I especially loved the comment near the end that reminded us to consider what God’s Word says about equality: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In terms of the priesthood, if we admit that we have one high priest who is Christ Jesus: “Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” doesn’t that offer us the freedom to ask the bigger questions you were describing?

Maybe questions like, “With an eternal High Priest already in place, is there a need for any priests within the church to intercede on our behalf any longer? “Or is it possible that any priesthood to which we can now attain is more a designation of believers in Christ who decide to offer their bodies up as living sacrifices rather than those previously required by human priests?

Thanks for a though-provoking podcast!

I think it’s really only the last year I have REALLY started to feel I am NOT in the in club, even more so when we changed Bishops. I had a really good relationship with both previous Bishops, but am having a strong feeling of not being good enough. We just don’t connect.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, and its my understanding it is much more liberal here than say in Utah. Still I think I may be the only liberal feminist in my ward. I have been eating up all of the Mormon podcasts for several years, especially this one.

I have been afraid to raise my voice, to be even further ostracized. I was too afraid of pants day. No one in my ward wore pants. I do have some friends, my visiting and home teachers are wonderful. I think I am hitting that point of faith crises or cognitive dissonance.

I am so grateful to this project, to know there are other people out there like me. I have decided to come further out of the closet. I don’t want to be afraid to speak out in my own church, to called up in front of a council of men and justify my beliefs.

I was a Pagan for many years, but I wanted a church, Paganism didn’t meet all of my spiritual needs, or any of my children’s. The one thing I had as a Pagan, or Wiccan, was Priesthood. I was a Priestess, I believed and still do believe that I have the power in myself to interact with deity, to bless and to make decisions without a man to validate it.

I have had a very hard time even going to Sacrament for the last couple of months. I made it yesterday, but I got absolutely nothing out of it. I have considered leaving, as the elderly woman I take care of has. For now, I guess I am thinking if I just keep showing up, come out of the closet as a feminist, in the way which feels right to me. Maybe, just maybe I can learn to be a friend to someone else who also doesn’t fit in, or be part of some change.

What I know for sure is if I do leave, I will have NO influence or chance of influence, even if it’s just making someone else less uncomfortable with their tatoo since I don’t hide mine. I gave up wearing jewelry the way I like to, because President Hinckly said I should only wear one pair of earrings and modest jewelry. I refuse to believe Heavenly Father gives a darn how many earrings I wear.

My tattoo is a small sun and moon scene on my ankle. AS Donna and I hadn’t been to church for more than 3 weeks, we have been seeing the missionaries a lot more. One of them actually commented on my tatoo. He wasn’t derogatory about it, but it still made me feel very uncomfortable. I guess it was even strange to me that a missionary was checking out my ankles…

I don’t know if I am making sense, but I am really being touched by this podcast in particular, and I am not having fun at church or in the temple.

Speaking of the temple, the priesthood always makes sure to invite me to a sealing session at least once a year. Some officiators won’t even let me do a sealing because I am not married. I know that isn’t doctrine either, but my last sealing session was very boring and uncomfortable. I think I got sealed as a child once that night. I have had very special experiences in the Temple, but this last sealing session really wasn’t one of them.

Thanks for the great podcast. I am going to keep listening, join the facebook page, and see what I can do to help other women and myself feel more comfortable.

Fran

John,
I would like to ask you for some clarification. Really clarification from all the panelists. John you are the one that said this but you all seem to agree. Saying someone looks hot is always sexist. I agree saying that someone’s looks is their only or most important value is degrading, and given our cultural history to say this about a woman is sexist. That being said acknowledging someone is attractive or even sexy is not necessarily saying this is their only value or their most important. I would think this depends on ones relationship and even how it is said also the context it is said in. We are sexual beings. Our sexuality is not at all the only part of who we are, but do really need to divorce ourselves from our sexuality or the recognition of someones sexual attractiveness in order to not be sexist? Is the only way we can be sexual beings is to objectify someone else? Or saying they are merely an object for our enjoyment, whether literally or figuratively? I would say these things are wrong. As a strait man I appreciate when my friends male or female, gay or strait tell me I look good, cute, or hot. Maybe because of my physical appearance or because I am a man this is because it does not happen very often. But I do know woman gay and strait that seem to appreciate this as well. That being said I have seen and heard these things said in degrading and creepy ways and I agree this is wrong, but I do believe there is a place for these complements in our relations with others, and not just our lovers. Please tell me were I am off.

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Another thing is that our leaders would get really uptight about some things — I remember a big deal being made about a skit the girls did where a bug flies in their bra and then they make friends with him. The thing that was deemed “disrespectful” was that the bug had been named Jim (for rhyming purposes, mind you) — the same given name as our stake president. Also, I remember several camp songs being banned for being suggestive or violent. And looking back, some sexist lyrics:

A man without a Mormon girl
Is like a ship without a sail
it’s like a boat without a rudder
It’s like a fish wihout a tail

A man without a Mormon girl
Is like a wreck upon the sand
There’s only one thing worse in this universe
And that’s a Mormon girl without a man!
(We oughta knoooow)

Thanks for the podcast!

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I was just released after being our ward camp director for many years. We alternate between ward and stake camp. I love ward camp! I tried to choose places that appealed to everyone – we had flush toilets but slept in tents or we might do our hikes before going to camp so we could stay near a lake and swim. We ate well, sang the camp songs, and encouraged girl power. At our testimony meetings we encouraged girls to share one thing they learned at camp, one thing they were grateful for, and one thing they knew to be true. We went around a circle and those who wanted to participate did, those who didn’t want to didn’t have to. This really helped prevent the out-of-control dares and stories.

I hate stake camp! They always go to Heber Valley, which is convenient, but isn’t really camping. There are always cabins whose leaders bring tons of extra cutsie crafts and food, but they don’t share. Other girls get stuck with the ornery fun-sucking leaders. The schedule is tight and there were years where some groups of girls missed out on some fun activities due to weather, but they couldn’t be rescheduled for later. There was also a lot more pressure to participate and perform spiritually.

Thanks for helping me remember those years!

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/60710-looking-for-the-cross-in-all-the-wrong-places/page__hl__%2Blooking+%2Bfor+%2Bthe+%2Bcross