June 16, 2014

Mormon Stories And Ordain Women Ripples Through The LDS Church



John Dehlin and Kate Kelly are quite the news topics of the week. While I wish not to comment on their endeavors of Mormon Stories Podcast and Ordain Women (as so much has already been said and my opinion on their organizations are not the topic of this post), I want to share what ripples I have seen in my own LDS ward and stake because of these two individuals and the church's excommunication proceedings. Mind you, I was disfellowshipped from the church —Oh gosh, what, like five years ago? No, four, no, five, 2009— so I approach this post with that frame of mind and understanding.

This morning at breakfast, my father mentioned that he received an e-mail stating that people today would be wearing black in solidarity with the "two who are being excommunicated". My father was not at his stake meetings this morning since it was fathers day. My mother asked how he heard that. He said a member of our ward e-mailed it to him. The members name somewhat shocked me, as it didn't seem to be someone who was informed on such issues or news.

I joked that I guess we wont see any men wearing black suits or black pants or ties. Poor Elders. He laughed. I asked him if he would wear his black suit today and he responded in the affirmative with a chuckle.

Before we all departed for church he mentioned he put on his charcoal suit because his black one was dirty but stated it wasn't because of the supposed protest. He was truthful in that. I joked that I considered wearing all black today just go get Sis. so-and-so all bothered. He laughed.

In the short minutes before I left, I went up to check Facebook and searched for this Sister. Luckily her profile was public, as we are not friends. She had posted that she wouldn't be wearing black and then copy and pasted the young women's theme with some words bolded which she did herself. She then also posted a article written by the Church's public relations spokesperson rebutting the Ordain Women's points.

I noted who commented on the posts in agreement with Sis. so-and-so and was somewhat shocked at one person's comment. Though remembering another comment they made on different post a while back shouldn't have surprised me.

Off to church we went, and I made note of all who wore black. Sis. so-and-so was in all very deliberately bright colors. Carol, who I sit with was in black with a beige jacket on top. Several others had black and white outfits, but I absolutely know none of them were aware of this suppose solidarity protest.

I mentioned the e-mail to Carol and she was shocked that someone would be so bothered and disturbed by it to send an e-mail to my father (the Stake President). Needless to say some busy bodies in the church will always feel any disagreements in the church are an Us v. Them situation. I am glad my father laughed it off. But I know through some Facebook posts of his, I still have work to do with him on LGBT and church issues.

UPDTAE: I just found out, that my brother served a mission with Ordain Women's founder, Kate Kelly and she may have been trying to tell him to marry her sister?! I continue to say, the world is a small place, but even smaller when you are Mormon and small even more so when you're a gay Mormon.

2 comments:

  1. Amen on the smallness of the world! It just gets into ridiculousness sometimes. But, it makes life interesting. :)

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