I've spent a good deal of time lately thinking about the overwhelmingly negative reaction of more mainstream Mormon women to the most outspoken feminist movement within the Mormon church: Ordain Women. Mainstream Mormon women say that they do not want the priesthood , that they are happy with the role of women in the church, and argue that they already feel greatly valued within the patriarchy of the church. But why? Are Mormon women simply socialized and oppressed to such a level that they can't see how much they are missing out on?
The priesthood in the Mormon church is right now given exclusively to men as a matter of course, beginning at age twelve. A recent essay released by the Mormon church admits that in the past, women were allowed to give blessings of healings, but the essay insists that this was not then and should not now be interpreted as women being given the priesthood mantle of authority or the right to lead the church in any way. God has given this right exclusively to men, as was demonstrated by the fact that Christ Himself called only men as his apostles. Mormon history claims that Peter, James and John themselves came back as resurrected beings and restored the keys that were lost at the time they left the earth in death. They gave these keys, of course, to men (Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery).
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