Promoting the Welfare of the Family

I know that some of the things I am going to say here will be offensive to some readers. But as a Certified Family Life Educator-in-training, I cannot keep quiet about these things. And I want readers to keep in mind that everything I say (throughout this whole blog) is not only based on my beliefs as a Latter-day Saint, but also as someone who is studying Family Life from a psychological and sociological point of view.

As a Latter-day Saint, I have a duty to uphold the Family as the "fundamental unit of society" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World). There are a lot of different "hot topics" in politics right now, but no matter the issue, I have to take a stand for the sake of the Family. 

Based on all that we have learned this semester, I think I can conclude that most of the issues circulating through our society right now stem from selfishness, over-individualism, and self-pursuit. In today's culture, we are taught that the most important person is ME. Whatever makes ME happy, fulfilled, and successful, is what I should aim for. Our society, as a whole, has completely lost its focus on families and morality. Whether the issue is gay marriage, elective abortion, declining birth rates, or pornography, the root of the issue is always selfishness. It is not encouraged in today's society to think about others before ourselves. A woman is not encouraged to use her womanhood in marriage and motherhood. A man is not encouraged to focus on his children before his career. And married couples can easily "get out" of an unhappy marriage if the relationship is not gratifying for one or both partners. 

Thankfully, in our church, we have knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. We know that families are central to Heavenly Father's plan; we know that marriage is sacred and crucial; we know that every single life is precious and should be protected and nurtured. It is Satan's plan to thwart the Plan of Salvation as best he can, by encouraging selfishness in people, because selfishness destroys families. 

It is my duty to protect and sanctify the family unit. The best way for me to do this is by protecting and sanctifying my own family. It is also my duty however, to promote measures, laws, and rights which encourage healthy family relationships. As a citizen, I can vote for laws that benefit children, parents, and spouses. I can also vote against measures that go against Proclamation principles (such as gay marriage and elective abortion).