormon faith?==

The two things that probably most distinguish us is that we believe God continues to talk to prophets, and that he provides us with scripture in addition to the Holy Bible.

{{EoMWiki|Mormonism%2C_Mormons|l1=Mormonism, Mormons}}
'''''Distinctive beliefs:'''''
* [[Book of Mormon basics]]
* [[Apostasy]]

==2. Polygamy questions…Do Mormons really have more than one wife?==

Some Mormons practiced polygamy in the nineteenth century because they believed God had commanded them to. This practice was stopped more than a century ago by the Church prophets, and is forbidden to modern Mormons.

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy|l1=Joseph Smith and polygamy (summary article)}}

==3. I’m depressed . . . how can I find happiness?==

Depression can come from many causes. Some causes of depression include:

#medical illness - if we have a medical illness, we may wish to consult a physician for help;
#sins - if we do things we know are wrong, this will make us feel guilty and unhappy. Freedom from sins comes by repenting, receiving forgiveness through Jesus Christ, and living righteously afterwards.
#trials or the difficulties of life - sometimes we feel depressed because we feel our life has no purpose, or because the burdens and challenges of life are overwhelming. A deeper personal relationship with Jesus Christ can help us have peace in this life, and joy in the life to come.

Virtually everyone's life can be improved by repenting, and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught, service to others also has a wonderful way of lightening our own burdens. For some, professional treatment may also be needed.

==4. Can you prove the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon to me through archeological evidences?==

There is physical evidence that supports the Book of Mormon. We believe, however, that conversion to Jesus Christ will come only when people receive a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon's truthfulness. Archaeology cannot "prove" that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are correct when they teach that Jesus was the Son of God. Only God can provide this proof, though other evidences can help us decide to exercise our faith.

{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_archaeology|l1=Book of Mormon and archaeology|Archeology_and_the_Bible|l2=Comparing archaeology of Bible and Book of Mormon}}

==5. How do I know the difference between my own feelings and the Spirit?==

The Holy Ghost does not speak to us just through feelings. The Lord tells us that "you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. 9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong"

This tells us that the Holy Ghost speaks to our mind and our feelings--they both must be in agreement.
{{SeeAlso|Burning in the bosom}}

==6. Why is Lucifer Christ’s brother?==

Lucifer was a spirit child of God, as was Jesus. Lucifer rebelled against God; Jesus was perfectly obedient and united to his father. Saying that Lucifer and Jesus are "the same" because they are both spirit child of God is like saying that Gandhi and Hitler were "the same" because they were both humans. They became very different beings because of the choices they made.
{{SeeAlso|Jesus_Christ_is_the_brother_of_Satan|l1=Lucifer as the brother of Christ}}

==7. Why did Joseph Smith marry a fourteen year old?==

We know very little detail about Joseph Smith's marriage to Helen Mar Kimball. We do know that marriage at a young age was not as uncommon, or as frowned upon, in the mid-1800s as it is today. We do know that consent was given by both Helen and her parents. We also know that both Joseph and Helen described the marriage in spiritual rather than romantic terms. Some historians have suggested that the marriage was "dynastic" rather than romantic in nature - a way to spiritually bind together faithful members of the Church in family-ties. There is no evidence that the marriage with Helen was consummated.

The sealing of people together in covenant bonds before God was always a primary focus of Joseph Smith's ministry. It can be seen in his efforts to build the community of "Zion" - a people of one heart and one mind, in the practice of polygamy, and in his concern for what happens to our departed dead. Joseph Smith was always seeking for ways to offer to human beings the same sort of unity that our Heavenly Father and his son - Jesus Christ share.

Would you like to hear more about how we can make covenants to draw closer to God and to other people?

{{EoMWiki|Polygamy}}
{{SeeAlso|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Helen_Mar_Kimball|l1=Helen Mar Kimball|Joseph_Smith_and_polygamy/Marriages_to_young_women|l2=Plural marriages to younger women}}

==8. Why isn’t eternal marriage mentioned in the Bible?==

There are some scriptures that discuss the importance of marriage in God's plan. The apostle Paul taught, "neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Cor 11:11). However, we believe that some important doctrines were hidden or removed from the writings that later became the Bible by those without authority from God. This is why having modern prophets is so important--God can teach us what it is important for us to know today.

{{EoMWiki|Marriage}}
'''''See also:'''''
{{MarriageWiki}}

==9. Why do you believe Christ is separate from God the Father?==

Christ is a separate personage from the Father, but he is united to him in will, in attributes, and in character. (Jesus prayed for the disciples to be "one" as Jesus and the Father were one--and yet, the disciples are clearly not one in "essence" (see {{b||John|17|11,21-22}}). We believe they are separate because the Bible teaches this--Jesus prays to his Father, he pleads for his will to match the Father's will, he ascends to his Father, and so forth. Finally, we believe the testimony of modern prophets, who have seen the Father and the Son, and bear witness of them ({{s||JS-H|1|17}}).

{{EoMWiki|God}}
{{SeeAlso|Godhead_and_the_Trinity|l1=Godhead and the Trinity}}

==10. Why do you believe that you can become a god?==

We accept the Bible's teachings that those who are saved are given our Heavenly Father's kind of life: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne" ({{b||Revelations|3|21}}).

This does not mean we will be separate or independent of God.

{{EoMWiki|Exaltation}}
{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man|l1=Man becoming like Heavenly Father}}

==11. Do Mormons believe that they get their own planet?==

We know very little about what the life of the redeemed will involve. We know that they will be in God's presence, and we know that they will remain together in families. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," taught Paul ({{b|1|Corinthians|2|9}}).

{{SeeAlso|Deification_of_man/Gods_of_their_own_planets|l1=God of their own planets?}}

==12. I’m already saved. Why do I need the Mormon baptism?==

We believe that anyone who already has faith in Christ would be anxious to learn more about him and more about what he has told us today. We would not expect you to be rebaptized unless you were convinced that God wanted you to do so. Baptism is not the first step; first you must learn what we believe God has revealed about Jesus in our day, and decide if it is true.

{{EoMWiki|Salvation}}
{{SeeAlso|Why_preach_to_other_Christians|l1=Why does the Church preach to other Christians?}}

==13. What happens after we die?==

When we die, we go to a place called the "spirit world." For those who have been righteous, the spirit world is a place of peace and rest. For the wicked, this is called "spirit prison" or "hell," where they suffer for their sins. People who did not have a chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in this life can learn about it in the spirit world. Eventually, every person will be resurrected--they will receive their body again. The righteous will be resurrected to live with God and Jesus Christ; the wicked must leave God's presence forever.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Three_degrees_of_glory_not_biblical|l1=Three degrees of glory in Bible}}

==14. What’s with the special underwear?==

Members of the Church who have made promises in the temple wear a modest form of underwear which reminds them of the promises they have made. Just as some Christians wear crosses or religious clothing of various types to remind them of their faith, Latter-day Saints do something similar.

{{EoMWiki|Garments}}
{{SeeAlso|Temple_garments|l1=Temple garments}}

==15. What does it take to get to heaven?==

To return to live with Our Heavenly Father, we must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, be baptized by someone who has authority, and receive the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost purifies us as if by fire, and we must then endure to the end in our new life by keeping the promises we made at baptism, and continuing to have faith in Jesus.

{{EoMWiki|Afterlife|Spirit_World|Heaven|Hell|Degrees_of_glory}}
{{SeeAlso|Book_of_Mormon_and_the_fulness_of_the_gospel#What_is_the_gospel.3F|l1=Fulness of the gospel as taught in the Book of Mormon}}

==16. Why does God allow suffering in the world?==

God wants us to learn to make good choices without being forced to do so. He wants us to use our free will to do right.

This life is a time to learn how to make these kinds of choices. But, for us to be free to make these choices, God needs to be "out of sight." God allows bad things to happen because of natural laws and because of the bad choices of ourselves and other people.

But, he promises us that if we turn to him, he will give us comfort and strength to endure any bad things that happen, and he will help us to help others.

{{EoMWiki|Suffering_in_the_World|l1=Suffering in the World|Trials}}

==17. I’m losing my faith in God, what should I do?==

Having faith in God is like having a relationship with a friend. Our relationship with our friends would not be very close if we never spoke to them, never thought of them, or never wrote to them. To build faith in God, we should start by reading what God has written to us--this includes the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We should try to put into practice what we read. And, we should pray to God--we should talk to him, explain our problems, and ask for his help. We can be helped in this process by talking with others who have faith in God, such as the missionaries from the Church.

{{EoMWiki|Faith}}
==18. Do Mormons believe in multiple gods?==

Like other Christians, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Latter-day Saints understand this unity differently than some other Christians. Other Christians believe God is one in "essence," while Latter-day Saints believe they are separate personages that are one in love, in will, and in character. Because of this, some describe Latter-day Saints as believing in "many gods," but we consider that inaccurate. We simply understand how God is one in a different way.

