#Misconceptions about Mormon God’s nature

[mindfulldsliving]

Responding to Michelle Grimes: A Latter-day Saint Perspective on Moroni 8:12

Michelle Grimes’ criticisms of Moroni 8:12 strike at the heart of core Latter-day Saint beliefs. Her claims raise questions that deserve thoughtful, well-grounded responses rooted in scripture and faith. In this post, I’ll address her points directly, providing clarity and context for those exploring or questioning these teachings. Whether you’re seeking answers as an investigator, a critic, or…

[demoisverysexy]

An Open Letter to the Person who Blocked Me for Being Mormon

For context:

If you’re reading this, I hope it finds you well.

This letter is mostly for me, so I can get my feelings out. I’ve already talked about this with a few of my friends, and I’m feeling better than I was than when you blocked me. I’m still upset. Mostly because of general trends I see on tumblr of hatred for Mormons. A lot of it comes from ignorance and misunderstanding. Some of it comes from a place of genuine hurt that can’t go unaddressed. I don’t want to be dismissive of those who have faced trauma at the hands of my church. I am one of those people, and I know how deeply pain associated with my church can be. After our interaction, I felt that talking about it would help me process this.

Before I go on, I must be clear that this is not an attempt to get you to unblock me. As nice as it would be to be able to see your blog again – you’re very witty, and I enjoy your content! – I can live without it. This is more a response to the trend on tumblr specifically of hatred against Mormons, and assuming that they’re all bad people who are complicit in every single bad thing that the church does. You just happened to force me to be a little introspective about my church and my relation to it. Thank you for that.

First, however, I would like to clear up some misconceptions:

Your initial joke that prompted me to tell you I was a Mormon was a joke about Mormons and polygamy. The largest two organizations that can be classified as “Mormon,” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Community of Christ (which incidentally allows for gay marriage and has female clergy, though I am of the LDS sect), both disavow polygamy. There are other, smaller offshoot Mormon groups who do still practice this, which is where horror stories of polygamists marrying teenagers arise. These people are also Mormons, though I wish they weren’t, in the same way that problematic Christian groups are Christian, though many Christians wish they weren’t.

I do recognize that mainstream Mormonism has been labeled as a cult by many people, though the reasons people provide generally don’t hold up. Often the proof that people provide of my church’s cult-like nature is to take note of corruption that can be found in almost every church. These issues – such as racism, homophobia, and misogyny, to name a few – while real and important to address do not a cult make. Sometimes the proof is to point towards practices that are demonized in my church, but are practiced in other religions with no comment, or even celebration. Other times people will point to their own experiences with toxic church congregations, and while those issues are very real, they are by no means universal. My experience growing up Mormon was a lucky one in many ways. I personally don’t think that most people who study my church from an academic vantage point would call it a cult. I would consult them on this matter. After all, someone in a cult is rather hard-pressed to be able to tell whether they are in one or not.

Another point often levied against Mormonism is how it leaves its queer members with religious trauma due to its homophobic teachings. I understand this well. I have experienced deep religious trauma associated with my political stances in favor of LGBTQ+ rights (though that wasn’t the whole story). I won’t go into detail about this right now, but suffice it to say, I had a very traumatic time on my mission that led me to a very dark place, and ended with me contemplating choices I would never be able to take back. I’m fine now of course, but I carry those memories with me.

So why would I stay despite all this? Is it because I’m brainwashed? You would have to ask a psychologist about that, but I would say probably not. I knew, and know now, that the ways I was being treated were unfair and wrong. I don’t have time to go point by point to address every grievance I or anyone else has with my church and explain my position on it, as much as I would like to clear the air once and for all on this topic so there is no misunderstanding. Here’s the reasoning that has kept me here so far:

I think that every person of faith must, at some point, deal with the problematic aspects of their church’s history and doctrine. This comes with the territory. Whether it be disturbing stories in scripture, imperialist tendencies, doctrines that chafe against us, or problematic leaders, no person of faith is exempt from wrestling with the history that accompanies their faith. I have studied my church’s history in depth. Many of the horror stories I heard were provably false. Many were true. Where does that leave me?

