The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often misnamed the “Mormon Church”) has strict rules regarding morality. This is because Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) believe sexual sin to be a serious offense against God. Mormon doctrine teaches that we are all children of God and God’s plan for His children involves families. He has given each of us the power to create new life, but has also given us strict guidelines ruling how we should use that power.
“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” is a document released by Mormon church leaders explaining why these things are so important:
The sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.
We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. . . . Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
Each spirit that comes to earth is a child of God and has the right to be reared in a family with married parents who love each other and their children. It is not fair to a sweet, innocent newborn to bring it into a world without both parents or into an environment where he or she will not be loved and cared for. The only way to guarantee this does not happen is to abstain from sex before marriage and to remain faithful to one’s spouse.
The most important reason to protect one’s chastity and morality is that it is a commandment of God, and if we love God, we will keep His commandments (John 14:15). The subsequent articles under this topic will deal more in depth with Mormon rules regarding morality and explain further why these standards are so important.