I stand before you today to address a very grave but important
subject. That subject is the LGBT question and its place in the restored gospel
of Jesus Christ. In doing so I stand before you as the First Elder and Prophet
of The Restored Branch of Jesus Christ and nothing else.
It has come to my attention that certain things transpired
at a recent BYU graduation in April and then at an address by the leader of the
largest group within the restoration movement LDS church who spoke at a BYU conference
on the 17th of this month to young adults concerning The Laws of God in which
he addressed several issues but primarily the issue of the question of LGBT
rights within the LDS church. The reason I am talking to you today about this
is that I and many others agree that although the LDS church is the largest
group by far in the restoration it does not represent the views of the other
groups within that movement.
First came the talk by a graduating student in April who stood and announced publicly, for the first time during
graduation, that he is “proud to be a gay son of God.”
Like Enos in the Book of Mormon, the student said, he too
battled and fought in prayer with his maker countless times while a BYU
student. He said and I quote:-
“It was in these quiet moments of pain and confusion that I felt
another triumph, that of coming to terms, not with who I thought I should be,
but who the Lord has made me. As such, I stand before my family, friends and
graduating class today to say that I am proud to be a gay son of God.”
In response to this the audience cheered and applauded the
student, who said coming out to his entire college “is a phenomenal feeling,
and it is a victory for me in and of itself.”
The student in question went on to share several clips of his speech
on Twitter later, saying he had told his closest friends and family members he
was gay but felt it was important to share it publicly for himself and the
LGBTQ+ community at BYU.
Then came the talk by President Nelson on the 17th of
this month in which he encouraged those young people attending to defend the
Laws and Policies of the church as the same thing. He spoke about the LGBT
place within the said church and that in his words "The First Presidency
and Quorum of the Twelve have continued to seek the Lord’s guidance and to
plead with him in behalf of his children...and clarifies that local church
leaders should treat homosexual immorality the same as heterosexual immorality.
In other words it is no longer a sin to be homosexual, Lesbian as long as within
that relationship you do not commit immorality for example an immoral heterosexual
act would be to commit adultery with anther partner that is not you're espoused.
So it’s now LDS policy, as of
President Nelson's recent talk to young adults that they will accept same sex
couples as long as they are not engaging in immoral acts within that
relationship. Paving the way forward for acceptance of Homosexual relationships
being accepted in the LDS church. Yet further proof, if any was needed just how
far out of touch with the laws of God and the restored gospel they really are. He made it very clear that this
was now the policy of the church and that it was given from God because policy
and law are the same thing now. This all makes sense of course if you know of
the changes that they have recently made within their temple endowment when
talking about marriage and espoused relationships. However in their own short
past this has not been the case I cite four addresses two given by Gordon B Hinckley
in 1995 and 1998 one given by Spencer W Kimball in 1977 and one given by Boyd K
Packer in 2000.
There are those who would
have us believe in the validity of what they choose to call same-sex marriage.
Our hearts reach out to those who struggle with feelings of affinity for the
same gender. We remember you before the Lord, we sympathize with you, we regard
you as our brothers and our sisters. However, we cannot condone immoral
practices on your part any more than we can condone immoral practices on the
part of others.... “We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve
Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim
that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God (Gordon B. Hinckley
1995)
Question 2: What is your Church’s attitude toward homosexuality?
In the first place, we believe that marriage between a man and a
woman is ordained of God. We believe that marriage may be eternal through
exercise of the power of the everlasting priesthood in the house of the Lord.
People inquire about our position on those who consider
themselves so-called gays and lesbians. My response is that we love them as
sons and daughters of God. They may have certain inclinations which are
powerful and which may be difficult to control. Most people have inclinations
of one kind or another at various times. If they do not act upon these
inclinations, then they can go forward as do all other members of the Church.
If they violate the law of chastity and the moral standards of the Church, then
they are subject to the discipline of the Church, just as others are.
We want to help these people, to strengthen them, to assist them
with their problems and to help them with their difficulties. But we cannot
stand idle if they indulge in immoral activity, if they try to uphold and
defend and live in a so-called same-sex marriage situation. To permit such
would be to make light of the very serious and sacred foundation of
God-sanctioned marriage and its very purpose, the rearing of families. (Gordon
B. Hinckley 1998)
The
growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us. Certainly our
Heavenly Father is distressed with the increasing inroads among his children of
such insidious sins as adultery and fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism.... God will not be
mocked. His laws are immutable. Homosexuality is an ugly sin, but because of
its prevalence, the need to warn the uninitiated, and the desire to help those
who may already be involved with it, it must be brought into the open.
It is the sin of the
ages. It was present in Israel Rome Sodom and Gomorrah
are symbols of wretched wickedness more especially related to this perversion,
as the incident of Lot ’s visitors indicates.
We do not hesitate to tell the world that the cure for these evils is not in
surrender.
“But let us emphasize that right and wrong, righteousness and
sin, are not dependent upon man’s interpretations, conventions and attitudes.
