It is evident from this video that standing up for the definition of marriage matters.

No parent wants to be threatened with jail in order to protect their children from being exposed to controversial teachings especially at such a young impressionable age. One of the big concerns, as evidenced by this family’s experience, is that the rights of parents to freely raise their children with religious moral values is in jeopardy.

Some of the consequences of so-called “same-sex marriage” are as follows:

1. Children in public schools will have to be taught that same-sex marriage is just as good as traditional marriage. (Not only are they already being given books about homosexuality, but some teachers find no problem with taking their children on a fieldtrip to a same-sex “wedding” ceremony.)
2. It will lead to more government intrusion into private lives.
3. It will lead to speech monitors.
4. Anti-discrimination regulations will become more important than religious beliefs.
5. Churches will be sued over their tax-exempt status if they refuse to allow same-sex marriage ceremonies in their religious buildings open to the public.
6. Religious adoption agencies will be challenged by government to give up their long-held right to place children only in homes with both a mother and a father.
7. Religions that sponsor private schools with married-student housing will be required to provide housing for same-sex couples, even if counter to church doctrine, or risk lawsuits over tax exemptions and related benefits.
8. Ministers who preach against same-sex marriages will be sued for hate speech and could be fined by the government.
9. It will cost everyone more money.

To read the full article, click here.

Most people on both sides of the debate will likely agree that homosexuality is a mix of nature (genetics) and nurture (environment). One concern with the normalizing of homosexuality is that it may encourage those who already have a susceptibility to same-sex attraction to fully pursue that attraction when a healthy heterosexual identity and attraction could have been developed.

Gender identity and sexual development is a complex and potentially confusing time for young people, especially for those who also have some “nurture” or environmental vulnerabilities.

The homosexual movement has almost made it seem like being “gay” is the cool thing to do. That message is especially dangerous for those who are already walking on thin ice. There needs to be another voice for people to consider amongst the onslaught of homosexual-promoting messages society seems anxious to have us embrace.

For an excellent exposition on the importance of marriage and the family and the need to stand up for marriage I encourage you to read The Divine Institution of Marriage published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Here’s a little taste of the article:

How Would Same-Sex Marriage Affect Society?

 

Possible restrictions on religious freedom are not the only societal implications of legalizing same-sex marriage. Perhaps the most common argument that proponents of same-sex marriage make is that it is essentially harmless and will not affect the institution of traditional heterosexual marriage in any way. “It won’t affect you, so why should you care?’ is the common refrain. While it may be true that allowing single-sex unions will not immediately and directly affect all existing marriages, the real question is how it will affect society as a whole over time, including the rising generation and future generations. The experience of the few European countries that already have legalized same-sex marriage suggests that any dilution of the traditional definition of marriage will further erode the already weakened stability of marriages and family generally. Adopting same-sex marriage compromises the traditional concept of marriage, with harmful consequences for society. Aside from the very serious consequence of undermining and diluting the sacred nature of marriage between a man and a woman, there are many practical implications in the sphere of public policy that will be of deep concern to parents and society as a whole. These are critical to understanding the seriousness of the overall issue of same-sex marriage. When a man and a woman marry with the intention of forming a new family, their success in that endeavor depends on their willingness to renounce the single-minded pursuit of self-fulfillment and to sacrifice their time and means to the nurturing and rearing of their children. Marriage is fundamentally an unselfish act: legally protected because only a male and female together can create new life, and because the rearing of children requires a life-long commitment, which marriage is intended to provide. Societal recognition of same-sex marriage cannot be justified simply on the grounds that it provides self-fulfillment to its partners, for it is not the purpose of government to provide legal protection to every possible way in which individuals may pursue fulfillment. By definition, all same-sex unions are infertile, and two individuals of the same gender, whatever their affections, can never form a marriage devoted to raising their own mutual offspring.

. . .

The Sanctity of Marriage

 

Strong, stable families, headed by a father and mother, are the anchor of civilized society. When marriage is undermined by gender confusion and by distortions of its God-given meaning, the rising generation of children and youth will find it increasingly difficult to develop their natural identity as a man or a woman. Some will find it more difficult to engage in wholesome courtships, form stable marriages, and raise yet another generation imbued with moral strength and purpose.