I believe that God is bigger and better than us. We make terrible, awful mistakes all the time. But I don’t think that makes God less willing to work with us. If anything, I think it means he wants to help us more. He wants to help us move past our histories and become better. My church has a long way to go in this regard. For too long we have been silent when it mattered, and people have been wounded by our silence. Or even the words we have said out loud! If you look at my Mormonism tag on my blog, you will see some examples of what I am talking about. I have been wounded by the things my church has said and not said. It hurts awfully, and I ache for those who have been wounded more deeply than I.

But at the same time, I cannot deny the healing my faith has brought me. Whatever problems my church has – and it has many, deep and pressing issues – it is because of my faith that I am the person I am today. I can draw a straight line from my religion to the positions I hold today. Because I am a Mormon, I became a Marxist. Because I am a Mormon, I became nonbinary. Because I am a Mormon, I became a leftist. I cannot ignore that my religion, flawed as it may be, has led me to where I stand now. I am at the intersection of the hurt and healing the church offers. It is a difficult line to walk. But I hope that in walking it, I can bring healing and love to those who hurt in the ways I do. To let them know that they are not alone, and that they have a friend who can help them wherever they choose to go.

Yes I am queer. Yes I am a Mormon. I am here because I am trying to fix things. If at some point in the future I realize that I cannot change things, perhaps I will leave. I hope it does not come to that. And things are changing. They have changed before, and they can change now. I am confident that my God is willing to lead my church where it needs to go. I hope I can help speed things along. We shall see.

But spreading unequivocal hatred and disdain for Mormons does not help those of us who are Mormon who are trying to fix things. Yes, those who have left Mormonism due to trauma need a safe place to be away from that, and acknowledging the church’s many faults can be helpful to those people. I myself have criticized my church quite vocally. But refusing to listen to the stories of those of us who choose to stay, telling others that we are evil or stupid or what have you, is also quite traumatic to us. We are people too, with thoughts and feelings. It is easy to dismiss us out of hand if you assume we aren’t.

I try to be open about my religion and political stances on my tumblr. See for yourself: It’s a mix of Mormonism, LGBTQ+ activism, Marxism, and pretty much every other leftist political position you can find. Along with all the furry stuff, of course. But despite all this, I am still terrified every time someone follows me to tell them I am Mormon. More than I am to tell them that I’m queer. Tumblr is not representative of how things work in the “real world,” of course, but I have received hatred for being a Mormon there as well. And it’s mostly other Christians. So on the one hand I’m hated by LGBTQ+ folks, on the other hand I’m hated by my church for being queer, and on the third hand (as apparently I have three hands), I am hated by other Christians. I do not face hatred to the same degree from other Christians. I saw it most on my mission. But still, it exists.

(Incidentally, Evangelicals, who you seem to have problems with, and perhaps rightly so, though I have not done a study of the matter myself, largely despise Mormons, from what I have heard. Something to consider.)

I want allies. I want help. I want understanding. If I am to push back against bigotry in my church, I need your help. I need everyone’s help. Fighting bigotry wherever we see it is a worthy pursuit, I think. And if we can succeed, we can make the world a better, safer happier place. I want to fight off the ghosts that haunt my church. You don’t have to fight them with me, but I would appreciate it if I could have your support. It would make my job much easier.

We aren’t enemies. At least, I don’t think you’re my enemy. We both have been hurt by homophobia and bigotry. We live in a capitalist hellscape where police brutality and racism are on the rise. Fascism is looming over the political backdrop, along with the ongoing threat of ecological disaster. I think we would be better off helping each other than going after each other. I ask that you please listen to us when we say you are hurting us. The Mormons you blocked knowingly followed you, an openly queer person who calls out racism and bigotry and pedophilia. Yet you assume we are in favor of those things. Someone can at once be part of an institution while recognizing it’s flaws. (Aren’t we both Americans? Why not move if we hate it so much?) And perhaps we have used the “No true Scotsman” fallacy to justify why we stay. I don’t believe I have. I don’t feel I need to.

I hope that you consider what I’ve said here. I hope we can work together. And I hope that no matter what, you find peace wherever you end up.

Yours truly,

Demo Argenti

[faithfulnews]

Is the text of the Bible we have today different from the originals?

