There is this crazy, ridiculous, and saddening debate going on in the world today.
I call it the Lord dividing the wheat from the tares...There are a handful of woman who feel like they should have the Priesthood. (If you are not Mormon and you are reading this I would ask you to read the following article and check out LDS.org because I am not going to get into our beliefs. Only because this is my blog and I am doing this for me and my posterity,who will be Mormon, and I know what we believe and where we stand.) I literally copied and pasted this post (I did this because when I print this year of my blog into a book a link wouldn't print!) from a blog by the name of: the style of being. The blogs authors name is Ginger Lee Malacko. I can honestly say I have not read any of the other posts, so at this point I am only "endorsing" this particular post. I have a feeling I am really going to like the lady who wrote this. I just had the experience last week of having a "discussion" (it is hard to call it that because when you are dealing with a liberal they are allowed to question everything but you are not allowed to question them...I don't get it....) with a person who is also Mormon but is questioning some basic fundamentals of the gospel. I won't get into all the details but if I had it to do all over again I would just tell this acquaintance to read this post.....Words are so powerful and this woman' words say it all.
Will notice the huge quotation marks before the title and all the at the end. I put in quotation marks because I don't want anyone to think I am claiming I wrote them. But oh how I wish I did! :)
And one more time just for good measure: The words that follow this are NOT mine, but I agree whole heartedly with them. The remainder of this post is written by Ginger Lee Malacko who is obviously a genius.
"Mormonism, Feminism, and being snarky
I've been putting this post off for a while now. Partly because it's a
very mormon issue, and not all of you reading this blog will be mormon.
Partly because it's ridiculously emotionally-charged and I really just
need people to CALM DOWN. But mostly because there are two things that
make me so frustrated I get a little snarky and this is one of them.
The other is communism, in case you were wondering.
There is a movement that has raised itself in direct opposition to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that accuses God of being
oppressive to women. Yep, I mean LDS women trying to leverage the church
into ordaining them. Some of you may cringe over the way I've phrased
this, but can we be real for a few minutes? Can a group of people who
admittedly oppose the doctrine, to the point of launching a media
campaign, really consider themselves as being 'within' the church? And
as mormons, we truly believe that the church is operated by Christ
himself, in a person-to-person link with latter day prophets. So yes,
opposition to doctrine is opposition to God, according to our own
beliefs. There is no vote.
But equality is an important issue just in general these days, so why
shouldn't it come up at church as well as everywhere else? And yes, we
need to discuss it. Especially when so many women are torn between what
their faith tells them and what they hear on the 6:00 news or read on
sister so and so's blog.
But lets approach this issue first from a more secular angle. Because I like to do that.
Men and Woman are NOT THE SAME. Do I Have to Draw you a Chart?
I worked for ten years as a human rights activist at the United Nations.
And one of the greatest and most profound threats I found to human
rights in our time is radical feminism : a topic guaranteed to bring the
snark to my lips.
It's not that I'm NOT a feminist. If you and I sat down for a chat and a
cupcake, you'd insist that I am one. But you see, some words leave a
bad taste in the mouth thanks to life experience. And after so many
years of being told, and not nicely I might add, that I'm a brainwashed
fool who needs to smarten up and toe the company line, I have eschewed
the term 'feminist' forever. I have yet to come up with an appropriate
substitute label, but I think 'reasonable human being' sounds good to
me.
I love being a woman. I love what makes me inheritantly female. And I
refuse to believe that I am the same as a man. I know we have many
similarities, being of the same species and all, but men and woman have
many differences; beautiful differences; equalizing differences. And I
find incredible value in that. I have never in my life been so offended,
in the true sense of the word, than when I had other women trying to
sell me the idea that my value as a person lies in how closely I
resemble a man. What the hell is that?
It's 2014 ladies, and men are not telling us that the roles of wife,
mom, teacher, and caregiver are submissive and demeaning. They are not
telling us that they are better or more powerful or more righteous
because they hold God's priesthood. It's other women telling us so. It's
other women telling us what to think. It's other women belittling the
roles that make us different from men - and even belittling our men. And
it's other women who are scrutinizing and patronizing. How dare they?
I believe that women can and should do anything they want to in this
life. But I also believe that we need to be true to ourselves, and
sometimes our femininity gets a little tainted by society's driving need
to make us all identical little comrades.
Okay, time to add a spiritual layer to this cake.
Priesthood Responsibilities Are Designed to Grow Good Men
The most perfect and yet challenging relationship in all creation is man
+ woman, whether as family, friends, or companions - how they
compliment each other and teach each other and drive each other bananas.
I believe it's God's design that we do so. But in the western world,
women do everything - and by that I mean we take on a man's roles as
well as our own and men are more than happy to let us. There is no true
partnership when a woman thinks she can do it all and do it better.
Golly ladies, there's a purpose to this life and we need to let the men
have their mortal schooling too!
{ Oh, and before you retort with a million stories of how some male
manager at work did this or said that and women can never get ahead,
we're discussing the priesthood mantle, which deals with church and
home. Neither of which is a corporation based on promotion and
competition. Thanks. }
You see, I believe that priesthood responsibilities teach men to develop
and use skills that women are already darn good at. It's an equalizing
force, not a divisive one. They need this role to become more like God.
We need it to...what? Demonstrate our organizational and empathetical
superiority?
Some ladies just can't let the men have any task or position tailored to
their needs. It's like a mosquito bite they just have to scratch. Yet
women can have all the exclusivity they want. Uh, huh. Because that's
fair.
