A top leader in the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints has reiterated the church's opposition to
gay marriage.
During his Saturday address at the
church's biannual general conference, Neil L. Anderson of the Quorum
of the Twelve told more than 100,000 Mormons who had gathered in Salt
Lake City that “the Lord has not redefined marriage.”
“While many governments and
well-meaning individuals have redefined marriage, the Lord has not.
In the very beginning, God initiated marriage between a man and a
woman: Adam and Eve. He designated the purpose of marriage to go far
beyond the personal satisfaction and fulfillment of adults, to more
importantly, advancing the ideal setting for children to be born,
reared and nurtured,” Anderson said.
“As the world slips away from the
Lord's law on chastity, we do not.”
Anderson called on followers to “reject
false concepts and false teachings and remain true to that which God
has commanded.”
“A special concern to us should be
those who struggle with same-sex attraction. It is a whirlwind of
enormous velocity. I want to express my love and admiration for
those who courageously confront this trial of faith and stay true to
the commandments of God,” he said. “But everyone, independent of
their decisions and beliefs, deserves our kindness and
consideration.”
Being gay isn't a sin, according to the
church, but any sex outside a marriage between a man and a woman is.
Anderson's comments come as Utah –
home of the Mormon Church – prepares for a Thursday hearing before
a federal appeals court where it will defend its voter-approved ban
on same-sex marriage. In December, more than 1,300 gay and lesbian
couples married in Utah after a federal judge struck down the ban,
calling it unconstitutional.