Love Not Hate – Part One

I get the feeling that many believe that the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a hate on for homosexuals. While yes, there are some individual Mormons who do, and they annoy me, they are the exception not the rule. Whenever I happen upon one who is unnecessarily spouting hateful comments, which is not often, I’ll ask, “Why? What’d he do to you? He’s our brother, he’s a child of God just as much as you and I.” That usually stops the wrongful comments. At least nothing is said to me anymore.

Most Mormon’s are not filled with hate but with love. One must understand the point of view that we are coming from. We see homosexuality as a moral issue, not a political issue. We also see it as an eternal issue. Ever since our inception we have had a firm belief that the family is a sacred and eternal unit and is ordained of God. We believe that families can be together forever.

To help you understand our position I must give you the run down of The Plan of Salvation & Happiness. Before we came to earth we lived with our Heavenly Parents. Our spirit bodies were limited. There were things we could not experience, growth that could not be attained, if we had stayed in those bodies. A plan was devised, and Heavenly Father talked to each of us about it in council meetings. This plan advocated free agency, leaving each of us the freedom to choose between good or evil and to have power over our own lives. However, in order to do this we would need to be in a fallen state, or a state of spiritual amnesia. We would also need a Mediator, someone who would pay the price for all our sins, our mistakes, otherwise justice would be without mercy.

Jesus, our eldest spiritual brother volunteered to do this. Lucifer volunteered as well, but not to do the same thing. Lucifer said that he would force all of us to choose righteousness so that no one would be lost. Lucifer also wanted [i]all[/i] of the glory. A war broke out, not one of death, but of words and of spiritual and physical growth. Lucifer and one third of the hosts of Heaven lost and were banished from Heaven.

Two thirds of the hosts of Heaven stuck with Heavenly Father’s plan. Every single person born on Earth is a part of that two thirds. We gained a body for our spirits to reside in, while Lucifer and his followers did not. We were sent to Earth to live. Lucifer and his hosts came here too.

Jesus Christ came to Earth, atoned for our sins and conquered death. Christ’s sacrifice has three parts. First is that every single soul that has been born will be resurrected. After we die our spirits are separated from our bodies. Our spirits then await the return of Christ in the Spirit World. Upon Christ’s return our spirits will be reunited with our bodies. We will never die. This is given to all as an unconditional gift. Everyone will receive the gift of immortality no matter what.

Salvation on the other hand refers to being saved from spiritual death as well as physical death (which again is a free gift just because our Heavenly Father loves us). To be saved from spiritual death one must develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and live the laws and ordinances of His gospel. Repentance, baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost are all done individually.

However, that is not all. There is exaltation, and that is a family matter. Before I go further on this I must explain that we believe there are three degrees of Glory, or three heavens. After Christ returns and we are judged of our works here on Earth we are sent to the appropriate heaven for us. The Celestial Kingdom is the highest degree of Glory and that should be our goal. This is where we can be with our families for eternity.

To achieve exaltation one must take care of individual matters first, and be worthy to enter the Temple where sealing ordinances take place. There we are not only sealed as husband and wife, but parents and children can be sealed to one another and indirectly as grandparents, aunts and uncles. Through these ordinances our families are united forever. No man can achieve exaltation without a worthy woman at his side and vise versa.

We believe that, and I quote since this says it best methinks, “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each [of us] is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose” (1). “[Gender] in large measure defines who we are, why we are here upon the earth, and what we are to do and become. For divine purposes, male and female spirits are different, distinctive, and complementary. … The unique combination of spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional capacities of both males and females were needed to implement the plan of happiness” (2).

“The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. … The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. “(1).

(1) “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” Liahona, Oct. 2004, 49; Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102
(2) “Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan,” Liahona, June 2006, 51; Ensign, June 2006,

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