Sharing and Defending Family Proclamation Principles

    The standards and beliefs around the family and marriage have continued to drastically change. When The Proclamation was announced over 20 years ago many of its teachings were commonplace and were generally accepted by society as a whole. However, as years have progressed the teachings found within The Proclamation not only are not widely accepted, but are often ridiculed and looked down upon. As a result, the need to defend the sacred teachings of the family unit have never been more needed. The good news is that defense and sharing of the principles found within The Proclamation can be done in normal and natural ways. Young adults are prime candidates to act as modern-day defenders of the faith as the general morals and beliefs of their generation turn away from traditional values. 

    Opportunities to share and defend these principles can come in many different forms. It is important to note that these opportunities will not only occur with members not of our faith. There are significant and important opportunities for us to defend/share principles of The Proclamation with members of the church. Each of us, whether full-time members of the church or not, can strengthen our testimonies of the sacred truths of the eternal nature of the family unit. 

     It is important to note that The Proclamation was not only written for members of the church, but was to be a proclamation to the world, declaring the eternal and unchanging truths of the doctrine of eternal families. Speaking on this very topic, Elder Merrill J. Bateman stated, "The proclamation serves not only as a handbook for family living, but also as a compass for family research and advocacy." It is important that we actively use the sacred document of The Proclamation in our efforts to defend the adversary's attack on the family, as this was it's intended use given its inspired writing. 

    Instances or examples of those defending and sharing the principles contained within The Proclamation can be seen in a myriad of environments. Examples include, but are not limited to: school, the workplace, church, family gatherings, etc. It is important to note that Christ does not expect or want us to belittle or attack those we defend and share these principles with. Rather these instances are meant to happen in normal and natural ways. Sharing and defending the gospel in normal and natural ways has been a recent emphasis of the church in relation to missionary work. Overall, the focus of defending the teachings found within The Proclamation is to ensure you yourself have a testimony of its teachings, and then strive to share and defend its principles in normal and natural ways. 


Works Cited: 

Successful Marriages & Families: Proclamation Principles and Research Perspectives by A. Hawkins, D. Dollahite, & T. Draper.

Brigham Distributing, 1st Edition. 2011

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Abuse in Family Life

Image
      Sadly, abuse in the family unit is a topic that far too many young adults, and simply individuals have had to face and navigate. The church's definition of abuse is simple, "Abuse is the physical, emotional, sexual, or spiritual mistreatment of others. It may not only harm the body, but it can deeply affect the mind and spirit, destroying faith and causing confusion, doubt, mistrust, guilt, and fear." The Lord has made it clear through His teachings and through His servants that there is no room for any degree of abuse. However, as we know mortal beings are imperfect and as a result, abuse exists in our current world.      It is important that the general population of the church, especially the young adults, understand how to navigate such a complex and difficult topic. Many studies and research has been completed on what factors contribute to an increased likelihood of abuse happening in the family unit. Findings illustrate that poverty, poor parent...
Read more

A Latter-Day Saint Perspective on Same-Sex Marriage

Image
     Same-sex marriage and its relationship with the restored gospel has become an increasingly complex issue in the year 2023. In general, with the Supreme Court's ruling in 2015 in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage is not only legal, but has been deemed to be just as beneficial as traditional marriage between a man and woman. In today's culture it is often deemed ignorant and close-minded to have views of marriage that are more aligned with traditional values. As a young adult in the church myself, it is clear that many young adults within the church struggle with the contrasting views of marriage between society and the restored gospel. It can be difficult to adequately defend the views of traditional marriage to those not of our faith, as so much of our reasoning resides on the eternal truths of marriage we know from the restoration of the gospel. If an individual's belief in traditional marriage values is not supported by a firm testimony in th...
Read more

Drawing Specific Inspiration from the Proclamation

Image
     During a general relief society session of General Conference, President Hinckley introduced The Family: A Proclamation to the World. In the following decades, the general belief of the family unit by society has drastically changed. The Family proclamation offers a backdrop to the eternal truths of the family unit taught in the restored gospel. This sacred document can do so much more than simply defend the sacred doctrinal truths of the family. Consistent study of the Proclamation can aid in the efforts of everyday members of the church to gain much needed personal revelation. Furthermore, young adults who face important decisions concerning marriage, family, career, etc. can gain direction from the Lord when studying the Proclamation in these crucial years of young adulthood.      Within the Proclamation are crucial teachings about the roles of fathers and mothers, how to properly support extended family, the divine origin of gender, the purpose of ...
Read more