Are we failing as a society?

“Many of the social restraints which in the past have helped to reinforce and to shore up the family are dissolving and disappearing. The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their families in the midst of the gathering evil around us.” - Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, Nov. 1980

What a powerful, insightful and prophetic quote. I believe we are living in the time that President Kimball prophesied about. Marriage is becoming to so many an unnecessary archaic institution. 

It has become the social norm to have children before marriage, and many times parents are choosing not to marry at all. Hollywood has not helped these statistics. It seems that we are hearing more often than not, about single stars having children with out any spouse, or couples having a child before marriage. Fifty years ago this situation would have been considered out of line and not talked about. Couples quickly and quietly got married before anyone could know that a child had been conceived out of wedlock. Today it seems celebrated. We are living in perilous times and the family is under attack. 

We have been taught by our living prophet and leaders that marriage between a man and a woman is the basic building block of society. If we are failing at marriage, what does that say about our society. To me it says we are failing as a society, we are not building on the basis of family being the foundation. We are failing to recognize the importance of children growing up with a mother and father, the blessing it is to raise children together and to work together to help each other be happy. Our society has become all about the individual “ We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.”  (The Family A Proclamation to the World) 

We must do all we can to preserve marriage and the family. We can do this by strengthening our own marriage and families so we can be an example to those around us.
We must stand up for marriage, in action and in word.  Marriage Matters.