{{EoMWiki|Godhood}}
{{SeeAlso|Polytheism|l1=Many gods?|%22No_God_beside_me%22|l2="No gods besides me" (Isaiah 43-46 questions)}}

==19. How can you say your church is true if you don’t know very much about other churches?==

We say our Church is true because God has revealed it to us by His Holy Spirit. We do not expect others to take our word for it. We ask them not to believe us, but to take the steps necessary so that they can know for themselves.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

==20. How can you be so presumptuous to say that you are the only true church when God loves all his children?==

It is true that God loves all his children, and so we do not believe that God would cause confusion or arguing about his Church. We believe that he will tell everyone who sincerely seeks whether what we teach comes from him or not.

We also believe that all churches and religions have many good, true things in them which also come from God. We invite all those who have truth to bring the truth they have, and see if we cannot add to it.

{{EoMWiki|Restoration_of_the_Gospel_of_Jesus_Christ|l1=Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ}}

{{FAIRAnalysisHeader
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Predefinição:PolygamyFAIR

2009-05-18T22:29:42Z

Awyatt:

{{editme|url=Template:PolygamyFAIR|before=|after='''''Plural marriage FAIR links'''''}}
*{{tg|url=http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai228.html|topic=Polyandry}}
*{{tg|url=http://www.fairlds.org/apol/ai049.html|topic=Polygamy}}
* Suzanne Armitage, "O that my voice could reach the ears of those uninformed and misinformed." {{fairlink|url=http://www.fairlds.org/Misc/Introduction_to_Mormon_Womens_Protest.html}}
* Claudia Bushman, "Lives of Mormon Women," FAIR presentation transcript, 2006. {{fairlink|url=http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2006_Lives_of_Mormon_Women.html}}
* Michael W. Fordham, 'Ask the Apologist'—Plural Marriage in the Book of Mormon and D&C" {{fairlink|url=http://www.fairlds.org/apol/misc/misc13.html}}
* {{GLS-Polygamy Paper 2005}}{{nb}}
* Allen Wyatt, "Zina and Her Men: An Examination of the Changing Marital State of Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs Smith Young," FAIR presentation transcript, 2006. {{fairlink|url=http://www.fairlds.org/FAIR_Conferences/2006_Zina_and_Her_Men.html}}{{NB}}

Utilizador:InProgress/Mormonism and Wikipedia/Academic among amateurs

2009-05-13T16:01:56Z

Awyatt: /* Freedom of biased expression */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisWikipedia
|title=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs
|wikipedialink=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Vision
|uplink=[[../|Mormonism and Wikipedia]]
|section=
|previous=[[../Editors|Editors of LDS related Wikipedia articles]]
|next=[[../First Vision|An analysis of article "First Vision"]]
|notes={{WikipediaDisclaimer}}
}}

=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs=
<blockquote>
<center>
''In a recent (and excellent) article in the Journal of American History (June 2006), “Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past,” the author, Roy Rosenzweig, notes how “academics and other highly-qualified people” who were initially excited by the project were “slowly worn down and driven away by having to deal with difficult people.” (140) I refuse to be worn down and driven away.'' 
"John Foxe" 7 July 2006 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Bob_Jones_University/Archive_0003#Bibb_Graves}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}

==The shield of anonymity==
<blockquote>
<center>
''I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no "deep respect" for the religions themselves.'' 
''That's because they're false. They're lies. "What communion hath light with darkness?"’’
 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (28 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity provides a passionate Wikipedia editor with certain advantages. A "pseudo persona" such as that created by the Bob Jones University professor who calls himself "John Foxe" {{ref|foxename}} has no need to protect his academic reputation. "Foxe" has no stated academic credentials—hence, there is no reputation to maintain. This allows the persona to safely reflect the true inner thoughts of the corresponding "real world" editor without the danger of having any of the persona's activities reflect upon his or her "real world" reputation and credentials. Since "Foxe" has researched Mormonism at BYU and has interacted with a number of Latter-day Saints, we are confident that the real-world alter ego of "John Foxe" discusses Mormonism with Latter-day Saints in a more respectful and restrained manner than that of his more uninhibited on-line persona.

For example, it is difficult to imagine the real-world professor boldly declaring to Latter-day Saints he meets for the first time that "Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery," {{ref|foxe.adultery}} or claiming "I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no 'deep respect' for the religions themselves. That's because they're false. They're lies. 'What communion hath light with darkness?'" {{ref|foxe.darkness}} In fact, 2 Corinthians 6:14 ''does'' quite accurately describe the online attitude of "John Foxe:"
<blockquote>
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
</blockquote>

"Foxe's" online boldness and sarcasm are not limited to Latter-day Saints. One cannot imagine the real-world counterpart of "John Foxe" telling someone: "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." {{ref|foxe.martian}} Yet, the online persona finds this type of interaction perfectly acceptable. The real-world professor, on the other hand, would find it embarrassing to have such comments attributed to him.

=="Real world" academics versus wiki academics==
<blockquote>
<center>
''At last, the truth comes out. Now your condescending attitude towards all of us amateurs makes more sense.'' 
''It has long been obvious that you are a better wordsmith than I, that doesn't make your words any more or less true.'' 
''Joseph Smith, Jr. was barely literate when he first saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, I am glad to stand with them.'' 
—Wikipedia editor "74s181" (5 November 2007) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:First_Vision/Archive_8#.22Drivel.22}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Consider a well written article such as Dr. John Matzko’s “The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism” which is both stylistically and substantively superior when compared to what passes for scholarship in a typical LDS-related Wikipedia article. It is enlightening to contrast Dr. Matzko’s approach with the approach of wiki editor John "Foxe." Both editors are highly educated and involved with teaching history at BJU. While Dr. Matzko’s article goes through peer review in order to produce a final draft, {{ref|matzko1}} Wikipedia articles such as “First Vision” and “Joseph Smith, Jr.” essentially suffer through an endless and continuous “peer review.” The frustration for the “Wikipedia academic” is that many of the “peers” performing the review are not scholars. Even more frustrating for “Foxe,” many of the “peers” attempting to review an article are either passionate LDS believers or passionate critics who wish to insert any number of potentially unsubstantiated claims. Thus, while Dr. Matzko is able to produce an intelligent and coherent article (admittedly from a non-believer’s perspective), “Foxe” is unable to keep dedicated non-scholarly believers and critics from attempting to “spin” an article in a direction that he does not wish it to go. The articles that he cares about, therefore, must be continuously maintained. In essence, "Foxe" has his finger on the "dead man's switch" of these articles. After several years of editing, he by now realizes that his choices are to either watch what he has so carefully put together be taken apart by amateurs or spend the next 20 years of his life maintaining Wikipedia articles. The only other alternative is to bring in another like-minded editor to take over some of the workload. The frustration of an academic among amateurs becomes evident.

Thus speaketh the history professor...
<blockquote>
''I've replaced older material in this section with new, narrative content that is more concise, more readable, well-referenced, and is better focused on Joseph Smith, Jr.'' 
''I expect editing to be adequately explained.''
 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Polygamy_revision Wikipedia Talk Page] (15 September 2008)
</blockquote>

...and the writer...

<blockquote>
''I won't argue that what I've written is of higher quality than what you are trying to preserve—though it is...'' 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Foxe's_changes Wikipedia Talk Page] (21 September 2008)
</blockquote>

Frustrated editors fall by the wayside...
<blockquote>
The day will come when John Foxe... like the rest of us... will tire of this current fight and move on with his life. I'm taking the long term view of this particular article, and doing a wait and see on how this is eventually going to turn out. 
--"Robert Horning" 20:14, 2 August 2007 (UTC) {{link|url= http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:74s181&diff=148788962&oldid=146899808}}
 
The only reason the article became "basically stable" is that I finally quit--I just gave up fighting with him. I consider him a bully. He is tenacious and very focused. 
--"Rocketj4" 13:17, 19 September 2008 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:A_Sniper&diff=239555661&oldid=238874332}}
</blockquote>

==Freedom of biased expression==
<blockquote>
<center>
''The fact that this article has been stable for months suggests that other Mormons have found the evidence unassailable.'' 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (27 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity allows editors to freely express their bias in ways that would never be included in a “real world” academic article. We contrast Dr. Matzko's professionalism with the lack of such in John "Foxe."

Dr. Matzko notes in his article:
<blockquote>
“Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU.”
</blockquote>

In contrast, “Wikipedia academic” "John Foxe," notes on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#ES_&_JSJr._statements "Joseph Smith, Jr." Talk page]:
<blockquote>
“...the statements of Joseph and Emma are not credible. No historian of any persuasion takes them seriously. That's because both Joseph and Emma lied.”
</blockquote>

Dr. Bushman is one of the foremost “believing” historians to have documented the life of Joseph Smith, Jr. Surely Dr. Bushman considers the statements of Joseph Smith to be credible. John "Foxe" has actually met the man and respects him, claiming that he is a "super nice guy." Yet, Dr. Matzko acknowledges that Dr. Bushman is a historian worthy of reviewing his work, since he praises Dr. Bushman’s input and review of his article draft. The anonymous academic John "Foxe," in contrast, states that “no historian of any persuasion takes [Joseph’s statements] seriously,” thus implicitly condemning Dr. Bushman’s credentials as a historian. “Foxe” would not be able to get away with such a statement without the protection of anonymity. His “real world” credentials remain intact, while his Wikipedia credentials are essentially disposable.