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson: let’s take a look at the facts

I thought it might be a good idea to write something about whether the Bible is generally reliable as a historical document. Lots of people like to nitpick about things that are difficult to verify, but the strange thing is that even skeptical historians accept many of the core narratives found in the Bible. Let’s start with a Christian historian, then go to a non-Christian one.

First, let’s introduce New Testament scholar Daniel B. Wallace:

Daniel B. Wallace Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies

BA, Biola University, 1975; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1979; PhD, 1995.

Dr. Wallace… is a member of the Society of New Testament Studies, the Institute for Biblical Research, the Society of Biblical Literature, the American Society of Papyrologists, and the Evangelical Theological Society (of which he was president in 2016). He has been a consultant for several Bible translations. He has written, edited, or contributed to more than three dozen books, and has published articles in New Testament Studies, Novum Testamentum, Biblica, Westminster Theological Journal, Bulletin of Biblical Review, the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and several other peer-reviewed journals. His Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament is the standard intermediate Greek grammar and has been translated into more than a half-dozen languages.

Here is an article by Dr. Wallace that corrects misconceptions about the transmission and translation of the Testament.

He lists five in particular:

Myth 1: The Bible has been translated so many times we can’t possibly get back to the original.

Myth 2: Words in red indicate the exact words spoken by Jesus of Nazareth.

Myth 3: Heretics have severely corrupted the text.

Myth 4: Orthodox scribes have severely corrupted the text.

Myth 5: The deity of Christ was invented by emperor Constantine.

Let’s look at #4 in particular, where the argument is that the text of the New Testament is so riddled with errors that we can’t get back to the original text.

It says:

Myth 4: Orthodox scribes have severely corrupted the text.

This is the opposite of myth #3. It finds its most scholarly affirmation in the writings of Dr. Bart Ehrman, chiefly The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture and Misquoting Jesus. Others have followed in his train, but they have gone far beyond what even he claims. For example, a very popular book among British Muslims (The History of the Qur’anic Text from Revelation to Compilation: a Comparative Study with the Old and New Testaments by M. M. Al-Azami) makes this claim:

The Orthodox Church, being the sect which eventually established supremacy over all the others, stood in fervent opposition to various ideas ([a.k.a.] ‘heresies’) which were in circulation. These included Adoptionism (the notion that Jesus was not God, but a man); Docetism (the opposite view, that he was God and not man); and Separationism (that the divine and human elements of Jesus Christ were two separate beings). In each case this sect, the one that would rise to become the Orthodox Church, deliberately corrupted the Scriptures so as to reflect its own theological visions of Christ, while demolishing that of all rival sects.”

This is a gross misrepresentation of the facts. Even Ehrman admitted in the appendix to Misquoting Jesus, “Essential Christian beliefs are not affected by textual variants in the manuscript tradition of the New Testament.” The extent to which, the reasons for which, and the nature of which the orthodox scribes corrupted the New Testament has been overblown. And the fact that such readings can be detected by comparison with the readings of other ancient manuscripts indicates that the fingerprints of the original text are still to be seen in the extant manuscripts.

Here is the full quote from the appendix of Misquoting Jesus:

“Bruce Metzger is one of the great scholars of modern times, and I dedicated the book to him because he was both my inspiration for going into textual criticism and the person who trained me in the field. I have nothing but respect and admiration for him. And even though we may disagree on important religious questions – he is a firmly committed Christian and I am not – we are in complete agreement on a number of very important historical and textual questions. If he and I were put in a room and asked to hammer out a consensus statement on what we think the original text of the New Testament probably looked like, there would be very few points of disagreement – maybe one or two dozen places out of many thousands. The position I argue for in ‘Misquoting Jesus’ does not actually stand at odds with Prof. Metzger’s position that the essential Christian beliefs are not affected by textual variants in the manuscript tradition of the New Testament.”

Finally, I think that the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls shows us that religious texts don’t change as much as we think they do over time.

Look:

The Dead Sea Scrolls play a crucial role in assessing the accurate preservation of the Old Testament. With its hundreds of manuscripts from every book except Esther, detailed comparisons can be made with more recent texts.

