Here is an assignment I completed back when I was taking my seminary preservice class. The assignment was to identify and understand doctrines and principles in the Family Proclamation. It reinforced in my mind what a tight and bedrock-solid document the Family Proclamation is.
Search for and underline the stated principles and doctrines (remember the definition and they usually answer the question ‘why?’)
Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. [Why?] “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3).
Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. [Why?] Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. [Why?] Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan [for the eternal destiny of His children].
Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. [Why?] Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[P]romote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society. [Why?] [T]he disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.
Search for and write down any implied principles you find.
If children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity, then illegitimacy and adultery are a violation of child rights.
If the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets, then the converse is also true--the protection and maintenance of the family will bring the blessings similarly foretold. (Those might be worth researching in and of themselves!)
Write two principles in an IF and THEN format.
IF I build my family upon the teachings of Christ, THEN my family life has a much higher chance of being happy than otherwise.
IF parents rear their children in love and righteousness, THEN they will be rewarded.
IF parents establish their marriages with sacred covenants in the temple, THEN their family relationships will be perpetuated beyond the grave.
Write two principles using, “I have learned that _________, therefore I will _________.”
I have learned that spouses are equal partners; therefore I will work to cooperate with my spouse.
I have learned that both work and wholesome recreational activities help establish and maintain my family; therefore I will try to make sure both are incorporated in my family life.
I have learned that my female gender is an essential and eternal characteristic, therefore I will embrace it and appreciate it as an eternal part of my identity.
Write an additional phrase like, “And thus we see…” or “Behold, whosoever will…” or “Therefore…” or “Notwithstanding…” to state discovered principles.
Notwithstanding disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate adaption, mothers and fathers have their own important roles in the family.
Answer the question with a simple phrase, “Why did the Lord want this proclamation created and distributed?”
To warn the world and to remind the world what it is starting to forget.
5 comments:
We are currently studying the proclamation as part of our morning devotionals. This will be great (the questions) to give my teens as an added assignment. Thanks for haring them!
Great questions to consider!
Readers should take care to accept the proclamation for what it is, not for what it isn't. It is the proclamation of fifteen men, good men, who are doing their best to teach correct principles. It is not revelation. We do not know to what degree, if any, revelation (or inspiration) played a part in its development. The proclamation itself does not claim any revelation.
I don't say this to disparage the proclamation -- it serves a needed purpose.
I believe the Lord when he said "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." (D&C 1:38) In 1995, a huge international conference was held in August in Bejing, China. Hilary Clinton and woman like her were meeting to discuss woman's rights and roles. All year I listened to NPR broadcasts discussing "rights" including abortion, gender identity, rights to have children without marriage, lesbianism, etc. I prayed everyday for the Lord to speak through his prophet and proclaim eternal truths so needed in the world. The time of the conference came and went with word. You can imagine my tears of joy when President Hinckley read the proclamation in General Relief Society Broadcast, 9/23/95. I'm sure I was not the only one praying for the truth. The Family, A Proclamation to the World is the word of the Lord, to teach us, to guide us and to warn us. No question about it.
My experience with the death of loved ones has taught me that this principle is true - that God loves each of us, we want to go home to Him that He has given through Jesus Christ our Savior, and that if we do everything possible to comply with its laws, and improvement of our our mistakes, we can be sealed in his holy temple for time and eternity!
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