By Dennis Tkach. Everyone has an opinion on what constitutes, or should constitute marriage. By definition you fall into one of three categories. Been married, will be married, or will never marry. One way or another you are a part of a critical social equation and what you think and believe…matters. Like sex and politics your opinion has been hard wired into your noodle either by genetics, social circumstance, or mere whimsy.
Today, largely because of The Bill of Human Rights (which I personally view as both a curse and a blessing) ushered into law by Pierre Trudeau and the Liberal government, coupled with the LGBTQ faction which, (depending on what survey you accept) makes up 10 – 15% of human kind, discussion in Canada and the U.S.A. on what should constitute ‘marriage’ has become an ugly form of social warfare. Passions on both sides of the battlefield run hot and bothered. Rather than taking a position of who is right and who is wrong, let us first consider what simply “IS”.
Marriage between men and women is as old as mankind itself. For countless millennia, in one form or another, marriage has been likened to an immutable law of nature. Consider where this unique ordinance began.
September 23, 1995 was a landmark day in the life of Judeo-Christianity when Gordon B. Hinckley, then President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, along with the Council of the Twelve Apostles issued a clearly stated declaration titled “The Family – A Proclamation To The World.”
The text of this important document begins with the solemn proclamation “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.” (Us.)
Whether you believe in the bible or not, whether you accept that Adam and Eve were the first married couple on Earth or not, you must recognize the fact that ‘marriage’ between men and women has been with us since, well…. since the beginning.
The proclamation goes on to say “All human beings –male and female- are created in the image of God. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual pre-mortal, mortal and eternal identity and purpose.” Again, I say, whether you accept or reject this doctrinal position is of little consequence. Our history during its long millennial march down the corridors of time has decreed and defined what constitutes the lawful union known as ‘marriage’.
In today’s pop cultural society, sexual orientation for such a union between ANY individuals, regardless of their proclivity has been greatly strengthened. From this paradigm we see marriage under the auspices of religion, takes a ‘back of the bus’ seat of irrelevance. The demand for absolute equality by the LGBTQ populace and its minions quite simply seeks to IGNORE God’s law. Or, as many raise their voices in discordant chorus, it is time for man to change God’s law.At stake in this volatile world of conflicting ideologies on marriage is something even more important that seems to get overshadowed in the debate.
At stake in this volatile world of conflicting ideologies on marriage is something even more important that seems to get overshadowed in the debate.
Family.
The L.D.S. proclamation goes on to state: “The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children.” This is the ESSENCE of FAMILY.
Whether or not you believe that the “Family” is ordained of God is also irrelevant. What IS important is the recognition that everyone agrees in the value and the need FOR “Family”. It is the basic building block of a healthy cohesive society. No success in life can ever compensate for failure in the home.
Man plus woman creates children… man plus woman plus children equals family.
Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans-Sexual, Queer, what the world recognizes as ‘the rainbow coalition’ has every right to fight for a recognized and just status, a civil union that affords them rights and privileges they have hitherto been denied. They have built themselves a powerful lobbying force in the halls of governance and should be applauded for such efforts.
This is not God’s Law… this is man’s law and entitlement. Such a worthy union with all of its earned and granted benefits should be the law of the land which we should all should recognize and obey. But this union is not Holy Matrimony nor will it ever be Holy Matrimony until God Himself decrees such a change.
Conflict can be viewed as a form of synergy and synergy can be constructive. But conflict, as human history well illustrates, is more apt to be destructive. There is good and there is evil in the world, yesterday, today, and it will always be so, far into the tomorrows. Civilizations rise and fall and war and peace have always co-existed in an uncomfortable marriage of their own creation. There are so many problems in the world today that everyone agrees should be eliminated. It is within our power to remove these blights and in so doing let the true radiance of the human spirit shine through.
Why then do we as a race opt to stumble rather than skip down the split paths we hope will one day lead us to Nirvana?
It is not enough to say “it has always been this way”. Such a trite saying breeds continuance, never change. Here is a challenge: let us test our resolve to improve the human condition. Let us break the bonds that tie our brothers and sisters around the world to poverty, hunger, cruelty and suffering beyond measure… rather than wasting effort attempting to break the bonds that constitute Holy Matrimony.
At least that is the way that I see things, but hey, I might be wrong.