The Old Testament that we use today is translated from what is called the Masoretic Text. The Masoretes were Jewish scholars who between A.D. 500 and 950 gave the Old Testament the form that we use today. Until the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947, the oldest Hebrew text of the Old Testament was the Masoretic Aleppo Codex which dates to A.D. 935.{5}

With the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, we now had manuscripts that predated the Masoretic Text by about one thousand years. Scholars were anxious to see how the Dead Sea documents would match up with the Masoretic Text. If a significant amount of differences were found, we could conclude that our Old Testament Text had not been well preserved. Critics, along with religious groups such as Muslims and Mormons, often make the claim that the present day Old Testament has been corrupted and is not well preserved. According to these religious groups, this would explain the contradictions between the Old Testament and their religious teachings.

After years of careful study, it has been concluded that the Dead Sea Scrolls give substantial confirmation that our Old Testament has been accurately preserved. The scrolls were found to be almost identical with the Masoretic text. Hebrew Scholar Millar Burrows writes, “It is a matter of wonder that through something like one thousand years the text underwent so little alteration. As I said in my first article on the scroll, ‘Herein lies its chief importance, supporting the fidelity of the Masoretic tradition.'”{6}

A significant comparison study was conducted with the Isaiah Scroll written around 100 B.C. that was found among the Dead Sea documents and the book of Isaiah found in the Masoretic text. After much research, scholars found that the two texts were practically identical. Most variants were minor spelling differences, and none affected the meaning of the text.

One of the most respected Old Testament scholars, the late Gleason Archer, examined the two Isaiah scrolls found in Cave 1 and wrote, “Even though the two copies of Isaiah discovered in Qumran Cave 1 near the Dead Sea in 1947 were a thousand years earlier than the oldest dated manuscript previously known (A.D. 980), they proved to be word for word identical with our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The five percent of variation consisted chiefly of obvious slips of the pen and variations in spelling.”{7}

Despite the thousand year gap, scholars found the Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls to be nearly identical. The Dead Sea Scrolls provide valuable evidence that the Old Testament had been accurately and carefully preserved.

I hope that this post will help those who think that we can’t get back to the text of the original New Testament documents.

Go to the article

[strawberry-milktea]

What have you got against Mormons? You do know that they do worship Jesus. I see that you are spreading the word of Jesus but did you forget his great commandment about loving thy neighbor.

I had a feeling I would receive a message like this.

My question to you is did you read the entirety of my response and all the links I provided that explain exactly what is problematic about Mormonism? If you did, I’m genuinely confused how you wouldn’t see their beliefs as problematic. Mormonism rejects the core beliefs of Christianity and the Word. People are being deceived about who Christ truly is and how salvation is attained. They are believing a lie that salvation is achieved by works. They are accepting lies about who He is. They are rejecting the Word and adding to it, which the Word defines is a major punishable offense.

How am I not loving my neighbor by stating the truth about Mormonism? I state the truth because I love. I don’t say Mormonism is a false religion because I feel “superior” doing so. I don’t say it with any anger or disdain. I say it because I love those who are following deception and desire for them to see the truth of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. What would be unloving is if I were to say the people pleaser line that it doesn’t matter and they aren’t endangering themselves. What would be unloving is remaining silent when I was asked by someone how they can witness to a dear friend deceived by false doctrine so that they can truly know Christ.

Jesus explicitly warned us about false teachers and prophets. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, is an example of this. Yes, Jesus told us to love our neighbor - and part of loving our neighbor is saying the truth even if it’s not the easiest or most pleasant thing to hear. And that kind of love is exactly why the world hated Christ and nailed Him to the cross. He said the truth in love about things people didn’t want to hear.

Many people have this same misconception that you have - that stating the truth in love about something that may not be what people want to hear equates to having something against a person, disliking them, or even hating them. You often see the same reaction when Christians state that they don’t agree with homosexuality. While some people may make such statements with hate, not everyone is guilty of this. You may not believe me, but I know what my motives are and that they are genuine. I know that I don’t have anything against individuals who follow Mormonism and what I want most is for them to know who Christ truly is and the truth that comes from His Word.

