The Ordain Women Peanut Gallery Redux

When I eventually kick the bucket, I wouldn't be at all surprised if my tombstone read:

Here lies Cecily. She made so many lists.

And here's another one!

This one is mostly for me and serves as a round up of some of my favorite blog posts/articles on the recent developments in the Ordain Women movement and disciplinary action as taken by the LDS church. I am not as educated, smart, or word-brilliant as some of these cool bloggers, but I want to keep their logic close at hand in case I ever need to reference it.

Honestly, I am not debating these issues ANYWHERE and I plan to keep it that way. This list is just for my own perusal and reminding as well as anyone else that may want to have a bunch of stuff all in one place.


It’s Not About Questions—and it is
by Rachael (There is no other info about her on the site which is rather maddening)

In the recent Trib interview with John Dehlin and Kate Kelly, Dehlin argued that the situation signals the Church is “trying to stem the tide of Mormons asking hard questions and struggling”; in Kelly’s interpretation, she stated that “at this point, it’s [about] the interpretation of what apostasy is, and to me, having a question and asking it publicly is not apostasy.”

I disagree with this assessment; not only do I disagree, but I think that casting their situations in this light— that they are being punished for having and vocalizing questions— may perpetuate a harmful and erroneous interpretation that could make members with questions feel needlessly at risk, and could give members or leaders uncomfortable with questions a trump card to draw on (see last paragraph in link]. That result— the reversal of the more welcoming and open Mormon culture of recent years— is one that gives many people a legitimate feeling of anxiety or deep discouragement.

This may seem like strictly semantics, but the author makes a great case for why semantics are important in this situation. This post is also full of links to lots of other posts and info that has been made public by OW and it's leaders.


How the Conversation About Women Can Go On 
by Neylan McBaine

What is it specifically about her tactics that separated her participation in the conversation from those many others of us who also care about women in the church? I believe the answer comes from understanding that our prophet and apostles take very seriously their calling to keep our doctrine pure. The scriptures are rife with examples of what happens to communities when they do not have checks in place to keep their belief systems from modulating in different directions. In one extreme example from the Book of Mormon, the Zoramites, who had once honored the Nephite truth, went so far as to pray on the Rameumpton. Having a centralized body responsible for keeping doctrine pure is at the very heart of what makes us different from so many other denominations today and why saying we have a living prophet on the earth actually means something. Trying to change that doctrine and recruit others to a vision of changed doctrine goes against one of institution’s central purposes.

I did not think that Ordain Women tried to change doctrine or recruit others to that changed doctrine when it staged its actions during the priesthood sessions of general conference. As much as I was uncomfortable with the action, I did not see them usurping the right of the apostles to teach truth to the members of the Church. They were just asking, trusting in our beloved principle of continuing revelation. However, it was on May 15, 2014, that I believe the tide changed for Ordain Women and for Kelly specifically. It was on that day, the 185^th anniversary of the Priesthood restoration, that Ordain Women launched a series of six discussions on the topic of women’s ordination with the stated purpose of effecting “change through faithful agitation.” Readers were encouraged to form discussion groups and use the six discussion packets to lead conversations about the symptoms of patriarchy, the history of the priesthood, the power of revelation, and more.

I LOVED this one. It had a lot more info about the nitty gritty with a really logical analysis that made sense to me.

Changing the church: How Ordain Women gets it wrong
by Ashley Isaacson Woolley

I have neither the divine calling nor the necessary perspective to resolve complicated doctrinal issues for the church. Intellectual discussion and questioning of doctrine is the privilege of all members. But to claim that my own interpretation is right for the whole church is beyond the scope of my authority. That is, I believe, what prophets are for.

This one is a bit more...blunt and obviously on the opposing side of OW. But she gets her point across without wasting any words and I admire that.

Hopefully adding to this list soon.....

Update 6/20/2014:

LDS Church responds to concerns over member questions
by Jessica Moody as posted on Deseret News

The scriptures are full of examples of how to receive answers to our questions — to find truth and align our will with God's — and that process includes studying, praying, learning and discussing Church doctrines. Millions of people do this throughout their lives. How and why one asks is as important as the questions we're asking. What causes concern for Church leaders is when personal motivations drive those conversations beyond discussion, and a person or group begins recruiting others to insist on changes in Church doctrines or structure. When it goes so far as creating organized groups, staging public events to further a cause or creating literature for members to share in their local congregations, the Church has to protect the integrity of its doctrine as well as other members from being misled. 

Update 6/21/2014:

 Ordain Women is not the answer on Mormon women’s equality
by Ashley Isaacson Woolley

As an LDS woman who welcomes efforts to address women’s concerns in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I find Ordain Women counterproductive. Whatever its original intent, it ironically demeans Mormon women as well as men and hinders progress on women’s issues.
One example is Ordain Women's upcoming “Sisters in Silence” candlelight vigils, staged outside LDS meetinghouses, at which Ordain Women instructs individuals to repeat phrases like, “For my sisters who have no voice in the church, I will not be silent.”

I am not voiceless in the LDS Church, I do not need them to speak for me, and I personally find demeaning the implication that Mormon women are oppressed and cowardly if they do not share Ordain Women’s views or choose to deal with concerns by other means. Ordain Women also invites a caricature of Mormon men and leaders as sexist and oppressive, or as their founder put it, “cowardly and un-Christlike.” Even if many supporters of Ordain Women understand and respect their fellow Mormons, the national media whose spotlight they have sought does not, and draws an inaccurate and unfavorable picture.

Dang. She doesn't mince words at ALL. I admire her for putting so succinctly into words how I feel about this whole issue. Her last phrase is a gem, too: "I have no opinion about whether anyone should be disciplined and find it unproductive and uncharitable to speculate." BAM. Go girl.

How LDS Church disciplinary councils work, change lives
by Tad Walch

"We are not dishing out punishment," he said. "The goal is to help, love, aid and bring them to Christ so they can be a disciple again, to help them take full advantage of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

 This is a great piece mostly because the author reiterates at least 5 times that these councils are not public unless the person involved chooses it to be so. I have never been involved in a disciplinary council myself, but I have dear friends who have. I've been blessed to hear about some of those councils and feel the relief and rest on behalf of my friend as he/she felt the love and care from those priesthood leaders. The truth is, it's kind of like a librarian who will forgive your fines because she just wants her overdue books back. Christ just wants the people back.