The law of chastity is a moral code defined by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). According to the church, chastity means that "sexual relations are proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife." Therefore, abstinence from sexual relations before marriage, and complete fidelity to one's spouse during marriage, are required. As part of the law of chastity, the church teaches its members not only to abstain from adultery and fornication, but also to refrain from masturbation and to avoid sexually inappropriate thoughts. The law of chastity is taught to church members of all ages, and is especially emphasized to adolescents.
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General standards
Within the LDS Church, chastity means more than abstinence from sex. It means to be morally clean in "thoughts, words, and actions." It also means sexual relations are only permitted between a husband and wife. The church teaches its members that "no one, male or female, is to have sexual relations before marriage. After marriage, sexual relations are permitted only with our spouse."
Mormons believe that sexuality between man and woman lawfully married is divinely appointed and has two purposes: to "multiply, and replenish the Earth" (Genesis 1:28) as commanded by God to Adam and Eve, and to strengthen the bond between man and woman that they might "become one flesh" (Mark 10:8). A church handbook for leaders states that married couples should be made aware "that sexual relations within marriage are divinely approved not only for the purpose of procreation, but also as a way of expressing love and strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife."
The church has made its views clear in many publications and in recent news releases that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God". While opposing homosexual behavior, the church advises its leaders and members to reach out with understanding and respect to individuals who are attracted to those of the same gender.
Sexual relations are deemed proper only between a man and a woman who are legally and lawfully wedded as husband and wife. Any other sexual relations, including those between persons of the same gender, are sinful and undermine the divinely created institution of the family. The church accordingly affirms defining marriage as the legal and lawful union between a man and a woman.
Youth teaching
An LDS Church publication targeted at youth states: "Before marriage, do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person's body, with or without clothing. Do not do anything else that arouses sexual feelings. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body.” Youth are taught in church classes that sexual relations are sacred, and they should avoid "fondling of bodies, one's own or that of others". Masturbation is "not condoned but is not considered homosexual".
Importance
The LDS Church places great emphasis on the law of chastity. Commitment to live the law of chastity is required for baptism, and adherence is required to receive a temple recommend.
The Book of Mormon teaches that sexual sins are "most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost" (Alma 39:5). Church leaders have similarly emphasized its importance.
Apostle Spencer W. Kimball, in his book Miracle of Forgiveness, quoted Heber J. Grant as saying, "[t]here is no true Latter-day Saint who would not rather bury a son or daughter than to have him or her lose his or her chastity—realizing that chastity is of more value than anything else in all the world."
LDS Church president Ezra Taft Benson wrote:
Violation of the law of chastity may result in church discipline, including disfellowshipment or excommunication.
In endowment ceremony
The law of chastity is one of the covenants members of the LDS Church promise by oath to keep during the endowment ceremony of the temple.
Includes broader transgressions
Activities considered a violation of the law of chastity include both adultery and fornication as well as broader behavior. While serving as church president, Kimball taught that the law of chastity encompasses "all sexual relations outside marriage—petting, sex perversion, masturbation, and preoccupation with sex in one's thoughts and talking. Included are every hidden and secret sin and all unholy and impure thoughts and practices."
Victims of rape, incest, or sexual abuse are not guilty of sin and are not considered to have broken the law of chastity. However, they often feel that they have lost their virtue, which intensifies the feelings of shame and guilt experienced by many victims of rape. In the Book of Mormon, it states, "For behold, many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners; and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious above all things, which is chastity and virtue". In a general conference address, Richard G. Scott explained, "The victim must do all in his or her power to stop the abuse. Most often, the victim is innocent because of being disabled by fear or the power or authority of the offender. At some point in time, however, the Lord may prompt a victim to recognize a degree of responsibility for abuse. Your priesthood leader will help assess your responsibility so that, if needed, it can be addressed."
In addition, members are taught to dress modestly, to control their thoughts, and to avoid pornography. Dressing immodestly is not a violation of the law of chastity, but "modesty promotes chastity". Members who are married are instructed to "be faithful to your spouse in thought, word, and action. Stay away from situations where temptation may develop."
