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From the Mormon Curtain internet page

Tuesday, Feb 10, 2009, at 11:42 AM
Church To Teenage Girls: Better Killed Than Raped
Posted By N/A
WOMEN AND Mormonism - SECTION 2 -Guid- ↑




“Loss of virtue is too great a price to pay even for the preservation of ones life - better dead clean, than alive unclean. Many is faithful the Latter-day Saint parent who has sent a son or a daughter on a mission or otherwise out into the world with the direction: ‘I would rather have you come back in a pine box with your virtue than return alive without it.’”–Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (all editions), page 124.

” . . . Your virtue is worth more than your life. Please young folk, preserve your virtue even if you lose your lives. Do not tamper with sin . . . do not permit yourselves to be led into temptation.”–President David O. McKay, quoted in THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball

“…There 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.”–Heber J. Grant, quoted in THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball

“Also far-reaching is the effect of loss of chastity. Once given or taken or stolen it can never be regained. Even in forced contact such as rape or incest, the injured one is greatly outraged. If she has not cooperated and contributed to the foul deed, she is of course in a moe favorable position. There is no condemnation where there is no Voluntary participation. It is better to die in defending one’s virtue than to live having lost it without a struggle.”–Spencer W. Kimball, THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS

“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. Otherwise the seeds of guilt will remain and sprout into bitter fruit. Yet no matter what degree of responsibility, from absolutely none to increasing consent, the healing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ can provide a complete cure.” - Apostle Richard G. Scott “Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse,” General Conference, Ensign, May 1992

“Of course, a mature person who willingly consents to sexual relations must share responsibility for the act, even though the other participant was the aggressor. Persons who consciously invite sexual advances also have a share of responsibility for the behavior that follows. But persons who are truly forced into sexual relations are victims and are not guilty of any sexual sin.” - First Presidency Letter to General Authorities, Regional Representatives, and other priesthood leadership, 7 Feb. 1985

Deuteronomy 22:20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:

22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;

22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (all editions), page 124.

THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball

THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball

Spencer W. Kimball, THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS

Nondoctrinal works.

“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. Otherwise the seeds of guilt will remain and sprout into bitter fruit. Yet no matter what degree of responsibility, from absolutely none to increasing consent, the healing power of the atonement of Jesus Christ can provide a complete cure.” - Apostle Richard G. Scott “Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse,” General Conference, Ensign, May 1992

Nothing wrong here.

“Of course, a mature person who willingly consents to sexual relations must share responsibility for the act, even though the other participant was the aggressor. Persons who consciously invite sexual advances also have a share of responsibility for the behavior that follows. But persons who are truly forced into sexual relations are victims and are not guilty of any sexual sin.” - First Presidency Letter to General Authorities, Regional Representatives, and other priesthood leadership, 7 Feb. 1985

Nothing wrong here.

Deuteronomy 22:20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel:

22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.

22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;

22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.

The Law of Moses has been superceeded.

All in all, a very yellow journalistic OP.

bcspace wrote:

Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (all editions), page 124.
THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball
THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS by Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer W. Kimball, THE MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS

Nondoctrinal works.

Good thing that they are non-doctrinal, since each quote is high enough on the wackiness scale, it constitutes both a disreputable sentiment and stands as an embarrassment to Church members.

bcspace wrote:
The Law of Moses has been superceeded.

I'm going to hold you to that remark.

Nondoctrinal works.

Good thing that they are non-doctrinal, since each quote is high enough on the wackiness scale, it constitutes both a disreputable sentiment and stands as an embarrassment to Church members.

Why should I be embarrassed by something the Church didn't publish?

bcspace wrote:
Why should I be embarrassed by something the Church didn't publish?

That song and dance is SO worn out.

I keep expecting you to jump up one of these days after your slobbering attempts at pigeonholing and shout "The Aristocrats!".

This despicable teaching is one of the most cruel and disgusting of all LDS nonsense.

The fact that it is still alive and well, believed and honored in the church (see BC's statements above) is disheartening to say the least.

~td~

If the Miracle of Forgiveness was not doctrinal (with so many embarrassing Mormon books currently out of print) then why is it still being sold in Mormon bookstores?

Because next to the Book of Mormon and New Testament, it is one of the only accepted and referenced Mormon books on repentance out there. And Mormons will read a book about repentence by a MODERN PROPHET before blowing off the dust of their scriptures. They will also seek the commentary of a modern day authority than believe the words of ancient scripture.

As an apostle, Kimball shared the authority as a PROPHET, SEER and REVELATOR. He later became the PROPHET. He never redacted or modified his words.

Bishops and Stake presidents were instructed of the doctrine by this man. My bishop never questioned this authority. My bishop recommended the book to me when I was a teenager. I studied, pondered and prayed through it twice before eventually qualifying for a mission.

It taught me that I didn't particularly deserve forgiveness. It told me that the burden would never be fully satisfied and that it would take much time, heartache and it would require an undetermined payment. It made me an enemy to myself. I became the first to forgive others but the last one to forgive myself. If God would not yet forgive me, who was I to forgive myself?

As if I had sinned against the holy ghost because somehow, as a Mormon like Kimball, I knew what I did was wrong before committing it. So much for walking on faith.

"Your Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking. There must be works -- many works - and an all-out, total surrender, with a great humility and "a broken heart and a contrite spirit"

It depends upon you whether or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you. That depends on your humility, your sincerity, your works, your attitudes"

Miracle of Forgiveness pp. 324-325

This poser knew nothing of Christ's atonement, regardless of whether the atonement is real or imagined. He had no faith in the good news (the Gospel): the actual miracle of forgiveness.

Why? This blind guide believed he was above the need. This general authority on the matter had never experienced it for himself.

My heart goes out to those that go through what I had needlessly suffered because of this damn book of wrong reason.

BC, what do you make of this Ensign article which appears to endorse a sentiment similar to those statements you've dismissed as "non-doctrinal works"? At the very least, this article does not condemn such a view as being inconsistent with LDS belief or as even a little misguided:

President Harold B. Lee, First Counselor in the First Presidency, in the Ensign, wrote:Then this lad delivered one of the finest talks on chastity that I have ever heard. He closed by saying, “Rather than lose my virtue, I would die and have my body sent home in a pine box and my dog tags follow after.”

-snip-

When it came my time to speak, I said to him, “Now, my boy, you have made a profound impression upon all of us. You have said you would rather die than lose your virtue. But remember, the devil heard you, as we heard you, and if I don’t miss my guess, he is going to make you prove that you would give your life before you would lose your virtue. You had better be on guard.”


- "The Strength of the Priesthood," July 1972

BC, would you say the Church itself has published what can be perceived as a perpetuation of the sort of attitude discussed in the OP?

Prof. Peterson, do you recommend The Miracle of Forgiveness to penitents under your stewardship? Just wondering. My old bishop gave it to me to read when I was going through the repentance process for some high school shenanigans.