Also, you state that Mormons worship Jesus. There are many false religions (even cults) that claim to worship Jesus. Claiming to follow Him doesn’t cancel out the fact that Mormonism rejects the Word, follows false doctrine that contradicts the Word, adds to/removes from the Word (which as I mentioned earlier, is a major offense in the Lord’s eyes), denies God’s triune nature, believes He is an “exalted man”, and believes works (and not faith alone in Christ) is how salvation is achieved. There are other problematic aspects that you can read more about in the links I provided in the previous ask.

The bottom line is if I see someone is following deception that can endanger them or I am asked about a deceptive doctrine, I will speak truthfully about it. You’re free to think what you want about me, but I know my own heart and why I say what I do - and He knows my heart and motives even better than I do.

If you want to discuss this further, please feel free to message me again.

[zillowcondo]

Curious Traveler Visits Salt Lake City

Winter is the perfect time to visit Salt Lake City. Snow-capped mountains and snow-topped rooftops, the holiday spirit still lingering in the air, and you’ll be thankful to discover that it’s a misconception that this Mormon town doesn’t serve some seriously good coffee. Phew! That was a close one.

There’s two main reasons to visit Salt Lake City: The Mormon Temple and the great skiing. Let’s bundle up & explore both.

Salt Lake Temple & Temple Square

In 1846, a group of pilgrims headed west from Nauvoo, Illinois, in search of their new Jerusalem. They chose a spot out in the untamed west, in a valley near a lake, and built their own Solomon’s Temple. Those people were Mormons, their new home was Salt Lake City, and their new church was Salt Lake Temple. Today, the Temple is beautifully surrounded by the 35-acre Temple Square.

Now, unless you are a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, you will not be allowed to enter the Temple, as it is considered a truly sacred place. But, you can take as many pictures as you like of the exterior. And its Gothic architecture is stunning, covering more than a quarter-million square feet. You can see the spires, reaching 223 feet into the heavens, from just about anywhere throughout downtown. Symbols to look for: the angel Moroni with his trumpet on top, the clasped hands of fellowship, and the all-seeing eye of God.

There’s lots more to see and do here at Temple Square. When you arrive, you will most likely be greeted by a pair of Mormon missionaries. My hosts were from Mongolia, two 19-year old girls, who were just as sweet as can be. Ask your hosts anything about the history of their church, and they’ll know it. Visitors are welcome to tour the grounds, the smaller, original church, now used as a fellowship hall, and you can go inside the Tabernacle, with daily free Organ Recitals. I loved the Recital. The organists are incredibly talented and friendly, and the performance includes a demonstration of the unique acoustics built into the structure. He or she will drop a pin, and tear a piece of paper at the Lecturn, and you’ll be able to hear it from any spot in the Tabernacle.

Outside the gates, you can also tour the massive LDS Conference Center, where the famous Christmas Concert is performed each year. Tickets are free, but done by lottery, so check the website around August each year. Then there’s the incredible LDS Family History Library, the world’s largest collection of free family trees, genealogy records and resources. This was definitely one of my favorite stops. It’s absolutely free, no appointment needed, you just walk on in, and the Sisters and Brothers will help you track down your family tree. When you leave, you get to keep the free online account you’ve created on FamilySearch.org, to continue your search from home. You never know what you’ll find!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow…

The second reason to visit Salt Lake City is for the skiing, even if you’re not an expert skiier. I checked out nearby Snowbird, just a quick drive up the mountain from downtown.

Nestled in the Wasatch Mountains, originally a silver mine, today Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort is home to a world-renowned Mountain School and plenty of family-friendly activities.

Even the drive up from Salt Lake City is fun. Be sure to take plenty of pictures and videos, as you wind your way up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Especially in the winter, all the little snow-covered towns and neighborhoods look like Santa’s Villages.

Once you’ve arrived, you basically have three choices for the day’s activities. One: Join your fellow ski and snowboard pros and spend the rest of the day gliding down incredible and challenging ski runs. Two: Enjoy the more leisurely activities, like the Aerial Tram Ride & walking trails. Three: park yourself in front of the massive windows at the Lodge Bistro, watch all the ski action in the heat, whilst snuggling up with some hot cocoa and a bucket of fries.

I chose Option #2.

You will love the Scenic Aerial Tram Ride. It takes you up to the 11,0000 foot tall Hidden Peak. In just ten minutes, you’ll travel 1.6 miles over stunning views of snow-capped slopes, Salt Lake Valley, and the mountain town of Alta.   Note to the vertigo-prone: keep in mind that you’ll be traveling up almost 3000 feet.