===A comparison: Wikipedia bias versus the tempering of peer review===
In order to illustrate how bias can be inserted in a Wikipedia article in a way that would never be possible in a professional peer-reviewed article, we compare entries in the "First Vision" article crafted by John "Foxe" with similar statements from John Matzko's article "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," published in ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', vol. 40, no 3 (Fall 2007). The comparison is useful for illustrating the difference between what constitutes an allegedly "balanced" Wikipedia article versus an actual scholarly publication.

The comparison is quite valid—Both authors are history professors employed by Bob Jones University and both do not believe in the foundational stories of Mormonism. Yet, Dr. John Matzko produces an interesting, informative, and readable article, even if one does not necessarily agree with all of his claims. John "Foxe," on the other hand, is required to interact and compromise with other editors of varying degrees of belief and skepticism, and thus produces a convoluted and tortured text in his attempts to spin the article in the direction he wishes it to go.
{| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
!width="1%"|-
!width="29%"|Wiki academic "John Foxe," Wikipedia article "First Vision."
!width="20%"|Real world academic John Matzko "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," ''Dialogue''40/3 (2007)
!width="25%"|Comments
|-
|
=====Reference=====
||
*Smith said that he made an oblique reference to the vision in 1820 to his mother, telling her the day it happened that he had "learned for [him]self that Presbyterianism is not true." (Roberts, 1902)
||
*When Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother, he did not tell her that all Christian sects were equally erroneous. He said that “Presbyterianism [was] not true.”
Citations: “Joseph Smith History, 1839,” in Early Mormon Documents, 1:143.
||
*Note the Wikipedia article's claim that "Smith said that he made an oblique reference..." The sentence itself is oddly structured, since Joseph never ''said'' that he made an ''oblique'' reference. This is the Wikipedia editor's effort to insert as many qualifiers as possible in order to minimize the possibility that one might assume that Joseph was telling the truth. Oddly enough, a professor of historical writing ought to catch something such as this.
*Dr. Matzko's article simply correctly states the facts and back them up with a citation: "Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother."
|-
|

=====Connection=====
||
*In Smith's 1838 narrative, his family's decision to join the Presbyterian Church occurs prior to his First Vision. But Lucy Mack Smith said that she and some of her children sought comfort in the church after the death of her oldest son, Alvin, in November 1823, which if her memory was correct, would place the date of the first vision no earlier than 1824.
*Citations; (Vogel (2004), p. 58); (Hill (1982) , p. 39)
||
*Thus, not surprisingly, when Lucy reached Palmyra, she developed a connection with the Presbyterian church, even though she held aloof from membership.
*Citation: Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, 11-13. Solomon Mack, Lucy’s father, was a Universalist during her childhood but converted to orthodox Christianity in 1810. (Matzko, p. 70)
||
*The Wikipedia author has carefully selected the facts that he wants to present. Lucy’s baptism prior to 1820 (recorded in her history) is not mentioned. (EMD 1:242) He states what Joseph said, and then adds the inevitable "but..." He performs a bit of original research by drawing a conclusion (not allowed in Wikipedia) that the First Vision therefore could not have happened prior to 1824.
*Dr. Matzko, on the other hand, acknowledges that Lucy had some sort of connection with the Presbyterians after the Smith family moved to Palmyra. He does not mention her baptism (as it cannot be proven that it was performed by a ''Presbyterian'' minister). Matzko concludes that Lucy "held aloof from membership," although there are no extant membership records from the Western Presbyterian Church during this period—this statement is therefore an assumption based upon an absence of evidence.
|-
|
=====Timing=====
||
*William said the religious excitement in Palmyra had occurred in 1822-23 (rather than the actual date of 1824-25), that it was stimulated by the preaching of a Methodist, the Rev. George Lane, a "great revival preacher," and that his mother and some of his siblings had then joined the Presbyterian church.
*Smith (1883), p. 6 (Foxe)
||
*[S]ometime before 1828 Lucy and three of her children—Hyrum, Samuel, and Sophronia—joined the Presbyterian church where Stockton was the pastor.[15]
*Citations: Lucy Mack Smith, “Preliminary Manuscript” (1845), LDS Church
Archives, Salt Lake City, in Early Mormon Documents, 1:306. For notice of the 1824-25 revival, see Wayne Sentinel, March 2, 1825. No membership records of the Western Presbyterian Church survive for this period, and the date of their membership remains controversial, but Lucy Smith strongly implied that she joined the Presbyterian Church after Alvin’s death. Stockton served as pastor of Western Presbyterian Church from February 1824 until October 1827, the mostly likely period of the Smiths’ church membership.
||
*"Foxe" continues his original research by inserting the comment "rather than the actual date of 1824-1825."
*Matzko correctly notes that Lucy and her children joined the Presbyterian church "sometime before 1828." He also somewhat correctly indicates that Lucy "strongly implied" that she joined a church, although Lucy does not indicate specifically that it was Presbyterian. This is inferred from the fact that her family was listed on the membership rolls up until they were disfellowshipped in 1830.
|-
|
=====Methodist Property=====
||
*Citation: Bushman, 69-70. The Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, so it is likely that Smith's first dabble with Methodism occurred during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra.
||
*Citation: Since the Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, the camp meetings were almost certainly held after that date. Wesley Walters, "A Reply to Dr. Bushman," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 4, no. 1 (Spring 1969): 99. (Matzko, p. 78 note 2).
||
*"Foxe" cites Bushman, then adds a fact, followed by a speculation. Neither the fact nor the speculation are supported by the Bushman citation. No citation is even provided for the statement regarding the Methodist property.
*In contrast, Matzko notes the same information and cites it to Walters' response to Bushman.
|-
|
=====Exhorter=====
|
*He may have even spoken during some Methodist meetings—a childhood acquaintance of Smith's, Orsamus Turner (1801-1855), described him as a "very passable exhorter," which Dan Vogel has interpreted to mean some involvement with the Methodists "during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra. Nevertheless, Vogel admits that Smith "could not have been a licensed exhorter since membership was a prerequisite."EMD, 3: 50, n. 15; Turner (1851) , p. 429
*Turner says that "after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an "exhorter" is either "One who exhorts or urges on to action" or "a person appointed to give religious exhortation under the direction of a superior minister." Exhorters were common in early Methodism. (For instance, see Abel Stevens, History of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America (New York: Phillips & Hunt, 1884), 2: 235.)
*Nevertheless, according to Craig N. Ray, the word "exhorter" refers to Smith's activities in a debating club, not in Methodist meetings. (No other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation.)Brown (no date) The full text of the Turner quote can be found at Olivercowdery.com It is a single very lengthy sentence, but in summary, it says: "...the mother's intellect occasionally shone out in him feebly, especially when he used to help us to solve some portentous questions of moral or political ethics, in our juvenile debating club... and, subsequently, after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp-meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings."
||
*At some point between 1821 and 1829, Smith served as “a very passable exhorter” at Methodist camp meetings “away down in the woods, on the Vienna Road.”[2]
*[2] Orsamus Turner, History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve (Rochester, N.Y.: William Alling, 1851), 214, in Early Mormon Documents, 3:50.
||
*Note how much convoluted text John "Foxe" uses to describe the citation that Dr. Matzko effectively uses in a single line, although Matzko does make an assumption that Joseph was an "exhorter" at the Methodist meetings, rather than noting the debate club. "Foxe" doesn't like the fact that the citation clearly mentions a debating club, and that Joseph was an "exhorter" in evening meetings after he caught "a spark of Methodism" at the camp meetings. Turner mentions the debating club, but "Foxe" has to break the quote into parts and insert a lengthy dictionary definition of the word "exhorter" in order to make sure the reader understands the citation the way he wants them to. "Foxe" is trying very hard to obscure the fact that it was the primary source ''Turner'' that mentioned the "debating club," and does not actually allow the source quote that mentions it to appear until toward the end of the citation. "Foxe" even inserts the editorial comment that "no other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation," thus casting doubt on Ray's credentials.
*In contrast, Dr. Matzko simply states his conclusion: That Joseph was an "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings, and cites Turner as a source. There are no unprofessional comments casting doubts upon other scholars in ''this'' paper, which was required to pass a peer review.
|}

==Conclusion==
Only in Wikipedia can you observe LDS believers, non-believers and critics attempting to work together to produce a coherent encyclopedia article. Sometimes "working together" is in reality an edit war between believers and critics, with the "winner" being the person who can outlast the others without blatantly violating Wikipedia editing guidelines.

=Endnotes=
#{{note|foxename}}The pseudonym "John Foxe" is not the editor's real name—it is taken from the author of "Foxe's Book of Martyrs."
#{{note|foxe.adultery}} "...you have to understand that from my perspective, Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery." John "Foxe" (13 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Seer_stone_(Latter_Day_Saints)#Revelation_2.17_and_the_white_stone}}
#{{note|foxe.darkness}} Comment posted on "Three Witnesses" Talk page by John "Foxe" (28 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Magic_world_view.3F}}
#{{note|foxe.martian}} "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." Posted to the "Bob Jones University" Talk page by John "Foxe" (12 July 2006) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Bob_Jones_University&diff=prev&oldid=63502845}}
#{{note|matzko1}}Dr. Matzko's article thanks “participants in the 2005 NEH Seminar on ‘Joseph Smith and the Origins of Mormonism’ for criticism of an earlier draft. Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU."

