Preset Temptations, Then, Can Be Overcome

Yes, I do have feelings of concern, tonight, for one of the foremost leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Boyd K. Packer, the senior apostle, the man next in line to be prophet of the church.

I do not know what thoughts have gone through his mind, as he has reflected on the talk he gave Sunday, and on the storm of protest raised against it. But, I judge him to be right in whatever he says or does on this issue.

That does not mean it hasn't been a trial for him. Although I am not in position to know, I imagine it has been.

There was the protest Thursday, thousands walking around the temple. There remains the Human Rights Campaign, and others, saying what changes President Packer made in his Sunday talk are not enough.

Church leaders are allowed to edit their talks before the written versions are released. President Packer's talk had him say that "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" is revelation. In the written version, President Packer refers to the Proclamation as a guide. I do not know that that means the Proclamation is not a revelation, it only means that in his written version, President Packer chose to refer to it as a guide.

After a portion in the talk in which he alluded to the idea same-sex attractions are born-in, President Packer omitted the line, "Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone?" Is that change a nod to those in the scientific community who say it is scientific fact that some people are born with same-sex feelings? I do not know. I do not know whether "Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone?" means God would not make them that way or means, instead, God would not make it so they could not overcome those feelings.

And, President Packer, in alluding to the notion of same-sex attractions being born in, chose the word "tendencies" in the talk, but chose "temptations" for the written version.

Here's how the spoken and written version differ, in the two key changes. I do not know that the changes mean what was spoken is not correct. I only know President Packer chose to make the changes for the written version. These are the changes as posted at the website http://mormonsformarriage.com/?p=299

Spoken version: "Fifteen years ago, with the world in turmoil, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the fifth proclamation in the history of the Church. It qualifies according to the definition as a revelation and would do well that members of the church to read and follow it."

Written version: "Fifteen years ago, with the world in turmoil, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the fifth proclamation in the history of the Church. It is a guide that members of the Church would do well to read and to follow."

Spoken version: "Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn tendencies toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone? Remember, God He is our Heavenly Father."

Written version: "Some suppose that they were preset and cannot overcome what they feel are inborn temptations toward the impure and unnatural. Not so! Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone? Remember, God is our Heavenly Father."

Perhaps of note in understanding what President Packer was saying is the scripture he then quoted, 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says, God . . . will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

There are temptations I have that maybe will, but perhaps will not go away as long as I live. But, I have learned I can put them off, not acting on them. I do not know what the scientific community believes as to whether a person can overcome same-sex attraction, by not acting upon it. But, my own experience being a form of scientific study, I know it true. No, my experience has not been with same-sex attraction, but I cannot see why it would not apply.