I am sure most of you have heard by now that a feminist organization has dubbed this coming Sunday “Wear Pants to Church Day.” Their goal is to bring awareness to their perceived gender inequalities in the Church.
Instead of digging into their views and agenda, I would just like to make a couple of points:
1) I find it quite coincidental that they chose this Sunday to wear pants to church, because I had made the exact same decision to wear pants to church this Sunday as well.
2) If any of you have British friends, know that they think this is hysterical for an entirely different reason – in England “pants” are “underwear.” Hopefully in England every Sunday is a “wear pants to church day.”
3) I don’t care if women wear pants. I care more that men do – unless I am in some exotic location.
4) A sacrament meeting is a sacred place where ordinances are performed, Hardly the place for any kind of protest. Bringing a protest into such a venue demonstrates a lack of respect for things sacred, and a fundamental lack of understanding of the nature of the Gospel. What’s next? A bullhorn in the temple?
5) Some women that have no other motive rather than to worship God wear pants to church. There are legitimate reasons: Health concerns, budgetary constraints, employment scheduling, etc. These women aren’t part of this “movement.” But it struck me as very unkind that these protesters would inadvertently co-opt these pants-wearing women into a protest that is not their agenda. That was thoughtful. So much for women solidarity.
6) My final question would be this: What exactly are you protesting? The way God runs His Church? Or the Way His servants run his Church? It is the same thing, (D&C 1:38) so in essence, are you wearing pants to Church to protest God? Good luck with that.
—–
I am truly sorry that I had to do this, but too many readers keep making comments that make it clear that they don’t understand. Here goes.
EVERYTHING BEYOND THIS POINT IS NOT TRUE.
IT IS CALLED “SATIRE. IT IS INTENDED TO MAKE A POINT WITH HUMOR.
NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE REAL.
THEY ARE MADE UP. I PROMISE.
Thank you. You may proceed.
While preparing this post, I did some digging and found that there have been some other “quiet protests” in the Church that many of you might not be aware of – some of which are still very active.
“The Green Tie Brigade”
Also known as the “Five Percenters,” this group is frustrated with the economy and is calling for God to make a temporary reduction in tithing rates from 10% to 5%. Their protest involves wearing green ties to church. Should you see anyone wearing a green tie this Sunday, now you will be able to recognize what they represent.
“The Watchers”
Throughout the history of the Church, High Council speakers have always gone way over time. Some people are fed up. To encourage speakers to end on time, many have begun wearing watches to sacrament meeting. This is so that when the High Council speaker starts going over time, he can look down at the congregation and see people looking at their watches, and be reminded to wrap it up. So, if you see people looking at their watches this Sunday, you will see unrest in action.
“Hoopsters”
Hoopsters wear basketball shorts under their dress slacks. They consist largely of young men and some YM leaders who are quietly fighting the diminishing role basketball plays on Mutual nights. They long for the days when every Mutual was basketball night, and things like service and mission prep were mere BYC talking points. Die -hard Hoopsters wear Jimmer shorts.
“Hipsters”
I don’t know that Hipsters actually belong in this list, because I don’t think they are actually “protesting” anything. I think it is more a movement trying to further the idea that “the dumber you look, the cooler you are.” I don’t think they are dangerous. Just vain.
“LDS-PETA”
This group opposes the use of animal products in all forms. Especially leather scriptures and scripture cases. Thankfully, they aren’t as vocal as many animal-rights protesters. Their form of protest is to make and carry scripture totes from natural materials, such as cotton fabric, in order to spare the lives of cows, horses, and whatever animal they get vinyl from. If you see someone with one of these cute scripture carriers this Sunday, know that they mean business.
“The Moroni Pinners”
This group is firmly committed to a very specific agenda. They feel that there should be a Moroni statue on every temple. Not just the fancy ones with spires. They are primarily focusing on Hawaii, Arizona, and Canada. If you see a man with a Moroni tie-tack or lapel pin, know that he’s all about the statue.
