Defending Marriage Between One Man and One Woman...

The definition of marriage has come under attack over the past 20 years or so for a variety of reasons. When the U.S. Supreme Court (Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S.) approved marriage in 2015 between two gay men or two lesbian women, they made an unprecedented ruling in the history of America. Both sides of the argument agreed that the institution of marriage is important. They both recognize that marriage between two people has been the norm for millennia throughout the history of the world. But, the proponents of gay/lesbian marriage argue that it does not matter whether the two people in the marriage are of the same sex or of the opposite sex.

One of the claims by the gay marriage proponents is that if gay/lesbian couples cannot marry, they will be looked upon as “less than.” They claim there will be biases and prejudices against them in the workplace, the community, and the world at large. They used the Civil Rights Movement as an example of what could happen if gay marriage was not legalized.

At the Religious Freedom Annual Review at BYU on July 7, 2015, Alexander Dushku, addressed this topic of prejudice. He claimed that in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling of 2015, the path could go two different ways. One would be similar to the events after segregation was outlawed where anyone with a different opinion was regarded as a racist. Another possibility is that we follow the response after Roe v. Wade, where opponents could still stand up for being Pro-Life without being considered prejudiced.

In the 14 August 2014 BYU commencement address, Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke about how important it is for us to become defenders of marriage. Elder Nelson said, “The day is gone when you can be a quiet and comfortable Christian…We cannot yield…The future of marriage and of countless human lives will be determined by your willingness to bear solemn witness of the Lord and live according to His gospel.”

Elder Nelson reminds us to be kind and show charity towards others with differing life choices. He said, “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.”