Women and the Priesthood--Question for DCP

[_TAK]

BS.. You referred to it..

I neither mentioned BYU nor referred to BYU, and I didn't have BYU in mind.

I'm not sure why you want to insist on this, but you're wrong.

OK.. elaborate as to why “There was much more external pressure to change the priesthood policy in 1968 than there was in 1978.”

[_moksha]

The Community of Christ has broken with the Priesthood being granted solely to men. If they can do it, then we can do it. Society changes and the LDS Church changes too. We just change slower and require more incentive to change.

[_Daniel Peterson]

OK.. elaborate [note imperative verb] as to why “There was much more external pressure to change the priesthood policy in 1968 than there was in 1978.”

I think that the pressure was less in 1978 because outside observers simply assumed that the policy wasn't going to change in the foreseeable future. That was my assumption, as well. My impression is that critics had given up, for the most part.




.

[_TAK]

OK.. elaborate [note imperative verb] as to why “There was much more external pressure to change the priesthood policy in 1968 than there was in 1978.”

I think that the pressure was less in 1978 because outside observers simply assumed that the policy wasn't going to change in the foreseeable future. That was my assumption, as well. My impression is that critics had given up, for the most part.
.

The problem with your hypotheses is that if after 10 years critics gave up, then today they should equally not care or even care less. Do you really think the Church would not be under even greater pressure today?

[_Daniel Peterson]

The problem with your hypotheses is that if after 10 years critics gave up, then today they should equally not care or even care less. Do you really think the Church would not be under even greater pressure today?

I'm really not interested in hypotheses or extrapolations. You asked for an explanation, and I complied. But the point I actually made is based on my own experience during the period: External pressure subsided between 1968 and 1978. That has nothing to do with any wouldas, shouldas, or couldas. It's simply the way it was, explain it how you will.

[_evolving]

-- Which Prophets/Apostles changed between 1968 and 1978? -and- did these deaths/changes create an environment that allowed the reception and ratification of the "revelation"?.. I don't believe it was entirely Delbert L. Stapley's bias that hindered the "revelation" but after reading this 1964 letter - Delbert's position and the position of the Church is painfully obvious..


January 18, 1970
David O. McKay dies.
January 23, 1970
The First Presidency is reorganized, with Joseph Fielding Smith President, Harold B. Lee First Counselor, and N. Eldon Tanner Second Counselor. Harold B. Lee becomes President of the Quorum, with Spencer W. Kimball Acting President of the Quorum.
April 9, 1970
Boyd K. Packer ordained.
November 1, 1971
Richard L. Evans dies.
December 2, 1971
Marvin J. Ashton ordained.
July 2, 1972
Joseph Fielding Smith dies.
July 7, 1972
The First Presidency is reorganized, with Harold B. Lee President, N. Eldon Tanner First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney Second Counselor. Spencer W. Kimball becomes President of the Quorum.
October 12, 1972
Bruce R. McConkie ordained.
December 26, 1973
Harold B. Lee dies.
December 30, 1973
The First Presidency is reorganized, with Spencer W. Kimball President, N. Eldon Tanner First Counselor, and Marion G. Romney Second Counselor. Ezra Taft Benson is President of the Quorum.
April 11, 1974
L. Tom Perry ordained.
December 2, 1975
Hugh B. Brown dies.
January 8, 1976
David B. Haight ordained.
March 5, 1977
Alvin R. Dyer dies. Although Dyer was an ordained Apostle, he was never made a member of the Quorum.
August 19, 1978
Delbert L. Stapley dies.
October 1, 1978
James E. Faust ordained.

[_harmony]

Daniel--

I was going to ask you a question on Harmony's thread, but decided that it is probably a subject that deserves its own thread to explore:

In the early days of the Church, women were allowed to give blessings, and held a much more active role in the priesthood. It more closely resembled the way women utilize the priesthood in the temple, but even to a stronger degree.

It seems that when Brigham Young began organizing the Church out West, many of his cultural views skewed what Joseph had set up as far as the role of women in the Church.

You might want to read Women and Authority, edited by Maxine Hanks. (I think this is the book that got her excommunicated). It's online: http://www.signaturebookslibrary.org/wo ... uction.htm

My main question is....Do you see the priesthood hierarchy eventually changing? I have always felt that women would eventually hold the priesthood in a similar way that the men hold it. It seems that the differences between men and women in this regard were more cultural than spiritual.

Read Chapter 17.

[_ludwigm]

I said nothing about BYU.

OK, we've got it.
It is forbidden to You to say something negative about BYU.

[_TAK]

I'm really not interested in hypotheses or extrapolations. You asked for an explanation, and I complied. But the point I actually made is based on my own experience during the period: External pressure subsided between 1968 and 1978...

I see .. your experience.. So what were those experiences that lead you to conclude “There was much more external pressure to change the priesthood policy in 1968 than there was in 1978.” ?

Additionally - if not upon BYU, where was this external pressure applied to the Church?