PBS Documentary, "The Mormons," Features Segment on the Church and Homosexuality

Throughout the last several months in the United States, Latter-day Saints have been increasingly subject to public scrutiny. As part of this growing national attention was a four-hour, two-part PBS documentary on Mormonism and the Church titled, aptly, "The Mormons." The first-time co-production between American Experience and Frontline debuted on April 30 and May 1, 2007. For those who missed it, the entire special can be viewed online at the PBS website.

Also online is a 10-minute segment on the Church — not directly related to the succeeding documentary — on its regular program "Religion and Ethics," aired on April 21, as well as a follow-up response to the documentary, co-sponsored by KUED and KBYU, interviewing various scholars or opinion leaders—Utah NOW: Viewing "The Mormons".

Of particular interest to those concerned with the issue of homosexuality was a brief segment on gays and the Church included in the May 1st Frontline piece. That segment, beginning at about minute 4:00, can be viewed here: "Those Who Can, and Can't Conform."

The featured story in the segment is that of artist Trevor Southey who, following his service as a full-time missionary, married and had children in an attempt to live true to his belief system, but who later left the Church when he felt he couldn't reconcile his feelings with his beliefs. While there are no stories included of individuals who have been able to find that reconciliation, Trevor is remarkably sympathetic in his feelings toward the Church. He stated,

"I have no bitterness towards the Church—which surprises me. I loved it dearly and I still love it. I love Mormon people, I love the notions of Mormonism, the teaching that you are an eternal soul, you came from Heavenly Father and you're here because our family was meant for you. It makes me terribly sad at times that I can't be in that place."

Elder Marlin K. Jensen, Church Historian and member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, is also included in the section, saying:

"What about [people]…who marry and for whatever reasons don't have children, or the young woman who grows old without marrying, or the divorced person? I think we can be quite hard – in a sense unwittingly, but nevertheless hard – on those people in our culture, because we have cultural expectations, cultural ideals, and if you measure up to them, it's a wonderful life. If you don't, it could be very difficult…

"... There is a single standard actually of morality for all members of the church… [T]he only marriage sanctioned by God is of a man to a woman… So there is really no allowance within our doctrine for a homosexual relationship of woman to woman or man to man. Obviously that creates a lot of pain. ...

"The thing that we have to ultimately say...is…[i]f you're going to live your life within the framework of the Gospel, within the framework of our doctrine, then you've got to choose to marry someone of the opposite sex, and if you can't do that honestly, then your choice has to be to live a celibate life. That is a very difficult choice for the parents, for the young man, the young woman, for whoever's making that choice, and my heart goes out to them."

The PBS website includes larger portions of interviews, many of which include questions relevant to homosexuality. Read the following for the interview questions specific to homosexuality and the Church:

President Boyd K. Packer
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Elder Marlin K. Jensen
Terryl L. Givens
Daniel C. Peterson
D. Michael Quinn
Gregory A. Prince
Ken Verdoia

See also PBS website section:

The Mormon Church and Gays