Beliefs and Truth

This week in class I learned a new word :) Epistemology! It is how we come to believe something is true. The past couple of days we have talked about different ways in which we come to know something is true. For example, we discussed things like experience, rationalism, the scientific method, emperialism (knowledge is based on experience), authority, and revelation. Ever since we were born we've been learning things. Some things we believed right away, and other things we had to think about more and really decide for ourselves whether we believed it or not. So what does this have to do with the family? Well, let me explain.

There is tons and tons of research out there about families. Research about marriage, adoption, abortion, same-sex marriage, parenting styles, children's education, children outcomes based on what type of home they grow up in, etc. A lot of times we look at this research and immediately think, oh, well they've got a PhD in such and such and they've had 20 years of experience in field work, etc. We assume that because they are so experienced what they are saying has to be true. But what if we're being deceived? What if there is something that we're missing?

The family is under attack. I have been able to see that as I have studied "the family: A Proclamation to the World." The first Presidency and the council of the twelve apostles gave us amazing counsel and direction, received by revelation. This declaration says that family is central to the Creator's plan for our eternal happiness. It does not say that God's plan was to send us here to fend for ourselves. Nope, we are meant to work together in a family unit. It's central to His plan. It also says that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. Between man and woman.Why, then, has there been so much confusion in recent years? It all goes back to epistemology, how we are coming to believe something. Is the information that we receive always accurate? How can we help others to understand more fully the doctrines of the family, and the importance of family in God's plan?