We're not sure we'd go this far...

(comic by Chris Deaver)

Frequently teenagers want to know what prophets have said about kissing. Here are some quotes we’ve found — please feel free to add additional prophetic quotes you know of in the comments below.

“Do not participate in passionate kissing” (For the Strength of Youth, p. 27).

“Kissing has been prostituted and has degenerated to develop and express lust instead of affection, honor, and admiration. To kiss in casual dating is asking for trouble. What do kisses mean when given out like pretzels and robbed of sacredness? What is miscalled the ‘soul kiss’ is an abomination … even if timely courtship justifies the kiss it should be a clean, decent, sexless one, like the kiss between mother and son, or father and daughter” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 281).

Although these next two quotes are not directly about kissing, they may provide some helpful guidance:

“Keep your expressions of feelings to those that are comfortable in the presence of your parents” (Elder Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov. 1994, 38).

“Firmly establish personal standards. Choose a time of deep spiritual reflection, when there is no pressure on you, and you can confirm your decisions by sacred impressions. Decide then what you will do and what you will not do to express feelings. The Spirit will guide you. Then do not vary from those decisions no matter how right it may seem when the temptation comes…The realization of your dreams depends upon your determination to never betray your standards” (Elder Richard  G. Scott, “Do What is Right,” Address given at BYU).

Many teenagers find themselves in a situation where they have to explain to others—or perhaps they wonder to themselves—why morality is such a big deal. Before we talk about why we should stay sexually pure, think about this question: “Why would somebody not stay sexually pure?”
There may be lots of reasons—peer pressure, to feel accepted, to solidify a relationship, to try to show someone you “love” them, crazy hormones and so on. President Ezra Taft Benson gave the best reason when he said, “Most people fall into sexual sin in a misguided attempt to fulfill basic human needs. We all have a need to feel loved and worthwhile. We all seek to have joy and happiness in our lives. Knowing this, Satan often lures people into immorality by playing on their basic needs. He promises pleasure, happiness, and fulfillment. But this is, of course, a deception.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “The Law of Chastity,” New Era, Jan 1988, 4).

Thus, one reason why it’s important to live the law of chastity is that _breaking_ the law of chastity will not bring us the love we want.

But there are many other reasons why we should live the law of chastity. Consider the following:

Keep reading…

For more thoughts on why it’s so important to keep the law of chastity, please see this post, and this excerpt from a chapter from WHY? We promise that you will be blessed as you live this law.

We didn’t make the rule, so we don’t know for sure—but here are a couple of ideas.

Idea number one: You mature a lot between the ages of fifteen and sixteen. Generally speaking, a sixteen year old is better equipped than a fifteen year old to handle the temptation and pressure that accompany dating.

Idea number two: Studies have shown that teenagers who begin dating early are much more likely to be immoral than the teens who wait to date. For example the same study quoted above showed that 70% of teenagers who waited to date until they were 16 avoided immoral activity, while 80% of those who reported dating before they were 16 had become sexually involved enough to need the counsel of their Bishop (see Bruce Monson, New Era , 6/01, 36).

President Hinckley offered his wisdom on the matter by saying,

The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powder keg unless it is kept under control. It is beautiful when handled in the right way. It is deadly if it gets out of hand. It is for this reason that the Church counsels against early dating . This rule is not designed to hurt you in any way. It is designed to help you, and it will do so if you will observe it ( Ensign , January 2001, 8, emphasis added).

Elder Jeffery R. Holland answered these very questions in General Conference. He explained precisely why it is absolutely vital we remain morally clean.

We declare that one who uses the God-given body of another without divine sanction abuses the very soul of that individual. . . . In exploiting the body of another — which means exploiting his or her soul — one desecrates the Atonement of Christ, which saved that soul and which makes possible the gift of eternal life. And when one mocks the Son of Righteousness, one steps into a realm of heat hotter and holier than the noonday sun. You cannot do so and not be burned.

In case that isn’t convincing enough, read on:

Please, never say: “Who does it hurt? Why not a little freedom? I can transgress now and repent later.” Please don’t be so foolish and so cruel. You cannot with impunity “crucify Christ afresh.” “Flee fornication,” Paul cries, and flee “anything like unto it,” the Doctrine and Covenants adds. Why? Well, for one reason because of the incalculable suffering in both body and spirit endured by the Savior of the world so that we could flee. We owe Him something for that. Indeed, we owe Him everything for that. “Ye are not your own,” Paul says. “Ye [have been] bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” In sexual transgression the soul is at stake—the body and the spirit ( Ensign , Nov. 1998, 76).

According to Elder Holland, our bodies are gifts that should not be tarnished by immoral activities. The Savior purchased them with his blood in the Garden of Gethsemane ; we owe it to Him to keep them clean. And, as Elder Holland pointed out, immorality damages the soul—both our bodies and our spirits.

Another reason why you should live the law of chastity is that it will prepare you to have a stronger, happier marriage in the future. Think of the mistrust that could develop in a marriage if one of the partners had been immoral earlier in life. You strengthen your future marriage by living the law of chastity today. A modern prophet has promised us this. President Benson taught, “When we… keep ourselves morally clean, we will experience the blessings of increased love and peace, greater trust and respect for our marital partners, deeper commitment to each other, and therefore a deep and significant sense of joy and happiness” (President Benson, New Era , Jan. 1988, 5–6).

A third reason why it’s so important we must obey the law of chastity is because immorality leads to hate, not love. President Benson taught this as well by saying:

Do not be misled by Satan’s lies…There is no joy to be found in breaking the law of chastity. Just the opposite is true. There may be momentary pleasure. For a time it may seem like everything is wonderful. But quickly the relationship will sour. Guilt and shame set in. We become fearful that our sins will be discovered. We must sneak and hide, lie and cheat. Love begins to die. Bitterness, jealousy, anger, and even hate begin to grow. All of these are the natural results of sin and transgression ( New Era , Jan. 1988, 5–6).

As you can see, there are many reasons why it’s vital we live the law of chastity.

–go to http://ldswhy.com, select “stuff from the book” and watch the video about implosion…