Now you know. The pants ladies are not the only people you will see at Church this Sunday furthering an agenda – which makes it even less of a big deal. Glad I could be of assistance.
TWO ADDITIONAL POINTS:
1) Everything from the Green Tie Brigade on down is completely made up . It is not true. It is satire intended to illustrate the absurdity of the reality I opened with.
2) I had to close comments after 100, because it started getting nasty, and I refuse to publish it.
A) There were some anti-Mormon rants, which do not get to borrow my soapbox.
B) There were some lengthy attempts to justify what the protesters were all about – but had little to do with what the protesters actually are saying. I don’t need to give a forum to these views. My blog-my rules.
C) There were some really nasty comments from people claiming to be in the right, bashing and name calling those they disagree with.
D) Very few of the unpublished comments were very clever, funny or new. For the most part they gave off heat, but no light.
LDS humor mormon humorist satire MMMhttp://www.middleagedmormonman.com/home/ LDS commentary satire humor mormon humorist religion
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You’ve earned an ally today.
I’m a proud member of “the watchers”, fighting long talks one watch glance at a time.
Regarding the purpose of this “protest”…all I see is a group of people seeking honor in their service, instead of seeking to honor God THROUGH their service. In my opinion anyone “aspiring” to a calling is the LAST person I would want there. (Insert something about the greatest among us being servants…)
For all the women who participated in this protest, here is something to enlighten your spirits. http://mormonscholarstestify.org/1718/valerie-hudson-cassler
I and my family have done some things on this list while not protesting anything.
What? This is crazy. Someone is protesting dresses? Church policy isn’t that women have to wear dresses, its that we dress in our “Sunday best”. Most of the women here in Italy here wear pants (especially in the winter because Italians are sensitive to the cold) because that is the nicest they own. People need to get their priorities straight!
(I know this is a post to an old thread, but…) Exactly!! Nowhere in the doctrine of the church does it state that women need to wear dresses. The “inequality” that these women feel comes from traditional American culture, not the leaders of the church. I hate it when people get LDS culture confused with LDS doctrine! Ugh.. just wear pants if you want to, nobody cares as long as you’re wearing something nice.
I thought I was the only one wearing gym shorts under my church slacks (in case a pick-up game ever broke out in the middle of elders quorum)… Are you saying I’m not alone?
THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!
I loved this post.
i know the comments are closed, so just a note to you, you are hilarious and i love you and thank you!
Comments are CLOSED. Sorry it came to this,,,
I was taught that the chapel is a sacred place. We are to dress and act appropriately there. That means I do my best to keep my kids from running and screaming in the chapel and I wear a dress when I plan to enter the chapel.
BUT like Jess I now live in the “mission field” and see lots of pants wearers. They are there. We are all at different levels, I can choose to show my respect at my own level of understanding.
I think the whole idea of women feeling unequal is pure ridiculousness, they need to learn more of what God feels about womanhood, if they truly understood that or even a bit of that, I doubt they would be whining about inequality.
I love being a member of this church. I don’t feel slighted in the least. I have enough accountability to God for myself, my children and my family. I don’t need the priesthood responsibilities added to my womanhood responsibilities. I like them just fine.
I love this post. Well done.
I get most of my LDS news from MMM. I can’t think of anything that I would protest where the church is concerned. I believe some people are just looking for ways to stir things up and create controversy. Why? Are their lives not full enough with the Gospel and their personal lives and families? Maybe I’m just not ‘Mormon’ enough…
OK, if they want to be “equal”, how about the men wearing dresses? Why don’t they campaign for that. Example – kilts in Scotland, LavaLavas in the Polynesion culture. Would that make them happy? But as you say it is about the Priesthood and other stuff that most of we sisters don’t want anyway!
This makes me so sad. No wonder you choose to use satire, otherwise it’s just plain depressing.
