Apostle Russell M. Nelson And His Wife Wendy Watson Nelson To Represent The LDS Church At The 2009 World Congress Of Families V In Amsterdam

Christian News Wire reports that the World Congress of Families V will be taking place in Amsterdam in the Netherlands from August 10-12, 2009. Over 1,000 pro-family leaders, activists, scholars and legislators from 61 countries are gathering to participate in the international strategy session for -- and celebration of -- the natural family.

The term "natural family" of course means a family as our Heavenly Father conceived it - an Adam-and-Eve family, NOT an Adam-and-Steve family.

As implied by the event's title, it is the fifth conference held by this organization, which meets irregularly. Overwhelmingly a Christian event, participants represent a wide variety of Christian interests (31 pro-family groups sponsor the conference), most notably Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), former SBC President Paige Patterson, Dr. Wanda Franz (President, National Right to Life Committee), and even a feminist, Anna Zaborska (Chairman, Committee on Gender Rights and Women's Equality, European Union Parliament). Token Jewish representation will be provided by Rabbi Binyomin Jacobs (Chief Rabbi of the Netherlands), most likely because the conference is taking place on his home turf. No Muslims are listed as participants, although Dr. Farooq Hassan, an international jurist who is the President of the Pakistan Family Forum, will be in attendance.

And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will also be represented; more precisely, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Foundation, better known by its short title of LDS Philanthropies. Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will also be in attendance, accompanied by his wife, Wendy Watson Nelson. According to the official program, both are scheduled to speak on "The Family: The Hope for the Future of Nations" on August 12th. According to WCF's June-July 2009 Newsletter, Wendy Nelson chaired the Brigham Young University’s Women’s Conference in 1989 and 2000.

The official program also reveals that two more Latter-day Saints will be present; Paul Mero, president of the Utah-based Sutherland Institute, and Sheri Dew who formerly served in the LDS Church's Relief Society Presidency and is now the president of Deseret Books. They will co-chair "The Family: Hope for the Future" plenary session to be held on August 12th. Ironically, Dew has never been married, but one doesn't have to be married to be a successful pro-family activist.

There is a threat of antifa disruption at the event. The Autonomous Feminist Action calls World Congress of Families a group of “fundamentalistic (sic.) Christians” who “will plead for going back to the Christian traditions of traditional relationship between man and woman (sic).” It describes WCF as anti-feminist, anti-abortion, homophobic and opposed to divorce. To illustrate its anti-natural family message, Feminist Action has posted a menacing drawing of a man and a woman, with a child and a cross between them. There’s a dotted line going through the necks of the couple and a pair of scissors ready to cut off their heads.!

Larry Jacobs, Managing Director of the World Congress of Families, responded, “Clearly, the social left is terrified of the Congress bringing a pro-family message to what it considers its turf.” Appropriate security will be provided at the event.