New Pamphlet Changes Mormon Position on Homosexuality

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints may be trying to distance itself from some of its horrific practices and attempts to cure homosexuality through the use of electroshock therapy in the past. It comes as no surprise that the Mormon church has tried to distance itself from the barbaric practices that have been attributed to it. Critics of the Utah based organization point out that no official position that can be taken as doctrine has been released by the Mormon leaders.

The church's relationship with Evergreeen, a repairative therapy program that claims it can cure homosexuality, has long been debated. Even if no official relationship exists, the Book of Mormon and other scriptures in use by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are quoted on the Evergreen website., and high ranking Mormon leaders are known to attend Evergreen seminars. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, two LDS apostles, Dallin Oaks and Lance Wickam were interviewed about their positions on same sex marriage. The transcript which can be found on www.lds.org, represents no official doctrinal position and is merely just the opinion of Oaks and Wickam.

The interview and the Mormon church's new position on homosexuality that it cannot be changed and that it is not a choice although far from being made official, is still a step forward. In the past the Mormon church taught that homosexuality was a sin and that it could be changed. Mormon leaders would often push gay men into marriages with women in the hopes of it curing the individual.