Concern about Church from a Young Girl

[_Pollypinks]

I agree with God, save one comment. The middle class will be gone in 10 years. Then it will be more obvious to the conservatives that we have indeed always had a class system.

[_schreech]

My young daughter has expressed to me two concerns which keep bugging her:

1. She doesn't think the Church should interfere with gay marriages outside the Church.

2. She says the Church is chauvinistic and that girls as well as boys should be able to hold the priesthood.

I haven't encouraged her or discouraged her when she shares these thoughts. They do seem normal for any 12 year old LDS girl who is naturally idealistic. Given time she may learn to either stifle these thoughts and be sweet and pure in a cookie-cutter fashion or keep her concerns and be a person true to her own innate sense of right and wrong.

Do you think the educational system is pumping our children's heads with notions of justice and fair play?

.

Darn those universal notions "of justice and fair play":)...as the father or 3 girls under the age of 12, your post made me happy and sad at the same time...My oldest is starting to sense (and question) the inequality prevalent in the LDS church even though she only goes once or twice a month to make her mother happy....I don't see her wanting to attend once she becomes too old to be interested in the bribes her teachers bring each week but she feels guilty not wanting to go because her mother likes to occasionally go...I do love the questions they are starting to come home with though...

[_why me]

Darn those universal notions "of justice and fair play":)...as the father or 3 girls under the age of 12, your post made me happy and sad at the same time...My oldest is starting to sense (and question) the inequality prevalent in the LDS church even though she only goes once or twice a month to make her mother happy....I don't see her wanting to attend once she becomes too old to be interested in the bribes her teachers bring each week but she feels guilty not wanting to go because her mother likes to occasionally go...I do love the questions they are starting to come home with though...

And will be out of the LDS church bring her more equality in her life? At the moment, your daughters are learning certain values and principles that many young girls do not learn: Treat your body as a temple of god. Not bad advice for young ladies. Wouldn't you agree? And what about the encouragement to get an education? Not bad advise either.

Or would you prefer your now 12 year old to be having sex at the age of 15 like many teenagers these days? Are these teenagers being taught about equality?

[_jon]

Or would you prefer your now 12 year old to be having sex at the age of 15 like many teenagers these days? Are these teenagers being taught about equality?

What is it that makes you think that teenage sex is less prevalent among Mormons than Non - Mormons - what percentage of Non Mormon teenagers have sex and what is the percentage for Mormon teenagers?
Or are you just making stuff up to fit what you believe?

Are these teenagers being taught about equality?

I think it's a well established fact that teenagers learn more about equality from sources outside the Church than do from within it. Here is an example of the kind of 'equality' the Church teaches it's young women:
Explain that as women, the class members should have two vocations in mind: first, being a homemaker; and second, doing something that will allow them to earn money to support a family if that should become necessary. Many women also find that before they are married or after the children are reared, there is time to be productive in a vocation.
(Young Women Manual 3)

Also from the manual:
“The priesthood is the power and authority of God. It existed with Him in the beginning and will continue to exist throughout all eternity (see D&C 84:17). By it He creates, sustains, governs, redeems, and exalts.''
So young Mormon women are taught that they cannot themselves Create, Sustain, Govern, Redeem or Exalt and that they do not have the power and authority of God. Sound equal?


In comparison:
In 2010, the European Union opened the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania to promote gender equality and to fight sex discrimination.
www.eige.europa.eu
These are the key items of their strategy :-
1. Equal Economic Independance
2. Equal Pay
3. Equality in Decision Making
4. Dignity, Integrity and an end to gender based violence

Now why me, perhaps you will peruse this organisations website and compare the work that they are doing on equality with that of the Church.
Perhaps you may also review the curriculum currently being taught within schools and colleges in your area about sexual equality and see how that compares with the Church.

The Church follows the world, dragging its feet and sulking like a naughty little 6 year old being forced to go to...well...Church...

Just like it did on racial equality.

[_why me]

In comparison:
In 2010, the European Union opened the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) in Vilnius, Lithuania to promote gender equality and to fight sex discrimination.
http://www.eige.europa.eu
These are the key items of their strategy :-
1. Equal Economic Independance
2. Equal Pay
3. Equality in Decision Making
4. Dignity, Integrity and an end to gender based violence

Now why me, perhaps you will peruse this organisations website and compare the work that they are doing on equality with that of the Church.
Perhaps you may also review the curriculum currently being taught within schools and colleges in your area about sexual equality and see how that compares with the Church.

The Church follows the world, dragging its feet and sulking like a naughty little 6 year old being forced to go to...well...Church...

Just like it did on racial equality.

Yes, the book sounds good as do other books. But practice is rather different. Lithuania is a very patriarchical society. There is no such thing as gender equality anywhere in the world. But it is on the books of some countries. And what about in america where such classes are taught? I still see gross inequality. To have gender equality one must struggle for a socialist feminist vison for society. Then, we have a chance.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/femin ... inisms.htm

Also, what exactly is gender equality? And who defines it? In capitalism the concept becomes nothing more than mental masturbation. It feels good to write about it...to encourage it...but not very practical because the system discourages equality.

[_MrStakhanovite]

They are being taught that there is no absolute truth and that metanarratives no longer work. They are learning the 'wisdom' of postmodernity.

I wish this myth would die.

[_Morley]

They are being taught that there is no absolute truth and that metanarratives no longer work. They are learning the 'wisdom' of postmodernity.

I wish this myth would die.

It won't. It's too useful.

[_daheshism]

"Community of Christ" (formerly: The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) allows gay marriage (not officially, but "ignored" it), and they give their priesthood to men and women both.

Tell the Young Girl to join "Community of Christ". They have 300,000 members.

My young daughter has expressed to me two concerns which keep bugging her:

1. She doesn't think the Church should interfere with gay marriages outside the Church.

2. She says the Church is chauvinistic and that girls as well as boys should be able to hold the priesthood.

I haven't encouraged her or discouraged her when she shares these thoughts. They do seem normal for any 12 year old LDS girl who is naturally idealistic. Given time she may learn to either stifle these thoughts and be sweet and pure in a cookie-cutter fashion or keep her concerns and be a person true to her own innate sense of right and wrong.

Do you think the educational system is pumping our children's heads with notions of justice and fair play?

.

[_Jhall118]

I never learned about postmodernism until I got to college- and quickly rejected it. I think anyone that thinks postmodernism is alive and well probably was educated in a very specific time period (I bet I could even guess it!), and it's sad that you think it is still being spouted today.

[_Jhall118]

They are being taught that there is no absolute truth and that metanarratives no longer work. They are learning the 'wisdom' of postmodernity.

I wish this myth would die.

Which myth? That postmodernism is alive and well? From what I understand (I am not a philosopher, but a scientist) it died in philosophy some time ago. Or is the myth that it is being taught to children today? I certainly don't think that is the case.

I graduated High school post 2000, I certainly never heard it in any of my courses, and admittedly, never even knew what it was until my Freshman year in college. I don't think it is part of the average curriculum.