Utilizador:InProgress/Mormonism and Wikipedia/Academic among amateurs

2009-05-13T15:58:12Z

Awyatt: /* "Real world" academics versus wiki academics */

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisWikipedia
|title=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs
|wikipedialink=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Vision
|uplink=[[../|Mormonism and Wikipedia]]
|section=
|previous=[[../Editors|Editors of LDS related Wikipedia articles]]
|next=[[../First Vision|An analysis of article "First Vision"]]
|notes={{WikipediaDisclaimer}}
}}

=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs=
<blockquote>
<center>
''In a recent (and excellent) article in the Journal of American History (June 2006), “Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past,” the author, Roy Rosenzweig, notes how “academics and other highly-qualified people” who were initially excited by the project were “slowly worn down and driven away by having to deal with difficult people.” (140) I refuse to be worn down and driven away.'' 
"John Foxe" 7 July 2006 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Bob_Jones_University/Archive_0003#Bibb_Graves}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}

==The shield of anonymity==
<blockquote>
<center>
''I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no "deep respect" for the religions themselves.'' 
''That's because they're false. They're lies. "What communion hath light with darkness?"’’
 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (28 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity provides a passionate Wikipedia editor with certain advantages. A "pseudo persona" such as that created by the Bob Jones University professor who calls himself "John Foxe" {{ref|foxename}} has no need to protect his academic reputation. "Foxe" has no stated academic credentials—hence, there is no reputation to maintain. This allows the persona to safely reflect the true inner thoughts of the corresponding "real world" editor without the danger of having any of the persona's activities reflect upon his or her "real world" reputation and credentials. Since "Foxe" has researched Mormonism at BYU and has interacted with a number of Latter-day Saints, we are confident that the real-world alter ego of "John Foxe" discusses Mormonism with Latter-day Saints in a more respectful and restrained manner than that of his more uninhibited on-line persona.

For example, it is difficult to imagine the real-world professor boldly declaring to Latter-day Saints he meets for the first time that "Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery," {{ref|foxe.adultery}} or claiming "I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no 'deep respect' for the religions themselves. That's because they're false. They're lies. 'What communion hath light with darkness?'" {{ref|foxe.darkness}} In fact, 2 Corinthians 6:14 ''does'' quite accurately describe the online attitude of "John Foxe:"
<blockquote>
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
</blockquote>

"Foxe's" online boldness and sarcasm are not limited to Latter-day Saints. One cannot imagine the real-world counterpart of "John Foxe" telling someone: "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." {{ref|foxe.martian}} Yet, the online persona finds this type of interaction perfectly acceptable. The real-world professor, on the other hand, would find it embarrassing to have such comments attributed to him.

=="Real world" academics versus wiki academics==
<blockquote>
<center>
''At last, the truth comes out. Now your condescending attitude towards all of us amateurs makes more sense.'' 
''It has long been obvious that you are a better wordsmith than I, that doesn't make your words any more or less true.'' 
''Joseph Smith, Jr. was barely literate when he first saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, I am glad to stand with them.'' 
—Wikipedia editor "74s181" (5 November 2007) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:First_Vision/Archive_8#.22Drivel.22}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Consider a well written article such as Dr. John Matzko’s “The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism” which is both stylistically and substantively superior when compared to what passes for scholarship in a typical LDS-related Wikipedia article. It is enlightening to contrast Dr. Matzko’s approach with the approach of wiki editor John "Foxe." Both editors are highly educated and involved with teaching history at BJU. While Dr. Matzko’s article goes through peer review in order to produce a final draft, {{ref|matzko1}} Wikipedia articles such as “First Vision” and “Joseph Smith, Jr.” essentially suffer through an endless and continuous “peer review.” The frustration for the “Wikipedia academic” is that many of the “peers” performing the review are not scholars. Even more frustrating for “Foxe,” many of the “peers” attempting to review an article are either passionate LDS believers or passionate critics who wish to insert any number of potentially unsubstantiated claims. Thus, while Dr. Matzko is able to produce an intelligent and coherent article (admittedly from a non-believer’s perspective), “Foxe” is unable to keep dedicated non-scholarly believers and critics from attempting to “spin” an article in a direction that he does not wish it to go. The articles that he cares about, therefore, must be continuously maintained. In essence, "Foxe" has his finger on the "dead man's switch" of these articles. After several years of editing, he by now realizes that his choices are to either watch what he has so carefully put together be taken apart by amateurs or spend the next 20 years of his life maintaining Wikipedia articles. The only other alternative is to bring in another like-minded editor to take over some of the workload. The frustration of an academic among amateurs becomes evident.

Thus speaketh the history professor...
<blockquote>
''I've replaced older material in this section with new, narrative content that is more concise, more readable, well-referenced, and is better focused on Joseph Smith, Jr.'' 
''I expect editing to be adequately explained.''
 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Polygamy_revision Wikipedia Talk Page] (15 September 2008)
</blockquote>

...and the writer...

<blockquote>
''I won't argue that what I've written is of higher quality than what you are trying to preserve—though it is...'' 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Foxe's_changes Wikipedia Talk Page] (21 September 2008)
</blockquote>

Frustrated editors fall by the wayside...
<blockquote>
The day will come when John Foxe... like the rest of us... will tire of this current fight and move on with his life. I'm taking the long term view of this particular article, and doing a wait and see on how this is eventually going to turn out. 
--"Robert Horning" 20:14, 2 August 2007 (UTC) {{link|url= http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:74s181&diff=148788962&oldid=146899808}}
 
The only reason the article became "basically stable" is that I finally quit--I just gave up fighting with him. I consider him a bully. He is tenacious and very focused. 
--"Rocketj4" 13:17, 19 September 2008 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:A_Sniper&diff=239555661&oldid=238874332}}
</blockquote>

==Freedom of biased expression==
<blockquote>
<center>
''The fact that this article has been stable for months'' 
''suggests that other Mormons have found the evidence unassailable.'' 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (27 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity allows editors to freely express their bias in ways that would never be included in a “real world” academic article. We contrast Dr. Matzko's professionalism with the lack of such in "John Foxe.”

Dr. Matzko notes in his article:
<blockquote>
“Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU.”
</blockquote>

In contrast, “Wikipedia academic” "John Foxe," notes on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#ES_&_JSJr._statements "Joseph Smith, Jr." Talk page]:
<blockquote>
“...the statements of Joseph and Emma are not credible. No historian of any persuasion takes them seriously. That's because both Joseph and Emma lied.”
</blockquote>

Dr. Bushman is one of the foremost “believing” historians to have documented the life of Joseph Smith, Jr. Surely Dr. Bushman considers the statements of Joseph Smith to be credible. "John Foxe" has actually met the man and respects him, claiming that he is a "super nice guy." Yet, Dr. Matzko acknowledges that Dr. Bushman is a historian worthy of reviewing his work, since he praises Dr. Bushman’s input and review of his article draft. The anonymous academic "John Foxe,” in contrast, states that “no historian of any persuasion takes [Joseph’s statements] seriously,” thus implicitly condemning Dr. Bushman’s credentials as a historian. “Foxe” would not be able to get away with such a statement without the protection of anonymity. His “real world” credentials remain intact, while his “Wikipedia” credentials are essentially disposable.

===A comparison: Wikipedia bias versus the tempering of peer review===
In order to illustrate how bias can be inserted in Wikipedia in a way that would never be possible in a profession peer reviewed article, we compare entries in the "First Vision" article crafted by John "Foxe" and compare them with similar statements from John Matzko's article "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," published in ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', vol. 40, no 3 (Fall 2007). The comparison is useful for illustrating the difference between what constitutes an allegedly "balanced" Wikipedia article versus an actual scholarly publication.

