Truth: Things As They Really Are
D&C 93:24
" 24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;"
I've been thinking a lot lately about equality and what that means. Elder Oaks made his famous statement in the Priesthood session saying, "In the eyes of God, whether in the Church or in the family, women and men are equal, with different responsibilities."
I take issue with the word equal in this statement. Equal can mean a lot of different things, but I don't think anyone would say that I am the equal of President Obama or President Monson. I may be equal in value or worth as a human being in the eyes of God, but equal in standing, in power and responsibility, no. We are not equals.
It makes me think about the value that other creations of God have in His eyes. I believe God values and loves all of His creations, but we, as His children, have a special place because of what we are able to do and become. That is what raises us above the level of say, animals. They don't have the potential that we do.
In the same way, women and men are not equals in the church. Men can do things and become things that women never can. In terms of the power, authority and offices that they can hold, they simply cannot be said to be equals. I know this makes some people uncomfortable to admit, but it's true.
We like to talk a lot about how the priesthood is all about service and blessing others and whatnot, but what we don't like to talk about as much is that the priesthood is also the power to preside, which in our church, pretty much means, be in charge of anything. Without the priesthood, you cannot preside which is why women cannot autonomously make any major decisions, call anyone to anything, or even sit in front of a meeting. In the temple we learn that men can become priests and kings unto God while women remain priestesses and queens of their husbands.
Our value in the eyes of the Lord is not lessened by our lack of power, I'm sure, in which sense I suppose we can be said to be equals. But although we talk all the time about becoming like our Father in Heaven, I can't understand how women are supposed to become like their male Father, whose priesthood power they aren't allowed to hold. Likewise, Joseph Smith talked a lot about Priesthood powers having real world, concrete powers connected to them in the form of "thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths." (D&C 132) In which case, if the priesthood is the governing, presiding power, women are equally cut off from the government of the afterlife.
So they're cut off from governing power as well as presiding-in-the-church power, but they can have authority given to them to perform some role or function, under the supervision of a priesthood holder. This is a type of "priesthood authority," in a way. But no one would say that the president and the one presided over are equals, really. No one would say that the governor and the governed are equals, really.
So I don't think it's very honest to say that in the church men and women are equals. Because although I'm sure we are both very much loved and valued by our creator, like animals, plants and the other creations of God, women apparently do not have the same potential that men do to become like our father in heaven and partake of his "thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths."
Those things are promised to a sealed couple, but as the Family Proclamation states, "fathers are to preside over their families" so really, those powers are once again, given to the man.
I guess my problem with all of this really lies in the fact that I find Elder Oak's statement a little disingenuous. If he means equal in value or worth it's true, but in any other measure, it just isn't and those other measures are the ones that bother feminists. I just wish he would honestly admit that the power dynamic is clearly NOT equal, even if it is the will of God that it's supposed to be like this for some reason. It would be really validating if they said, " You know what, you're right. Men really do have all the power in the church when it comes down to it. We don't know why. That must be really hard. I'm sorry you have that trial in this life. I hope the answers and understanding of why will be revealed to us soon."
" 24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;"
I've been thinking a lot lately about equality and what that means. Elder Oaks made his famous statement in the Priesthood session saying, "In the eyes of God, whether in the Church or in the family, women and men are equal, with different responsibilities."
I take issue with the word equal in this statement. Equal can mean a lot of different things, but I don't think anyone would say that I am the equal of President Obama or President Monson. I may be equal in value or worth as a human being in the eyes of God, but equal in standing, in power and responsibility, no. We are not equals.
It makes me think about the value that other creations of God have in His eyes. I believe God values and loves all of His creations, but we, as His children, have a special place because of what we are able to do and become. That is what raises us above the level of say, animals. They don't have the potential that we do.
In the same way, women and men are not equals in the church. Men can do things and become things that women never can. In terms of the power, authority and offices that they can hold, they simply cannot be said to be equals. I know this makes some people uncomfortable to admit, but it's true.
We like to talk a lot about how the priesthood is all about service and blessing others and whatnot, but what we don't like to talk about as much is that the priesthood is also the power to preside, which in our church, pretty much means, be in charge of anything. Without the priesthood, you cannot preside which is why women cannot autonomously make any major decisions, call anyone to anything, or even sit in front of a meeting. In the temple we learn that men can become priests and kings unto God while women remain priestesses and queens of their husbands.
Our value in the eyes of the Lord is not lessened by our lack of power, I'm sure, in which sense I suppose we can be said to be equals. But although we talk all the time about becoming like our Father in Heaven, I can't understand how women are supposed to become like their male Father, whose priesthood power they aren't allowed to hold. Likewise, Joseph Smith talked a lot about Priesthood powers having real world, concrete powers connected to them in the form of "thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths." (D&C 132) In which case, if the priesthood is the governing, presiding power, women are equally cut off from the government of the afterlife.
So they're cut off from governing power as well as presiding-in-the-church power, but they can have authority given to them to perform some role or function, under the supervision of a priesthood holder. This is a type of "priesthood authority," in a way. But no one would say that the president and the one presided over are equals, really. No one would say that the governor and the governed are equals, really.
So I don't think it's very honest to say that in the church men and women are equals. Because although I'm sure we are both very much loved and valued by our creator, like animals, plants and the other creations of God, women apparently do not have the same potential that men do to become like our father in heaven and partake of his "thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths."
Those things are promised to a sealed couple, but as the Family Proclamation states, "fathers are to preside over their families" so really, those powers are once again, given to the man.
I guess my problem with all of this really lies in the fact that I find Elder Oak's statement a little disingenuous. If he means equal in value or worth it's true, but in any other measure, it just isn't and those other measures are the ones that bother feminists. I just wish he would honestly admit that the power dynamic is clearly NOT equal, even if it is the will of God that it's supposed to be like this for some reason. It would be really validating if they said, " You know what, you're right. Men really do have all the power in the church when it comes down to it. We don't know why. That must be really hard. I'm sorry you have that trial in this life. I hope the answers and understanding of why will be revealed to us soon."
You saw this right? http://www.millennialstar.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Context-Missing-From-Womens-Discussion-May-29-2014.pdf
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't, I think he answers the concern you raised in your last paragraph towards the end of the letter.
Deej, I did read that letter and I really appreciated it for the most part. I realize that he addresses "disingenuousness" but I had been mulling over these ideas for a while and wanted to put them out there anyway. The definition of "equal" in Elder Oaks statement is what I really wanted to address and the fact that there are multiple meanings there.
ReplyDelete