I disagree with this article for multiple reasons. First, the author implies that it's being too
brazen to publicly ask for women to have the priesthood. Have you heard Pres Hinckley’s response to
the question of whether women could ever have the Priesthood? He responded in the affirmative then added, “but
there's no agitation for that." http://agitatingfaithfully.org/post;jsessionid=2803821D898EB321688A9873399DCE20?id=the-quote-in-context
To me this implies that our leaders need to know when we
desire further revelation to be sought.
Kate Kelly, and other members of the church, are well within their
rights in asking.
Second, the author implies that it’s only appropriate to
seek further revelation if we want to align ourselves closer to God’s
will. How do we know that it isn’t God’s
will for women to have the Priesthood? The author is assuming that it’s not.
(Interesting note: women that lived in Joseph Smith’s time, gave blessings for
the healing of the sick.)
Third, the author states that those who ask God if they can
have the Priesthood are trying to educate God on how women can best be
empowered. The implication is that this is a bad thing, but our children let us know when they are hungry, or have needs of any kind that are unmet. We may not be ready to meet them yet, but certainly they are not wrong to have asked. Perhaps the author's point is that he is God, and who are we to educate him? But, if He is our Father, why not ask? He counsels us in the scriptures to pray and seek about anything. Why not this?
I love what Kate Kelly said when asked what she hopes the
key message of her work will be. She
said: I want women to know that they are valuable, but not from someone
telling them. I want them to feel and see it. Images are very important to me,
and when I look on the stand, I want to see women. When I hear people talk, I
want to hear women. Functionally, there is no person that can tell me I am
equal. I know I am equal, I know I am a daughter of God, I know he loves me … I
feel that when I pray and when I go to the temple—I just think that needs to be
reflected in the institution, in the everyday practice of the gospel I love.
That’s why I created Ordain Women. It is an endeavor in radical self-respect. -
