Equal in Marriage

There is a lot of confusion in society today about the equality between husbands and wives. Some say that they should be equal and some say that one or the other is superior. The Family: A Proclamation to the World states that “these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.” The Lord gave men and women different inherent attributes that allow fathers to preside, provide, and protect better than women can and women are naturally better at nurturing. However, the Lord also reminds us that we are “equal partners” and we need to sacrifice and serve one another. One of the key principles of marriage is service and selflessness. The father isn’t limited in just his job outside of the home and the mother isn’t limited to nurturing the children. They can share ideas and give advice, lend a hand when needed, and help selflessly when their primary responsibilities aren’t as time consuming as the others. In my class, we are taught that equal doesn’t always have to 50/50. One of my classmates said something that really stood out to me. He said that, “God, means exalted man and exalted women. Together, married into the covenant, is the foundation of the Plan of Salvation. This means that a marriage includes God and God would not have one gender rule over the other.  We have equal eternal possibilities.” He goes on to say that, “God is love and to be Godlike is to love. God loves all of his children. We use this principle to know that we should love our neighbors. How can we love our neighbors unless we see them as equals? Love and equality between genders is of God.” –Jeff King

                Lastly, Equality is a commandment. It provides balance in our marriages and family life. We carry that sense of equality on to our children and them to their children. We will stand before God and answer for our transgressions related to mistreatment of our spouses and our children. Equality is the basis for eternal families.

In the April 2011 Priesthood Session, Thomas S. Monson gave a talk titled, Priesthood Power. In it he proclaims, “Your wife is your equal. In marriage neither partner is superior nor inferior to the other. You walk side by side as a son and a daughter of God.” He goes on the quote President Gordon B. Hinckley saying, “Any man in this Church who … exercises unrighteous dominion over [his wife] is unworthy to hold the priesthood. Though he may have been ordained, the heavens will withdraw, the Spirit of the Lord will be grieved, and it will be amen to the authority of the priesthood of that man.” The priesthood holder is the one to preside, but to use his authority as a superior tool displeases the Lord and will be held accountable. The Lord said that man should not be alone and to cleave to his wife. Marriage means working together for a coming goal.