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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leader: Uphold ‘sexual purity’

Church members urged to adhere to the faith’s law of chastity at conference

By BRADY McCOMBS, Associated Press
Published: October 5, 2019, 8:30pm
5 Photos
The Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, is shown before the start of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints&#039; twice-annual church conference Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Salt Lake City. President Russell M. Nelson has rolled out a dizzying number of policy changes during his first two years at the helm of the faith, leading to heightened anticipation for what he may announce at this weekend&#039;s conference in Salt Lake City.
The Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, is shown before the start of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' twice-annual church conference Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in Salt Lake City. President Russell M. Nelson has rolled out a dizzying number of policy changes during his first two years at the helm of the faith, leading to heightened anticipation for what he may announce at this weekend's conference in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (rick bowmer/Associated Press) Photo Gallery

SALT LAKE CITY — A high-ranking leader from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints urged members Saturday to adhere to the faith’s law of chastity that forbids premarital sex despite mocking by others on social media.

During a speech at a twice-annual church conference in Salt Lake City, D. Todd Christofferson bemoaned that “we live in a hedonistic age when many question the importance of the Lord’s commandments or simply ignore them.”

He didn’t mention the church’s prohibition of same-sex relationships in his speech, but fellow church leaders have recently reaffirmed the religion’s opposition to the practice. Christofferson is a member of a top church governing board called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

“This is a day of sometimes merciless attacks in social media and in person against those who seek to uphold the Lord’s standard in dress, entertainment and sexual purity,” Christofferson said.

Fellow Quorum member David A. Bednar followed up in a different speech saying that Satan tries to make people confused and unhappy and use their bodies “improperly.”

“He attacks us through our appetites,” Bednar said. “He tempts us to eat things we should not eat, to drink things we should not drink, and to love as we should not love.'”

Church leaders also implored members to take time each day to disconnect from technology and social media to carve out time for “spiritual nourishment.”

Several blocks away from the conference, hundreds of people that included many ex-members of the faith gathered to call on the church and other religions to implement stronger rules to prevent child abuse and make sure young Latter-day Saints aren’t asked inappropriate questions about their adherence to the faith’s rules for sexual behavior.

The “Protect Every Child” group is led by Sam Young, who was kicked out of the religion last year after his public opposition to closed-door, one-on-one interviews of youth where he and his followers say inappropriate sexual questions lead to shame and guilt.

Former church member Stuart Shellenberger held a sign that read, “Protect every child. No sexual questions.” The 41-year-old father of five from Show Low, Ariz., said he was asked inappropriate sexual questions when he was a youth, and he wants the faith to ban those questions in the interviews.

Church leaders have defended the so-called “worthiness” interviews as an important way for bishops to get to know youth better and determine their religious habits and obedience to God. The church changed its policy last year to allow children to bring a parent or adult with them and published the list of questions that are asked.

The two-day conference comes during a period of heightened anticipation and excitement about what church President Russell M. Nelson might do next following a dizzying number of policy changes he has made during his first two years at the helm of the faith.

Earlier this week, Nelson announced that women can now be official “witnesses” at two key ceremonies — baptisms and temple sealings for married couples — in a move considered to be a small but important step toward breaking down rigid gender roles in the religion.

Nelson said Saturday he hopes the changes will increase family participation in the events that are so important to the religion widely known as the Mormon church.

He also announced a change to the organizational structure at the congregational level that will put local leaders called bishops in closer contact with young members of the church, and evenly distribute funds for youth activities between girls and boys.

Previously, boys typically received a larger chunk of those funds because of the faith’s close alliance with Boy Scouts of America. The religion is ending that at end of this year, moving instead to its own youth program that focuses on faith and can be used around the world.

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