The law of chastity is a moral code defined by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). According to the church, chastity means that "sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife." [1] Therefore, abstinence from sexual relations outside of marriage, and complete fidelity to one's spouse during marriage, are required. [2] As part of the law of chastity, the church teaches its members to abstain from adultery and fornication.
Within the LDS Church, chastity means more than abstinence from sex. It means to be morally clean in "thoughts, words, and actions." It also means sexual relations are only permitted between a husband and wife. The church teaches its members that "no one, male or female, is to have sexual relations before marriage. After marriage, sexual relations are permitted only with our spouse." [2]
Members of the LDS Church believe that sexuality between man and woman lawfully married is divinely appointed and has two purposes: to "multiply, and replenish the Earth" (Genesis 1:28) as commanded by God to Adam and Eve, and to strengthen the bond between man and woman so that they might "become one flesh" (Mark 10:8). A church handbook states that "[p]hysical intimacy between husband and wife is intended to be beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. Tenderness and respect—not selfishness—should guide their intimate relationship." [3]
The church has made its views clear in many publications and in recent news releases that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God". [4] While opposing homosexual behavior, the church advises its leaders and members to reach out with understanding and respect to individuals who are attracted to those of the same gender. [5]
Sexual relations are deemed proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife. Any other sexual relations, including those between persons of the same gender, are considered sinful and undermining of the divinely created institution of the family. Premarital and extramarital sexual relations "threaten the integrity of the marital bond and violate God's plan for bringing premortal spirits to earth," and thus are condemned. [6] The church accordingly affirms defining marriage as the legal and lawful union between a man and a woman. [7]
An LDS Church publication published particularly for young men and women states: "Sexual feelings are an important part of God’s plan to create happy marriages and eternal families. These feelings are not sinful—they are sacred. Because sexual feelings are so sacred and so powerful, God has given you His law of chastity to prepare you to use these feelings as He intends. The law of chastity states that God approves of sexual activity only between a man and a woman who are married.” [8] Youth are also taught "Outside of marriage between a man and a woman, it is wrong to touch the private, sacred parts of another person’s body even if clothed. In your choices about what you do, look at, read, listen to, think about, post, or text, avoid anything that purposely arouses lustful emotions in others or yourself. This includes pornography in any form." [8] Church leaders advise youth to seek help dealing with sexual feeling and promise the Law of Chastity "will bring greater love, trust, and unity to your marriage." [8]
The LDS Church has emphasized the importance of repenting for sexual transgression. The church teaches that "even when you try to do your best to make good choices, sometimes you will make mistakes. You’ll do things you wish you hadn’t. Everyone does. When that happens, it is easy to feel discouraged or wonder if you will ever be good enough. But there is good news—wonderful, hopeful news! Because God loves you, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself your sins so you can repent and keep progressing. Jesus Christ can strengthen you. He can help you change your desires, your thoughts, and your actions. When you are worried, afraid, or struggling in any way, He will comfort you. He will help you in all aspects of your life. Repentance isn’t punishment for sin; it is the way the Savior frees us from sin. To repent means to change—to turn away from sin and toward God. It means to improve and receive forgiveness. This kind of change is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process." [8]
The LDS Church places great emphasis on the law of chastity. Commitment to live the law of chastity is required for baptism, [9] and adherence is required to receive a temple recommend. [10] The Book of Mormon teaches that sexual sins are "most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost" (Alma 39:5). If a member breaks the Law of Chastity, they are expected to repent (see “Repentance” section above).
Church leaders have emphasized its importance. When discussing premarital sex in his book The Miracle of Forgiveness the apostle (and later church president) Spencer W. Kimball quoted church president David O. McKay in stating, "Your virtue is worth more than your life. Please, young folk, preserve your virtue even if you lose your lives." [11] [12] In the book Mormon Doctrine the apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote in the section "Chastity" that it is better to be "dead clean, than alive unclean" and that many Mormon parents would rather their child "come back in a pine box with [their] virtue than return alive without it". [13] : 375 [14] Although Elder McConkie received pushback for this message from church leadership, the severity of premarital sexual relationships and adultery is stressed by the church.
Ezra Taft Benson, one of the church's presidents, wrote:
From the beginning of time, the Lord has set a clear and unmistakable standard of sexual purity. It always has been, it is now, and it always will be the same. That standard is the law of chastity. It is the same for all—for men and women, for old and young, for rich and poor. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Jacob tells us that the Lord delights in the chastity of His children (see Jacob 2:28). Do you hear that, my brothers and sisters? The Lord is not just pleased when we are chaste; He delights in chastity. Mormon taught the same thing to his son Moroni when he wrote that chastity and virtue are 'most dear and precious above all things.' (Moroni 9:9) [15]
Serious violation of the law of chastity may result in a church membership council, including formal membership restrictions or withdrawal of membership especially when child sexual abuse is involved.
