A new shows how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS Church) approached the issue of homosexuality in the 1980s.
The document from 1981 states that homosexuality is of “grave concern” to the Church because it perverts “the proper use of procreative powers” and “may involve violent or criminal behaviour”.
It begins with a definition of homosexuality, saying: “It may include thoughts or emotional attractions without outward sexual behaviour, or it may include complete emotional, sexual, and genital involvement with a member of the same sex.”
The eight page guide also sets out some disturbing ideas about the “causes of homosexual behaviour”—including that masturbating increases the possibility that someone might identify as gay.
“Early masturbation experiences introduce the individual to sexual thoughts which may become habit forming and reinforcing to homosexual interests," the document reads.
The Church manual provides some tips for counselling fellow LGBT+ Mormons —including not labelling them as “homosexual”.
“In many cases the person is guilty of homosexual thoughts or acts but is not deeply involved in the society of those steeped in homosexual activities," the guide states.
“Be careful not to label people 'homosexual'. This both discourages them and tends to make them feel that they cannot solve their problems. It is better to refer to their 'homosexual behaviour' than to call them a 'homosexual'."
Although the document is now nearly 40 years old, the Mormon church "homosexual behaviour". It notes that same-sex attraction is permissible, as long as it isn't acted upon.
In October, a top Church official noted that same-sex marriage was among the new “traditions of a declining world” and lamented the growing acceptance of same-sex couples.
The LDS Church was also found to have strongly campaigned for Prop 8 in California—a 2008 state constitutional amendment that eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry.
