Boy Are You in For a Surprise!

FPP#10, Chapter 7 - Well you may not be surprised, but I was delighted to find out that social science research has started validating gospel principles and righteous living as promoting healthier and happier people/families. Since the turn of the century, "Marriage" has been called everything from crucial to irrelevant. Meanwhile, marriage researchers stood quietly in the background of the saga. In the 1990's they began a severe reflection on the purpose of marriage. Questions were raised, has marriage run its course? Is divorce that bad on kids? Is it time for the new-age family? But interestingly, the cold, hard evidence of marriage’s benefits began piling up and until it was blatantly obvious. All kinds of studies contributed to the findings:Longitudinal research over decades (Wallerstein, 2000), cross-national surveys comparing multiple countries (Stack & Eshleman, 1998; Scott et al., 2009), and rigorous syntheses drawing together the data from economists, medical scientists, sociologists, and more (Waite & Gallagher, 2000; Wood, Goesling, & Avellar, 2007).At some point, the accumulating evidence made data-driven academics stop and scratch their heads and follow the facts to a more optimistic and positive picture of marriage. They had to conclude it was good. A stable marriage corresponded with happiness, health, prosperity, and the well-being of offspring and communities. Therefore, Temple marriage and by extension have healthier and happier families. Covenanted marriages in the temple to me extend to the home. Therefore, in the home we practice and develop "Covenanted Parenting." I came up with that phase and changed the name of my blog. What this means is by living our temple covenants, following living prophets and apostles, and follow the Family Proclamation to the World we will create happy homes. Homes in which we are prepared to receive spirit sons and daughters from Heavenly Father. As I continued with the project, I felt the best name for the blog would be "Covenanted Living" which encapsulates all the concepts of the Family Proclamation. A common viewpoint in the world today is marriage is failing people as an institution. Movies and TV show present family as couples trying to break free of constraints. How often do we read on the internet confessions of people boasting of marital freedom? What is the costs of cohabitation, divorce, and single parenthood?

As VanDenBerghe & Hawkins point out, Both the soft stories and the hard evidence attest to the fact that good marriages are undeniably worth the work, sacrifice, and dedication they require. The benefits of marriage are unique; the disadvantages of alternative family forms are real, profound, and all too common. The benefits begin at the marriage ceremony; extend into the lives of husbands, wives, and their children across time; then stretch out to bolster neighborhoods, communities, and the world at large.

I am but a simple man. If I can see it, touch it, smell it, hear it, and taste to me, that is the truth. Additionally, if I can't see something, and get a witness through prayer and the sweet promptings of the Holy Ghost I have my answer. And I choose to follow that principle. Regardless of all the debates, research, accusations and squabblings among academic, scientific and political factions, we have to make up our minds about what is the truth. I am writing another post on this subject to help us know what to look for when discerning truth. I stand by my marriage of 31+ years, and to the temple covenants, I enter into. I promised God that I would obey His word and keep His commandments. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Reference

VanDenBerghe E., & Hawkins, A., J., (2016). The warm, happy marriage: Cold, hard, facts to consider. In Hawkins, A. J., & Dollahite, D. C., & Draper, T. W., (Eds.), Success marriages and families – proclamation principles and research perspectives. pp. 3-15. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University

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