[Today’s MCS post is by Angela Felsted, a D&S guest blogger. Here is her bio. Here are her other D&S posts. She also blogs at www.angelafelsted.com and at www.rabblewriters.com.]
A few days ago, someone sent me a blog post about how members who take issue with gender discrimination in the hierarchal structure of Mormonism and then agitate for change in an assertive manner do not understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It got me to thinking about the early days of my faith crisis, when the gender inequality in Mormonism became so obvious that going to church was painful. It got me to thinking about sitting in sacrament meeting during Fast & Testimony Meeting when an Elder stood up and expressed his gratitude that he had two worthy priesthood holders in his family while his wife and daughter sat in the pew listening, smiling serenely as they were overlooked.
It struck me as odd, in those days, how male dominated our meetings were. Why had it not bothered me before that the women just sat there while twelve and thirteen-year-old boys passed the trays of sacrament bread? Why had it not bothered me that women weren’t allowed to break the bread into trays, fill the cups with water, or pray over the sacrament table? How could I not have noticed, let alone not taken issue with having at least three men on the stand at all times while their wives struggled with wiggly children all by themselves in the pews?
Had I simply refused to see it? Turned a blind eye out of conformity? Why, after decades in the church, did these things suddenly bother me?
Truth is, I don’t know what changed. In one moment I was blind to the inequality in the church, and in the next I couldn’t stop seeing it. Even so, one would think I’d have a better idea what happened than some random third party I’d never met.
Well, in this blog post (sent by a well-meaning TBM relative a few days ago) the author says she knows exactly why the gender inequality in Mormonism is so painful for some women. According to her, my problem wasn’t noticing things like institutionalized sexism, but my unwillingness to deal with it as most women do when they “. . . rely upon their faith in Jesus Christ, over any predetermined change in the structure or hierarchy.”
I had a lot of issues with this blog post, but for the sake of my own sanity, I’m going to start by concentrating on the popular and often parroted idea that those who are bothered enough by issues in the Mormon Church to either agitate for change or leave don’t understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I mean, let’s face it, to say someone doesn’t have faith in Jesus Christ or that they simply don’t understand his Gospel, the person speaking must have a pretty solid understanding of the Bible. They must know a lot about Christianity and the writings of Paul. They must have a really clear picture in their mind of what Jesus taught and what he stood for. In fact, it’d be no surprise to someone like this that the first place to turn for a solid epistle on the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Book of Galatians.
A little background on Galatians.
When Paul wrote his letter to the saints in Galatia, there were those who had challenged Paul’s authority to preach in the name of God. The challengers said they’d walked with Jesus, that they knew him and that Paul had never met him. They sought to call Paul’s authority into question in a genealogical fashion (I found this in Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians) but Paul knew he’d been called by God. So he wrote to the Galatians to affirm his calling, and to keep false teachings from creeping in by clarifying what the Gospel of Jesus Christ entailed. In the first chapter of Galatians, he writes the following:
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel- not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaim to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed!” –Galatians 1:6-9
Paul seems awfully serious about making sure the saints in Galatia don’t live a false Gospel. He seems darn certain that the one he’s about to preach is the only Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I find it doubly interesting that he doesn’t say, “Follow me and God will never permit me to lead you astray.” Instead he says not to listen to him if he preaches anything contrary to the Gospel. He tells the people not to listen to angels. He tells the people there’s only one Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be careful of those who pervert it.
“Pervert: Alter (something) from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.” –Google
In Chapter 3 of Galatians, Paul makes it clear what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is when he writes the following:
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.-Galatians 3:23-28
This is significant for the time Paul lived because a lot was being made of obeying the Jewish law. Back then they had circumcision, an emphasis on modesty for women, rules about what they couldn’t do on the Sabbath day, temple worship, even laws stating what they could not eat and drink.
Does any of that sound familiar?
If it doesn’t, it should.
