This past week, we received this question:
Question: Why can’t we sleep in the same bed with a person of the opposite sex if we’re not doing anything sexual?
While that question might seem strange to some, or perhaps downright illogical, it provided a great opportunity to teach a principle about sin and temptation. Maybe the principles taught in our answer can help you with a sin you are struggling with. The following was our response to this question:
Great question. We have some questions in return:
Why can’t an alcoholic keep beer in his fridge?
Why can’t someone keep music on their IPOD that has swear words and offensive lyrics if they don’t plan on listening to them? I mean heck, they want to have clean thoughts!
Why can’t a young man who is struggling with pornography keep his high speed, unfiltered, unchecked internet access in his bedroom?
Why can’t a girl who wants to dress more modestly keep her low cut shirts and short skirts hung up in her closet?
Why can’t a married woman who is tempted to have an affair with a co-worker just go out to lunch with him or talk to him on the phone or visit him in his hotel room on a business trip?
We think you get the point. One of the principles of avoiding sin is to avoid the situation that tempts us to sin. Notice that when the adversary tempted our Savior, each time the Lord left the situation and went somewhere else (see the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 4:1-11). Notice how Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph in Egypt when he was alone, when “there was none of the men of the house there within” (Genesis 39:10) and how Joseph “fled, and got him out” of there (vs. 12). Notice how the Lamanites buried their swords “deep in the earth” (Alma 24:17) after they made the covenant to not shed the blood of another Nephite.
Why do you think the Lamanites buried them DEEP? What do you think would have happened if the they had promised to not kill any more Nephites, but instead of burying their swords they simply hung them up on the wall? The next time a war broke out and a Nephite ran by their house, what do you think they would have done? What will the alcoholic do with the beer in the fridge? What will the girl with the immodest clothes do when it gets hot and her modest clothing is in the wash?
And what will you do if you sleep in the same bed with a member of the opposite sex that you are attracted to?
If you want to remain morally clean, then we say: Get thee hence, bury the sword, and flee and get yourself out!
Couldn’t have been made more clear than that. Thank you.