this week. as opposed to last week or the week before or next week. are you getting bored by this long title?

So this week we talked and studied about the effects of children upon the marriages of couples. I found it interesting that so much marital dissatisfaction occurred as a result of having children. I knew children brought stress but I suppose I hadn't considered very much the dramatic effect it would have upon couples. However the solution is not to stop having children since this is our duty as god's children to bring other spirits into the world. the solution rests instead in preparation and correct action in taking care of a child. a principle we've talked about this week as well as before is the fact that couples need to first take care of their relationship before they are able to take care of the children. Initially I was a little bothered by this since children are dependent but the more I have thought about it the more it makes sense. it's not that children should be neglected, in fact it is quite the opposite. if parents take care of themselves and their relationship they will take better care of their children.

       So this week in Family Relations we've talked about dating and the importance of following the lord's way in doing these things. In particular we discussed the effects of cohabitation. I was not unfamiliar with the idea that cohabitation has typically not fulfilled it's purpose but it's especially interesting in light of how logical it appears upfront to test out a relationship in that way. there are several possibilities as to why cohabiting couples often do not work out. The theory I am most closely allied with is that there is simply a lack of commitment. in other words the couples even if they do get married have entered this relationship as a cohabiting couple with the mentality that if it doesn't work out they can just separate. no doubt this same mentality carries over into marriage and thus if they see a need to separate there is much less worry about doing so. this goes to show that the way the lord has revealed regarding dating and courting is truly the best way.

the next post: gender

This week we have discussed gender and things pertaining to gender roles. Also we have learned about homosexual attractions and what could be some underlying causes of it. In particular I was interested in what causes homosexual attractions since this has become such a highly controversial issue in the past several years. Based upon the article as well as our class discussion, I believe that homosexual attractions are primarily a result of circumstances and choice. that is to say the most influential causes may be traumatic circumstances in the family (no father, overly involved mother) it may be a result of bullying or any other number of factors. personal choice is truly the biggest factor because people choose to act upon those feelings which in turn increases them. this is not to say that people who engage in homosexual behavior are a result of those things, but it is a very likely contributing factor for many.