The comparison is quite valid—Both authors are history professors employed by Bob Jones University, and both do not believe in the foundational stories of Mormonism. Yet, Dr. John Matzko produces an interesting, informative and readable article, even if one does not necessarily agree with all of his claims. John "Foxe," on the other hand, is required to interact and compromise with other editors of varying degrees of belief and skepticism, and thus produces a convoluted and tortured text in his attempts to spin the article in the direction he wishes it to go.
{| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
!width="1%"|-
!width="29%"|Wiki academic "John Foxe," Wikipedia article "First Vision."
!width="20%"|Real world academic John Matzko "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," ''Dialogue''40/3 (2007)
!width="25%"|Comments
|-
|
=====Reference=====
||
*Smith said that he made an oblique reference to the vision in 1820 to his mother, telling her the day it happened that he had "learned for [him]self that Presbyterianism is not true." (Roberts, 1902)
||
*When Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother, he did not tell her that all Christian sects were equally erroneous. He said that “Presbyterianism [was] not true.”
Citations: “Joseph Smith History, 1839,” in Early Mormon Documents, 1:143.
||
*Note the Wikipedia article's claim that "Smith said that he made an oblique reference..." The sentence itself is oddly structured, since Joseph never ''said'' that he made an ''oblique'' reference. This is the Wikipedia editor's effort to insert as many qualifiers as possible in order to minimize the possibility that one might assume that Joseph was telling the truth. Oddly enough, a professor of historical writing ought to catch something such as this.
*Dr. Matzko's article simply correctly states the facts and back them up with a citation: "Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother."
|-
|

=====Connection=====
||
*In Smith's 1838 narrative, his family's decision to join the Presbyterian Church occurs prior to his First Vision. But Lucy Mack Smith said that she and some of her children sought comfort in the church after the death of her oldest son, Alvin, in November 1823, which if her memory was correct, would place the date of the first vision no earlier than 1824.
*Citations; (Vogel (2004), p. 58); (Hill (1982) , p. 39)
||
*Thus, not surprisingly, when Lucy reached Palmyra, she developed a connection with the Presbyterian church, even though she held aloof from membership.
*Citation: Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, 11-13. Solomon Mack, Lucy’s father, was a Universalist during her childhood but converted to orthodox Christianity in 1810. (Matzko, p. 70)
||
*The Wikipedia author has carefully selected the facts that he wants to present. Lucy’s baptism prior to 1820 (recorded in her history) is not mentioned. (EMD 1:242) He states what Joseph said, and then adds the inevitable "but..." He performs a bit of original research by drawing a conclusion (not allowed in Wikipedia) that the First Vision therefore could not have happened prior to 1824.
*Dr. Matzko, on the other hand, acknowledges that Lucy had some sort of connection with the Presbyterians after the Smith family moved to Palmyra. He does not mention her baptism (as it cannot be proven that it was performed by a ''Presbyterian'' minister). Matzko concludes that Lucy "held aloof from membership," although there are no extant membership records from the Western Presbyterian Church during this period—this statement is therefore an assumption based upon an absence of evidence.
|-
|
=====Timing=====
||
*William said the religious excitement in Palmyra had occurred in 1822-23 (rather than the actual date of 1824-25), that it was stimulated by the preaching of a Methodist, the Rev. George Lane, a "great revival preacher," and that his mother and some of his siblings had then joined the Presbyterian church.
*Smith (1883), p. 6 (Foxe)
||
*[S]ometime before 1828 Lucy and three of her children—Hyrum, Samuel, and Sophronia—joined the Presbyterian church where Stockton was the pastor.[15]
*Citations: Lucy Mack Smith, “Preliminary Manuscript” (1845), LDS Church
Archives, Salt Lake City, in Early Mormon Documents, 1:306. For notice of the 1824-25 revival, see Wayne Sentinel, March 2, 1825. No membership records of the Western Presbyterian Church survive for this period, and the date of their membership remains controversial, but Lucy Smith strongly implied that she joined the Presbyterian Church after Alvin’s death. Stockton served as pastor of Western Presbyterian Church from February 1824 until October 1827, the mostly likely period of the Smiths’ church membership.
||
*"Foxe" continues his original research by inserting the comment "rather than the actual date of 1824-1825."
*Matzko correctly notes that Lucy and her children joined the Presbyterian church "sometime before 1828." He also somewhat correctly indicates that Lucy "strongly implied" that she joined a church, although Lucy does not indicate specifically that it was Presbyterian. This is inferred from the fact that her family was listed on the membership rolls up until they were disfellowshipped in 1830.
|-
|
=====Methodist Property=====
||
*Citation: Bushman, 69-70. The Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, so it is likely that Smith's first dabble with Methodism occurred during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra.
||
*Citation: Since the Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, the camp meetings were almost certainly held after that date. Wesley Walters, "A Reply to Dr. Bushman," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 4, no. 1 (Spring 1969): 99. (Matzko, p. 78 note 2).
||
*"Foxe" cites Bushman, then adds a fact, followed by a speculation. Neither the fact nor the speculation are supported by the Bushman citation. No citation is even provided for the statement regarding the Methodist property.
*In contrast, Matzko notes the same information and cites it to Walters' response to Bushman.
|-
|
=====Exhorter=====
|
*He may have even spoken during some Methodist meetings—a childhood acquaintance of Smith's, Orsamus Turner (1801-1855), described him as a "very passable exhorter," which Dan Vogel has interpreted to mean some involvement with the Methodists "during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra. Nevertheless, Vogel admits that Smith "could not have been a licensed exhorter since membership was a prerequisite."EMD, 3: 50, n. 15; Turner (1851) , p. 429
*Turner says that "after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an "exhorter" is either "One who exhorts or urges on to action" or "a person appointed to give religious exhortation under the direction of a superior minister." Exhorters were common in early Methodism. (For instance, see Abel Stevens, History of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America (New York: Phillips & Hunt, 1884), 2: 235.)
*Nevertheless, according to Craig N. Ray, the word "exhorter" refers to Smith's activities in a debating club, not in Methodist meetings. (No other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation.)Brown (no date) The full text of the Turner quote can be found at Olivercowdery.com It is a single very lengthy sentence, but in summary, it says: "...the mother's intellect occasionally shone out in him feebly, especially when he used to help us to solve some portentous questions of moral or political ethics, in our juvenile debating club... and, subsequently, after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp-meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings."
||
*At some point between 1821 and 1829, Smith served as “a very passable exhorter” at Methodist camp meetings “away down in the woods, on the Vienna Road.”[2]
*[2] Orsamus Turner, History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve (Rochester, N.Y.: William Alling, 1851), 214, in Early Mormon Documents, 3:50.
||
*Note how much convoluted text John "Foxe" uses to describe the citation that Dr. Matzko effectively uses in a single line, although Matzko does make an assumption that Joseph was an "exhorter" at the Methodist meetings, rather than noting the debate club. "Foxe" doesn't like the fact that the citation clearly mentions a debating club, and that Joseph was an "exhorter" in evening meetings after he caught "a spark of Methodism" at the camp meetings. Turner mentions the debating club, but "Foxe" has to break the quote into parts and insert a lengthy dictionary definition of the word "exhorter" in order to make sure the reader understands the citation the way he wants them to. "Foxe" is trying very hard to obscure the fact that it was the primary source ''Turner'' that mentioned the "debating club," and does not actually allow the source quote that mentions it to appear until toward the end of the citation. "Foxe" even inserts the editorial comment that "no other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation," thus casting doubt on Ray's credentials.
*In contrast, Dr. Matzko simply states his conclusion: That Joseph was an "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings, and cites Turner as a source. There are no unprofessional comments casting doubts upon other scholars in ''this'' paper, which was required to pass a peer review.
|}

==Conclusion==
Only in Wikipedia can you observe LDS believers, non-believers and critics attempting to work together to produce a coherent encyclopedia article. Sometimes "working together" is in reality an edit war between believers and critics, with the "winner" being the person who can outlast the others without blatantly violating Wikipedia editing guidelines.

=Endnotes=
#{{note|foxename}}The pseudonym "John Foxe" is not the editor's real name—it is taken from the author of "Foxe's Book of Martyrs."
#{{note|foxe.adultery}} "...you have to understand that from my perspective, Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery." John "Foxe" (13 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Seer_stone_(Latter_Day_Saints)#Revelation_2.17_and_the_white_stone}}
#{{note|foxe.darkness}} Comment posted on "Three Witnesses" Talk page by John "Foxe" (28 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Magic_world_view.3F}}
#{{note|foxe.martian}} "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." Posted to the "Bob Jones University" Talk page by John "Foxe" (12 July 2006) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Bob_Jones_University&diff=prev&oldid=63502845}}
#{{note|matzko1}}Dr. Matzko's article thanks “participants in the 2005 NEH Seminar on ‘Joseph Smith and the Origins of Mormonism’ for criticism of an earlier draft. Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU."

Utilizador:InProgress/Mormonism and Wikipedia/Academic among amateurs

2009-05-13T15:54:39Z

Awyatt:

__NOTOC__
{{FAIRAnalysisWikipedia
|title=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs
|wikipedialink=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Vision
|uplink=[[../|Mormonism and Wikipedia]]
|section=
|previous=[[../Editors|Editors of LDS related Wikipedia articles]]
|next=[[../First Vision|An analysis of article "First Vision"]]
|notes={{WikipediaDisclaimer}}
}}

=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs=
<blockquote>
<center>
''In a recent (and excellent) article in the Journal of American History (June 2006), “Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past,” the author, Roy Rosenzweig, notes how “academics and other highly-qualified people” who were initially excited by the project were “slowly worn down and driven away by having to deal with difficult people.” (140) I refuse to be worn down and driven away.'' 
"John Foxe" 7 July 2006 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Bob_Jones_University/Archive_0003#Bibb_Graves}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}

==The shield of anonymity==
<blockquote>
<center>
''I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no "deep respect" for the religions themselves.'' 
''That's because they're false. They're lies. "What communion hath light with darkness?"’’
 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (28 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity provides a passionate Wikipedia editor with certain advantages. A "pseudo persona" such as that created by the Bob Jones University professor who calls himself "John Foxe" {{ref|foxename}} has no need to protect his academic reputation. "Foxe" has no stated academic credentials—hence, there is no reputation to maintain. This allows the persona to safely reflect the true inner thoughts of the corresponding "real world" editor without the danger of having any of the persona's activities reflect upon his or her "real world" reputation and credentials. Since "Foxe" has researched Mormonism at BYU and has interacted with a number of Latter-day Saints, we are confident that the real-world alter ego of "John Foxe" discusses Mormonism with Latter-day Saints in a more respectful and restrained manner than that of his more uninhibited on-line persona.

