Ordaining Women: Fact and Satire
by Brig Bagley
21 March 2014
The quote that inspired this fun, yet meaningful article came from a Mormon blogger, but is easily a default thoughtless argument of many LDS people concerning women's equality in the church:
Read the satire piece here: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/2014/03/ordaining-women-is-a-slippery-slope/
But in all seriousness, the LDS church has been unfair to women even leaving out the teaching that the priesthood is solely for worthy male members. Here are just a few examples:
If women are ordained, what’s to stop LDS Church leaders from ordaining toddlers, or house pets, or toaster ovens? Have none of you thought about the slippery slope problems???
Read the satire piece here: http://www.feministmormonhousewives.org/2014/03/ordaining-women-is-a-slippery-slope/
But in all seriousness, the LDS church has been unfair to women even leaving out the teaching that the priesthood is solely for worthy male members. Here are just a few examples:
- Women are taught to stay at home to raise children. They are discouraged from being a working spouse, throwing out any education they may have earned. If children come, which they usually do WAY too early, they often don't even finish school
- Until 2012, women could not serve missions until age 21. Although this isn't taught, it is believed that this was to keep younger girls available for marriage by 21 year old males returning from missions (after leaving at age 19). Another action that prevents women from empowering themselves with education. Now the ages are 18 and 19 for men and women, respectively. Although the effect isn't as strong, it's still there. The lowered age is a desperate attempt to keep young people in the church. With less time to sit around and think for themselves, they are swept up into missionary work to begin the brain-washing even earlier. (https://www.lds.org/youth/video/welcome-to-conference?lang=eng)
- Until 2013, women have not been asked to offer prayers in the semi-annual General Conference. (http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56116507-78/church-women-general-prayer.html.csp)
- Women are banned from attending the General Priesthood conference during General Conference weekend. Even until 2013, the session was privately broadcast to church buildings where leaders could monitor that no women were attending. Now, it is publicly broadcast, but women still cannot attend the meeting inside the Conference Building. (https://www.lds.org/church/news/church-expands-options-for-viewing-priesthood-session?lang=eng). A group of Mormon feminists have attempted to attend and continue to attempt to attend, but are denied. (http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/central/provo/lds-church-asks-women-not-to-protest-at-priesthood-session/article_0c6670e7-940e-5c35-9a80-55de6825d837.html).
- Until just this very month, March 2014, there have been no photographs of women inside of the Conference Center. It was said that this was the direct result of conversations today to give more visibility to women in the church. (http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865599068/Portraits-of-LDS-women-leaders-hang-in-Conference-Center-for-first-time.html).
This is just a small list of items that detail the gender inequality in the church. Even if it's true that priesthood is a male responsibility (because men aren't "good enough" to bear children and be mothers ... BS), these few facts ought to be enough to give pause to even the most faithful of members. It is also interesting to note that it has taken all the way to 2012-2014 to make drastic changes to policy as a result from social pressure. The fact that the church is bending its opportunities for women so late in the game shows that there really are issues deep within it.
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