Don't ignore promptings

I am very much NOT into politics. I usually don't get involved at all. So I'm probably going to make a fool of myself for posting about this. But it has been on my mind, so I'm gonna write about it. Note: I don't fully have my thoughts collected on this issue, so I hope this makes sense.

I believe in the family. I believe in marriage. I believe that God created marriage to be between a man and a woman. I believe that God created families as the fundamental unit of society, and that as that fundamental unit is weakened, so is our society. I believe that one of the central parts of God's plan is for us to experience life in families and to "multiply and replenish the earth" by procreating and raising and teaching children.

I also believe in choice and agency.

A couple of weeks ago I was feeling prompted to think about what I would say if someone asked me, "Why is it such a big deal to Mormons for gay people to get married?" I felt like I should really look at this issue and be able to articulate my view on it, while being respectful to those who may have a different opinion than me.

A couple days later, Elder Oaks gave this talk that addressed some of these issues. I thought, wow, this is kinda weird that I've been thinking about this and then an apostle gives a talk about it a few days later. I read it, but I have to admit that I didn't research the issue fully and think about it like I felt I should.

Well in my Diversity in Higher Education class this week, this very issue came up. And I was NOT PREPARED! Shame on me. Seriously, this girl in my class asked this exact question, "So, I don't understand why some people feel threatened by gay marriage. It doesn't do them any physical harm, or harm their property, or even their rights and choices if I choose to marry a woman."

The subject was changed pretty quickly in class, but I felt like I should have been prepared to talk about it. And I wasn't. So I've been trying to become better prepared for when this comes up again. I've re-read Elder Oak's talk, studied the Proclamation on the Family, and also studied God's Creation of the world in both the books of Genesis and Moses, where God created Adam and Eve, formed them into a family, and gave them instructions on how to proceed.

I still don't know that I am fully prepared to articulate my views on the answer to that question, but I do know that God has a divine plan for us, who are his children. That plan involves forming families, living the law of chastity, and bringing children into this world within the bounds of marriage. I believe in following God's plan. And as long as I have the right to choose, I will choose to live God's plan by promoting the strengthening of the family as He designed it to be.

And I hope that next time this issue comes up, I will be better prepared to express my views.