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Mormon women look for greater role in the life of the church
NCTimes.com ^ | February 21, 2008 | ERIC GORSKI

Posted on 02/22/2008 7:11:29 AM PST by Alex Murphy

SALT LAKE CITY ---- Last fall, the head of the Mormon church's Relief Society delivered a treatise on motherhood that equated nurturing with keeping a tidy house. Women in poor countries who dress their daughters in clean, ironed dresses, the speaker said, honor a sacred covenant.

Julie B. Beck's exhortation at the church's General Conference that Mormon women strive to be "the best homemakers in the world" did not go unanswered. More than 250 women signed an online rebuttal.

The exchange illustrates that while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is years removed from open hostilities over feminism, passions still run high over the role of women in a patriarchal church.

No one can profess to know how women's issues will be handled by the successor to church president Gordon B. Hinckley, who died Sunday at 97.

But few expect major changes along the lines of opening the Mormon priesthood -- an office granted only to Mormon men ---- to women.

But women could still emerge as stronger voices of the church.

"My feeling is that things are not going to change much, that the church is going to keep its very conservative positions on women's roles," said Margaret Toscano, a self-described feminist activist who was excommunicated in 2000 and teaches language and literature at the University of Utah.

Although the church did not reveal why Toscano was excommunicated, she argued a historical precedence for women in the priesthood. She also promoted the concept of a "Mother God," a deity who was described in an early Mormon poem as a consort to God in heaven.

Today, Mormon feminism thrives in a different form. A blog called Feminist Mormon Housewives, for instance, calls itself as "a safe place to be feminist and faithful" and offers the protection of anonymity.

Toscano said Beck's 1950s vision of motherhood astonished many Mormon women who believed the church, while not encouraging career women, had at least acknowledged women could work and still be good mothers.

Beck was not available for interviews, church officials said. Other LDS women came to Beck's defense, and pointed out that her talk also made clear that wives are "in equal partnership" with their husbands.

The agency which Beck heads, the Relief Society, is one of three Mormon offices open to women. Billed as one of the world's largest women's groups, with 5.5 million members, it provides spiritual instruction to women and aids needy families, among other things.

Mormon women are increasingly visible in worship, often called upon to give the major talk during sacramental meetings, said Jan Shipps, an emeritus professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

"Women can't be bishops, they can't be pastors, but they're much more visible and much more a part of leadership of local congregations than they were 30 years ago," said Shipps, a non-Mormon scholar of the faith.

Kim Farah, an LDS spokeswoman, said in a statement that women play an integral role in the church, from preaching to teaching to "sitting in council" with male priesthood leaders about running congregations.

"However, we believe that great happiness comes from our work in the home and that, regardless of individual circumstances, women have perhaps the greatest influence for good when it comes to the family," Farah said. "Personally, this gives me great peace, joy and self-esteem."

In a 1996 interview with CBS' "60 Minutes," Hinckley said, "In this church the man neither walks ahead of his wife nor behind his wife but at her side. They are coequals in this life in a great enterprise."

Hinckley's likely successor, Thomas S. Monson, said in a speech last year that women should seek secular education ---- not to pursue careers, but because their husbands might fall ill or die.

"You may find yourself in the role of financial provider," Monson said. "Some of you already occupy that role. I urge you to pursue your education ---- if you are not already doing so or have not done so -- that you might be prepared to provide if circumstances necessitate such."

Claudia Bushman, a Mormon author who has studied women's issues, said there has been little progress giving Mormon women new opportunities in the church, although she envisions greater roles in representing the church in civic settings and working with other faith traditions.

"The church does repress women, but it really doesn't repress women as much as bring men forward," Bushman said. "From the time Mormons are children, boys get a lot more encouragement than girls because they are needed for leadership roles. Men need more encouragement, I think."


TOPICS: Apologetics; Ministry/Outreach; Other Christian; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: lds; ldschurch; mormon; women
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To: colorcountry

What possible reason could you have to hide your membership status? What advantage do you see in it? Again, integrity is when your beliefs and your actions conform.

No, it’s not killing me, except to make me wonder whether you’re slightly schizophrenic. One the one hand, you publish the most dishonest, ugly things about the Church, on the other, you’re trying to get into President Hinckley’s funeral.


61 posted on 02/22/2008 1:48:53 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: lady lawyer

Frankly my dear, it is just none of your concern. My standing with the Lord is between He and I.

If YOU have a problem with that, I suggest taking it up with Him.


62 posted on 02/22/2008 1:50:48 PM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: colorcountry

If you disbelieve the Mormon Church, then how could you “standing with the Lord” have any relationship to your membership in it?


63 posted on 02/22/2008 1:52:35 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: Utah Girl

Are you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? If not, how are we still ‘second class citizens’ in the church? We’re not. We have different roles in life than men do. Not worse, not better, just different.
______________________________________

Why ????

Why do you believe that salvation is different for women than it is for men ???


64 posted on 02/22/2008 1:52:45 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: lady lawyer
If you disbelieve the Mormon Church, then how could you “standing with the Lord” have any relationship to your membership in it?

That is exactly what I want to know. ,-)

65 posted on 02/22/2008 1:54:30 PM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Tennessee Nana

Uh, no. You asserted that women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are second class citizens. Do you personally experience that?


66 posted on 02/22/2008 1:57:20 PM PST by Utah Girl
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To: colorcountry

I repeat the question. You have objected to my inquiry about your membership in the church by responding that your “standing with the Lord” is none of my business. That is a non sequitur.

If you hate the church, and you do, then you should be proud to announce that you have severed all your association with it, it seems to me. What possibly advantage do you see in hiding your membership status?


67 posted on 02/22/2008 2:01:35 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: Utah Girl

I asked you

“Why do you believe that salvation is different for women than it is for men ???”

