OFFICIAL STATEMENT — 26 JUNE 2015: Supreme Court Decision Will Not Alter Doctrine on Marriage

mormonnewsroom.org ^ | 26 June 2015 | LDS Church Statement

[Vigilanteman]

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church issued the following statement Friday:

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges that following today's ruling by the Supreme Court, same-sex marriages are now legal in the United States. The Court's decision does not alter the Lord's doctrine that marriage is a union between a man and a woman ordained by God. While showing respect for those who think differently, the Church will continue to teach and promote marriage between a man and a woman as a central part of our doctrine and practice."

The Church has outlined its doctrine and position on marriage in the document The Divine Institution of Marriage.

[Cboldt]

-- Does the SCOTUS ruling now make it illegal for states to regulate marriage? --

No, the opposite. It MANDATES states to issue marriage licenses.

[TADSLOS]

Not in Obama Bizzaro World.

[dware]

As much as I despise this cult. I am very pleased with their strong statement on this issue, and I have no doubt they will act according to their statement.

+1

[yadent]

I believe that if a state does not issue marriage licences to ANYONE that would fall under equal protection hence no one is disadvantaged nor unduly favored. It’s a religious institution anyway. This is what happens when one allows a religious tradition to come under sway of government regulation. Whomever has the power calls the shots......and that power has just been displayed.

[dware]

Is that like a camel nose?

More like its toe...

[Mr Rogers]

Southern Baptists on 17 June 2015:

“As Southern Baptist Christians, we are committed to Biblical faith and ethics. As a result, this body of Believers stands on the authority of Scripture and God’s Truth as central to our lives.

What the Bible says about marriage is clear, definitive and unchanging. We affirm biblical, traditional, natural marriage as the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The Scriptures’ teaching on marriage is not negotiable. We stake our lives upon the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Consequently, we will not accept, nor adhere to, any legal redefinition of marriage issued by any political or judicial body including the United States Supreme Court. We will not recognize same-sex “marriages”, our churches will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies.

While we affirm our love for all people, including those struggling with same-sex attraction, we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behavior or any behavior that deviates from God’s design for marriage. We also believe religious freedom is at stake within this critical issue – that our first duty is to love and obey God, not man.

Therefore, we strongly encourage all Southern Baptist pastors, leaders, educators, and churches to openly reject any mandated legal definition of marriage and to use their influence to affirm God’s design for life and relationships. As the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination with over 16 million members, we stake our very lives and future on the Truth of God’s Word.

We also join together to support those who stand for natural marriage in the corporate world, the marketplace, education, entertainment, media and elsewhere with our prayers and influence, and resources.”

Former SBC presidents signing the statement are Bailey E. Smith, SBC president, 1981-82; James T. Draper Jr., 1983-84; Charles F. Stanley, 1985-86; Jerry Vines, 1989-90; Morris H. Chapman, 1991-92; H. Edwin Young, 1993-94; James B. Henry, 1995-96; Tom Elliff, 1997-98; Paige Patterson, 1999-2000; James Merritt, 2001-02; Jack Graham, 2003-04; Bobby Welch, 2005-06; Frank S. Page, 2007-08; Johnny M. Hunt, 2009-10; Bryant Wright, 2011-12; and Fred Luter, 2013-14.

To repeat:

“While we affirm our love for all people, including those struggling with same-sex attraction, we cannot and will not affirm the moral acceptability of homosexual behavior or any behavior that deviates from God’s design for marriage. We also believe religious freedom is at stake within this critical issue – that our first duty is to love and obey God, not man.

Therefore, we strongly encourage all Southern Baptist pastors, leaders, educators, and churches to openly reject any mandated legal definition of marriage and to use their influence to affirm God’s design for life and relationships.”

http://bpnews.net/44950/floyd-and-former-sbc-presidents-take-marriage-stance

“Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. ... The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God’s image. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation... Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God’s pattern for marriage.”

http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/basicbeliefs.asp

[Biggirl]

We will not comply will be the response.

[Biggirl]

I do believe it has started today.

[yadent]

In this world, does Sharia Law allow for this?? How offensive to our Muslim ‘friends’ and fellow citizens.....kinda like a certain flag.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Enjoy the food in prison.

[Biggirl]

There will be a lot of civil disobedience to overwhelm the system.

[Zakeet]

Four of Joseph Smith's 33 plural wives

Supreme Court Decision Will Not Alter [LDS Church] Doctrine on [Plural] Marriage

Five reasons why I am skeptical ...