There’s also the Mountain School for all ages and skill levels, and enough ski runs to challenge even the most expert skiier. Fortunately, for those of us who just want to take in the gorgeous views, there’s some easy hiking/walking trails too. For a leisurely one-mile nature walk, start at the Snowbird Plaza, and mosey your way around to the observation deck overlooking the Gad Valley. Ahhh…..

Salt Is Good For You

Okay, maybe there’s a reason #3 to visit SLC: The Great Salt Lake. You can’t visit a city named after a lake, and not visit the lake, right? It’s a little bit of a drive from downtown, but you really should go. You can’t swim in it, but you can boat, kayak, and hike around it. The Great Salt Lake is 75 miles long and 35 miles wide, and is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi. Today’s lake is a remnant of an ancient lake that once covered most of western Utah. Why is it salty? Well, because it doesn’t have any tributaries to carry out the salt water.   And, just like the Dead Sea, yes, you can float like a cork here, because the saline content is so high. Just maybe not now, in the winter. Might be a little chilly.

Travel Tips:

The Salt Lake City Connect Pass gets you 50 – 80% select attractions. Perfect for traveling families.

No need to rent a car, UTA Trax Light Rail train will take you directly from the airport into the center of town…

Which is where you should book your hotel. Lots of major hotel chains to choose from in Downtown Salt Lake City. The main area is clean, well planned out, and walking distance to Temple Square, a huge outdoor mall, restaurants, all the major cultural attractions: concert venues, museums, and the SLC Visitors Center. There’s also a free trolley to get you around if your Uggs are making you say Ugh. Then, when it’s time to head up to the mountains to ski, take the Ski Bus, which has several convenient downtown stops.

What to Wear & Pack:

With temps in the 20s, 30s and 40s, now is the perfect time to snuggle up in your best coats & scarves. And you do not, I repeat, do not, want cold, wet feet up on those mountains.

My Picks:

The SCOTTeVEST Lola Puffer Jacket in Sparkle. It’s the Puffer that’s not too puffy. Will keep you warm, and no need for a purse with all the nifty hidden pockets!

Original Fit Ponte Perfect Zip-Pocket Jeggings in Black. I’m not normally a fan of leggings, but these actually look like pants, not tights, and paired with some wool tights will keep you super-warm and fashionable.

Bearpaw Foldable Travel Booties in Black. These will take you from plane to train to downtown, and dressy enough for Temple Square.

Fleece Zip-Pocket Scarf in Red & Touch Sensor Pocket Gloves, also in Red. I don’t know how I survived winter travel without these before!

The post Curious Traveler Visits Salt Lake City appeared first on Pursuitist.

Curious Traveler Visits Salt Lake City published first on http://bogouzunshang.tumblr.com/

[walburger-black]

How can a Mormon be a feminist? I'm not challenging you, I'm just genuinely interested.

idk how long this has been sat in my messages and I don’t know if you still want an answer but I’m going to answer it anyway bc it’s something I think a lot of people are confused about when it comes to being a Mormon 

also, I’m really grateful for you asking this, and I deffo do not think you’re trying to be challenging at all. It can be confusing 

(sorry to everyone who doesn’t want to read this, but it’s going to be loooong bc I cannot control myself and also i don’t know how to do that ‘read more’ line thingy very sorry)

Generally, when it comes to Mormons, the thing that most people are concerned about is that women can’t hold the priesthood. It doesn’t really help that whenever you ask women about this they’ll usually say ‘oh I don’t want to hold it, too much responsibility ehhh ;)’ and that drives me insane; most Mormon women don’t consider themselves feminists, but by virtue of being a Mormon - I’m sorry to break it to you - …. you are a feminist. 