“Pervert: Alter (something) from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended.” –Google
Now, believe it or not, I’m all too familiar with the King James verses Mormons are so fond of quoting when it comes to Faith and Works:
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17
And I don’t have a problem with those verses. Rather, I think they’re an essential part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For if a person has faith, real faith in the Gospel, they’ll serve their fellow man, warm them and clothe them, feed them and love them. It’s pretty clear that this verse is talking about faith in action. Not about the Word of Wisdom, or Sabbath Day observance, or following The Strength of Youth pamphlet.
Some might interpret “works” as priesthood ordinations and temple work, but when you read the chapter in context, it becomes apparent that what James is talking about is fruits of the spirit. Paul also talks about fruits of the spirit in Galatians where he writes ” . . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
The gospel of Jesus Christ has nothing to do with supporting a given religious institution. It has nothing to do with wearing white shirts and ties, attending three+ hours of meetings each Sunday, the refusal to drink coffee or tea, temple work, or the ability to embrace and support the hierarchical structure of Mormonism.
I’d like to challenge those who toss around judgments about who does and does not have faith in Jesus Christ to show me where, in Paul’s list of spiritual fruits, it says Jesus’ disciples will care more about the church I join than whether or not I love my neighbor?
–Angela Felsted (http://www.angelafelsted.com/)
[Last Post: 38 The Real Threat to Religious Liberty]
Excellent article, Angela. I find the parallels between meridian-time pharisees and Meridian Magazine-reading mormons to be chilling in the very least. I’ve found that Millennial Star is a website that prides itself not only on orthodoxy but also orthopraxy; which is so counter to everything the founder of their religion taught that it can only make me chuckle to myself.
Living the gospel, as you adroitly explained, is in living the great commandment – love others as He loved (and loves) us. The number of piercings in my face have absolutely nothing to do with it.
What translation of the Bible are you using? I’m trying to find a new one; I find King James to be too thick and difficult to read and get anything out of. The one you used seems perfect!
Your post made great points, and I wish I could get past the guilt factor about not wanting to go to church and wanting to help others outside of church “service” projects. Great post.
Thank you, Naomi. I hope you can get past the guilt factor too. I’m using the NRSV Bible (New Revised Standard Version).
Love this, Angela. Very insightful. I’ve been thinking a lot of the same things lately, but you articulate those thoughts very adroitly.
I have nothing constructive to say except that I love what you wrote and that you are a great person to know.
From the other post: “Faithful, active Mormon women do not oppose the counsel and inspired direction of living prophets, called specifically to address our day and whom members of the Church, by covenant, sustain.”
Yes I do! I’m a temple-endowed and married, very active, tithing-paying, stay-at-home-mom in the Primary Presidency. I don’t have any awful experiences with men in the church. I have an amazing husband and an amazing father. I’ve always been surrounded by strong women in the church and encouraged to be educated and be a leader. And darn it, I see a lot of unnecessarily sexist policies in the church and I am pushing at least at the ward level for women to have more of a voice. I disagree with some things that the leaders of the church have said, including prophets. I don’t know if what I do can count as “agitating” for change, but I did march in a gay pride parade this summer. My motivation has absolutely been my desire to follow Christ and to listen to the Spirit. I’m so frustrated with people who say (in response to what I’m saying and doing) that God wants us to follow the prophet because God has been telling me to stand up and work for change.
Thank you so much for this post.
This is awesome, Bethany.
Bethany, that is so amazing. In the end, when there is a conflict between the church and my conscience, I have to choose my conscience.
Every time I offer systematic critique any Mormon doctrine, I get told by friends and family that I have totally misunderstood that doctrine. Or the Gospel in general. It drives me crazy.
I’ve had so many intellectual and logical discussions with my boy friend. I’m not naturally logical like he is and my arguments never seem to come out in a way where my frustrations seem more than just frustration. But relying on intellect I never find my way back to that one great commandment.
I long to have an undying faith and love of God. If tumbling through the arguments and complex theological debate don’t bring me there… if the church with all its difficulties doesn’t bring me there… if the scriptures in their hazy description don’t bring me there… where does one turn?