First: At one time the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints argued polygamy was essential to salvation in accordance with the teachings found in Doctrine & Covenants Section 132.

Citing the opinion of the United States Supreme Court in the case of Reynolds v. United States case (98 U.S. 145), George Reynolds, Brigham Young's personal secretary, plead as follows:

On the trial, the plaintiff in error, the accused, proved that at the time of his alleged second marriage he was, and for many years before had been, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, commonly called the Mormon Church, and a believer in its doctrines; that it was an accepted doctrine of that church "that it was the duty of male members of said church, circumstances permitting, to practise polygamy; . . . that this duty was enjoined by different books which the members of said church believed to be to divine origin, and among others the Holy Bible, and also that the members of the church believed that the practice of polygamy was directly enjoined upon the male members thereof by the Almighty God, in a revelation to Joseph Smith, the founder and prophet of said church; that the failing or refusing to practise polygamy by such male members of said church, when circumstances would admit, would be punished, and that the penalty for such failure and refusal would be damnation in the life to come." He also proved "that he had received permission from the recognized authorities in said church to enter into polygamous marriage; . . . that Daniel H. Wells, one having authority in said church to perform the marriage ceremony, married the said defendant on or about the time the crime is alleged to have been committed, to some woman by the name of Schofield, and that such marriage ceremony was performed under and pursuant to the doctrines of said church."

Second: The LDS Church steadfastly resisted all attempts to abandon the Principal (of polygamy) until the church was disbanded as a criminal organization under the Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 and their property ordered seized.

Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I heareby declare my intention to submit to those laws, to use my influence with the members of the Church over which I preside to have them do likewise.

Third: In its 1890 Manifesto (cited above) issued by President Wilfred Woodruff, the LDS Church never abandoned polygamy, but rather agreed to submit to the authority of the state. This effectively placed the practice in a state of limbo.

Fourth: Many in the LDS Church ignored President Woodruff's instructions to abandon polygamy until the Church was embarrassed in the Smoot Hearings (1904-07). Two members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, among many others, were expelled from the brotherhood for increasing their number of polygamous wives. The Mormon Church was forced to issue a "this time we really mean it" Second Manifesto.

Fifth: Every LDS Church President openly practiced polygamy for over 120 years beginning with Joseph Smith in 1833 [when he "married" Fannie Alger after impregnating the 16-year old], continuing through 1945 and President Heber Grant.

Bottom Line: The LDS Church has been caught in numerous lies that were told in order to maintain a positive church image. Is this another face-saving public relations statement? Will polygamy be allowed to ease its way back into the open again? Time will tell.

[Vigilanteman]

Bravo for the SBC! That makes at least three million member plus denominations which have come down unequivocally on the side of God. Though it still remains to be seen if the Pope will back up his good Archbishop.

So who else will stand on the side of right rather than worship the golden calf?

[2ndDivisionVet]

When? Thee hasn’t been any noticeable civil disobedience against forcing bakers, florists and wedding planners to work for gay marriages. There hasn’t been any civil disobedience about removing all symbols of the Confederacy and Southern Heritage that I’ve seen. Forcing everyone to buy high-priced health “insurance” didn’t cause demonstrations or riots.

[Vigilanteman]

Looks like we got in 31 posts before a turd landed in the punch bowl. The good Catholic Archbishop only got in 11.

[Biggirl]

But there those folks who do it, though not many. Give it time.

[vette6387]

“As much as I despise this cult.”

All organized religions ARE cults. Some are just worse than others. You don’t need an organization to “help” you with your connection to your Maker!
Organized religions are simply “businesses” that take your money in exchange for telling you that you will NEVER be good enough. The televangelists are the “most honest” of the lot, because they make no bones about the fact that money is their primary motivator. Just wonder how that charlatan Creflo Dollar is doing raising money for his new Gulfstream? Now what was it that he needed, $65million?

[sten]

100% correct.

All a persons ‘Rights’ exist is alone on an island. Marriage requires another person and a third party or organization to recognize and/or perform the ceremony.

As such, its not possible for marriage to be a ‘Right’

[skyman]

Keep up the mormon bashing. This is partially why we are being crushed. we are divided. We get our *** handed to us this week over obamacare and now gay marriage but some zealots here are gleefully using this thread as an anti-mormon opportunity.

[conservativejoy]

I would rather lose tax exempt status than my soul.