The whole thing breaks down to two misconceptions:

1. That women are any less/men are any better for holding the priesthood

2. There is only one definition of feminism, which is the tumblr definition and absolutely anything else is WRONG and NOT FEMINISM

First of all, I’m gonna address the second point (bit of a weird order but go with me on this). So, there are different types of feminism. There are. It’s an ideology. You can say there aren’t, that the tumblr definition of it is all or nothing, but you would be wrong. Radical feminism, liberal feminism, etc. - these all exist. Difference feminism is the one I’m going to talk about; it means that women and men are fundamentally different, and so therefore total equality, AKA making women exactly like men, erases womanhood, etc. This doesn’t mean women should have any less rights than men, it’s just saying that treating them exactly the same would be a mistake.

This is basically the Church’s stance. Women are not the same as men, but this doesn’t make them any less. There are literally hundreds upon hundreds of talks I could link you to by General Presidencies (AKA, the people at the top) who talk about how wonderful women are. Famously, the Prophet Joseph Smith said “The Church was never perfectly organised until the women were thus organised”, AKA the Church wasn’t complete until the Relief Society (the women’s organisation) was included. The Daughters in My Kingdom Manual (the first chapter especially, but the rest is really good as well) explains a lot about women’s roles in the church, both now and when Jesus was on the Earth. A lot of crap is put on Eve as well, who most religious people supposedly hate bc she ate the apple first and whatnot, but there are actually lots of really good talks that explain she wasn’t awful, and that she knew what she was doing and that she had to do it; “We and all mankind are forever blessed because of Eve’s great courage and wisdom. By partaking of the fruit first, she did what needed to be done. Adam was wise enough to do likewise” - Elder Russell M. Nelson (this is quoted in part of President Henry B. Eyring’s talk, Daughter’s in the Covenant, which is an amazing read about women in the Church, and Eve too)

But anyway, I could literally go on forever about women in the Church and how amazing they are, but that’s not the point (it sort of is but w/e). Onto the Priesthood thing.

The Priesthood is sort of God’s power on the earth today, held by men in offices in the Church (e.g. bishops, stake presidents, stake patriarchs, the list is literally endless). This allows them to perform blessings, call people into positions of responsibility, baptise, seal (AKA, marry for eternity), etc. A lot of people think that, because women do not hold the priesthood, this shows that the Church is Wrong and Evil and Women-Hating when it just frankly is not. The fact is, and most people forget this, that the Priesthood doesn’t belong to men. It never has, and never will. The Priesthood is God’s power, and men are its vessels; they are not any greater for holding it. Men and women alike reap the benefits of the Priesthood. Women do not miss out on anything for not having it. The analogy I’m always told is that the Priesthood is like the sun; men have the power to open the curtains and let the light in, but they do not control the sun, and everyone can reap the benefits. I hope this makes sense.

(a rather less official thing I was told is that women are born with the power to do great things (bring souls into the world) but men had to be given something to make them better bc they were useless haha. I don’t know how true that is, and I think my leader who told me this just thinks men are useless anyway)

And women can still be called to positions of responsibility (e.g. Young Women and Relief Society leaders, teachers, etc.). I’m only 19 and I’m the youngest person I know who’s been called as a Sunday School teacher, which means I teach everyone over 18, my branch president (AKA bishop) and my parents included. Women don’t miss out on opportunities. We just have different roles to play within the Church. 

I hope this makes sense and I hope I don’t sound like I’m trying to make something sound feminist when it isn’t; it really is. Bottom line is, women and men are equal in the gospel. In the Handbook it says “The nature of male and female spirits is such that they complete each other. Men and women are intended to progress together toward exaltation.” We need each other. Men need women, just as women need men, and this is often the part of it that the world doesn’t seem to get. The rhetoric of ‘I don’t need no man’ is good and fun until you genuinely start believing that you don’t. You don’t need to dictate your life by romance and men who don’t deserve you, but women and men do need each other.

Or at least that’s what the Church thinks. 

And yes I am a feminist, because I know that women have an important role to play, not just in the Church but in the world. I’m a massive supporter of women’s rights (anyone who knows me would tell you this) and the Church doesn’t stop me doing this, it encourages me. 

This is probably a longer explanation than you were hoping for but I’m not really sorry. I think it’s something that’s been a big problem in miscommunication in general so this is my take on it. I hope you aren’t overwhelmed lol. If anyone wants any links to anything (especially to talks about women in the Church, bc they are incredible and inspiring) just hit me up. I’m always a loser attempting to procrastinate, so I could do with something to distract me.