Theology of marriage

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by LA Ute

I am up to my eyeballs in the "Yes On 8" campaign, so I am no supporter of same-sex marriage. I was just posing the question to put the subject in a real "Gospel context" and to provoke some serious discussion. Except for your post, I got nothing but wisecracks in response, which tells me that those who responded have no serious answer. The only credible answer is, "That will never happen."

I cannot forsee any scenario where the chap be allowed to choose one or the other to be sealed to, not because his co-fathers were supposed sexually active homosexuals as I believe the Church even today would allow vicarious ordinances to be performed for active homosexuals, but because there is no mother involved. Methinks that would be a situation the Church would opt for the "we will sort it out in the next life" line.

I could be wrong but I don't think the LDS Church seals children to single parents posthumously. I know that children BIC to a temple marriage that ends in temple divorce are still sealed to both now single parents, but I don't think the Church performs posthumous sealings to single parents.

However, I don't read the handbook very frequently.

[Jim Swarthout]

Originally Posted by LA Ute

Here's a question worth pondering: Let's say a man who was raised by two married gay parents joins the Church in 25 years. His parents are dead. He wants to do temple work for them. What does the Church say to him?

I don't pretend to know the answer. It's just a fascinating question.

When you say "temple work" I assume you mean all of the ordinances (i.e. baptism, confirmation, initiatory, endowment, and sealing) and not just sealing?

How would the church know that the deceased were gay for the ordinances of baptism, confirmation, initiatory, and endowment. I'm not aware of any requirement that the sexual orientation of the deceased be submitted along with their names for pre-screening. I'm not aware of any worthiness interviews by proxy ("Well, Brother Jones before we accept your great-grandfather's name for temple work you must answer a few questions on his behalf. Brother Jones, did Ezekiel Hornblower, who is dead, obey the law of chastity?")

So why wouldn't those ordinances be performed?

But when I comes to the sealing, I would guess that the response would be no for obvious reasons.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by ute4ever

When temple names are submitted, I've never known research to be done on the deceased's moral character before approval is given. I don't recall being asked whether my great-great grandfather was gay or straight. So why would a known deceased homosexual be denied temple baptism and endowment?

Christ said what ye seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven. However, modern prophets say the sealing is merely a promise, and a person must remain worthy until judgment day in order for that promise to be realized. So why not allow dead homosexual couples to be sealed? If their relationship is found unworthy on the day of judgment, so be it. Conversely, church leaders could essentially say "we are so confident that homosexual marriage will be deemed unworthy, that we're not even going to waste our time doing those sealings." And that statement would have to come from the mouth of the same church that allowed Adolph Hitler's temple work to be performed multiple times.

There is a difference between temple work as baptism and endowment entered into as a covenant between an individual and God versus sealing two men together. I am not saying that I categorically know that the present application of LDS policy concerning homosexual relationships is God's will, but a posthumous sealing of two men to each other would require a categorical shift in the present LDS policy. Considering where the Church is knee deep in Prop 8 it would lead me to conclude we are more than 25 years from that day if it is to come.

Saying that if the day comes I always did dig your long hair Ute4Ever...ifyaknowwhatImean.....

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

"Sorry, we don't do temple work for gays."

????

more likely they'd say you can do everything in the temple for them except the sealing.