She read an article against the Mormon Church's treatment of women. Not sure why. If you find it offensive, quit reading it. Like I did with her post. (I am told that later on she makes herself clear, but I chose to stop reading. Because I thought she made herself pretty clear in the beginning and middle.) She writes about how women are not in fact ever told by the Mormon Church to be subservient, like this article suggests, and then to prove her point she goes on to quote what our covenant actually IS in the temple. Now, I'm new around here, but I'm pretty sure they make it nutty clear that's not super cool. Also, she says that the wording in the covenant is purely ceremonial, really. And anyway she doesn't know any families really like that and what she believes is that women are really in charge. Like, *wink*.
She also then goes on to say that she can't speak for Utah women because she doesn't know what it's like in Utah homes. But she is pretty sure that, and I quote, "When President Gordon B. Hinckley speaks out in General Conference about Mormons not being arrogant about all they believe and have, I believe he's talking to Utah. (Because when you are a minority as a Mormon, you can't afford to be arrogant about it.)"
Aaaand that's where I quit reading. Because...what the crap?
Once when I went to a Fast and Testimony meeting in Colorado I couldn't believe what I heard. A man stood up and said some very ignorant and rude comments about Utah Mormons. It was the first time I had even heard of the concept of a "Utah" Mormon. I totally thought we were all in this together. But the loving and smart member I was with just went over and told him he appreciated his comments and talked to him until the guy asked where my friend was from, and he said proudly, Utah.
So very quickly, because the only way to handle a hot potato is to drop it, I will make my point. To swiftly and effectively defeat an opponent, divide and conquer.
Article of Faith # 13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.
And so, trying my hardest to follow this even though it's frikkin hard at this very moment, I'll just say, Amen.
7 comments:
I get what she was trying to say, BUT, I am also very territorial about my state, my county, and my town. I despise the "Utah Mormon" thing, because I don't think it's a reality.
Glad you blogged about this.
I grew up my WHOLE life with people brainwashing me about "Utah Mormons." And so, by the time I was fourteen or so, I totally bought into it. And so I was naturally terrified to live here after college. And then, Ben and I kept moving into amazing ward after amazing ward (the one we're in is the most amazing yet!) and I realized that it was all lies. And yeah, I still hear it outside of Utah. And when I move out there again, I'm not going to let them say it twice!
I used to think that way (to a degree) because, like Hailey, it was a sort-of brainwashing; people just talked about it ALL THE TIME. I even strutted about it when I first moved here.
Now I know better. It's truly such a naive way to think, really superficial. Plus, my kids are from Utah, so I don't want to hear it.
Hailey, that ward is amazing. That is the ward I lived in during the worst time of my life and those people took every interest in me and my situation even though my family was not active in the church. The person I was talking about confronting that guy in Colorado, was a counselor in the bishopric in that ward at the time. I was traveling with their family. There is no such thing as a typical Utah Mormon. It's a total fabrication to divide us. And it's working. The term alone is arrogant. What the prophet warned against. Not being arrogant about your beliefs. Some out of staters believing that they are cooler or different than those in Utah. That is arrogant and it's funny that her thinking was the other way around.
And, thanks J...you make great points. I don't want to hear it said about my lil uns, either.
Just to be the devils advocate----I have been in my parent's ward in Utah and heard a woman give her testimony about those people that live in the "mission field" and how they have such a hard time because they don't live in "Zion"----she was horrified how anyone could deal with so much evil living anywhere else than Utah. As if I am fighting off evil people every day out here in New England and that every Mormon must be stupid to live in the "mission field".
So----it goes both ways.
Just sayin'.
Whoops! My alter ego came out again!
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