Homosexuality 'not in your DNA,' says LDS leader

[Butterfly]

Homosexuality 'not in your DNA,' says LDS leader
The Salt Lake Tribune
By Rosemary Winters
19 September 2009


http://www.sltrib.com/News/ci_13377659


People who are attracted to members of their own sex can change, an LDS general authority said Saturday, so they shouldn't let Satan persuade them they can't.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, spoke at the 19th annual conference of Evergreen International, a nonprofit group that helps Mormons "overcome homosexual behavior" and "diminish same-sex attraction." The event was held at the LDS Church's Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City.

[TooManyToasters]

Interesting. I didn't know he was a scientist as well!

[Julie Marie]

I'm sure my gay friends will be happy that they just have to quit listening to satan and they will be cured. 

We need to give people like this a psychological test.  Maybe we can figure out why they are so in touch with what satan says. (lower case 's' intentional)

Julie

[Janet_Girl]

With this kind of rhetoric I wonder who Satan is really fooling?  May be they should be looking inward to their own Satan-owned souls.

That is the end of my rant.  Thank You and we now return control back over to the OP.

Janet

[Miniar]

I love it when people claim that sexual attraction is chosen. It means I can ask them if they could just up and choose to french another guy/girl, and then follow that up by telling them to prove it..
(French here being a placeholder for any sexual act really.. )

[Kumodamoogle]

It must be nice to be a bisexual who gives into peer pressure, while hiding your weakness of character behind the skirttails of Christ.

Think sexual attraction is a choice, you're a Bisexual.
Think that culture norms are biological norms, think a little harder.
Think Christ would be ok with you judging others over trivial crap, read your damn bible with your eyes open this time. Hypocrisy is the ONLY sin.

If you meet up with people spewing this crap in real life use this logic on them. Trust me, it never fails to put their panties in wads. 

[Lachlann]

They're flip flopping on the issue now.

First it's a choice, then it's something you're born with, now it's a choice again.

[V M]

Maybe we should ask him why various animals exhibit homosexual behavior. Is Satan influencing them also? 

[Just Kate]

/headdesk

I hate it when this happens: rogue church leader goes off voicing sentiments not endorsed by the highest leadership of the church - makes us ALL look even more like bigots.

The following might shed some light on the church's official position, not those held by some of its more traditionalist members.

How Hafen's speech stacks up

Here's how statements made by Bruce C. Hafen, a member of the LDS First Quorum of the Seventy, last week compare with some made in 2006 by LDS apostle Dallin H. Oaks and a 2008 church statement.

Hafen » "Having same-gender attraction is not in your DNA."

Oaks » "The church does not have a position on the causes of any of these susceptibilities or inclinations, including those related to same-gender attraction. Those are scientific questions -- whether nature or nurture -- those are things the church doesn't have a position on."

Hafen » "Evidence that people have indeed changed [their sexual orientation] threatens the political agenda of the activists, because actual change disproves their claim that homosexuality is a fixed condition that deserves the same legal protections as those fixed conditions like race and gender."

Church statement » "The church does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights or probate rights."

Source: www.ldsnewsroom.org

[Lachlann]

/headdesk

I hate it when this happens: rogue church leader goes off voicing sentiments not endorsed by the highest leadership of the church - makes us ALL look even more like bigots.

The following might shed some light on the church's official position, not those held by some of its more traditionalist members.

How Hafen's speech stacks up

Here's how statements made by Bruce C. Hafen, a member of the LDS First Quorum of the Seventy, last week compare with some made in 2006 by LDS apostle Dallin H. Oaks and a 2008 church statement.

Hafen » "Having same-gender attraction is not in your DNA."

Oaks » "The church does not have a position on the causes of any of these susceptibilities or inclinations, including those related to same-gender attraction. Those are scientific questions -- whether nature or nurture -- those are things the church doesn't have a position on."

Hafen » "Evidence that people have indeed changed [their sexual orientation] threatens the political agenda of the activists, because actual change disproves their claim that homosexuality is a fixed condition that deserves the same legal protections as those fixed conditions like race and gender."

Church statement » "The church does not object to rights for same-sex couples regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights or probate rights."

Source: www.ldsnewsroom.org

I agree with you that it just makes Mormons look worse when it's just one person, but he shouldn't be saying such things and should be punished. If you want people to believe they are speaking truth, then they shouldn't step out of line.

Not attacking the church, I grew up with it and still retain a lot of ideals, but it's things like this that make me lose faith in it. Simply because they teach us that their word is important to hear, and yet this happens.

[Inphyy]

...Ignorant people...Ignorant people...They always think homos and trans people can be changed with a--Snap of a finger! Ahaha. No. Maybe one day people will see in a new tidus light!