280.3: Let’s Talk about Sex (OT Gospel Doctrine Lesson 11, Study Notes)

“How Can I Do This Great Wickedness?”

 

In this segment we return to the narratives from a literary and historical perspective, discuss LDS approaches to sexuality from a more critical perspective, confront difficult issues such as rape and sexual abuse, and get into more detail about sexual morality.

 

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Class Member Reading: Genesis 34; 37; 38; 39

Additional Reading: Genesis 32:28; 35:22; 1 Chron. 5:1-2; Romans 8:28

Other Reading: None

 

Sara, Corey, Jennifer and Natasha continue the valuable discussion.

You can access the Annotated Reading here (or PDF)

You can access the Lesson Notes here (or PDF)

 

Timeline 

Lesson Part 2: Scholarship

0:00        Rape or Inappropriate Sex?

4:05        Genesis 49:5-7

6:02        Genesis 38

Lesson Part 3: Study Notes

9:00        Sexuality in LDS Context

16:30     Addressing Sexual Sin

Discussion Part 3 (Mature Content)

20:59     How to Use These Bible Stories in Church

34:27     Most Urgent Points For Improvement of LDS Sexual Discourse

43:15     Principles Underlying Sexual Standards/Guidance

1:03:45  Women as Sexual Commodities

1:11:50  Inequality in Messaging

1:15:20  Teaching Sexual Topics/Stories in Church

 

Resources 

• Elder Holland, Of Souls, Symbols, and Sacraments
• Mormonism’s sexuality and modesty discourse, MormonMatters
• Jennifer Fife’s interview on Mormon women and sexuality at Mormon Stories
• And They Were Not Ashamed, Deseret Book (Great book on married sexuality)
• Real Intimacy (another book about sexuality from an LDS perspective) 
• Passionate Marriage, a very helpful though mainstream book about sexuality (perhaps not for all LDS couples)
• Write up about a Sunstone Presentation how Romance novels lead to better sex for Mormon women
• Natasha Parker’s blog post about masturbation 
• Natasha’s blog “Mormon Therapist” (lots of great resources) 
• Mormon Sex Girls on masturbation at the Cultural Hall podcast 
• Lisa at FeminstMormonHousewives talks about her perspective on sexuality 

 

Thanks to James Estrada for postproduction, and as always to Steven Nelson for the beautiful bumper music.