(For the women).
Many modern-day LDS women seem to be a lot more progressive nowadays than it was when my spouse and I grew up in the Church.
In our day, it was “motherhood is the priority for women” and “men are to provide.”
I’ve heard many active LDS women today state that they do not believe in those “traditional” standards and gender expectations anymore.
And we are THRILLED for them; and their ability to break away from that toxic patriarchal system of belief!
However…
Whether they believe in all of that or not…
The CHURCH they attend, still does.
Regardless of how much active members try to claim that it’s more “progressive” now.
The rhetoric of blatant sexism is STILL there.
The church has just gotten better at disguising it.
At what age does gender division begin in the LDS church?
Well, it depends.
Some families incorporate gender-divided belief systems since the children were babies;
Not allowing girls to play with boy toys or boys to play with girl toys, etc.
But according to the church,
It starts at age 12.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/aaronic-priesthood?lang=eng
At age 12, boys have more authority in the church than any grown adult woman.
Starting at age 12 and on, boys have the authority and “power of god” to do His work on the earth.
More power and authority that the elderly and wise women of the church have.
Everyone in the church relies on MEN, for their eternal salvation.
MEN provide the ordinances to get into heaven.
MEN provide the prayers and blessings over sacraments that cleanse sins.
MEN lead wards and inform members of their sins being forgiven.
MEN conduct oil anointing an and healing blessings, as well as blessings for homes, and for their loved ones.
MEN make up the majority of leadership in the church.
MEN decide if women are allowed or not to speak or pray in General Conference.
MEN are needed to oversee any activities the women do, such as girls camp, and monitor the women.
Without men; women have no access to those saving ordinances.
At least, according to the church.
If all the men on the face of the earth were to suddenly disappear; the women would be screwed, spiritually. No access to their “saving ordinances.”
And yet, some members actually believe that the LDS church is NOT patriarchal; that it’s actually EQUAL for men and women.
The church is amazing at gaslighting. I’ve discussed this.
The church covers its misogyny by claiming that women DO have access to the priesthood, “but in different ways.”
Such as relief society, prayer, raising their children, etc.
But you know what’s fascinating about that?
When I was a temple worker in the early years of our marriage,
Women WERE authorized to USE the actual priesthood power to perform ordinances for the women of the temple.
I washed, anointed, and blessed women in the temple through oil annointings, the laying on of hands on women’s heads, etc.
The EXACT same thing that the men were doing for the men of the temple.
The EXACT same saving ordinances needed for salvation.
The women in the temple performed priesthood duties.
However, one differing thing remained:
All of these ordinances performed, were done under the direction of the temple president; a man.
All ordinances overseen by a man with authority.
So, it’s not that women CANNOT hold the priesthood…
The women in the temple use the priesthood actively in the same way the men do.
But it’s more of the fact that the patriarchal set-up of the church desires to keep women’s use of the priesthood power and authority of god HIDDEN, tucked away in the temples.
Overseen by men.
NOT for the public to see.
The men are granted use of the priesthood, oil annointings, and blessings and the administration of ordinances outside of the temple.
While women are restricted to their use of the power being hidden within temple walls.
In fact, WOMEN Used to bless and heal the sick, back in the early days of the church.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/healing?lang=eng
However, the church denied the miracles seen by women; the authority the women used to heal the sick.
Instead, the men griped and stated that “well, they didn’t do it with the priesthood, they did it through prayer and faith!”
So close, and yet so far.
Is that not how priesthood blessings are performed??
Through the faith and prayer of the one administering it?
The SAME way women do it?
The only difference being gender.
The only difference being that MEN are “officially ordained” and publicly recognized as religious leaders and authority figures.
A societal preference.
NOT a legitimate spiritual one.
Women’s spiritual gifts are always blown off as “lesser” than men’s;
Of not containing any “actual” authority from god.
But the church spins it; and tells women that they have power still to bless their families through faith and prayer;
Which is the SAME way the men do it;
But still provide the messaging that only MEN are actual authority figures of God…
…because the church only “formally recognizes” men’s spiritual authority.
