When will the LDS church grant women the priesthood?

[_Aristotle Smith]

MsJack,

I appreciate the list. I think it would be great to have all of it. However, most of those items open a can of worms.

Let's first tackle the personal interview thing. Many Mormon men have egos that would not stand for a woman interviewing them. They would die before allowing such a "disgrace" to their manhood. This includes men at the top. But maybe the younger generation could handle it?

Next, ward clerk. Often times, these guys spend hours working 1 on 1 with another guy in a small room after hours. Could the church change things to prevent a man and woman from touching each other "inappropriately" or prevent the guy from viewing this new ward clerk as walking porn? I'm joking but you know the church would not allow such liberties between the sexes. They would have to start trusting them somehow...

Next, SP counselor: do you really think the church would allow a woman to spend 15 hours per week with two or three other men administering over the stake? This usually takes place after hours in closed rooms.

I could go down the list but you see my point.

The church is VERY careful to never have men and women pairs in seclusion, except in the case of bishop/SP interviews.

MsJack is a member of a denomination which allows for male or female clergy. So, I am fairly certain that these kinds of situations arise all the time without concomitant dress stains and massive outbreaks of pregnancy.

At my local church the head youth pastor is a female, the assistant youth pastor is a male. Both are in their twenties. Both look like they wouldn't have much of a problem getting laid if they chose that option. Yet, no one seems to be very worried about the situation.

Are Mormons really so sexually starved/immature that this stuff is going to be a problem?

[_Mephitus]

Are Mormons really so sexually starved/immature that this stuff is going to be a problem?

Do we have to pull out the licked cupcake lesson again?

Short answer is, yes in my opinion. Every youth conference and priesthood meeting that i can remember this kind of stuff was addressed. Its not nearly as oppressive as i see muslims take it. But they are still very afraid of impropriety.

[_MsJack]

Zeez, I'm not sure I understand where you're going with this. Are you playing devil's advocate, or do you really think these constitute good arguments against giving women the priesthood?

I'm aware that there are Mormon men who would not like being interviewed one-on-one by a woman. I'm aware that there are Mormon men who have other issues with giving women the priesthood or seeing women perform priesthood tasks. There must be at least fifteen men in the Mormon church who have issues with giving women the priesthood, otherwise women would have it. I really can't say what the reason is, and whether it's "arrogance" as you suggest, but I think it's a given that it's there.

But there are also Mormon women who don't like being interviewed one-on-one by a man. They put up with it because they have to. They've learned to adjust. I suggest that Mormon men in the converse situation would do the same.

I've heard the whole "propriety" argument before. Point in fact, it happens on the campus of my divinity school with single male students not wanting to ride in cars with female students because they don't want to be alone with a woman. I think that the men who make these rules are seriously lacking in perspective. It's easy for male students to make rules like this because there are so many of them and refusing to ride in cars with women does not significantly reduce their ride prospects. For the female students? Finding rides can be hell. If I had rules against being alone with members of the opposite sex, I'd have to skip all kinds of visitations with professors in their offices and lunches with colleagues because the fields I move in are so male-dominated. Men make rules like this primarily out of self-interest, and they usually do it without any thought for how much it inconveniences women.

I think that if women worked more regularly with men, people would stop seeing sexual tension in the situation and learn to accept it as normal. That's what it's like for the staff at my church, which has a female senior pastor and members of both sexes serving in pastoral and administrative positions. No sex scandals thus far; pretty sure that the baby my pastor had while serving as senior pastor is her husband's.

But if Mormons are really, really concerned about mixed gender interactions with women serving in such callings, and just can't come to see mixed gender interactions as normal and healthy, they could simply change the entire guard to the gender of the bishop or stake president every time a new one is called, and rotate regularly. Ta-da. Problem solved.

Honestly though, if it's really so bad for women to be alone with men, then no woman should ever be alone for a bishop's interview. Mormons accept that kind of mixed-gender interaction because they've acclimatized themselves to see it as normal. They could do the same for other types of mixed-gender interaction if they wanted to.

[_zeezrom]

Are Mormons really so sexually starved/immature that this stuff is going to be a problem?

hi Aristotle.

In general, No.

However, the leadership does not trust its members.

So, the question is, when will the leadership begin to trust its members?

[_zeezrom]

MsJack,
Yeah I'm playing devil's advocate. If women could hold the priesthood, Mormonism would suddenly be more enticing for me. In fact, I would seriously consider going back to church if it happened.

[_harmony]

Jack, I'm not sure you know enough Mormon men. I can not imagine any male of any age over 12 years in my ward sitting in the bishop's office, and having her ask him if he masturbates.

Never going to happen. Ever. Women may eventually be given a limited priesthood, but at no time will they ever hold leadership positions.

[_MsJack]

Harmony ~ I never said anything about Mormon women actually getting the priesthood, I'm only pointing out what would change if they did and why some of the arguments against it aren't very good.

I think most of the guesses in this thread on what would have to happen for policy to change are way off.

[_why me]

Never. What is amazing is just what exmos use to justify their exmo status. Women have power in the church. In fact, they have a lot of power in the home. Women are the watchperson of what comes into the home and what doesn't. They are the gatekeepers and occupy an important position in the family. They can also receive personal revelation in regards to the family.

If one does a random check as to whether or not women want the priesthood, most would say no. Why? Because of the responsibility having the priesthood entails.

[_zeezrom]

MsJack,

I also think there are fundamental Mormon doctrinal issues blocking the road to female priesthood. The RLDS might be there in 10 years but they have the doctrinal liberties to pull it off.

[_zeezrom]

Giving LDS women the priesthood would be EARTH SHATTERING. It would totally change the church to the point that it would not be recognizable today.