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| Official Proclamation |
Read by President Gordon B. Hinckley on Saturday,
September 23, 1995 during the annual General Women's Conference.
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 to eternal life. The divine plan of happiness
enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.
Sacred ordinances and covenants 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 wed 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 responsible to
provide the necessities of life and the protection of 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 extend 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 the 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. |
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