The contradictory teachings are insanely sexist against women.
But the women of the church who are so loving and desperately want to cling to their faith and a relationship with the divine;
They CLING to any little piece of spiritual autonomy the church gives them; they eat it up because they want to remain in their faith, in their culture, in their church and community.
Everyone loves to feel like they belong somewhere.
And so they eat the lies they are fed – of no fault of their own.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/healing?lang=eng
I admire the modern-day women of the LDS church who claim that they and their husband are equal;
That in their marriages, they both work, both clean the home, both equally care for their children.
AS IT SHOULD BE.
However…
The church they follow?
I’m not sure they realize that it teaches things differently.
And the church HEAVILY believes in gender roles…
In a woman’s place in the HOME.
“A woman can reinforce HER HUSBAND’S position as head of the home…”
Not “equal partners.”
But “partners” as in, the woman is the man’s secretary.
His advisor.
But HE is the one to make all of the ultimate decisions.
The church SIMULTANEOUSLY states that men and women are equal, while ACTIVELY practicing sexism.
It’s quite impressive to balance that, actually.
But ultimately,
Women must follow their MAN; because HE is the one with the authority. HE is the one with the priesthood and power of God. HE is the one who receives revelation for the family.
And the women, with their “lack of spiritual power,” have no choice but to follow the man. Let Him lead.
After all, they have no authority to perform saving ordinances.
Their man does.
The church likes to claim that men need women to enter the celestial kingdom as well; that the need for one another is mutual.
But why, then, can men be sealed to multiple women in the afterlife?
https://bhroberts.org/records/7Xrrkc-qsLLgc/church_handbook_explains_sealing_policies_of_the_church
But women cannot be sealed to multiple men?
Where is the equality there?
https://bhroberts.org/records/7Xrrkc-qsLLgc/church_handbook_explains_sealing_policies_of_the_church
But sure, Mormon church.
Go ahead and make the claims that men and women need each other equally.
While at the same time, making it so that women have to rely on men to receive the actual performance of saving ordinances.
So why do LDS women stay?
Because they don’t WANT to believe it.
They don’t want to root up their entire belief system, their community, the lifestyle they have been RELIGIOUSLY a part of their entire lives!
As as people who have left the church – we 100% get it.
It’s a devastating thing to step away from – to have the illusion shattered.
It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
But women stay, and believe the lies the church tells them about equality;
Because they so desperately WANT to believe those lies of equality,
Despite the evidence that surrounds them that shows otherwise.
And so they stay.
And they accept it.
From the goodness of their hearts, they cling to every bit of freedom the church will allow them.
While men hold ALL the privilege.
How many women versus men are in leadership in the above pictures?
The answer is 9.
NINE.
9 out of 143 pictured.
Only NINE are women.
And you still want to believe the rhetoric the church tells you, about women and men being “equal but different?”
No no, my love.
The men hold ALL the power:
And you have been brainwashed to believe it’s equality.
Told that you still have access to all the blessings of the priesthood!
(Through the MEN, of course).
But don’t blame yourself; the church is DAMN good at their brainwashing strategies. It’s not your fault.
Has been doing it for decades.
What if we visually looked at the reverse, to put things into perspective?
What if all of these leadership roles were gender-swapped?
Let’s swap them, shall we?
What if the leadership of the church looked like THIS, instead? –
What if only 9 of the 143 pictured were men?
What if Josephine smith went and prayed in the forest, and a heavenly mother and her beloved daughter appeared to her in a bright pillar of light?
What if she was visited by a woman angel who told her where to get the gold plates and how to translate them and start the church?
What if Josephine Smith proclaimed that she was God’s chosen, that she received revelation from God?
What if she started writing down her revelations?
What if she proclaimed that WOMEN were chosen to receive and be sustained with the priestesshood authority of god?
That everyone needed a priestess member to recieve their saving ordinances?
That women could be sealed to multiple men, and men could only be sealed once, to one woman at a time?
That women can bless and heal the sick; that it was they who lead the household while men were expected to have primary care of the children.
