Religious Beliefs and Practices

            Families, communities, and nations are strengthened when parents encourage religion beliefs and practices in their homes. There are numerous religious principles that are important, but the impact of parents practicing what they preach is essential. Religious leaders and social scientists both say that there is a connection between religious beliefs and successful marriages and families.

            In September 1995 the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” to the women of the Church and then to the world. This document proclaims that “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.” Although, I realize that all these principles are important, this blog post will focus on faith in Jesus Christ. 

            Prophets, Apostles, and other leaders teach that parents are commanded to teach their children to have faith in Jesus Christ and that faith is more than simple belief. Faith is an action word and requires us to do something. They also teach that faith is a gift from God that develops with exercise. In addition, they teach that faith is the opposite of fear, and they cannot both be present. If our faith in Jesus Christ is strong enough, it will chase away fear, doubt, and disbelief.

Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Seventy made the following comment while delivering a talk titled “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

As parents, we have been commanded to teach our children “to understand the doctrine of … faith in Christ the Son of the living God” (Doctrine and Covenants 68:25). …

There is no other thing in which we can have absolute assurance. There is no other foundation in life that can bring the same peace, joy, and hope. In uncertain and difficult times, faith is truly a spiritual gift worthy of our utmost efforts. We can give our children education, lessons, athletics, the arts, and material possessions, but if we do not give them faith in Christ, we have given little.

            Teaching faith in Jesus Christ is essential to preparing our children to face the world. However, the counsel to teach faith comes from sources other than religious leaders. Even though there is no “proof” that faith makes stronger marriages and families, social scientists have found correlations that it does.

            There are many studies that show connections between faith and health – both physical and mental – in individuals. There are also studies that show a connection between faith practices and infidelity. People in happy marriages who are frequently involved in their religious community are less likely to be unfaithful to their spouse or to become involved with pornography. This finding does not hold true if the marriage is unhappy or only one spouse is involved in the religious community. In this case, religious involvement can lead to more conflict and unhappiness.

            Studies also show that religious involvement influences whether or not a woman wants to have children and shapes her attitudes and behaviors toward them. Religious involvement also influences a father’s attitudes and how he interacts with his children. Faith grows as couples and families participate in the outward expressions of faith, such as prayer, scripture study, attendance at religious meetings, and sacred traditions.

            We have counsel from religious leaders encouraging us to strengthen our families with faith in Jesus Christ. We have researchers in family studies who show a correlation between religious involvement and successful marriages and families. Therefore, it seems safe to say that we can strengthen our families, communities, and nations with faith in Jesus Christ and involvement in our religious community.

The Doctrine of the Family

            The doctrine of the family is one of the doctrines that were lost from the gospel of Jesus Christ during the Great Apostasy. It was restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith in the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley read a document titled “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” This document contains the doctrine of the family, and it publishes this doctrine with all the people of the world.

            Millions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ have read the document, and many of them have memorized it. Some people review the principles in the document on a regular basis and apply them to their lives. Sister Julie B. Beck, then the Relief Society General President, encourages everyone to teach the doctrine of the family to their children and grandchildren as well as to anyone else who will listen.

Nevertheless, parents, teachers, and leaders of youth need to teach the rising generation the doctrine of the family. It is essential to help them achieve eternal life (see Moses 1:39). They need to know that the theology of the family is based on the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement [of Jesus Christ]. They need to understand the threats to the family so they will know what they are fighting against and can prepare. They need to understand clearly that the fulness of the gospel is realized in temple ordinances and covenants.

            In the above paragraph Sister Beck explains why it is important to teach the proclamation to the rising generation. She continues by explaining that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches a “theology of the family that is based on the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement.”

… The Creation of the earth provided a place where families could live. God created a man and a woman who were the two essential halves of a family….

The Fall provided a way for the family to grow….

The Atonement [of Jesus Christ] allows for the family to be sealed together eternally. It allows for families to have eternal growth and perfection….

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was written to reinforce that the family is central to the Creator’s plan. Without the family, there is no plan; there is no reason for mortal life.

            Sister Beck explains that we need to know the theology because the family is under threat. The proclamation on the family was published in 1995 and shows that the Prophets and Apostles were well aware of the dangers to the family that would soon come out of the shadows. She says that the threats include rising divorce rates, same-sex marriage, cohabitation, abortion, lower birth rates, abuse, pornography, and others. In addition, the rising generation is losing faith in the institution of marriage because they see marriages failing all around them.

            In addition to Sister Beck, there are other voices calling for us to teach and live the principles of the proclamation. She quotes President Hinckley (1910-2008) as saying that the proclamation was “a declaration and reaffirmation of standards, doctrines, and practices” that this Church as always had.” She also quotes President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) as saying, “This order … of family government where a man and woman enter into a covenant with God – just as did Adam and Eve – to be sealed for eternity, to have posterity … is the only means by which we can one day see the face of God and live.”

            The proclamation explains many things about the family. It tells us that “marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God.” It tells us that the “family is central” to God’s plan of happiness. It tells us that motherhood and fatherhood are eternal roles, and that the commandment to “multiply and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28) is still in force.

            According to Sister Beck, the rising generation needs to know the information in the proclamation because they are the ones that are being targeted by Satan. “This generation will be called upon to defend the doctrine of the family as never before. If they don’t know it, they can’t defend it.”

            The doctrine of the family was restored to earth more than 150 years ago. It was published to the world nearly 25 years ago. It is the doctrine that will save the family as well as assist in preparing the earth for the Second Coming of Christ.