Marriage Is Not Just About Adults

“We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.”

                                                                        --The Family: A Proclamation to the World

            This statement above is the first paragraph in The Family: A Proclamation to the World. I remember being in high school when this proclamation first came out in September of 1995.  President Gordon B. Hinckley was the prophet for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the time.  They were proclaiming standards, practice, and doctrines on the family.  It didn’t understand this proclamation like I do now and if your want to find out more about it you can click here. This week I have thought about what it means to uphold the ideal of marriage between a man and a woman.  I was raised to believe that marriage and the family were central to my Heavenly Father’s plan for our eternal destiny. I believe it to be true now. 

            I live in a world where marriage is being redefined.  Just this June the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage.  I remember it being a big deal. I couldn’t turn around without there being something on my Facebook news feed or on a website, blog, or on the news. That is not really what I want to focus on but it does show where our society is now on same-sex marriage.  Some might call me old fashioned and that for a thirty-something I do not share the views of most of my peers but I do support the institution of marriage being defined between one man and one woman. 

            I want to share a video from a message I heard this last April from apostle Elder D. Todd Christofferson,

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-250-elder-d-todd-christofferson-highlights?lang=eng

Like Elder Christofferson said, marriage has never been just about the love and happiness of adults.  If it were only about that of course I would want everyone to be happy.  Sometime we need to think beyond oursleves and think of what is best for our own children and those of the rising generation.

This week I read an article titled “Marriage: Where Do We GoFrom Here?”. In there author Ryan Jackson states:

            “Marriage is a comprehensive union. It unites spouses at all levels of their being: hearts, minds, and bodies, where man and woman form a two-in-one-flesh union. It is based on the anthropological truth that men and women are distinct and complementary, on the biological fact that reproduction requires a man and a woman, and on the sociological reality that children benefit from having a mother and a father. As the act that unites spouses can also create new life, marriage is especially apt for procreation and family life. Uniting spouses in these all-encompassing ways, marriage calls for all-encompassing commitment: permanent and exclusive."

When we look at marriage we cannot be selfish and only think of ourselves. We have to look at how it impacts those who have no voice, the children. They are the rising generation and our decisions today impact and influence their lives tomorrow.  Children need the most ideal setting.  This to me is a marriage with both a father and a mother who are fully committed to one another.  We need to take a closer look as to how same-sex marriage will have an impact on the lives of children.        

I hope we can continue to defend the institution of marriage between a man and a woman lovingly and respectfully but boldly and with courage.