For example, it is difficult to imagine the real-world professor boldly declaring to Latter-day Saints he meets for the first time that "Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery," {{ref|foxe.adultery}} or claiming "I often have sympathy for the practitioners of false religions, but unlike you, I have no 'deep respect' for the religions themselves. That's because they're false. They're lies. 'What communion hath light with darkness?'" {{ref|foxe.darkness}} In fact, 2 Corinthians 6:14 ''does'' quite accurately describe the online attitude of "John Foxe:"
<blockquote>
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
</blockquote>

"Foxe's" online boldness and sarcasm are not limited to Latter-day Saints. One cannot imagine the real-world counterpart of "John Foxe" telling someone: "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." {{ref|foxe.martian}} Yet, the online persona finds this type of interaction perfectly acceptable. The real-world professor, on the other hand, would find it embarrassing to have such comments attributed to him.

=="Real world" academics versus wiki academics==
<blockquote>
<center>
''At last, the truth comes out. Now your condescending attitude towards all of us amateurs makes more sense.'' 
''It has long been obvious that you are a better wordsmith than I, that doesn't make your words any more or less true.'' 
''Joseph Smith, Jr. was barely literate when he first saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, I am glad to stand with them.'' 
—Wikipedia editor "74s181" (5 November 2007) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:First_Vision/Archive_8#.22Drivel.22}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Consider a well written article such as Dr. John Matzko’s “The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism” which is both stylistically and substantively superior when compared to what passes for scholarship in a typical LDS Wikipedia article. It is enlightening to contrast Dr. Matzko’s approach with the approach of wiki editor "John Foxe.” Both editors are highly educated and involved with teaching history at BJU. While Dr. Matzko’s article goes through peer review in order to produce a final draft, {{ref|matzko1}} Wikipedia articles such as “First Vision” and “Joseph Smith, Jr.” essentially suffer through an endless and continuous “peer review.” The frustration for the “Wikipedia academic” is that many of the “peers” performing the review are not scholars. Even more frustrating for “Foxe,” many of the “peers” attempting to review an article are either passionate LDS believers or passionate critics, who wish to insert any number of potentially unsubstantiated claims. Thus, while Dr. Matzko is able to produce an intelligent and coherent article (admittedly from a non-believer’s perspective), “Foxe” is unable to keep dedicated non-scholarly believers and critics from attempting to “spin” an article in a direction that he does not wish it to go. The articles that he cares about, therefore, must be continuously maintained. In essence, "Foxe" has his finger on the "dead man's switch" of these articles. After several years of editing, he by now realizes that his choices are to either watch what he has so carefully put together be taken apart by amateurs, or spend the next 20 years of his life maintaining Wikipedia articles. The only other alternative is to bring in another like-minded editor to take over some of the workload. The frustration of an academic among amateurs becomes evident.

Thus speaketh the history professor...
<blockquote>
''I've replaced older material in this section with new, narrative content that is more concise, more readable, well-referenced, and is better focused on Joseph Smith, Jr.'' 
''I expect editing to be adequately explained.''
 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Polygamy_revision Wikipedia Talk Page] (15 September 2008)
</blockquote>

...and the writer...

<blockquote>
''I won't argue that what I've written is of higher quality than what you are trying to preserve—though it is...'' 
"John Foxe," "Joseph Smith, Jr." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#Foxe's_changes Wikipedia Talk Page] (21 September 2008)
</blockquote>

Frustrated editors fall by the wayside...
<blockquote>
The day will come when John Foxe... like the rest of us... will tire of this current fight and move on with his life. I'm taking the long term view of this particular article, and doing a wait and see on how this is eventually going to turn out. 
--"Robert Horning" 20:14, 2 August 2007 (UTC) {{link|url= http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:74s181&diff=148788962&oldid=146899808}}
 
The only reason the article became "basically stable" is that I finally quit--I just gave up fighting with him. I consider him a bully. He is tenacious and very focused. 
--"Rocketj4" 13:17, 19 September 2008 (UTC) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:A_Sniper&diff=239555661&oldid=238874332}}
</blockquote>

==Freedom of biased expression==
<blockquote>
<center>
''The fact that this article has been stable for months'' 
''suggests that other Mormons have found the evidence unassailable.'' 
"John Foxe," responding to an LDS editor at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Biographical%20Material%20on%20the%20Witnesses#Magic_world_view? "Three Witnesses" Wikipedia Talk Page] (27 January 2009)
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
Anonymity allows editors to freely express their bias in ways that would never be included in a “real world” academic article. We contrast Dr. Matzko's professionalism with the lack of such in "John Foxe.”

Dr. Matzko notes in his article:
<blockquote>
“Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU.”
</blockquote>

In contrast, “Wikipedia academic” "John Foxe," notes on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Joseph_Smith,_Jr.#ES_&_JSJr._statements "Joseph Smith, Jr." Talk page]:
<blockquote>
“...the statements of Joseph and Emma are not credible. No historian of any persuasion takes them seriously. That's because both Joseph and Emma lied.”
</blockquote>

Dr. Bushman is one of the foremost “believing” historians to have documented the life of Joseph Smith, Jr. Surely Dr. Bushman considers the statements of Joseph Smith to be credible. "John Foxe" has actually met the man and respects him, claiming that he is a "super nice guy." Yet, Dr. Matzko acknowledges that Dr. Bushman is a historian worthy of reviewing his work, since he praises Dr. Bushman’s input and review of his article draft. The anonymous academic "John Foxe,” in contrast, states that “no historian of any persuasion takes [Joseph’s statements] seriously,” thus implicitly condemning Dr. Bushman’s credentials as a historian. “Foxe” would not be able to get away with such a statement without the protection of anonymity. His “real world” credentials remain intact, while his “Wikipedia” credentials are essentially disposable.

===A comparison: Wikipedia bias versus the tempering of peer review===
In order to illustrate how bias can be inserted in Wikipedia in a way that would never be possible in a profession peer reviewed article, we compare entries in the "First Vision" article crafted by John "Foxe" and compare them with similar statements from John Matzko's article "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," published in ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'', vol. 40, no 3 (Fall 2007). The comparison is useful for illustrating the difference between what constitutes an allegedly "balanced" Wikipedia article versus an actual scholarly publication.

The comparison is quite valid—Both authors are history professors employed by Bob Jones University, and both do not believe in the foundational stories of Mormonism. Yet, Dr. John Matzko produces an interesting, informative and readable article, even if one does not necessarily agree with all of his claims. John "Foxe," on the other hand, is required to interact and compromise with other editors of varying degrees of belief and skepticism, and thus produces a convoluted and tortured text in his attempts to spin the article in the direction he wishes it to go.
{| valign="top" border="1" style="width:100%; font-size:85%"
!width="1%"|-
!width="29%"|Wiki academic "John Foxe," Wikipedia article "First Vision."
!width="20%"|Real world academic John Matzko "The Encounter of Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," ''Dialogue''40/3 (2007)
!width="25%"|Comments
|-
|
=====Reference=====
||
*Smith said that he made an oblique reference to the vision in 1820 to his mother, telling her the day it happened that he had "learned for [him]self that Presbyterianism is not true." (Roberts, 1902)
||
*When Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother, he did not tell her that all Christian sects were equally erroneous. He said that “Presbyterianism [was] not true.”
Citations: “Joseph Smith History, 1839,” in Early Mormon Documents, 1:143.
||
*Note the Wikipedia article's claim that "Smith said that he made an oblique reference..." The sentence itself is oddly structured, since Joseph never ''said'' that he made an ''oblique'' reference. This is the Wikipedia editor's effort to insert as many qualifiers as possible in order to minimize the possibility that one might assume that Joseph was telling the truth. Oddly enough, a professor of historical writing ought to catch something such as this.
*Dr. Matzko's article simply correctly states the facts and back them up with a citation: "Joseph reported his earliest vision to his mother."
|-
|

