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JON - I know two Mormons who are gay. They read scriptures, attend church, believe in the restoration and are of a pure heart and clean lives. Naturally at their various churches they are shunned by the members who just don't realize they are a child of God also and sit a lone and no one really acknowledges them, but they tolerate it and still go and try to participate in all the functions. It has not ruined their faith. Both have partners that one has one attending church with him the other ones partner does not. In talking with them they are concerned about being with their partners when they pass away. Do you have anything that says or does not say that gay couples can or can not inherit a part of the celestial kingdom or terrestrial kingdom?
Another Question: Can they still partake of the Sacrament? Pay Tithing? And hold callings in the Church?
P.S. Will the church allow gay couples to adopt children and raise them in the church and doctrine and teach them values and commandments of the church and encourage them to live a hetrosexual life?
JOEL - There is nothing "natural" about shunning anyone who wants to belong to and participate in church activity, be they gay, red headed, or an alcoholic. We are all sinners and come to church to try to perfect ourselves and support each other. Those who shun anyone for any reason will be judged by God.
Those who consider themselves gay have no restrictions placed on them in regards to their membership in the church as long as they do not act on their homosexual tendencies. They can hold the priesthood, partake the sacrament, pay tithing, have callings in the church; they can even hold temple recommends and attend the temple as long as they remian celibate. Those who are not celibate can attend church but cannot participate in ordinances or hold leadership positions; the same as for any heterosexual person who is having sex outside the bonds of marriage.
Only God can judge where anyone will end up in heaven. It is quite possible that the resurrection will correct the unnatural affection for the same sex.
Elder Bruce C. Hafen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, speaking at the 19th annual conference of Evergreen International, a nonprofit group that helps Mormons overcome homosexual behavior and diminish same-sex attraction, made this promise:
"If you are faithful, on resurrection morning -- and maybe even before then -- you will rise with normal attractions for the opposite sex."
(Link to talk)
Which means during the Millennium they will be able to be sealed to someone of the opposite sex and eventually obtain exaltation in the highest kingdom of heaven.
The Church will never "support" the adoption of children by gay couples; but if a gay LDS couple should decide to do that the Church will support them in their efforts to raise the children in the faith. As always the Church will teach them to avoid homosexual and heterosexual relations outside the bonds of marriage.
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