Women will pray in April Conference?

[Backroads]

Bu that's the point. Why the assumption that they are valuing it above Church and the Gospel? Unless we know the specific situations of each one of these sisters, and know their hearts and intentions, what we are actually doing (perhaps unintentionally) is judging them unrighteously.

You're right. It is an assumption I shouldn't be making.

This is no excuse, but I have lurked around such areas and have seen women, quite a few, who DO put this sort of stuff above everything else. On the priesthood note, I have seen women who are fighting to get the priesthood. Women on this particular spectrum do not seem to be looking at the Gospel in the proper light, but rather making it something they can mold to fit their personal taste.

Granted, intellectually I realize these women are a very small minority I need to pretty much ignore. But I would be lying if I said it didn't get to me or affect my view of this group in general.

To be blunt, some of these women are making the rest look bad.

[Backroads]

Further thoughts on this...

To reiterate my feelings from the last few threads on this subject:

~I have absolutely no problem with whomever says the prayer, be they male or female.

~I have absolutely no problem with going through the correct channels with a concern or even an opinion.

If conferences comes about and a woman says a prayer, awesome. But I probably won't think too hard about the marvel of this woman praying, nor be disappointed if a woman does not pray.

But if a women does give a prayer and there is a big to-do about it afterwards (do I have to sit through news reports about Sister So-n-So's monumental prayer-giving?) and certain groups and peoples loudly begin to praise themselves for getting Sister So-n-So up to say a prayer, I WILL be ticked off.

[Jenamarie]

Further thoughts on this...

To reiterate my feelings from the last few threads on this subject:

~I have absolutely no problem with whomever says the prayer, be they male or female.

~I have absolutely no problem with going through the correct channels with a concern or even an opinion.

If conferences comes about and a woman says a prayer, awesome. But I probably won't think too hard about the marvel of this woman praying, nor be disappointed if a woman does not pray.

But if a women does give a prayer and there is a big to-do about it afterwards (do I have to sit through news reports about Sister So-n-So's monumental prayer-giving?) and certain groups and peoples loudly begin to praise themselves for getting Sister So-n-So up to say a prayer, I WILL be ticked off.

I've actually been lurking around some of the FB pages of this movement, and it seems like the next "campaign", if indeed a sister does pray, is a "Thank you letter" campaign to the same people they wrote the original letters to. I haven't seen anything mentioned about if a woman *doesn't* pray.

[Backroads]

I've actually been lurking around some of the FB pages of this movement, and it seems like the next "campaign", if indeed a sister does pray, is a "Thank you letter" campaign to the same people they wrote the original letters to. I haven't seen anything mentioned about if a woman *doesn't* pray.

I suppose I see nothing wrong with the idea of thank-you letters--is that not the polite thing to do if you have reason to suspect the letters were the cause? (Which in this case, if Sister So-n-So gives the prayer, would be). I just think it should be kept low-key and reasonable.

[pam]

I've actually been lurking around some of the FB pages of this movement, and it seems like the next "campaign", if indeed a sister does pray, is a "Thank you letter" campaign to the same people they wrote the original letters to. I haven't seen anything mentioned about if a woman *doesn't* pray.

To me it's just boosting their ego to move on to the next campaign. Whatever that might be.

[Backroads]

To me it's just boosting their ego to move on to the next campaign. Whatever that might be.

I would really worry about this being the case if it does wind up being a big to-do instead of just a "hey, perhaps you should follow up with a thank-you letter, if you'd like".

I have to say I lean towards pam's worry, though.

[pam]

My other thought is..where is the line drawn? I realize many have said they support these kinds of things to show compassion for those women that don't feel equal in the church. But when does it turn from that reasoning to "let's see how far we can push it?" kind of mentality.

[Jenamarie]

To me it's just boosting their ego to move on to the next campaign. Whatever that might be.

Seriously? Thanking someone for something they did is boosting one's ego? I'd always thought it was the way to express appreciation and gratitude.

[Jenamarie]

I would really worry about this being the case if it does wind up being a big to-do instead of just a "hey, perhaps you should follow up with a thank-you letter, if you'd like".

I have to say I lean towards pam's worry, though.

The "hey we should follow up with a thank you note" was the vibe I got from what I read.

[Just_A_Guy]

Perhaps; though I've also read (I had some rowdy scouts at one point, and read a borrowed book on managing behavior problems in children in classroom settings) that following up an act of obedience with a "thank you" subtly reinforces the hierarchy of authority that you've just established.

We'll see.

[Bini]

The woman invited to pray at General Conference should wear a lovely pair of slacks too.

[Jenamarie]

The woman invited to pray at General Conference should wear a lovely pair of slacks too.

BOTH sides of this controversy would be raising a post-Conference broo-ha-ha then!