The law of chastity is one of the covenants members of the LDS Church promise by oath to keep during the endowment ceremony of the temple. [16] [17]
In 2021 reports of LDS church members "soaking" (where a penis penetrates a vagina but then remains still, thus not considered sex) as a workaround to the church's Law of Chastity made international news and received millions of views and social media tags. [18] [19] [20] Other articles described a related act among LDS members of "jump humping" where two people soak while another jumps on the bed beside them. [21] [22] [23] Soaking between two LDS characters was discussed on the 2013 Amazon comedy series Alpha House . [24] The rumors of widespread sexual "workarounds" have been defunct as a myth. While "soaking" and other practices have happened, they are not very widespread despite some media coverage. [25] [26]
Activities considered a violation of the law of chastity include both adultery and fornication as well as broader behavior. While serving as church president, Kimball taught that the law of chastity encompasses "all sexual relations outside marriage—petting, sex perversion, masturbation, and preoccupation with sex in one's thoughts and talking. Included are every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure thoughts and practices." [27]
Victims of rape, incest, or sexual abuse are not guilty of sin and are not considered to have broken the law of chastity. [28] However, they often feel that they have lost their virtue, which intensifies the feelings of shame and guilt experienced by many victims of rape. In the Book of Mormon, it states, "For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and [they] depriv[ed] them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue". [29] In a general conference address, Richard G. Scott explained, "The victim must do all in his or her power to stop the abuse. Most often, the victim is innocent because of being disabled by fear or the power or authority of the offender. At some point in time, however, the Lord may prompt a victim to recognize a degree of responsibility for abuse. Your priesthood leader will help assess your responsibility so that, if needed, it can be addressed." [30]
In addition, members are taught to dress modestly, to control their thoughts, and to avoid pornography. [2] [28] Dressing immodestly is not a violation of the law of chastity, but "modesty promotes chastity". [28] Members who are married are instructed to "be faithful to your spouse in thought, word, and action. Stay away from situations where temptation may develop." [28]
According to the church, even though the violation of the law of chastity is considered a serious sin, one who has violated the law of chastity can repent and receive forgiveness from God. [2] [28] [27]
The LDS Church teaches that same-sex sexual and romantic feelings are not a choice or sin [32] and that members should be supported in identifying with terms like gay, lesbian, or bisexual. [33] Members whose sexual orientation is not strictly heterosexual can participate in temple ordinances and remain in good standing, [34] although, for this they are not allowed to express their sexuality through dating people of the same sex.
On many occasions church leaders have taught that members should not masturbate as part of obedience to the law of chastity. [35] [36] [37] Salient examples of this include a church guide to stop masturbating produced in the 1970s. [38] [39] [40] [35] Another is the 1990 edition of the church's youth guidelines pamphlet which stated that the "Lord specifically forbids ... masturbation" [41] with the next two editions alluding to it with statements forbidding anything that "arouses" any sexual feelings or emotions in one's "own body". [42] [43] Apostle Spencer W. Kimball, who later served as church president, warned of the "possible damages" and "dangers" [44] of this "common indescretion" [45] on various occasions calling it a "reprehensible sin" [46] [47] that grows "with every exercise". [48] [49]
The apostle Boyd K. Packer gave a 1976 general conference address "To Young Men Only" warning young men not to tamper with their bodies because masturbation may become a guilt-and depression-inducing habit that is not easy to resist. He gave vigorous exercise as a method to help control thoughts and break the habit of masturbation since it is a "transgression" that is "not pleasing to the Lord". [37] [50] The talk was printed as a pamphlet and widely distributed by the church from 1980 to 2016. [51] Since 1985 the church has provided a manual for parents to use in discussing sexuality with their children. The manual includes statements that "prophets have condemned [masturbation] as a sin" and "perversion of the body's passions" that causes one to "become carnal". [52] The most recent explicit mention of masturbation by top leaders in public discourse was by Tad R. Callister who stated in a 2013 speech at BYU-Idaho that God "condemns self-abuse" [53] (a reference to masturbation). [54]
As part of teaching the law of chastity, LDS Church leaders have repeatedly condemned the use of sexually arousing literature [55] and visual material for decades. [56] [57]
Chastity, also known as purity, is a virtue related to temperance. Someone who is chaste refrains either from sexual activity that is considered immoral or from any sexual activity, according to their state of life. In some contexts, for example when making a vow of chastity, chastity means celibacy.
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several groups following different leaders; the majority followed Brigham Young, while smaller groups followed Joseph Smith III, Sidney Rigdon, and James Strang. Most of these smaller groups eventually merged into the Community of Christ, and the term Mormon typically refers to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as today, this branch is far larger than all the others combined. People who identify as Mormons may also be independently religious, secular, and non-practicing or belong to other denominations. Since 2018, the LDS Church has emphasized a desire for its members be referred to as "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", or more simply as "Latter-day Saints".
The basic beliefs and traditions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a cultural impact that distinguishes church members, practices and activities. The culture is geographically concentrated in the Mormon Corridor in the United States, and is present to a lesser extent in many places of the world where Latter-day Saints live.
