Don’t Expect Us

Excerpt from a 2006 interview with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman: “Same-Gender Attraction”:[footnote]Interview With Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman: “Same-Gender Attraction” – LDS Newsroom[/footnote]

PUBLIC AFFAIRS: At what point does showing that love cross the line into inadvertently endorsing behavior? If the son says, ‘Well, if you love me, can I bring my partner to our home to visit? Can we come for holidays?’ How do you balance that against, for example, concern for other children in the home?’

ELDER OAKS: That’s a decision that needs to be made individually by the person responsible, calling upon the Lord for inspiration. I can imagine that in most circumstances the parents would say, ‘Please don’t do that. Don’t put us into that position.’ Surely if there are children in the home who would be influenced by this example, the answer would likely be that. There would also be other factors that would make that the likely answer. I can also imagine some circumstances in which it might be possible to say, ‘Yes, come, but don’t expect to stay overnight. Don’t expect to be a lengthy house guest. Don’t expect us to take you out and introduce you to our friends, or to deal with you in a public situation that would imply our approval of your “partnership.”



Crash Course:

Timeline of Mormon Thinking About Homosexuality – Rational Faiths
Interview With Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Lance B. Wickman: “Same-Gender Attraction” – LDS Newsroom

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