[pam]

Seriously? Thanking someone for something they did is boosting one's ego? I'd always thought it was the way to express appreciation and gratitude.

In most situations yes. My opinion in this situation? No.

[MorningStar]

The most important issue is being overlooked anyway. I want the right to set up metal chairs for everything that requires metal chairs. It hurts my self-esteem when I see the men doing it.

[pam]

The most important issue is being overlooked anyway. I want the right to set up metal chairs for everything that requires metal chairs. It hurts my self-esteem when I see the men doing it.

You go right ahead. Then men do such a great job of it. They've had years of practice.

[mikbone]

I hope the woman they pick to say the prayer is a sunbeam.

[carlimac]

Well, I wouldn't want to be the woman saying the prayer at conference. Too much pressure. She better not say anything embarrassing and blow it for all these women who have their hopes and dreams hanging on this. (As if this is their only hope and dream and the end of the begging and whining.) What if she clams up or forgets the name of the prophet or calls it morning when it's afternoon while 1600 + hopeful women are listening. Whew! Not good.

[Vort]

I simply do not agree with the following:

* Using social activist tactics to affect change in the Church = Covenant breaking.

I am not forcing or coercing the apostles to do anything. I am simply letting my voice be heard.

Can you explain to me why using social activist tactics to affect change in the Church is necessarily covenant breaking?

We are under covenant to sustain our leaders. Inciting public opposition to them or to the way they lead the Church is the opposite of sustaining them.

[Vort]

The most important issue is being overlooked anyway. I want the right to set up metal chairs for everything that requires metal chairs. It hurts my self-esteem when I see the men doing it.

I want a Father's Lounge, with overstuffed chairs, a 65" TV, and a minifridge stocked with caffeine-free Mountain Dew (which I have heard they sell in Canada).

[RipplecutBuddha]

I think issues like this tend to tease the edges of testimonies.

-is this an important issue to you?

-why?

-does your membership hinge on this one issue?

-why?

-if you see yourself on the 'loosing' side of this issue, will it matter?

-why?

Here's the thing. We're supposed to ground our testimony on the principles and doctrines of Christ's gospel, not on how he decides his church will operate. At the end of the day, no matter who says a prayer, the Gospel is still true, Joseph Smith was still the prophet of the restoration, and the Book of Mormon is still the word of God, as is the Bible.

If something like this is 'rattling' your testimony, you really need to re-ground yourself on what will be discussed at the great and pleasing bar of Christ. Who gave conference prayers will not be one of those items.

I'm done.

[Guest]

And it would only take one of those people to decide that your concern wasn't important, or to just forget to forward your concern, to have your concern not reach the intended ears of the person who can actually address them ETA: even if the person at the end of the line might actually agree with the original person that it *is* a concern, as looks like may be the case here, if indeed women have been asked to pray in the next conference in response to having heard some members' concerns.

The weaknesses and human frailty of God's chosen leaders is not enough reason to thwart the organization which God established.

That is, IF, you truly believe God established such organization and not that it was just a matter that came out of Joseph Smith's head.

And to say that a woman praying in conference was made possible ONLY because AllEnlisted went outside the line of proper authority shows a lack of faith in our leadership. Which really makes me wonder if these LDS women really believe that God established the organization of this Church and gave these people the keys to His Kingdom knowing that he is handing the keys to a bunch of people saddled with human frailties.

I don't bat an eyelash when this type of thing happens in the Catholic Church (which it constantly does) as I can just point to my belief that the organization of the Catholic Church is not how God wants to establish the line of authority of His Kingdom. For this to happen in the LDS Church though... it's hypocritical.

Edited March 20, 2013 by anatess

[mikbone]

I want a Father's Lounge, with overstuffed chairs, a 65" TV, and a minifridge stocked with caffeine-free Mountain Dew (which I have heard they sell in Canada).

They sell caffeine-free diet mountain Dew in BYU. Its horrible. You don't want it.

[Windseeker]

If they invite women to pray in conference it might be a great blessing.

But I can understand why some find this so irritating. The method seems irreverent in the very least.

I think about examples from the scriptures, the Israelites, and Martin Harris are examples where, if we whine enough, we get what we asked for which eventually can prevent us from blessings many unforeseen at the time.

I think we need to be careful what we ask for because we just might get it.

[Anddenex]

They sell caffeine-free diet mountain Dew in BYU. Its horrible. You don't want it.

Oh on the contraire mon frere, caféine-free mountain dew is great tasting -- no difference that I can tell from its loaded caffeinated staple.

Vort, visit Wal-Mart, they have it here in Springville.

[MorningStar]

You go right ahead. Then men do such a great job of it. They've had years of practice.

I will set them up while I wear pants! Next I will have parking lot attendant duty. YES!!!