Reform Mormons proclaim that honest, committed relationships are important and valuable traditions in our society. Marriage is one way of honoring those relationships with a ceremony that informs society of the relationship. Other traditions include other unions of similar importance and information. Any union between individuals creates a desirable situation for our society so long as it is based upon honesty, respect, and love.

As Reform Mormons, we believe that all human beings are beloved spirit children of heavenly parents, and as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Understanding this helps us understand the need to treat each person with dignity and respect. We believe that this individual respect forms the basis for our relationships.

We believe that relationships formed in this existence can extend beyond death, into our eternal existence. Sacred ceremonies, conducted in temples, recognize, honor, and sanctify these relationships for eternity. With the perspective that such relationship commitments extend beyond the grave, we tend to take a different view of the scope and importance of these relationships than most who limit their commitments to temporal-only timeframes.

We believe that acting morally and accountably in this life is important training for the next, as well as important to having healthy familiar and societal relationships. Our moral actions are based upon our individual understandings of right and wrong, and not upon a prescribed code. We believe in accepting the consequences of our actions. We believe that the man/woman relationship is a natural occurrence, and that children resulting from this relationship are important and valuable, and that the formation of a family based upon this occurrence is normal and welcome. We also believe that relationships between men and between women naturally occur, and that families and children resulting from these relationships are important and valuable. In many cases, children are raised by single parents, or extended families; these cases are as important and valuable as any other. Within our society, a variety of relationships form to offer stable environments for raising children. We believe that all should be viewed as valuable, important, and worthy of respect and support.

Since we believe in behaving morally and accountably, those who have made a commitment to foster and care for the benefit of children have a solemn responsibility to fulfill their commitment. Children deserve to be raised in an environment of love and service for one another; to be taught healthy principles that foster their growth; to have their physical and spiritual needs met. Those who have committed to do this must be prepared to fulfill their commitment and consequently account for their actions.

Successful families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and fun. Those guiding their families are to nurture their children, and provide protection and the necessities of life.

We call upon all people to behave morally and accountably; to honor the commitments they have made, to recognize the eternal nature of other people and relationships, to hold equally valuable the various families of all types which are designed to honor these relationships and commitments, and to foster environments where our children learn to develop that part of themselves which will allow them to aspire to greatness.

This proclamation was published January 4, 2006, by Reform Mormonism.