You said

“Uh, no.”

Are you saying that mormons believe that salvation is the same for men and women ???

That whatever occurs for men will also happen for women ??

In other words..women can be single and still experience the highest spot that men will in the mormon “celstrial kingdom” ????


68 posted on 02/22/2008 2:04:48 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana

“celestial kingdom” ????


69 posted on 02/22/2008 2:05:28 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana

It is exactly the same. Neither men nor women can be single.

Our “roles in life” are different. Salvation and exaltation are not.


70 posted on 02/22/2008 2:08:40 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: lady lawyer; Utah Girl

Neither men nor women can be single.
_______________________________________

To go to the mormon “heaven” ???

A Christian can be single or married and still go to Heaven when they die..

But the mormons believe a person must be married ????


71 posted on 02/22/2008 2:17:01 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: lady lawyer

lady lawyer, can you explain to me why you feel you are as important to your husband’s salvation as he is to yours? Thank you. M


72 posted on 02/22/2008 2:17:49 PM PST by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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To: Tennessee Nana

To be exalted — to obtain the highest degree of glory. Almost everyone will go to “Heaven,” but won’t be exalted.


73 posted on 02/22/2008 2:19:23 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: Marysecretary

I’ve already done that on this thread. Read on.


74 posted on 02/22/2008 2:19:54 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: lady lawyer

Unfortunately there are carnal Christians who apparently do not believe in the virgin birth, or much of anything else. They belong to a church and probably attend, but they really are not born again believers who have believed and been saved. I call them liberal christians but in my opinion, they aren’t true christians. Born again believers pretty much believe the same foundational truths of the Bible. I hope this clears up some of the confusing aspects of ‘christianity’ for you, ll.


75 posted on 02/22/2008 2:23:19 PM PST by Marysecretary (GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL.)
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To: lady lawyer

To be exalted — to obtain the highest degree of glory. Almost everyone will go to “Heaven,” but won’t be exalted.
_________________________________________

What is “exalted” ???


76 posted on 02/22/2008 2:24:48 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana

I’ve already explained that.


77 posted on 02/22/2008 2:25:22 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: lady lawyer

Why I do not reveal my membership status? Because of practices like this:

From exmormon.org http://www.exmormon.org/boards/w-agora/download_thread.php?site=exmobb&bn=exmobb_recovery&thread=1203721738#N1203721738

I am a HPGL (High Priest Group Leader) masquerading as a TBM (True Believing Mormon) for now. The reasons why are part of a different discussion.

I was in PEC (Priesthood Executive Council) just recently and the question came up about those who have verbally requested to have their names removed from the records of the church. In every ward I have been in, there has always been at least a handful that I knew of who had made such a request but nothing ever happened.

I suggested that we should just make it easy for them, give them a form letter that they could just sign. Process the paperwork and be done with it.

The EQP (Elder’s Quorum President)got really upset about that. He called that a cop out and that we should not give up so easy on “them” perhaps SOME day they will see the light and wish to return. That we should just maintain contact and share our “love” with them.

I reacted strongly to his suggestion that I was just looking for the easy road. I told him rather that it was about respecting their free agency. That some of them had made this request several times and others have actually sent in their written requests, but it was never acted upon.

At that point the bishop interrupted and confirmed what I had said. He mentioned that when he took over as Bishop he found in his files about a dozen written requests that for some unknown reason were never acted upon. He just trashed them figuring they were all old and no longer relevant.

The discussion soon disintegrated into an arugment in PEC over respecting the free agency of those wishing to be left alone or having their names removed, and those saying we should never give up on them, we should not process their requests, that the “Lord” would never give up on them, and maintain a friendship with them, and continue to secretly home teach them.

At one point I asked if there were any active LDS who had actually ever maintained a true friendship with anyone who had made such a request. There was a deafning silence for a moment before the battle began again. I was amazed at how some people feel that others should not be allowed to leave the church. And they truly felt they were being benevolent and looking out for the welfar of their souls. And yet, they are so much quicker to condemn and excommunicate than to remove someone’s name.

When things calmed back down, the Bishop hit me with another surprise. I didn’t realize the process at the local level to have your name removed had changed. Perhaps many of you did, but I did not.

I thought the process was
1) Person writes letter to Bishop requesting name to be removed.
2) Bishopric sends a form letter informing them of “eternal consequences” and that they have 30 days to change their mind
3) at the end of the 30 days, the ward clerk processes request udner direction from Bishop and sends to Salt Lake to process.
4) Salt Lake processes request and removes name.

I know that there was a lot of added time and stalling, but that was basically the process or so I thought.

Well, apparently the new process is:

1) The persons still sends a letter officially requesting name to be removed from records of church
2) No form letter is returned. This time, the Bishop must meet with the individual in person. The meeting is documented and then the Bishop gets to decide if he approves that request.
3) The paperwork then is sent to the Stake President who reviews the information. The Stake President can also call in the person for an interview.
4) Then the Stake President signs his approval and has the stake clerk process the request and send to Salt Lake.
5)Salt Lake then processes request and removes name from records of the church.

WHAT A FARCE!

I was fuming when I came out of that meeting. What was actually rather nice to see, is that I had about half of the PEC on my side.

Glad to know I have some people who understand to whom I can vent.


78 posted on 02/22/2008 2:25:25 PM PST by colorcountry (To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth.)
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To: Marysecretary

Thanks for a respectful answer to a respectful question.


79 posted on 02/22/2008 2:26:00 PM PST by lady lawyer
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To: lady lawyer

To be exalted — to obtain the highest degree of glory
______________________________________________

What is the “highest degree of glory” ?????


80 posted on 02/22/2008 2:26:30 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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