World Congress of Families

Not sure if Opine made a post on this. It is the Declaration from the World Congress of Families, which was held in Amsterdam back in August 09'.

In solidarity with earlier WCF Declarations, we define the natural family to rest on the lifelong marriage of a man to a woman, for the purposes of welcoming and nurturing new human life, providing love, companionship, and mutual support, building a home rich in functions, and strengthening the bonds of the generations.

We define ourselves as pro-child. We affirm those social, cultural and legal structures that encourage optimal outcomes for children, in terms of health, learning and later civic engagement. We favour work arrangements that enable parents to spend more time with their children. We understand the biological and social sciences to teach that children predictably do best when raised by their natural parents in a married-couple home.

We affirm that the future of nations rests on families that are spiritually grounded. Religious organizations should be free to uphold their own moral teachings about marriage and family in the public square.

We affirm that the natural family exists prior to the state. Public policies must respect this family autonomy. We call for sound laws and policies that will:• support the natural institution of marriage;• discourage divorce, especially when children would be involved;• encourage couples that commit themselves to the rearing of children;• protect the primary right of parents to guide their children's moral and practical education;• protect the physical, mental, social and spiritual development of children;• and guard vulnerable human life, especially at the beginning and end of the life cycle