The Priesthood is Not a Status Symbol, Yo
Sister Sheri Dew said that none of us came to earth to gain our worth, we brought it with us.
Activist, Kate Kelly said that equality in the church can be measured.
Does she mean measured in righteousness, commitment, value, importance?
Are we supposed to measure what we give and how much we receive?
Personal intent and spiritual progression aren't really things we can
weigh against the next person. Although, if you compare a lifetime of
service in the church, in time and resources and sacrifices, men are not
even on the same plane as women. So it can't be more opportunity to
serve that these women want. Is it just power at the heart of this
issue? Is it really just 'middle management' that these few women are
after? Is it about titles? There are no little brass nameplates in the
Kingdom of God.
Or is it the power to perform ordinances and miracles that they want?
Because I'm pretty sure the priesthood is powered by faith and
humility...and trust...accepting God's will...stuff like that...
Anyway, can you even imagine if we did hold the priesthood? Ladies, we'd
be doing everything!!! Every. Thing. Just imagine Sunday morning,
sisters and how your list of things to do would double...even triple.
Because we'd take over. You know we would. And the ward would be run
smoothly. Not equally, but smoothly. And God's plan for our progression
would be thwarted, because if this was something we needed to be doing
right now, we'd already be doing it. Perhaps it's in our future, perhaps
not, but it's not in our present and thank...well, thank God for that!
Same Destination - Same Airline - Different Carry-on Luggage
I have seen many systems in this crazy world of ours and I can plainly
recognize the value in God's plan based on politics and economics alone.
But when you plug faith into the equation, it becomes so much plainer.
We are here to become something more than what we were - to become like
our Godly parents. And darned if we think we know the best way to do
that. No, silly little humans! Only God knows how to become like God. So
perhaps we should all pay closer attention.
There isn't a single blessing or gift of the priesthood that isn't ours.
True, men carry the priesthood. And some women are soooooo bothered by
it because we insist we can and should carry everything they do.
But wait a second...do men have everything we have? What about those
little rugrats playing with toy cars on the carpet - the ones we
completely recognize as being as much of a gift and blessing to dad,
even though he didn't get to carry them. Do you see where I'm going
here? Men have a pretty intense claim for inequality when it comes to
baby. They may be incredible dads, but they never get to experience
anything like motherhood. Never. It is our very powerful, very exclusive
responsibility. So exclusive in fact, that not even every woman gets to
experience it in this life. And yet every woman gets to utilize and
experience the priesthood. If you want to get technical, Motherhood is actually the great inequality.
So doesn't the fact that men and women share complimentary roles in an
effort to create an eternal working relationship just make good sense?
Don't we want our men to cultivate the gifts that come from this
specific type of service? Doesn't whinging about not being able to carry
the priesthood, in addition to everything else we have, seem a
little...I don't know...hypocritical?
Dial it back Ginger, snarkiness is just a paragraph away.
*takes deep breath, sidesteps temptation*
Now let's get to the real meat of the matter.
Trust in the Lord with all Thine Heart
Yeah, I actually just quoted that scripture. It's cheesy enough for a
pinterest poster, but do you believe it? Do you have a testimony of this
promise?
I've had a few sticky moments in life when God was my only champion. I
came out of those moments knowing that every time I accosted some gospel
principal or teaching that made me pause, I could sort through it using
both my mind and my connection with the Holy Spirit and get the
assurances I needed. And I did. Every time. My role as a woman was
probably the most empowering personal investigation of all. I can
honestly say, that I have absolutely zero insecurities as a woman. Which
is probably why I have no trouble allowing a man to take his role as a
bearer of priesthood power.
In fact, I insist. Go forth brethren and be exalted by your priesthood! I
certainly don't think it makes you any better or higher up the
spiritual food chain than me. I don't feel that I'm missing anything.
And I don't see that I am either. Having this responsibility makes you
better men and I honor that.
But then again, I've already dealt most efficiently with the tangled web
of secular feminism, so perhaps this wasn't as much of a struggle for
me...?
My point is that in every deep personal battle, there comes a time when you have to place your trust.
Because we don't exist in isolation. I can trust myself in matters that
concern only myself. But for something that concerns God's kingdom, I
have to be able to trust God. Not because I'm subjugated. But because He
has earned it. During all my past adolescent torments and grown up
melt-downs, He earned my trust. This isn't some CEO we're talking about,
it's GOD. It's our FATHER. If he says I don't need to hold the
priesthood right now, then I know it's the truth. Because I know what He
hopes to make of me. And what He hopes to make of me could not. be.
any. better.
So why do some people turn from faith to feminism? They don't like the
answer we've been given? They don't trust the God who gave it? Is that
why they get angry and confused and go to the media? I guess that makes
sense. Because the world understands. The world relates.
The world knows how it feels to have God tell them no and ask them to follow a better way.
Ah, my sisters. All of my sisters.
Being a woman is something special. But so is being a man.
What reason could we ever have to deny our brothers their role as sons of the Almighty God?
To this strong, confident, opinionated woman in the world, some
manufactured idea of carefully apportioned sameness is just not good
enough. My mind is satisfied. My spirit is at peace.
I truly hope all women and men of the church can seek and find the
spiritual affirmation they need. To those who don't, you will be sorely
missed. And I mean that."-this very long quote was written by Ginger Lee Malacko (just in case you didn't catch that point before)
