Our Dear Affirmation Family,
On Thursday, August 24, 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced updated expectations for students at Brigham Young University, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii and Ensign College, revising Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement questions, the Honor Code, and dress and grooming standards. Among the changes are language changes that affect LGBTQ students. Original language in the Honor Code required a commitment to “live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman.” New language adds, “Living a chaste and virtuous life also includes abstaining from same-sex romantic behavior.”
We recognize that this additional targeting of the queer community within church schools will be incredibly painful and cause further feelings of marginalization within the student body. We mourn with those of you who are mourning. We also affirm that queer identities are holy and beautiful. Authentic and purposeful queer lives are chaste and virtuous lives. We affirm that LGBTQ children of God are worthy of love, of equity, of dignity, and of every good and virtuous gift available to humankind. We find beauty in diversity, and we believe that lives of inclusion and hope are what will make us better as individuals, as churches, and as societies.
If you are affected by these changes and are feeling hopeless or in need of support, please reach out. You are part of the Affirmation family, and we love you for who you are, exactly as you are. If you are in crisis, please call 988, or text START to 741-741 to chat. You are worthy, and you matter.
With deep love,
Melissa-Malcolm King
Kate Mower
Francisco Ruiz
I would love to understand how a request to “live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman.” …and the clarification that adds, “Living a chaste and virtuous life also includes abstaining from same-sex romantic behavior”… further “targets” queer students anymore than other students?
… When all students are required to live a chaste and virtuous life why do queer students get an exception, a free pass, to act out?
■ Sin is to knowingly “act” on any unrighteous thought, feeling, or temptation… regardless of what that temptation is.
■ If those who have queer temptations get a free pass to act out, then where does it stop?
Do those who want to cheat on exams get to act out on their temptations to cheat?
What about those who want to steal, or lie?
What about those who want to be violent?
Maybe those who would rape, assault, or even kill?
You don’t think pedophiles would like a free pass also? Yes, its absurd, but then justification of any sin is absurd & wrong.
■ Granted, queer lifestyles aren’t the same as murder or pedophilia, but what they all have in common is they are sin. And we are commanded by God to abstain from sin – or acting on our unrighteous thoughts, feelings, desires, and temptations. All of us.
■ So, let’s all stop trying to justify our sinful lifestyles no matter what sin it is.
Let’s remember that God calls certain sins, especially those of an sexually immoral nature, “abominations” which includes queer lifestyles.
■ Although those suffering from these temptation are children of God and should be loved, helped, and encouraged, to do what’s right… acting out on queer feelings is wrong.
■ Sin is not “holy” in the least, nor is it anything that is “beautiful”.
The only being that would call it “holy and beautiful” is he who fights against God – the enemy of all righteousness.
■ If “Authentic and purposeful queer lives are chaste and virtuous” as the article claims, then by definition of chaste & virtuous they would have to agree that “Living a chaste and virtuous life also includes abstaining from same-sex romantic behavior”… just as a thief’s life could be “honest and virtuous” only if it included abstaining from stealing and dishonest behavior.