=====Connection=====
||
*In Smith's 1838 narrative, his family's decision to join the Presbyterian Church occurs prior to his First Vision. But Lucy Mack Smith said that she and some of her children sought comfort in the church after the death of her oldest son, Alvin, in November 1823, which if her memory was correct, would place the date of the first vision no earlier than 1824.
*Citations; (Vogel (2004), p. 58); (Hill (1982) , p. 39)
||
*Thus, not surprisingly, when Lucy reached Palmyra, she developed a connection with the Presbyterian church, even though she held aloof from membership.
*Citation: Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, 11-13. Solomon Mack, Lucy’s father, was a Universalist during her childhood but converted to orthodox Christianity in 1810. (Matzko, p. 70)
||
*The Wikipedia author has carefully selected the facts that he wants to present. Lucy’s baptism prior to 1820 (recorded in her history) is not mentioned. (EMD 1:242) He states what Joseph said, and then adds the inevitable "but..." He performs a bit of original research by drawing a conclusion (not allowed in Wikipedia) that the First Vision therefore could not have happened prior to 1824.
*Dr. Matzko, on the other hand, acknowledges that Lucy had some sort of connection with the Presbyterians after the Smith family moved to Palmyra. He does not mention her baptism (as it cannot be proven that it was performed by a ''Presbyterian'' minister). Matzko concludes that Lucy "held aloof from membership," although there are no extant membership records from the Western Presbyterian Church during this period—this statement is therefore an assumption based upon an absence of evidence.
|-
|
=====Timing=====
||
*William said the religious excitement in Palmyra had occurred in 1822-23 (rather than the actual date of 1824-25), that it was stimulated by the preaching of a Methodist, the Rev. George Lane, a "great revival preacher," and that his mother and some of his siblings had then joined the Presbyterian church.
*Smith (1883), p. 6 (Foxe)
||
*[S]ometime before 1828 Lucy and three of her children—Hyrum, Samuel, and Sophronia—joined the Presbyterian church where Stockton was the pastor.[15]
*Citations: Lucy Mack Smith, “Preliminary Manuscript” (1845), LDS Church
Archives, Salt Lake City, in Early Mormon Documents, 1:306. For notice of the 1824-25 revival, see Wayne Sentinel, March 2, 1825. No membership records of the Western Presbyterian Church survive for this period, and the date of their membership remains controversial, but Lucy Smith strongly implied that she joined the Presbyterian Church after Alvin’s death. Stockton served as pastor of Western Presbyterian Church from February 1824 until October 1827, the mostly likely period of the Smiths’ church membership.
||
*"Foxe" continues his original research by inserting the comment "rather than the actual date of 1824-1825."
*Matzko correctly notes that Lucy and her children joined the Presbyterian church "sometime before 1828." He also somewhat correctly indicates that Lucy "strongly implied" that she joined a church, although Lucy does not indicate specifically that it was Presbyterian. This is inferred from the fact that her family was listed on the membership rolls up until they were disfellowshipped in 1830.
|-
|
=====Methodist Property=====
||
*Citation: Bushman, 69-70. The Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, so it is likely that Smith's first dabble with Methodism occurred during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra.
||
*Citation: Since the Methodists did not acquire property on the Vienna Road until July 1821, the camp meetings were almost certainly held after that date. Wesley Walters, "A Reply to Dr. Bushman," Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 4, no. 1 (Spring 1969): 99. (Matzko, p. 78 note 2).
||
*"Foxe" cites Bushman, then adds a fact, followed by a speculation. Neither the fact nor the speculation are supported by the Bushman citation. No citation is even provided for the statement regarding the Methodist property.
*In contrast, Matzko notes the same information and cites it to Walters' response to Bushman.
|-
|
=====Exhorter=====
|
*He may have even spoken during some Methodist meetings—a childhood acquaintance of Smith's, Orsamus Turner (1801-1855), described him as a "very passable exhorter," which Dan Vogel has interpreted to mean some involvement with the Methodists "during the 1824-25 revival in Palmyra. Nevertheless, Vogel admits that Smith "could not have been a licensed exhorter since membership was a prerequisite."EMD, 3: 50, n. 15; Turner (1851) , p. 429
*Turner says that "after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an "exhorter" is either "One who exhorts or urges on to action" or "a person appointed to give religious exhortation under the direction of a superior minister." Exhorters were common in early Methodism. (For instance, see Abel Stevens, History of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America (New York: Phillips & Hunt, 1884), 2: 235.)
*Nevertheless, according to Craig N. Ray, the word "exhorter" refers to Smith's activities in a debating club, not in Methodist meetings. (No other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation.)Brown (no date) The full text of the Turner quote can be found at Olivercowdery.com It is a single very lengthy sentence, but in summary, it says: "...the mother's intellect occasionally shone out in him feebly, especially when he used to help us to solve some portentous questions of moral or political ethics, in our juvenile debating club... and, subsequently, after catching a spark of Methodism in the camp-meeting, away down in the woods, on the Vienna road, he was a very passable exhorter in evening meetings."
||
*At some point between 1821 and 1829, Smith served as “a very passable exhorter” at Methodist camp meetings “away down in the woods, on the Vienna Road.”[2]
*[2] Orsamus Turner, History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve (Rochester, N.Y.: William Alling, 1851), 214, in Early Mormon Documents, 3:50.
||
*Note how much convoluted text John "Foxe" uses to describe the citation that Dr. Matzko effectively uses in a single line, although Matzko does make an assumption that Joseph was an "exhorter" at the Methodist meetings, rather than noting the debate club. "Foxe" doesn't like the fact that the citation clearly mentions a debating club, and that Joseph was an "exhorter" in evening meetings after he caught "a spark of Methodism" at the camp meetings. Turner mentions the debating club, but "Foxe" has to break the quote into parts and insert a lengthy dictionary definition of the word "exhorter" in order to make sure the reader understands the citation the way he wants them to. "Foxe" is trying very hard to obscure the fact that it was the primary source ''Turner'' that mentioned the "debating club," and does not actually allow the source quote that mentions it to appear until toward the end of the citation. "Foxe" even inserts the editorial comment that "no other reputable scholar has adopted this interpretation," thus casting doubt on Ray's credentials.
*In contrast, Dr. Matzko simply states his conclusion: That Joseph was an "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings, and cites Turner as a source. There are no unprofessional comments casting doubts upon other scholars in ''this'' paper, which was required to pass a peer review.
|}

==Conclusion==
Only in Wikipedia can you observe LDS believers, non-believers and critics attempting to work together to produce a coherent encyclopedia article. Sometimes "working together" is in reality an edit war between believers and critics, with the "winner" being the person who can outlast the others without blatantly violating Wikipedia editing guidelines.

=Endnotes=
#{{note|foxename}}The pseudonym "John Foxe" is not the editor's real name—it is taken from the author of "Foxe's Book of Martyrs."
#{{note|foxe.adultery}} "...you have to understand that from my perspective, Joseph not only lied, he committed serial adultery." John "Foxe" (13 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Seer_stone_(Latter_Day_Saints)#Revelation_2.17_and_the_white_stone}}
#{{note|foxe.darkness}} Comment posted on "Three Witnesses" Talk page by John "Foxe" (28 January 2009) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Three_Witnesses#Magic_world_view.3F}}
#{{note|foxe.martian}} "Frankly, I don't care whether you're a reprobate, a pedestrian, or a Martian." Posted to the "Bob Jones University" Talk page by John "Foxe" (12 July 2006) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Bob_Jones_University&diff=prev&oldid=63502845}}
#{{note|matzko1}}Dr. Matzko's article thanks “participants in the 2005 NEH Seminar on ‘Joseph Smith and the Origins of Mormonism’ for criticism of an earlier draft. Especially valuable were the comments of Richard Bushman, seminar co-director, and Mark Sidwell, the author’s colleague at BJU."

Utilizador:InProgress/Mormonism and Wikipedia

2009-05-13T15:19:24Z

Awyatt: /* FAIR's approach to Wikipedia articles */

=Mormonism and Wikipedia=
<blockquote>
<center>
''It is easy enough to spin webs of speculation...''
 
—Dr. John Matzko, Professor of History, Bob Jones University. 
"The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism," ''Dialogue'' 40/3 (2007), p. 77
 
''...every time you start citing Wikipedia rules, I tune them out as Mormon smokescreen.'' 
—Wikipedia editor John "Foxe" (23 July 2007) {{link|url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:First_Vision/Archive_6#Breaking_the_collaborative_truce}}
</center>
</blockquote>
{{parabreak}}
==FAIR's approach to Wikipedia articles==
FAIR regularly receives queries about specific LDS-themed Wikipedia articles with requests that we somehow "fix" them. Although some individual members of FAIR may choose to edit Wikipedia articles, FAIR as an organization does not. Controversial Wikipedia articles require constant maintenance and a significant amount of time. We prefer instead to respond to claims in the FAIR Wiki rather than fight the ongoing battle that LDS Wikipedia articles sometimes invite. From FAIR’s perspective, assertions made in LDS-themed Wikipedia articles are therefore treated just like any other critical (or, if one prefers, "anti-Mormon") work.

Given the fluid nature of LDS Wikipedia articles, it is pointless to perform a detailed review and analysis of many of them. There is a specific subset of LDS articles, however, that has been "stabilized" by one editor critical of LDS views, thus allowing us to perform a more detailed analysis.

Editors who wish to participate in editing LDS-themed Wikipedia articles can access the project page here: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Latter_Day_Saint_movement Wikipedia:WikiProject Latter Day Saint movement]. You are not required to be LDS in order to participate--there are a number of good non-LDS editors who have made valuable contributions to these articles.

The following sub-articles discuss various aspects of editing LDS-themed articles on Wikipedia. In addition, we analyze certain selected Wikipedia articles for accuracy and fairness.

