What Does The Church Say?

Here are four crucial “take-home” messages based on Church sources:

• Feelings of same-sex attraction aren’t a choice; they’re nobody’s fault
• These attractions aren’t sinful
• Your child doesn’t need to change their orientation
• Your child is welcome in the Church exactly as he or she is

The Church’s website (mormonandgay.org) has the most recent and authoritative information from the Church. Here you’ll find statements by three of the Apostles and statements by some members affected by this issue. The website includes these statements:

“Few topics are as emotionally charged or require more sensitivity than same-sex attraction. This complex matter touches on the things we care about most: our basic humanity, our relationship to family, our identity and potential as children of God, how we treat each other, and what it means to be disciples of Christ.”

“The experience of same-sex attraction is a complex reality for many people.”

“With love and understanding, the Church reaches out to all God’s children, including our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.”

Find Answers to These Key Questions

• Is this a choice? What caused this gay orientation? Can we place blame?
• Is having these attractions a sin? Acting on the attractions— the Church defines as sin.
• Are gay Mormons expected to diminish or resolve their gay attractions?
• Are gay Mormons welcome at church or within our congregations?

Note: The church position has been evolving for several years. Parents should be aware that current Church teachings as found on the mormonandgay.org are more understanding and compassionate than some from the past. Below you can find links to the church’s website, which is the most complete and up-to-date source of church policy, and a few other sources prior to 2012 that we use for documentation in the Church section of this site for this page and the pages for the remaining questions