So, if you are a feminist, or support feminist views, you might want to step away now.
I have given you fair warning.
This blog post is certainly not meant to bash or demean in any way. I am going to tread as lightly as I possibly can so that I don't offend anyone. If I do offend you I apologize. There has been a lot of talk lately about women of the LDS church becoming ordained to the priesthood. There have been a lot of blog posts advocating, pushing, and even demanding that women be ordained. I have another view. I do not want the priesthood. I do not want to be ordained. I have many feelings about this, and I am going to try to articulate them here.
First, let me say that as a woman, and a member of the LDS church I have no desire to have the priesthood. I have never felt that I need any other priesthood than what my husband offers to our family. I feel that it is his place to hold the priesthood. I understand that my situation differs from many LDS women out there. But I was raised in a home where my father, being non-LDS, did not hold the priesthood. When blessings were needed, baptisms needed performing, or any other ordinance done, a worthy priesthood holding man was always available to assist us. So I feel that excuses like "I'm not married" or "My husband isn't LDS" are really lame excuses for not using the priesthood effectively as a single woman or a woman married to a non-LDS person.
That being said, I don't feel this issue is one that bothers a lot of the women who are advocating to be ordained. From what I've read, and what I understand of this "movement" the women who wish to be ordained want to be because they think we need equality in all things. If a man can be the bishop because he holds the priesthood, a woman could surely hold the same position if she had the same power from God. If a man can give blessings surely a woman could do the same if she was ordained. If a father can baptize his child shouldn't the mother have that same opportunity? I feel like they are missing the big picture though. As a missionary I had the opportunity to see the real inner workings of the Church. It was there that I learned that the Bishop is the "head" of the ward and the Relief Society President is most definitely the "neck." Without the neck the head cannot do much. The RSP is the Bishop's go-to woman. They spend countless hours talking about, and trying to serve the members of their wards. They pray together. They work hard to hold their ward together effectively. Much like a husband and wife work together to hold their family together. The RSP does not hold the priesthood, yet she still serves. She has a say in Ward Council, Welfare meeting, and PEC (at least on my mission). The bishop rarely, if ever, makes decisions without running them by her first. I honestly don't know what could be more equal than that.
I have seen on blogs and other internet sites the argument that women don't have a say in what happens in the Church. I have seen women say that the Proclamation to the Family was "written by a bunch of men without any female input." I understand what irks women about the proclamation. It is the part that says, "By divine design fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children." Feminist everywhere make an outcry saying, "Well what if I don't have children? What if I never get married? What am I supposed to do then? Holding the priesthood would give my life meaning...give me work to do in the kingdom." I hate to say this, but you don't need the priesthood to have meaning in your life. You don't need the priesthood to serve others. You don't need the priesthood to bless the lives of your children, your spouse, your parents, or ward members. What you need is a willing heart and helping hands. The priesthood cannot help you develop those things. You've either got them, or you don't. I don't hold the priesthood, but I can tell you I have meaning in my life. I have a say in our family and what we decide to do. The yoke between my husband and I is evenly spread as it is between men and women in wards and branches across the world. As it should be in any healthy marriage or ward.
I feel that this movement to ordain women is not getting anywhere. On all the blogs and posts I have read about it the women involved are torn among themselves about what they want and what they don't want. I find this troubling to say the least. I feel that protesting (though everyone going will say that it isn't a "protest" and that they aren't "demanding" anything) in Salt Lake City on October the 5th isn't going to be effective. I mean, yes those women will get on the news. Yes, they will have the opportunity to give their "statement" about what they feel is going on. But then what? What if the answer is still no, as it has been in the past? Will these women continue to ask for something over and over again much like Martin Harris did for the 116 pages? Or will they realize they have potential. That they are daughters of the Most High God. That they matter in His eyes and in the eyes of men everywhere. I just don't see that happening. The reason I don't see that happening is because the Church has already issued a statement on this topic. Elder Ballard in the April conference said this:
"In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife. And as husband and wife, a man and a woman should strive to follow our Heavenly Father. The Christian virtues of love, humility, and patience should be their focus as they seek the blessings of the priesthood in their lives and for their family."
The answer to the ordination of women is a resounding no. Yet, even after the statement from Elder Ballard we still have women asking for it. Instead of trying to serve and become better these women are still protesting for something that is highly unlikely to ever happen. I understand questioning things. I understand disagreeing with things. I do not understand sustaining the Prophet as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and then not following what he says. These women say that they are faithful members of the LDS church. That they believe all of what the Church has to offer as far as doctrines and ordinances go. I don't understand how you can do all of that and yet still want the priesthood. We as an LDS culture cannot selectively follow Heavenly Father or the Prophet. If you believe that God leads the Prophet and gives him revelations, you have faith in the gospel...in the Church. You cannot ignore somethings and believe in others. This is an all or nothing Church. Either you are in, or you aren't. I sustain President Monson, the First Presidency, and the Quorum of the Twelve as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. I sustain what they say to be doctrine or the Church. Therefore when a statement is made (The Proclamation) or when a talk is given stating what men and women's roles are in the church and in life I have nothing to question. I love being LDS. I love having the gospel and the priesthood available to bless my life. I am grateful that I am a woman. That I have the opportunity to be a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who loves me. While I disagree with this movement, I do want my sisters to know that I love them. There is a place for you, and that place might not be in holding the priesthood. That is ok. You still have great potential. You are loved and appreciated. In all of this craziness don't forget that, ok?
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