“What should I say when my friends question our beliefs about marriage and family?” Liahona, June 2019
To the Point
What should I say when my friends question our beliefs about marriage and family?
In “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles proclaimed that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (familyproclamation.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
This proclamation “is a statement of eternal truth” that came through a “revelatory process” and is not “just a statement of policy” (Dallin H. Oaks, “The Plan and the Proclamation,” Liahona, Nov. 2017, 30, 29). You can share your personal belief that this is so, and you can share the blessings these truths bring you.
In responding to others, we need to avoid being self-righteous or contentious. We should seek to love them. Those who are open and sincere deserve a sincere answer. But if it’s obvious that someone isn’t serious and just wants to mock or belittle your views, or if they just want to pick a fight, it’s best to avoid the discussion (see Matthew 7:6).