When can a kiss be called passionate? I have a hard time to
understand what is passionate kissing….

Liahona

Dear Liahona,

The following is some very strong counsel from President Kimball concerning kissing prior to marriage.

“Kissing has been prostituted and has been degenerated to develop lust instead of affection, honor, and admiration,” said President Kimball. “To kiss in casual dating is asking for trouble.

“What is miscalled the soul(I assume he means french kissing) kiss is an abomination and stirs passion that results in the eventual loss of virtue. Even if timely courtship justifies a kiss, it should be a clean, decent, sexless one. … If the soul kiss with its passion were eliminated from dating, there would be an immediate upswing in chastity and honor, with fewer illegitimate babies, fewer unwed mothers, fewer forced marriages, and fewer unhappy souls. With the absence of the soul kiss, necking would be greatly reduced. Its younger sister, petting, would be totally eliminated. Both are abominations of their own right and kind.” (In Conference Report, Sydney Australia Area Conference, 29 Feb. 1976, p. 55.)

Unless forearmed, it is difficult for youth to distinguish where indiscretions will lead. The first “movie” kiss becomes “making out,” and the “making out” becomes fornication before they fully realize the power of sexual feelings. These forces are powerful; they were meant to be. But they were meant for mature couples in the sanctity of marriage.

We must clearly explain to our children that passionate kissing and “making out” should be left until after marriage. Too many young couples falsely believe that because they are dating or engaged they can relax these constraints. Yet it is during this emotion-filled time that the greatest care should be taken to build and preserve a virtuous relationship.

“When the unmarried yield to the lust that induces intimacies and indulgence, they have permitted the body to dominate and have placed the spirit in chains. It is unthinkable that anyone could call this love.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “Love vs. Lust,” in 1965 Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1966, p. 9.)

Though this advise was given quite some time ago, it is still applies to us today.  President Kimball indicated that any type of kissing or other actions that might lead to necking and petting or other sinful actions is wrong.

Gramps