With
so much of sophistry that is passed off as truth, with so much of
deception concerning standards and values, with so much of allurement
and enticement to take on the slow stain of the world, we have felt to
warn and forewarn. In furtherance of this we of the First Presidency and
the Council of the Twelve Apostles now issue a proclamation to the
Church and to the world as a declaration and reaffirmation of standards,
doctrines, and practices relative to the family which the prophets,
seers, and revelators of this church have repeatedly stated throughout
its history. I now take the opportunity of reading to you this
proclamation:
“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.
“In
the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God
as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children
could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress
toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an
heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family
relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and
covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to
return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.
“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). 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.
“The
family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential
to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of
matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital
vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to
be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on
principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love,
compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine
design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and
righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and
protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for
the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers
and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.
Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual
adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.
“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.”
We
commend to all a careful, thoughtful, and prayerful reading of this
proclamation. The strength of any nation is rooted within the walls of
its homes. We urge our people everywhere to strengthen their families in
conformity with these time-honored values.
May
the Lord bless you, my beloved sisters. You are the guardians of the
hearth. You are the bearers of the children. You are they who nurture
them and establish within them the habits of their lives. No other work
reaches so close to divinity as does the nurturing of the sons and
daughters of God. May you be strengthened for the challenges of the day.
May you be endowed with wisdom beyond your own in dealing with the
problems you constantly face. May your prayers and your pleadings be
answered with blessings upon your heads and upon the heads of your loved
ones. We leave with you our love and our blessing, that your lives may
be filled with peace and gladness. It can be so. Many of you can testify
that it has been so. See and read President Gordon B. Hinckley's address here
