There's a lot of hubbub about the Ordain Women movement/ Kate Kelly excommunication. I want to add my two cents on the matter, even though I kind of feel like this issue has been talked about to death.
Let me start by saying that I have no desire to be ordained to the priesthood. I don't feel like I'm missing out on blessings because I don't hold it. I'm not envious of the men who hold priesthood offices, and truth be told, I'm glad I don't have to do what they do. The idea of it being my responsibility to get up and shovel the church sidewalks on a snowy morning is repellent, let alone the idea of being responsible for the spiritual and physical well-being of a whole congregation, or even multiple congregations.
With that being said, I want to pose a question: what would happen if women did have the priesthood? Would the doctrine of male and female identity and purpose suddenly implode? Would we have men and women crying in the streets saying that they no longer know who they are and what their relationship to God is? What terrible thing would possibly happen if women had the priesthood? I can't imagine.
What I can imagine, however, are situations in which the contribution of women would surely enrich- and dare I say, elevate- the matter at hand. I imagine a Priesthood lesson on Sunday with the flair of a Relief Society teacher (I can't tell you how many times I've heard men complain about going to Priesthood, or how many bishops/ counselors have said they prefer going to Relief Society). I imagine women adding insight and compassion to disciplinary councils. I imagine a husband and a wife being home teachers together, because as a family, they could know how to help and bless another family.
I genuinely don't know if I'm missing something. Am I wrong imagining those things? If I am, feel free to correct me. While I don't argue that women SHOULD have the priesthood, I just wonder if it would really be that bad.
In high school, our home teachers always brought their wives. They didn't have other companions who just weren't going. The wives were often asked to accompany their husbands. Not a horrible thing. And the wives didn't have to be ordained to the priesthood to be with their husbands. As ETERNAL companions, that was good enough. I'm not sure what the Church handbook has to say about it, but that's how it often was in my ward.
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