Marriage is a sacred institution and a sealed marriage is required for exaltation. It is this ordinance that allows a family to exist under God’s plan. The family is the basic unit not only in religion but also in society. With the family being the fundamental unit, it demands a high level of responsibility from the Mother and Father in raising their children according to the plan of our Heavenly Father. Prophets and Apostles have given us modern revelation (which is the same as scripture), specifically The Family: A Proclamation to the World. In this Proclamation, we learn of the divine roll of man and woman as fathers and mothers and those who embrace these rolls will be blessed with families structured according to the plan of salvation. We learn how critical to religion and society the mother actually is and how important the fathers roll of presiding and providing for his family. Although the Fathers roll is very important in the home as the patriarch and as a provider which enables the rest of the family members to magnify their own rolls, the mother plays a crucial roll as she is the one who traditionally spends more time in the home which gives her more personal time raising the children while the Father works and provides. For this reason, a woman can leave no greater mark on society and her religion than the children she raises.
With the importance of marriage and family having been outlined in accordance with our Heavenly Father’s plan, it requires true disciples of Jesus Christ live as he did if the marriage and family is to be successful. The gospel of Jesus Christ is constant. It does not move nor sway according to the conveniences and traditions of society. This requires a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ to be constant as well, to know firmly where he stands and to be an example, for a disciple is not only a follower of Christ but a leader for his cause as well. One who professes themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ is one who only follows him and is not persuaded by men and the trends or conveniences of society. He is built upon a rock. One who does not clearly know where he stands is one who clearly has not yet obtained a testimony. We all have a sacred responsibility to seek out a testimony so that we can follow the Savior and testify of his work. We must come to a knowledge that Christ is our Savior, His true Church is on the earth, and modern day prophets and apostles have been called to be His mouthpiece. We must follow Christ and the leaders of His Church in testimony and faith.
Our country was founded upon principles. The founding fathers recorded that they felt the constitution and its principles were inspired from God. Most of the states used the nation’s constitutions as its model. In the constitution, the country had a solid foundation established. Once we as a society allow our government to make changes or amendments to the constitution it carries lasting effects and the decision should not be taken lightly. Our country and our government rely on its basic unit, the family to not only provide tax dollars but also to provide citizens who will obey laws, be leaders in their community, serving the country in the military, strengthen the economy through strong work ethics, etc. All of this and more is reliant upon the family. We are now seeing a popular change in society. Something that has existed for thousands of years and was designed as a sacred religious institution has now been placed under vote by government. Marriage originated with religion and it was not until much later that governments for tax purposes recognized it. Judges are ruling on it and when they do, it requires religions to make changes to what they had originated. Government needs to stay small and when government gets involved in too many things it is considered as big government. When government meddles with marriage, it is acting as big government.
Proposition 8 in California this year is on whether or not a change should be made to California’s constitution on marriage to not only be between a man and a woman. If you vote yes, no change will be made. If you vote no, a change will be made that will not only affect the homosexual population but everyone involved in and outside of the State.
Currently, all homosexual partnerships receive the same tax benefits and rights as a married man and woman. A change would only give them the opportunity to be married like their parents but would not affect their financial situation or grant them anymore civil rights. For homosexuals this is a fight over the title of marriage but for the straight population, the majority, it is much more. The repercussions are outstanding. To inflict their lifestyle on an entire nation when their rights are not affected in the outcome is unbelievable and selfish.
Schools in California currently teach family life and will be required to teach students as young as kindergartners about straight and gay marriage and their lifestyles. This is too young of an age to be taught in schools and should be reserved for the teaching of parents in the home. A father in Boston, Massachusetts was arrested for trying to get his son excused from the class when gay marriage was being taught and that he be notified when that would occur. The public school denied both requests and had him arrested.
Adoption agencies including those owned and sponsored by religious groups would be required to allow a homosexual couple to adopt or would be forced to shut down. This would impose upon children many questions in regards to their own sexual orientation. As much as men try to be women and women try to be men they cannot provide all the benefits that a child needs from being raised by a female mother and a male father.
Church buildings will no longer be used for civil weddings and wedding receptions unless they offer the opportunity to gay couples as well. Religious marriages will no longer be recognized. Civil marriages will also be required before being married in the temple. This currently happens in other countries where governments do not recognize religious weddings.
Church leaders who have the authority to marry couples, no matter the religion, will be required to perform gay marriages when requested or they and their church can be sued. Church’s that did not perform these acts would lose their tax-exempt status. Tax-exempt status is huge for a church and some would not survive without it.
All doctrine and scripture that taught about traditional families such as the proclamation on the family and anything else that taught against homosexual marriage would be declared as hate speech and could not be used.
The list goes on.
Four of these five examples show that if gay marriage is legalized, government will be controlling our religions and how we worship and teach. Our founding father left their homelands in search of freedom of religion and is the primary reason why this great country was founded. We do not want a government telling us how we can and cannot practice our religions. Society can recognize the minority without making changes to the majority. This is why marriage was never granted to homosexuals in the past. Instead, they were given certain rights and privileges to help provide equality. Prop 8 is not and never was over whether being homosexual is right or wrong. It is over the clarification of marriage and its long lasting effects.
There is nothing more valuable and beautiful than a man and woman married as husband and wife raising a family, loving and respecting each other and the sacred ordinance they performed. This decision not only affects our children but our entire posterity and us today.
We must do everything we can to stand up and fight for truth and those things that are right. We must deliver when called upon to serve and help each other know and understand the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We are in a spiritual war. This war is no different then the war we fought in heaven. We must take a stand and so be it if we must offend the wicked in doing so. I for one will not rest in this war!
Although some may claim it but there is no way to separate your religion, your morals and your ethics from your political stances and the way that you vote. If you are separating them your are not applying all the principles of the gospel in your life as you have been taught to do so. Our leaders, even our Prophet and the First Presidency of the true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have spoken and asked us as disciples of Jesus Christ to take a stand on this issue and help with its cause so that more people will vote YES on prop 8 in California. Vote yes on Proposition 8!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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