Same Sex Marriage

         Marriage has changed through-out history, but has remained an important part of our society. It represents the joining of two families and them becoming one. It represents love, commitment and a focus outward rather than inward. It is the choice to put your own selfishness aside to think about someone else, and put their needs before your own.
“The centrality of marriage to the human condition makes it unsurprising that the institution has existed for millennia and across civilizations. Since the dawn of history, marriage has transformed strangers into relatives, binding families and societies together. Confucius taught that marriage lies at the foundation of government” (Obergefell v Hodges 2015).
            How we label marriage has changed over the centuries. Early on in the development of the United States, slavery was rampant and African American’s weren’t given the right to marry. Before that marriage was arranged by parents and the marrying couple had little to no say in who they were to marry. Woman also had no rights and once married all their property belonged to their husband, therefore they couldn’t make any financial decisions without the approval of their husband. Times have changed and in a lot of ways for the better. Woman have more rights and are independent, we are free to choose who we want to marry, and all races have that same right. That begs the question, then why does it matter if homosexuals also marry? Here is a quote from Russell M. Nelson that answers that question:
“Male and female are created for what they can do and become, together. It takes a man and a woman to bring a child into the world. Mothers and fathers are not interchangeable. Men and women are distinct and complementary. Children deserve a chance to grow up with both a mom and a dad” (Nelson 2014).
While it is possible for homosexual couples to adopt, or have children in other forms, ultimately children grow and develop best when they have both a mother and a father. That is the basis for families and marriage within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and why the church teaches that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Sources for this Post:
Nelson, Russell M. (2014, Aug. 14). Disciples of Jesus Christ-Defenders of Marriage. Brigham Young University Commencement.  (Links to an external site.)
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Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. (2015). Supreme Court of the United States

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