According to the church, even though the violation of the law of chastity is considered a serious sin, one who has violated the law of chastity can repent and receive forgiveness from God.
Homosexuality
The church has stated its view that a person having same-gender attraction is not sinful and no one should be blamed for it, and that LGBT members can have a good standing in the church. LGBT members of the church are expected to obey the same laws as heterosexual members, including controlling thoughts and not arousing sexual feelings outside of marriage. However, the church actively opposes the extension of the traditional definition of marriage to also include same-sex couples. In 2007, the church produced "God Loveth His Children", a pamphlet whose stated purpose is to help LGBT members.
D. Michael Quinn has stated that Kimball, the church's 12th president, did not believe that an individual could be homosexual, asserting that only a person's actions were homosexual. George L. Mitton and Rhett S. James believe this a distortion of LDS history.
In 1987, Gordon B. Hinckley wrote that "Marriage should not be viewed as a therapeutic step to solve problems such as homosexual inclinations or practices."
Masturbation
On various occasions church leaders have taught that members should not masturbate as part of obedience to the law of chastity. The 1990 edition of the church's youth guidelines pamphlet states that the "Lord specifically forbids ... masturbation" with the later two editions alluding to it with statements forbidding anything that "arouses" any sexual feelings or emotions in one's "own body". Apostle and later church president Spencer Kimball warned of the "possible damages" and "dangers" of this "common indescretion" on various occasions calling it a "reprehensible sin" that grows "with every exercise". He wrote several paragraphs mentioning it in the Miracle of Forgiveness stating that ancient and modern prophets "condemn masturbation" and that it shows "slavery to the flesh". In the April 1975 general conference meeting for men church seventy Vaughn Featherstone stated that the "urge" to masturbate "does not have to be satisfied" and that we should not "have a problem with masturbation". In a 1990 address he also told LDS church therapists that masturbation was "serious" and against church standards and that it would cause the Holy Ghost to withdraw from someone. He further stated that as a mission president almost 80% of his missionaries did not masturbate for the 1.5 to 2 years they were under his direction. In a 1966 address to BYU, apostle Delbert Stapley told students to avoid "perversions" like masturbation.
Apostle Bruce McConkie spoke strongly against masturbation in his 1958 Mormon Doctrine saying it was "condemned by divine edict" and among the "chief means" the devil uses "leading souls to hell". He also stated when psychiatrists tell their patients experiencing a serious "guilt complex" from masturbation that it is "not an evil" this keeps the patient from complying with the law of chastity and becoming clean, which would lead to "mental and spiritual peace" that helps one overcome mental disorders. In October 1983 an LDS psychiatrist Cantril Nielsen paid a death malpractice settlement to Eugene Eliason for prescribing that his patient 16-year-old Kip Eliason abstain from masturbation as directed by his bishop. This allegedely contributed to the patient's shame-induced suicide on 2 March 1982 over his inability to stop masturbating as recorded in his journal.
There has been some sociological research on masturbation and Mormonism. For instance, in one study of thousands of students spanning 1952 to 1957 by BYU sociology professor Wilford Smith showed that 64% of active Mormon females and 57% of active Mormon males did not believe that masturbation was immoral. Additionally, 78% of church-going Mormon men and 27% of active Mormon women reported having masturbated with 50% of Mormon males and 11% of active Mormon females reporting current masturbation. In another study in 1995, 43% of the 103 active, married, church-attending Mormon women interviewed reported current masturbation.
Pornography
As part of teaching the law of chastity LDS church leaders have repeatedly condemned the use of sexually arousing literature and visual material for decades. Sociological research into Pornography and LDS individuals has included one BYU study that showed of 192 BYU students ages 18-27, 100% of the sample considered viewing pornography "unacceptable". However, 35% reported having used pornography in the past 12 months, with 9.2% of the entire sample reporting viewing pornography at least once in the last month.