Sexuality has a prominent role within the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In its standards for sexual behavior called the law of chastity, top LDS leaders bar all premarital sex, all homosexual sexual activity, the viewing of pornography, masturbation, overtly sexual kissing, sexual dancing, and sexual touch outside of a heterosexual marriage. LDS Leaders teach that gender is defined in premortal life, and that part of the purpose of mortal life is for men and women to be sealed together in heterosexual marriages, progress eternally after death as gods together, and produce spiritual children in the afterlife. The church states that sexual relations within the framework of monogamous opposite-sex marriage are healthy, necessary, and approved by God. The LDS denomination of Mormonism places great emphasis on the sexual behavior of Mormon adherents, as a commitment to follow the law of chastity is required for baptism, adherence is required to receive a temple recommend, and is part of the temple endowment ceremony covenants devout participants promise by oath to keep.
The Miracle of Forgiveness is a book written by Spencer W. Kimball while he was a member of Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He later became the church's president.
All homosexual sexual activity is condemned as sinful by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in its law of chastity, and the church teaches that God does not approve of same-sex marriage. Adherents who participate in same-sex sexual behavior may face church discipline. Members of the church who experience homosexual attractions, including those who self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual remain in good standing in the church if they abstain from same-sex marriage and any homosexual sexual activity or sexual relationships outside an opposite-sex marriage. However, all people, including those in same-sex relationships and marriages, are permitted to attend the weekly Sunday meetings.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focuses its doctrine and teaching on Jesus Christ; that he was the Son of God, born of Mary, lived a perfect life, performed miracles, bled from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane, died on the cross, rose on the third day, appeared again to his disciples, and now resides, authoritatively, on the right hand side of God. In brief, some beliefs are in common with Catholics, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. However, teachings of the LDS Church differ significantly in other ways and encompass a broad set of doctrines, so that the above-mentioned denominations usually place the LDS Church outside the bounds of orthodox Christian teaching as summarized in the Nicene Creed.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord. Temples are considered by church members to be the most sacred structures on earth.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
On many occasions spanning over a century, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have taught that adherents should not masturbate as part of obedience to the code of conduct known as the law of chastity. This denomination within Mormonism places great emphasis on the sexual behavior of Mormon adherents as a commitment to follow the law of chastity is required for baptism, and adherence is required to receive a temple recommend, and is part of the temple endowment ceremony covenants devout participants promise by oath to keep. A 2011 church manual quotes former church president Spencer W. Kimball who taught that the law of chastity includes "masturbation ... and every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure thoughts and practices." Before serving full-time missions, young adults are required to abandon the practice as it is believed to be a gateway sin that dulls sensitivity to the guidance of the Holy Ghost. The first recorded public mention of masturbation by a general church leader to a broad audience was in 1952 by apostle J. Reuben Clark, and recent notable mentions include in 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Soaking is a sexual practice of inserting the penis into the vagina but not subsequently thrusting or ejaculating, reportedly used by some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. News sources do not report it being a common practice, and some Latter-day Saints have said that soaking is an urban legend and not an actual practice. Others report knowing church members who had soaked.
Because of its ban against same-sex sexual activity and same-sex marriage the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long history of teaching that its adherents who are attracted to the same sex can and should attempt to alter their feelings through righteous striving and sexual orientation change efforts. Reparative therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual, or their gender identity from transgender to cisgender using psychological, physical, or spiritual interventions. There is no reliable evidence that such practices can alter sexual orientation or gender identity, and many medical institutions warn that conversion therapy is ineffective and potentially harmful.
Over the past two centuries, the relationship between Native American people and Mormonism has included friendly ties, displacement, battles, slavery, education placement programs, and official and unofficial discrimination. Native American people were historically considered a special group by adherents of the Latter Day Saint movement (Mormons) since they were believed to be the descendants of the Lamanite people described in The Book of Mormon. There is no support from genetic studies and archaeology for the historicity of the Book of Mormon or Middle Eastern origins for any Native American peoples. Today there are many Native American members of Mormon denominations as well as many people who are critical of Mormonism and its teachings and actions around Native American people.
This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1950s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.
This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1960s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.
This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1970s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.
This is a timeline of LGBT Mormon history in the 1980s, part of a series of timelines consisting of events, publications, and speeches about LGBTQ+ individuals, topics around sexual orientation and gender minorities, and the community of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although the historical record is often scarce, evidence points to queer individuals having existed in the Mormon community since its beginnings. However, top LDS leaders only started regularly addressing queer topics in public in the late 1950s. Since 1970, the LDS Church has had at least one official publication or speech from a high-ranking leader referencing LGBT topics every year, and a greater number of LGBT Mormon and former Mormon individuals have received media coverage.
Homosexuality has been publicly discussed by top leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints —Mormonism's largest denomination—since the late 1800s. The frequency of teachings on same-sex sexual activity increased starting in the late 1950s. Most discussion focuses on male homosexuality and rarely mentions lesbianism or bisexuality. Below is a timeline of notable speeches, publications, and policies in the LDS church on the topic of homosexuality.
Identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual or experiencing same-sex attraction is not a sin and does not prohibit one from ... attending the temple. ... Sexual relations between ... people of the same sex, violate one of our Father in Heaven's most important laws....
