M
mercygate
Guest
The First Presidency . . .of Latter-day Saints
We, . . . solemnly proclaim 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.
Catholics would agree but would limit the language to “one” man and “one” woman.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Same here.
Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, **Here you lose the Christians. **and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. Catholics agree that gender is part of human identity but we would back out on the “premortal” part.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father (etc) . . …
Again: for Christians, this is a no-fly proposition.
The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. Christians could not concur that ordinances and covenants of the temples have anything to do with the eternity of family bonds.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. Yup.
We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. Yup.
We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. **For Catholics, “lawfully wedded” means ONE man & ONE woman, for life, open to life. The “powers of procreation” cannot be exercised lawfully EXCEPT in a lawful marriage via a “natural human act of intercourse.” IVF, surrogate motherhood, sperm donation are not on our menu. **
. . . the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan. Yup.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. . . . Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children. . . to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens . . … Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable . . … Yup.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. **Yup. **Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother . . . with complete fidelity. . . . By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed. **Again: on the same page. But we say that even outside matrimony, children have the right to be born. **
. . . individuals who violate covenants of chastity, . . . Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. Sounds like these guys read Humanae Vitae.
We call upon . . .government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. Yup.
We, . . . solemnly proclaim 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.
Catholics would agree but would limit the language to “one” man and “one” woman.
All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Same here.
Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, **Here you lose the Christians. **and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. Catholics agree that gender is part of human identity but we would back out on the “premortal” part.
In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father (etc) . . …
Again: for Christians, this is a no-fly proposition.
The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. Christians could not concur that ordinances and covenants of the temples have anything to do with the eternity of family bonds.
The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. Yup.
We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. Yup.
We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. **For Catholics, “lawfully wedded” means ONE man & ONE woman, for life, open to life. The “powers of procreation” cannot be exercised lawfully EXCEPT in a lawful marriage via a “natural human act of intercourse.” IVF, surrogate motherhood, sperm donation are not on our menu. **
. . . the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan. Yup.
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. . . . Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children. . . to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens . . … Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable . . … Yup.
The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. **Yup. **Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother . . . with complete fidelity. . . . By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed. **Again: on the same page. But we say that even outside matrimony, children have the right to be born. **
. . . individuals who violate covenants of chastity, . . . Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. Sounds like these guys read Humanae Vitae.
We call upon . . .government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. Yup.
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