Chastity
Keeping the Law of Chastity
Mormon youth are taught young
about the Law of Chastity. They are taught to not date until the age of
sixteen and are taught how to be chaste and prepared to marry in the Mormon temple when the time is right.
The following counsel is given to youth as well as adults:
'Decide early to be chaste.
Make the decision to be chaste, before the temptation comes. Youth are
taught to make the decision to not put themselves in any situation
where emotions are aroused in another person's body or in their own
body. Make the decision to be chaste for their future spouse.
Control one's own thoughts.
No one commits sexual sin in an instant. Immoral acts always begin with
impure thoughts. If thoughts are allowed to fixate on obscene or
immoral things, the first step has already been taken to immorality.
Avoiding situations that lead to sin, praying to God for strength in
having pure thoughts and in staying firm in the decision to be chaste.
Stay away from pornography.
Avoid viewing, reading or listening to anything that would arouse
sexual emotions. Pornographic materials are addictive and destructive.
It is distributed through many kinds of means. Like other addictions,
it leads people to experiment and to seek more powerful stimulations.
It will destroy a person, corrupt the mind, heart and spirit. It tears
a person down and leads to evil thoughts and abusive conduct.
If you are single and
dating, always treat your date with respect.
Plan positive and constructive activities; stay and do activities where
you can control yourself. Stay away from conversations or activities
that arouse sexual feelings. Do not participate in passionate kissing,
lie with or on top of another person, or touch the private sacred parts
of another person's body, with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone
to do such things with you.
If you are married, be faithful to your spouse in your thoughts, words, and actions.
Never flirt in any way. Avoid being alone with anyone of the opposite
sex. The Apostle Paul counseled, "abstain from all appearance of evil".
(1 Thessalonians 5:22) '1
Mormons know that "chastity is a
law of God and expected to be kept. Obedience to the law brings
blessings of:
Peace of mind to know that the
conscience and spirit are free of sin. In 1 Corinthians 3:16 it reads,
"Know you not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?' Our bodies are a temple of God and He has given them
to us. When we keep it clean, our Spirits radiate and others are
affected by it. (One's mistakes and sins always affect other's as do
righteous choices.) To only think that it 'only affects me', is a tool
of Satan and a selfish emotion.
Freedom is gained when we choose
to obey God's laws, we have made a correct choice and we have
conquered.
Within the bonds of marriage
there has to be total trust and fidelity. Mormon prophet Spencer W.
Kimball stated the following: "Each spouse takes the partner with the
understanding that he or she gives totally to the spouse all the heart,
strength, loyalty, honor, and affection with all dignity."2
"That the [Mormon]
Church's stand on morality may be understood, we declare firmly and
unalterably it is not an outworn garment, faded, old-fashioned, and
threadbare. God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His
covenants and doctrines are immutable; and when the sun grows cold and
the stars no longer shine, the law of chastity will still be basic in
God's world and in the Lord's Church."3
1 "True to the Faith", a gospel reference, pp 32-33, 117-118,
2 "Faith Precedes the Miracle", by Spencer W. Kimball, Deseret Book Co., 1972, p 143
3 "Love Versus Lust", by Spencer W. Kimball, Brigham Young University Speech, 1965, p11
Other interesting sites about Mormonism:
www.lightplanet.com
www.wikipedia.com
www.whymormonism.org
www.mormonolympians.org
www.understandingmormonism.org
www.familiesforever.com
www.meetmormonmissionaries.org
www.blacklds.org
www.mormoncentral.com
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