Since the beginning of time, especially for those of Christian faiths, there has been a man and a woman in marriage. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, members often view marriage as a very sacred entity and one that should follow the same patterns. The document, “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” put out in 1995 by the First Presidency of the church says:
“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.“
That is pretty straight forward, right? With thoughts such as this, the 2015 ruling proclaiming same sex marriage legal in all states was a pretty big deal. Here is how it affected me:
I grew up with a flamboyantly homosexual brother. I have a cousin who proclaims herself to bi-sexual. I have had many friends over the years proclaim different sexuality preferences. I do not have a relationship with my brother due to poor choices he has made and my choice to keep him from my kids because of them. I do still talk with my cousin and show love in all the previous ways I have before. I honestly hold the message brought forth in The Family: A Proclamation to be completely true. Does this mean I love my brother, cousin, or friends less?
NO!
In his talk, “Disciples of Jesus Christ – Defenders of Marriage,” President Russell M. Nelson (2014) says, “The greatest guardians of any and all virtues are marriage and family,” (paragraph 11). Marriage has a lasting effect on more that people involved and leaves it’s imprint on the world. Family is meant to be full of love, nurturing, and support.
I believe to be a defender of marriage is to keep the bonds between man and wife and to build up the next generations. It is also a great way to keep virtue in the world.
To Eternity and Beyond 