Social acceptance does not change the status of an act, making wrong into
right. If all the people in the world were to accept homosexuality, … the
practice would still be a deep, dark sin.” (The
Miracle of Forgiveness, Bookcraft, p. 79.) (Spencer W. Kimball
1977)
With some few, there is the temptation which seems nearly
overpowering for man to be attracted to man or woman to woman. The scriptures
plainly condemn those who “dishonour their own bodies between themselves … ;
men with men working that which is unseemly” (Rom. 1:24, 27) or “women
[who] change the natural use into that which is against nature” (Rom. 1:26).
If you choose that course, the fountains of life may dry up. You
will not experience the combination of love and struggle, the pain and
pleasure, the disappointment and sacrifice, that love which, blended together
in parenthood, exalts a man or a woman and leads to that fullness of joy spoken
of in the scriptures. Do not experiment; do not let anyone of either gender
touch your body to awaken passions that can flame beyond control. It begins as
an innocent curiosity, Satan influences your thoughts, and it becomes a
pattern, a habit, which may imprison you in an addiction, to the sorrow and
disappointment of those who love. Pressure is put upon legislatures to legalize
unnatural conduct. They can never make right that which is forbidden in the
laws of God. Sometimes we are asked why we do not recognize this conduct as a
diverse and acceptable lifestyle. This we cannot do. We did not make the laws;
they were made in heaven “before the foundation of the world” We are servants
only. (Boyd K. Packer 2000)
What can be said? These men profess to be Apostles of
God, they profess to stand in his name and to receive revelation from him, but
the God they serve is not the God of scripture he is not the God of the early
church under direction from the prophet Joseph Smith. Their God can and does
change his mind and direction as and when the wind blows. The LDS church has
fallen. It has fallen for Satan and his lies and what was true for them
yesterday is not true for them today, what was law for them yesterday is not
law for them anymore. They swing with the wind blowing to and fro and the
buffeting's and lies of Satan have them truly in his grasp.
Let me be clear. The new view of the laws of God as espoused by the LDS church and its leadership do not represent the views of
other restoration churches, indeed they do not represent the views of this
church. We may read the same books of scripture in regards to the Book of
Mormon etc but we have a completely different understanding of sin and LGBT sin
and the danger it poses to the institute of marriage and the family. The scriptures
are very clear on this point. Let me share just a few with you so that you are
in no doubt what the Lord and saviour and our Father in Heaven really believe
on this issue. First in The Book of Jeraneck we read the story of the wicked
King Rendonaneck and it says in chapter 13: 14
14. And
he loved the company of men also and the men would
shower
him with great gifts in exchange for title and land and unnatural carnal
pleasure.
Rom 1:21-27 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as
God; neither were they thankful, but became vain in their imaginations; and
their foolish hearts were darkened.
23 And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and
four-footed beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore, God also gave them up
to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own
bodies between themselves,
25 Who changed the truth of God into
a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is
blessed forever. Amen.
26 For this cause, God gave them up
unto vile affections; for even their women did change the natural use into that
which is against nature;
27 And likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another--men
with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that
recompense of their error which was meet.
In Leviticus we read in chapter 18:22
22 Thou
shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.
Again in Leviticus in chapter 20:13 we read.
13 If
a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have
committed an abomination;
In the first book of Corinthenians we read from chapter
6:9-10
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God
10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners shall inherit the kingdom
of God
and finally in the first book of Timothy we read chapter
1:8-10
8 But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully,
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,
but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for
unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for
manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that
defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured
persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine
My brothers and
sisters the scriptures are clear. Very clear! LGBT have no place in Gods
kingdom unless they repent and leave the road of sin. No church policy, no
matter the church or its size can overturn the laws of God. God is the same yesterday,
today and forever. God does not change his mind about sin and immorality just because
the world does. We are not of the world, but are of God. To do what the LDS
church have done recently is wrong and they are in error on this as they are on
other important things.
The scriptures are clear! Clear and so is our God on this
matter. I stand before you today to express grave concern at the direction the
LDS church are taking. They are misleading people and changing the Laws of God
because it best suits their new policy direction. They do not speak for me, for
you or our restoration movement. They are in direct conflict with the written
law and the laws of God. I wish to express my testimony to you at this time
that the LGBT movement is in direct conflict with God and his Law and any man
or women who indulges in their wicked acts is in direct conflict with God. We
love all our brothers and sisters the world over, but love does not mean that
we support them in acts of sin. It is our Job to bring people unto God on Gods
terms not their own. The world lieth in sin and the day fast approaches when we
will have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy. The LDS
church are choosing the easy road because it is broad and wide, but that road
leads to destruction. I am not prophesying the destruction of the LDS church,
but I am talking to its members directly. I say unto you at this time that this
road your church is on is not right and it is wrong and in error. I am reaching
out to you now. If you feel lost and abandoned by this new direction and you
can not reconcile the changes that have been made come and talk with us and let
us see if we cannot bring you back on to the road of God and the restoration.
The Gospel is here in its fullness, we have it, we will not jeopardise it just
because of social habits or pressures. We are here for you and we know that we
can bring you closer to God and His Gospel by accepting his Laws and infinite
and unchanging. I pray we will all make the right choice and stand with God no
matter what. Amen.
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