That men need to seek out women if they need a healing blessing, or a blessing of comfort?
That MEN needed to cover up, don’t show their shoulders, don’t be pornography to the women.
That only a couple men talk and pray at general conference, while the majority is carried out by the women because the women hold all of the priestess authority?
What if men only had general authority over the children’s group of primary?
What if men only had general authority over a club made just for men to make themselves feel equal and important, their own “relief society.”
–
Does switching the genders put things into perspective for you?
I know it did for me.
Being able to see how things were set up in such a patriarchal manner;
now THAT is something that really helped me to take the blinders off; and see things as they really are.
“Women, put off your own emotions and needs to cater to your husbands; they are the priesthood holders, after all.”
“Women, don’t be so emotional. Stay humble. Stay MEEK…
…Stay QUIET.”
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meek
“Endure harm or injury with patience and without resentment.”
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meek
“Having a QUIET and gentle nature”
“DEFICIENT IN SPIRIT AND COURAGE”
“Not violent OR STRONG.”
The definition of “meek.”
People WANT to believe they are seen as equals.
And so they do.
Believe it, I mean.
Regardless of the obvious facts staring them straight in the face.
“Women, be grateful for what the men have decided to give you access to.”
Many women proclaim progressiveness in their marriages, in gender equality, in pursuing a career before starting a family.
Amazing! Good for them!
But the church…
What the CHURCH teaches…
The actual institution of the church prefers women stay home.
Get pregnant.
Have babies.
Stay in the kitchen.
Where the men can control them.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/04/mother-told-me?lang=eng
Forget careers in curing cancer
Studying foreign diseases and medicine
Prolonging the life span
Discovering life in space
A new plant from the ocean with regenerative qualities that help humankind
Forget all of that.
Because
“There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood.”
The church legitimately states that motherhood is “the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind.”
That’s the doctrine and rhetoric they use against its women, its female members.
Pretending to be progressive by telling women “sure! You can seek out a career!”
…BUT…
“…Motherhood is ultimately the closest thing to divinity.”
Nothing else you do in this world will ever amount to birthing and raising a child.
To staying in the kitchen.
And that’s how they get women to be mothers; to remain home. To follow patriarchal teachings.
By making women THINK they have a choice.
When in all reality,
The thing the church values the most is motherhood. Child bearing.
And therefore, women follow suit;
Wanting to be seen as “next to divinity”
As the church proclaims.
How many scientists have wasted their days cooking in a kitchen?
https://news-my.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/honoring-the-sacred-and-noble-calling-of-a-mother
But alas,
People don’t want to see the gender inequality.
They ignore the patriarchal way the church is organized and set up.
Because
Well
They simply don’t want to believe it.
They want to believe they are equal.
And so
They do.
–
And for those of you who are saying,
“I’m glad the church doesn’t teach any of this anymore and was removed from the curriculum.”
“I’m glad the church changed its wording to be more inclusive to women.”
“I’m glad there’s more of a current, modern emphasis on equality now.”
These are classic ways the church gets its members to believe it is progressive, inclusive, and fair to women.
So tell me.
Today, right now, in this day and age –
• Can women today obtain their saving ordinances without having to go through men to obtain them?
• Can women today receive blessings of healing, comfort, and guidance without having to go through a man to receive them? Can women GIVE these blessings to others outside of the temple walls?
• Can women today pray over, and bless the sacrament that is used to cleanse the members of their sins each Sunday?
• Can women today take part in a leadership position in the church such as a counselor to the bishop, or even bishop themself and inform members when God has forgiven them of their sins?
• Can women today become patriarchs and give patriarchal blessings to others?
• Can women be sealed to more than one man in the afterlife yet? The way men can with women?
While the church may archive the messages I pulled from,
The sexism.
The patriarchy.
IS. STILL. THERE.
The church has just gotten a LOT better
At hiding it.
–
Imagine shaming someone for leaving the church –
Because they don’t agree with women being seen as second-class citizens and given lesser authority and choice than men.
