Revelation about Gay Marriage

Question

Gordon B. Hinckley once said about revelation:

“Now we don’t need a lot of continuing revelation. We have a great, basic reservoir of revelation. But if a problem arises, as it does occasionally, a vexatious thing with which we have to deal, we go to the Lord in prayer. We discuss it as a First Presidency and as a Council of the Twelve Apostles. We pray about it and then comes the whisperings of a still small voice. And we know the direction we should take and we proceed accordingly.”

My question is when was the last documented time a prophet has gone to the Lord asking if the Church’s stance on gay marriage is still the correct one. Is it possible that it is not, but no one has asked God yet?

Albert

Answer

Albert,

I don’t doubt the General Authorities pray over the issue of gay marriage at all. It would surprise me if they didn’t. At the same time, the proscriptions against any and all homosexual activity are matters of both Old Testament and New Testament record.

Because of this, It’s not necessarily a matter of a need for new revelation, but a confirmation of prior revelations in previous dispensations. A related matter would seem to be that of polygamy. In past dispensations, it seems the LORD had required it of his servants, and at others he had not. In this dispensation, it was required of a few for a short time, and then the practice was ended.

However, we have no scriptural precedent for the acceptability of homosexual activity at all. Every time it is mentioned in the Bible, it is specifically said to be contrary to the will and mind of God.

Now, consider the position of the General Authorities in this. As I said before, I fully expect them to be praying about this issue deliberately, and specifically. However, based upon President Hinckley’s statement, it seems more likely that they would pray for clarification on existing revelations, rather than entirely new revelations.

The truth is that right and wrong do not change in the eternal perspective. Here on this earth, and especially lately, it seems to change with every shift in wind direction. Nevertheless the revelations from God are the foundation upon which truth, and the Church, must be built. Never mind what social changes come about, nor what society thinks ‘should’ be accepted as good or evil. The LDS Church will always defer to scriptural record and revelations from God long before considering the whims and fancies of mankind’s social constructs.

Gramps