I am not sure how there can be much dispute when the First Presidency and Presidents of the Church have spoken so clearly. . . . https://www.ldsanswers.org/is-sexual-sin-next-to-murder-book-of-mormon-central-fact-check/
President Joseph F. Smith said that "sexual impurity" threatens the Church from within. Now, more than ever, we must recognize the seriousness of virtue in the Lord's eyes and do everything we can to restore purity in our disintegrating culture. If we have a family member or friend struggling with this, we must reach out to them (just as Alma reached out to his son, Corianton) and help them return to the life and hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ! However, we will never progress until we acknowledge the simple fact that "sexual sin . . . stands, in its enormity, next to murder." (First Presidency, 1942)
Ray KittJuly 20, 2016
Good article. May I offer another perspective?
Many years ago Elder William R. Bradford came to our stake and taught us “God’s Law of Life.”
His teaching help clarify for me why the breaking of the law of chastity is considered the sin next to murder.
He drew a line on the chalkboard representing our lives – with a beginning and an end. My life is supposed to end at the end of the line but someone may choose to take my life before it was supposed to end. Should this happen our society would hold them accountable – because they have no right to end my life before it’s time. This is true unless it is proven that my life was taken in self-defense. In other words, there may be circumstances under which one may have permission to take a life. Nephi was certainly given permission. So the law may more appropriately be stated: Thou shalt not kill – unless you have permission.
Another way to state the law of chastity is that we have no right to do the kinds of things that create life – unless we have permission. We of course get permission by getting married. Our culture doesn’t even blush with the breaking of this law, but the two laws are closely connected because we are dealing with life.
We are not to mess with life at either end of the spectrum, at the beginning and at the end – unless we have permission.
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HannahAugust 30, 2016
I am not sure how there can be much dispute when the First Presidency and Presidents of the Church have spoken so clearly. . . . https://www.ldsanswers.org/is-sexual-sin-next-to-murder-book-of-mormon-central-fact-check/ President Joseph F. Smith said that "sexual impurity" threatens the Church from within. Now, more than ever, we must recognize the seriousness of virtue in the Lord's eyes and do everything we can to restore purity in our disintegrating culture. If we have a family member or friend struggling with this, we must reach out to them (just as Alma reached out to his son, Corianton) and help them return to the life and hope found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ! However, we will never progress until we acknowledge the simple fact that "sexual sin . . . stands, in its enormity, next to murder." (First Presidency, 1942)
Ray KittJuly 20, 2016
Good article. May I offer another perspective? Many years ago Elder William R. Bradford came to our stake and taught us “God’s Law of Life.” His teaching help clarify for me why the breaking of the law of chastity is considered the sin next to murder. He drew a line on the chalkboard representing our lives – with a beginning and an end. My life is supposed to end at the end of the line but someone may choose to take my life before it was supposed to end. Should this happen our society would hold them accountable – because they have no right to end my life before it’s time. This is true unless it is proven that my life was taken in self-defense. In other words, there may be circumstances under which one may have permission to take a life. Nephi was certainly given permission. So the law may more appropriately be stated: Thou shalt not kill – unless you have permission. Another way to state the law of chastity is that we have no right to do the kinds of things that create life – unless we have permission. We of course get permission by getting married. Our culture doesn’t even blush with the breaking of this law, but the two laws are closely connected because we are dealing with life. We are not to mess with life at either end of the spectrum, at the beginning and at the end – unless we have permission.
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