Dallin H. Oaks Believes Homosexuality is a “Devilish Perversion” – Named New President of the Mormon Church

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On Tuesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) appointed Dallin H. Oaks, a former justice on the Utah Supreme Court, to be President. The prior Mormon Elder, one of the Twelve Apostles of LDS, is known for his stance on homosexuality, “family,” and most recently, declining marriage and birth rates.

The Mormon church’s approach to succession all but guaranteed that Oaks would prove the top contender. At age 93, he was the longest-serving member of the highest leadership body, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in which he participated for 41 years. He was also a formal counselor to the previous President, Russell M. Nelson.

On its website, LDS describes Oaks as a prophet, apostle and former attorney. “He is a firm defender of truth, a compassionate teacher of correct doctrine, and an advocate for religious freedom.”

LDS also publicized a 2006 interview with Oaks on the topic of “Same-Gender Attraction” in which Oaks describes homosexuality as an “affliction” that requires a certain course of action—to strive to extend one’s horizon beyond gender and sexual orientation and “to try to see the whole person.” In that set of remarks, he does not promote traditional marriage as a cure (in fact, such an approach might “put at risk daughters of God who would enter into such marriages under false pretenses”); but he does see a path forward:

“On the other hand, persons who have cleansed themselves of any transgression and who have shown their ability to deal with these feelings or inclinations and put them in the background, and feel a great attraction for a daughter of God and therefore desire to enter marriage and have children and enjoy the blessings of eternity—that’s a situation when marriage would be appropriate.”

Oaks believes that “same-gender attraction did not exist in the pre-earth life” (we’re not sure what that is) and “neither will it exist in the next life” (we think he’s referring to “our eternal destiny—exaltation in the celestial kingdom”).

“The good news for somebody who is struggling with same-gender attraction is this,” he says: “It is that ‘I’m not stuck with it forever.’ It’s just now.” 

In addition to his creds as prophet and apostle, Oaks’ resume includes a stint as President of Brigham Young University (he has denied that gay electroshock therapy was used during his tenure, though some reporting suggests otherwise). He is also credited with drafting the church’s confidential 1984 memo that outlined a strategy for church opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriage. This blueprint on how to approach the “devilish perversion of the procreative purposes of God ” has influenced the church’s political stance on LGBTQ+ issues since the day Oaks first penned it.