MaggieM

No one has the same role in this life. That's a ridiculous notion. Not everyone has the opportunity for marriage or parenthood. So if I don't understand it they way you do, I am automatically wrong? That's a pretty broad brush of judgement. What if the man has a disfigurement that makes him less attractive, so he has a hard time finding someone to marry? Is he less worthy? Or he has problems with depression? That doesn't make him less worthy, but might make being married difficult. +..

Okay, but doesn't then the priesthood take fathers out of the homes and make them less effective? And really, do you believe someone who has no desire to be a parent should in fact be a parent? How horrible for the child who is unwanted. Life isn't one size fits all. It can't be - and doesn't have anything to do with humility. You could have legitimate reasons for not marrying. Perhaps there just was no one you met that you were compatible with, or you realize you have personal difficulties that would make marriage and parenthood impossible for you. And having children has a lot to do with biology, not going with God's will. I know women who have a difficult time because they can't easily concieve.

Yes, but not every woman is married, or can have children - or even wants to. what about them? Isn't fatherhood a big job as well? Why is it okay to take a father away for priesthood duties but not a mother? Another part of thinks women are lucky for not having to attend all those meetings. :)

okay, you can think that. I just believe that our biology takes over and tells us that incest isn't a good idea because that would be a genetic disaster.

I don't see why women cannot hold the priesthood, so I wouldn't mind if that happened. There is no reason why a woman can't place her hands and bless her sick child instead of calling her hometeacher late at night to come over, or being a part of her child's baby blessing. I also don't think there is anything wrong with giving women a more prominant role in the church. Letting women pray in General Conference was a step forward in that respect. Well, it seems like women weren't ordained per say, but they were allowed to give priesthood blessings.

No, it isn't actually - they gave actual blessings, not just a mother's prayer of healing.

That women in the early days were documented to have gave healing blessings. Joseph wanted the Relief Society to be "a kingdom of priests". Eliza Snow said this: Is it necessary for sisters to be set apart to officiate in the sacred ordinances of washing, anointing, and laying on of hands in administering to the sick? It certainly is not. Any and all sisters who honor their holy endowments, not only have right, but should feel it a duty, whenever called upon to administer to our sisters in these ordinances, which God has graciously committed to His daughters as well as to His sons; and we testify that when administered and received in faith and humility they are accompanied with almighty power (To the Branches of Relief Society, Women's Exponant, 1884)

The truth is that this essay caused a faith crisis I am still trying to naviagate from. If the ban was due to the racism of the time (logical since it was America in the 1800s), why did it need a revelation to stop the ban? Why did so many of the leaders proclaimed that it was from God and that it was due to the curse of Cain?

well, I think that reaction is from our biological revulsion for having sex with close family members. We instinctively know that that causes genetic problems.

Yes women administered in the early church. There are documents that show that they laid their hands on the sick.

Well, there is alot of things I wouldn't want to come back from Bibical days. The punishments (mostly death) don't fit the crime, like killing adulterers and homosexuals. There really isn't any solution that fits everyone....So that is why I do believe in grey areas that aren't narrow. You don't know why people do things - alot of times we ourselves don't know. We aren't mind readers, nor do we always understand what a person went through or if they have any mental disabilities that cause them to act out or not act normally. Our outward actions don't always show our righteousness. Our love and heart does.