There’s an excellent alternative to “pride” month that originated in central Ohio and is getting a lot of attention. It’s the movement to designate late May and early June as “Natural Family Month.” From Mother’s Day to Father’s Day, it’s a way to celebrate the natural family—mom and dad committed for life and their own or adopted children. Being a loving committed stepparent is embraced also.
And a bill has been introduced at the Ohio Statehouse to make this official. It’s House Bill 262, sponsored by Representatives Beth Lear and Josh Williams. Here’s some of what they said in their press announcement:
"At a time when marriage is trending downward and young couples are often choosing to remain childless, it's important for the State of Ohio to make a statement that marriage and families are the cornerstone of civil society, and absolutely imperative if we want to maintain a healthy and stable Republic," said Representative Lear.
“With America facing declining birth rates and a shrinking population, we can no longer afford to ignore the foundational role that strong families play in sustaining our future,” said Representative Williams.
The movement started in Westerville, OH headed by long-time pro-family friend Jim Harrison. You can go to the website at www.naturalfamilystrong.com and learn more about it.
And of course, the negative voices were quick to jump in. Headlines from the mainstream media include this one: “Ohio Bill to celebrate ‘natural family’ Month Excludes LGBTQ+ and Single Parents.” Equality Ohio and others are complaining that families headed by open homosexuals or those posing as the opposite sex are excluded, and that this bill is one among many so-called “anti-LGBTQ” bills at the Statehouse.
But the bill sponsors are correct—our culture faces serious consequences if we don’t get back to stable, mom/dad families. The trend of fatherlessness in America is responsible for many factors of brokenness in the lives of children and families including increased poverty and crime rates, elevated drug and alcohol abuse, and mental health problems.
Jim Harrison, national director of Natural Family Strong, said this: “There are over 300 national celebrations in America annually yet not one them honors the celebration of the union of one loyal man and woman - husband and wife respectively - loyally committed to each other for life with their children. Adding this fact to the obvious positives that a natural family provides, I am very optimistic about the passage of this much needed addition to Ohio legislation and look forward to its passage in the very near future.”
And he added, “I also find it quite puzzling that when the LGBTQ community found out about HB 262, they quickly and strongly opposed celebrating this lifestyle. I say that given their strong stance on inclusion and diversity which among other things has given them their own lifestyle celebrations throughout our county.”
And let me add my comments here about the response of the “LGBTQ” community. As many of you know if you’ve read and listened to Mission America for very long, I hold the position, as I believe faithful Christians should, that no one is born gay or in the wrong sex body, so these attractions and this confusion can be overcome, if a person wants to do so.
The moral fabric of our society should not and must not bend to accommodate what God clearly calls sin throughout the teaching of Scripture. They may define it as an “identity,” but God our Creator does not. And that reality is evident in the way He designed us, to conceive babies through the union of male and female and ideally, to raise those children in a committed marriage.
There are many, many ex-homosexuals and ex-transgender people, so no human being is “excluded.” But those who have made their choice and committed to homosexuality or a transgendered life, exclude themselves, until—and this can be our hope and prayer—they wake up and realize they can live a different, God-honoring life.
Let’s support Natural Family Month.
