Defender of Marriage

This is not an easy topic to put my own words to. I am relying heavily in this post on those that have
wiser words to share and better ways of explaining God’s will for this particular issue. I do not envy
those that have to struggle with this law and commandment from God. I am grateful for The Family:
A Proclamation to the World and the teachings it provides us as times in this world get more confusing.
We have agency, but that does not mean God has not set out boundaries, laws and commandments to live
by. They are there to keep us safe and close to Him. I know that God created families and within that
created marriage.

“A family built on the marriage of a man and woman supplies the best setting for God’s plan to thrive—
the setting for the birth of children, who come in purity and innocence from God, and the environment
for the learning and preparation they will need for a successful mortal life and eternal life in the world
to come. A critical mass of families built on such marriages is vital for societies to survive and flourish.
That is why communities and nations generally have encouraged and protected marriage and the family
as privileged institutions. It has never been just about the love and happiness of adults.”
(“Why Marriage, Why Family”, Todd D. Christofferson, 15)

The last line of that quote is so powerful! It isn’t all about just love and happiness of adults, it’s
about so much more. God created families and God created marriage. We as a human race cannot
change what these two things mean because we did not create them.

“God is the Father of all men and women. They are His children. It was He who ordained marriage
as the union of a man and a woman. Marriage was not created by human judges or legislators.
It was not created by think tanks or by popular vote or by oft-quoted bloggers or by pundits. It was not
created by lobbyists. Marriage was created by God!” (“Disciples of Jesus Christ-Defender of Marriage”,
President Nelson)

“The fundamental right to marry does not include a right to make a State change its definition of
marriage. And a State’s decision to maintain the meaning of marriage that has persisted in every
culture throughout human history can hardly be called irrational.” (“Obergefell v. Hodges, dissenting p.2)

“The real question in these cases is what constitutes “marriage,” or—more precisely—who decides
what constitutes “marriage”?” (“Obergefell v. Hodges, dissenting p.4)

“Brothers and sisters, undergirded by incontrovertible truth, proclaim your love for God! Proclaim
your love for all human beings “with malice toward none, with charity for all.”20 They as children of
God are our brothers and sisters. We value their rights and feelings. But we cannot condone efforts to
change divine doctrine. It is not for man to change.” (“Disciples of Jesus Christ-Defender of Marriage”,
President Nelson)

“To declare the fundamental truths relative to marriage and family is not to overlook or diminish the
sacrifices and successes of those for whom the ideal is not a present reality. Some of you are denied
the blessing of marriage for reasons including a lack of viable prospects, same-sex attraction, physical
or mental impairments, or simply a fear of failure that, for the moment at least, overshadows faith…
Even so, everyone has gifts; everyone has talents; everyone can contribute to the unfolding of the divine
plan in each generation. Much that is good, much that is essential—even sometimes all that is necessary
for now—can be achieved in less than ideal circumstances. So many of you are doing your very best.
And when you who bear the heaviest burdens of mortality stand up in defense of God’s plan to exalt His
children, we are all ready to march. With confidence we testify that the Atonement of Jesus Christ has
anticipated and, in the end, will compensate all deprivation and loss for those who turn to Him. No one is
predestined to receive less than all that the Father has for His children.” (“Why Marriage, Why Family”,
Todd D. Christofferson, 20-21)