===Common questions FAIR is asked about LDS Wikipedia articles===
{{Main|/Questions|l1=Common questions FAIR is asked about LDS Wikipedia articles}}

===Who edits LDS Wikipedia articles?===
{{Main|/Editors|l1=Editors of LDS related Wikipedia articles}}
Who edits LDS Wikipedia articles? We introduce you to a few of the critical editors who have caught our attention that you are most likely to encounter.

===The perils of editing LDS Wikipedia articles===
{{Main|/Academic among amateurs|l1=A study in contrasts: An academic among amateurs}}
What happens when a "real world" academic attempts to improve Wikipedia articles and make them reflect his version of "truth?" We discuss the issue in detail here.

===FAIR's analysis of LDS Wikipedia articles===
We examine selected Wikipedia articles and examine them on a "claim-by-claim" basis, with links to responses in the FAIR Wiki.
====Wikipedia article "First Vision"====
{{Main|/First Vision|l1=First Vision}}
This is one of the more "stable" LDS articles on Wikipedia. We analyze this article claim by claim. The article has been a literal Wikipedia editing battleground, and the bodies of the fallen litter the landscape.

{{Suggestions}}

Predefinição:TPJS1

2008-02-14T19:28:54Z

Awyatt:

Joseph Smith, Jr., ''Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith'', edited by Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), {{{start}}}. ISBN 087579243X. {{link|url=http://www.boap.org/LDS/Joseph-Smith/Teachings/}}

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-28T00:10:30Z

Awyatt:

{| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top;background-color:#f5fffa"
! <h2 style="margin:0;background-color:#003366;font-size:120%;border:1px solid #258;text-align:center;color:#fff;padding:0.2em 0.4em;">
{{#switch: {{{title|}}}
| AB = Amplified Bible (AB)
| ASV = American Standard Version (ASV)
| AKJV = American King James Version (AKJV)
| BBE = Bible in Basic English (BBE)
| BLE = Bible in Living English (BLE)
| CCB = Christian Community Bible (CCB)
| CEV = Contemporary English Version (CEV)
| EEB = Easy English Bible (EEB)
| ERV = Easy to Read Version (ERV)
| ESV = English Standard Version (ESV)
| GNT = Good News Translation (GNT)
| HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
| JB = Jerusalem Bible (JB)
| JST = Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
| KJV = King James Version (KJV)
| LB = Living Bible (LB)
| MKJV = Modern King James Version (MKJV)
| NAB = New American Bible (NAB)
| NASB = New American Standard Bible (NASB)
| NCV = New Century Version (NCV)
| NEB = New English Bible (NEB)
| NET = New English Translation (NET)
| NIRV = New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
| NIV = New International Version (NIV)
| NJB = New Jerusalem Bible (NJB)
| NKJV = New King James Version (NKJV)
| NLV = New Life Version (NLV)
| NLT = New Living Translation (NLT)
| NRSV = New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
| NWT = New World Translation (NWT)
| RVB = Recovery Version of the Bible (RVB)
| RV = Revised Version (RV)
| RSV = Revised Standard Version (RSV)
| REB = Revised English Bible (REB)
| SEB = Simplified English Bible (SEB)
| TNIV = Today's New International Version (TNIV)
| TMB = Third Millennium Bible (TMB)
| UKJV = Updated King James Version (UKJV)
| Unnamed Translation}}</h2>
|-
| style="color:#000"| {{{text}}}
|}

Predefinição:Interlinear2

2007-08-27T22:45:27Z

Awyatt: Template:Interlinear2 moved to Template:Parallel2

#REDIRECT [[Template:Parallel2]]

Predefinição:Interlinear3

2007-08-27T22:44:59Z

Awyatt: Template:Interlinear3 moved to Template:Parallel3

#REDIRECT [[Template:Parallel3]]

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-27T22:39:37Z

Awyatt:

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2007-08-27T22:36:04Z

Awyatt:

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-27T22:35:07Z

Awyatt:

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2007-08-27T22:34:20Z

Awyatt:

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-23T23:34:27Z

Awyatt:

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-23T23:19:33Z

Awyatt:

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-23T23:16:12Z

Awyatt:

Predefinição:ParallelItem

2007-08-23T22:17:34Z

Awyatt:

{| width="100%" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="5" style="vertical-align:top;background-color:#f5fffa"
! <h2 style="margin:0;background-color:#003366;font-size:120%;font-weight:bold;border:1px solid #258;text-align:center;color:#fff;padding:0.2em 0.4em;">{{{title}}}</h2>
|-
| style="color:#000"| {{{text}}}
|}

Ficheiro:FrontSmall.png

2007-03-24T19:44:48Z

Awyatt: Search for the Truth

Search for the Truth

Ficheiro:HowardTK.png

2007-03-24T14:46:49Z

Awyatt: Tim and Karen Howard

Tim and Karen Howard

Ficheiro:McCartneyJon.png

2007-03-24T14:36:36Z

Awyatt: Jon McCartney

Jon McCartney

Ficheiro:MedalOfHonor.png

2007-03-23T21:31:42Z

Awyatt: Congressional Medal of Honor

Congressional Medal of Honor

Ficheiro:Occult.png

2007-03-23T21:26:36Z

Awyatt: Occult symbol, Search for the Truth DVD

Occult symbol, Search for the Truth DVD

Ficheiro:ThompsonChip.png

2007-03-23T21:15:56Z

Awyatt: Chip Thompson

Chip Thompson

Ficheiro:OaklandRoger.png

2007-03-23T21:13:53Z

Awyatt: Roger Oakland

Roger Oakland

Ficheiro:MackertBrian.png

2007-03-23T21:12:49Z

Awyatt: Brian Mackert

Brian Mackert

Ficheiro:LarsonCharles.png

2007-03-23T21:11:17Z

Awyatt: Charles Larson

Charles Larson

Ficheiro:HigleyDR.png

2007-03-23T21:09:55Z

Awyatt: Dennis and Rauni Higley

Dennis and Rauni Higley

Ficheiro:GallatinScott.png

2007-03-23T21:08:15Z

Awyatt: Scott Gallatin

Scott Gallatin

Ficheiro:CowanMarvin.png

2007-03-23T20:51:30Z

Awyatt: Marvin Cowan

Marvin Cowan

Ficheiro:WhitcombJohn.png

2007-03-23T19:43:31Z

Awyatt: John Whitcomb

John Whitcomb

Ficheiro:TannerSandra.png

2007-03-23T19:41:56Z

Awyatt: Sandra Tanner

Sandra Tanner

Ficheiro:RobertsPhil.png

2007-03-23T19:41:14Z

Awyatt: Phil Roberts

Phil Roberts

Ficheiro:McElveen.png

2007-03-23T19:40:59Z

Awyatt: Floyd McElveen

Floyd McElveen

Ficheiro:KramerJoel.png

2007-03-23T19:38:41Z

Awyatt: Joel Kramer

Joel Kramer

Ficheiro:HuntDave.png

2007-03-23T19:33:30Z

Awyatt: Dave Hunt

Dave Hunt

Predefinição:DVD25March2007-FullToC

2007-03-23T00:08:56Z

Awyatt:

<table width="85%" border="0" align="center">
<tr style="background-color:#cedff2;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;font-size:110%;font-weight:bold;">DVD Scene</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;font-size:110%;font-weight:bold;">Information</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Search</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Intro|Introduction]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Who Is Jesus?</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Who Is Jesus?|Who Is Jesus?]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Who Is God?</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Who Is God?|Who Is God?]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Eternal Life</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Eternal Life|Eternal Life]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Archaeological Evidence</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Archaeology|Archaeology]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Prophecies & Revelations</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Prophecy and Revelation|Prophecies & Revelations]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Character of Joseph Smith</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Polygamy|Joseph Smith's Character - Polygamy]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">The First Vision</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:First Vision|Joseph Smith's Character - The First Vision]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">The Occult</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:The "Occult"|Joseph Smith's Character - The Occult]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">The Translator</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:The Translator|Joseph Smith's Character - The Translator]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">DNA</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:DNA|DNA]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Book of Abraham</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Book of Abraham|Book of Abraham]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style=vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Summary</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Witnessing to Mormons|Witnessing to Mormons]] 
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Summary|Summary]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Call to LDS Leaders</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Call to Leaders|Call to LDS Leaders]] 
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Music Video|Music Video]] 
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Credits|Credits]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style=vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Special Features: The Good Test</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:The Good Test|The Good Test]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Special Features: Burning in the Bosom</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:Burning in the Bosom|Burning in the Bosom]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Special Features: The Priesthood?</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:The Priesthood|The Priesthood?]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color:#f5daff;vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Special Features: What is Hell?</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:What is Hell?|What is Hell?]]</td>
</tr>
<tr style="vertical-align:center">
<td width="40%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">Special Features: A New Beginning</td>
<td width="60%" style="margin:0;padding:0.5em 0em 0.4em 1em;">
*[[Search for the Truth DVD:A New Beginning|A New Beginning]]</td>
</tr>
</table>

Predefinição:DVD25March2007-FullToC

2007-03-22T23:46:16Z

Awyatt:

Ficheiro:FrontSearchDVD.png

2007-03-22T23:32:41Z

Awyatt: Search for the Truth

Search for the Truth