The LDS Church teaches its members to obey the law of chastity, which is a code of morality and modesty. Under this code, all members are taught to be "morally clean in their thoughts, words, and actions" and to abstain from pornography. Though celestial marriage is the only form of marriage recognized as a sacrament , the church permits sex within government-recognized marital unions, the notable exceptions being same-sex marriage , common law marriage , civil unions in jurisdictions where marriage is available , and polygamy.
The church is sensitive about its historical relationship with polygamy, and entry into a polygamous marriage, even where legal, will result in mandatory consideration of church discipline and possible excommunication.
Church leaders have emphasized its importance. When discussing premarital sex in his book The Miracle of Forgiveness the apostle and later church president Spencer W. Kimball quoted church president David O.
McKay in stating, "Your virtue is worth more than your life. Please, young folk, preserve your virtue even if you lose your lives. McConkie wrote in the section "Chastity" that it is better to be "dead clean, than alive unclean" and that many Mormon parents would rather their child "come back in a pine box with [their] virtue than return alive without it". Victims of rape , incest , or sexual abuse are not guilty of sin and are not considered to have broken the law of chastity.
Scott stated, "The victim must do all in his or her power to stop the abuse. Most often, the victim is innocent because of being disabled by fear or the power or authority of the offender.
