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I came across a campaign dedicated to ordaining women to the priesthood. The woman who started it is so brave IMO. This would be a really big thing to take on. I might join it. I’m going to pray about it and see how I feel about it. (thestudentreview.org/exclusive-interview-with-kate-kelly-from-ordain-women/)
[ Admin note: This topic (ordaining women) can stay open to discuss, but we don’t endorse petitions of any kind here that are designed to pressure the Church into specific actions or changes. We are solution-oriented at the individual level, not an activist group of any kind. It simply isn’t in our mission.I left the url intact, so anyone who is interested can check it out, but I removed the link. I know that’s splitting hairs, and we generally don’t split such hairs, but I’m doing it in this case. If the admins want to alter what I have done, we will do so when we have a chance to talk about it.
] I don’t have a problem with this myself, but see my thoughts on the other thread where I suggest women already have the priesthood, and that this should be acknowledged. The Community of Christ ex-RLDS, ordains women and you can see videos of this on Youtube. (It, erm, looks pretty much the same as male ordination, except there’s a woman under the hands and it’s pretty boring to watch) I gather the issue caused something of a split. But then again to be fair to the RLDS they never banned blacks.
Whoops! Sorry Ray! To continue the topic itself, I’m still musing my position on this. I’m not against open ordination (taking on board your observations on the other thread SamBee), but I don’t think I could say I’m especially ardently for it either. I mean, the fact that they don’t isn’t in any way a deal breaker.
Hmm… I guess I’ve not actually progressed the thread much at all!
mackay11 wrote:To continue the topic itself, I’m still musing my position on this.
I’m not against open ordination (taking on board your observations on the other thread SamBee), but I don’t think I could say I’m especially ardently for it either. I mean, the fact that they don’t isn’t in any way a deal breaker.
Hmm… I guess I’ve not actually progressed the thread much at all!
I just spent a few minutes considering how I’d feel if it were the other way round and only women were ordained.
It’s changed my perspective and I can see why it would be a good thing.
As a man, I have no problem with it at all. I’ve heard women in my ward discuss why it bothers them and can see their position. If the issue is for an equal voice and identity I am all for it. If it is a means to get more God sanctioned power I would find that rather like chasing wisps of smoke. Women are already equal in gods eyes just not the church’s. women can already call on the powers of heaven just as much as a man. Again it is just a notion in the church they can not. So maybe ordination will at least give the perception of equality to some grumpy old men and that is a good thing For me when I think about the things that bother me as a woman in the church, a lot of the things have to do with the fact that women don’t have the priesthood. The reason I have been told that men preside is because they have the priesthood. That’s the reason they preside in the home and in the church. Women are unable to bless or baptize their children. Single mothers who have sick children that need blessings have to call someone else to come bless their children. Women can only be leaders in ‘auxiliaries’ of the church not in the non auxiliary areas. All of these things are because women don’t hold (or are not recognized as holding) the priesthood. HSAB wrote:Women are unable to bless or baptize their children. Single mothers who have sick children that need blessings have to call someone else to come bless their children.
I know this might be a bit blasphemous…but I say just do it!😈 If a woman wants to give a blessing, do it, priesthood or not. Just keep it to yourself and no problem.Personally, I am all for women’s ordination. It is very sad to me that our church has virtually no female leadership (160+ men to the 9 women in Primary, YW and RS). That’s even less representative than most Arab parliaments. If you haven’t already, make sure you check out Feminist Mormon Housewives blog, they have some excellent posts on this topic.
There is no prohibition of women holding someone in their arms or touching someone as they offer a sincere prayer. There also is the famous verse that says a prayer of faith availeth much. So, pray over your children; bless your children; lay hands on your children; just don’t cite “the Priesthood” as you do so or anoint with oil. Offer a sincere prayer of faith in a way that is highly physical. Frankly, the oil is like the sacrament and baptism water, imo – symbolic only and not “holy water” in any literal sense. It’s the faith of the blesser and the blessed that matters, as far as I’m concerned – so bless and be blessed as an expression of a God who giveth to all (wo)men liberally and upbraideth not. I can’t believe God would be upset about that.
Thanks guys, I am definitely not opposed to bending the rules or cultural norms in those ways, however, I don’t want to have to do that. I don’t want to have to bless my baby at home so I can hold them because my bishop thinks it isn’t appropriate. I don’t want to secretly give my children blessings and hide it from people. If I am a child of God, and the priesthood is the power of God on the earth, why wouldn’t I be able to use that power if I am worthy? The only rationale I have ever been able to come up with in my life for women not having the priesthood is that maybe men need it to have a standard to live up to. I never loved that thought because it is totally sexist, but in my TBM days that sat better than women aren’t leaders, don’t deserve it or are ‘too spiritual.’ Now that my faith has changed I don’t see a real reason why women don’t have it other than tradition. vickzorz wrote:Personally, I am all for women’s ordination. It is very sad to me that our church has virtually no female leadership (160+ men to the 9 women in Primary, YW and RS). That’s even less representative than most Arab parliaments.
If you haven’t already, make sure you check out Feminist Mormon Housewives blog, they have some excellent posts on this topic.
Agreed. I love FMH, I’m a frequent there as well.HSAB wrote:I don’t see a real reason why women don’t have it other than tradition.
I tried to think of a reason and I can’t come up with one either, other than it seems weird because it goes against what we’ve always done. I know you probably think I am sexist from your other thread, but I have no issue with women performing ordinances. In fact it makes more sense to me because in my family the only time a man did anything with the priesthood is when his wife or mother told him it needed to be done! Might as well skip the middle “man”.
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