Defend Marriage? "Yes We Can!"

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are called to strengthen and nurture marriage and families.  I like this letter-to-the-editor printed in our local paper today, because it does just that.  I thought I'd share:

Defending marriage

The Revs. Robin Jarrell and Chris Boyatzis in their recent letter describe a problem which should be more alarming to anyone interested in the future of marriage than the current debate over same-sex marriage. That is the current divorce rate. The projection is that if current trends remain the same, 40-50 percent of today's marriages will end in divorce.

Marriage is definitely in danger, but largely by decay from within, rather than by attacks from without (although both occur). Marriage is losing its place as a fundamental unit of society.

We have treated marriage too selfishly and look too frequently to ourselves and what we believe we are entitled to, rather than becoming one with that person with whom we made our vows.

Who cares?

Will people actively involved in the same-sex marriage debate spend the same amount of time and energy on encouraging people to value marriage as though it were something important to society? Will we recommit ourselves to a spouse or children and seek their happiness above our own? Will we put more effort into achieving success in the home than achieving success in the workplace? Will we lend a hand of support and encouragement to friends and family who may be experiencing the troubles of life within their marriage? Will we try to learn from our hard times rather than conclude that life's troubles must mean a marriage that needs to be ended? Will we remember how to love; the family should be the source of the most valuable training in how to love?

I say, "Yes, we can!"

Nathan Gee,

Danville