In God We Trust

1 June 2008

Sharon’s Sunday Blog

Posted by Joy Bischoff under: Guest Blogger .

Guest Blog by Sharon Anderson

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

There has been much discussion in the past several weeks
about how traditional marriages and families are under
attack. There is much confusion in the minds of many about
these important institutions.

In 1995 the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve
Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
issued a proclamation to the world on the family.
Personally, I appreciated their bold clarification of
eternal principles, the warning of calamities that will
accompany the disintegration of the family, and their call
to citizens and officers of government promote those
measures that will maintain and strengthen the family as
the fundamental unit of society. This seems a good time to
review parts of this document. (emphasis added).

“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.”All human beings—male and female—are
created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son
or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a
divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential
characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal
identity and purpose.”The first commandment that God
gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for
parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s
commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the
earth remains in force. We further declare that God has
commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be
employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as
husband and wife.”We declare the means by which mortal
life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the
sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal
plan.

“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love
and care for each other and for their children.
“Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms
127:3) http://scriptures.lds.org/ps/127/3 Parents have a
sacred duty to rear their children in love and
righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual
needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to
observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding
citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers
and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the
discharge of these obligations.”We warn that
individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse
spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family
responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God.
Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will
bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the
calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”We
call upon responsible citizens and officers of government
everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain
and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of
society.”

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,161-1-11-1,00.html

5 Comments so far...

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.