It must be a Utah/Idaho thing. I hadn’t even heard about it until my grandfather sent me an email. And then I saw your post.
My Sunday best is a dress/skirt. I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing anything else at church. Does it make me unequal to my husband? No – if anything I’m the lucky one! I don’t have to wear a tie!!! 🙂
I hope you enjoyed The Hobbit!
Sorry, but I needed to turn the comment moderation on for the rest of the evening – I am off to see The Hobbit, and didn’t want to have to worry about some thing untoward being posted in my absence that wasn’t written by me.
Maybe it’s just me, but this seems like a Utah problem. I have spent my life in the church in the “mission field” (a term I despise) and out here we are used to seeing investigators and converts in pants and other nontraditional Sunday wear and we are just happy to increase our numbers at Church. And as for the rest of us, we are too busy taking care of our families and doing our callings that we don’t have time to notice or care about what someone else is wearing.
Now, in my current calling as a nursery leader, I can see the practicality of pants. I wear leggings under a couple of my dresses so I can stay modest while I am on the floor cuddling my criers. If you want to wear pants, wear them. But to make a formal event out of it is ridiculous. One should go to church to take the sacrament, commune with the saints, and serve.
The woman who started the Facebook group, Stephanie Lauritzen, openly describes herself as apostate and thinks that both men and women should be ordained to the priesthood. She had this to say just before starting the “protest”:
“But are we moving forward, Mormon Feminists? Year after year, I sit in yet another conference, on yet another panel, and still a woman does not offer the opening prayer in General Conference. Our Heavenly Mother remains ignored in her churches, and our petitions to the First Presidency ignored.
“Perhaps we could learn a lesson from our suffragist sisters, who, like Mormon women who love their church, loved their country enough to change it. . .
“It wasn’t enough. The conferences, the petitions, the marches, none of them granted women the right to vote.
“Not until women openly opposed the President of the United States, and chained themselves to the gates of the White House, did people start to listen. You can ignore a petition, but you can’t ignore the woman chained to your front gate.
“the Suffragists won when they stopped playing “nice.” Many were arrested, many saw them as traitors for protesting the President when the country was at war, their devotion to their country questioned, and their freedom to speak as Americans denied.
“Can you imagine what would happen if the Mormon Feminist movement stopped playing nice? If faithful, devoted women stood as Silent Sentinels outside the gates of the Church Office Building. If the women who loved the church enough to face accusations of apostasy and potential excommunication organized a sit-out, so that one Sunday no Mormon Feminists came to church. If we stopped organizing Friends of Scouting banquets until our daughters sat at the table, likewise recognized for their own accomplishments.”
***
This is what she calls “Civil Disobedience.” I wish people would stop arguing about whether or not pants are appropriate on Sunday and recognize the agenda going on here. For the organizers, it’s about protesting the Church and trying to change it to conform with their worldview.
(sorry about the deleted post above, just had to fix a typo)
How very sad the organizer of the protest seems to missing the whole point of the gospel. Perhaps she has been exposed to some misguided men in the church who treated her as less and unequal. I know this does happen. It has happened to our single mother many times. In response, my mother forgave those misguided men. She always told us, “tThe gospel is perfect, people are not. Go to church for the gospel and if someone says something offensive, reexamine your sense of pride and forgive.”
Wearin’ my “holy” pants this Sunday! 😉
I’ve been hearing about this a lot lately. I think some of the women involved may mean it to be a good thing, protesting against stereotypes they see in their ward, rather than in the gospel. Not things that are doctrinally legitimate, but just weird little customs in their ward that just don’t feel gospel-appropriate. I can’t think of any examples at the moment (One, I’m finishing finals week, two, I’m not detail-oriented. At all).
And yes, I did actually read about it and I know that isn’t the original point. But I think it’s unfair to cast aspersions on all of these sisters’ (and brothers’, I saw a fair number of men attending) spiritual state. I think some of them may still be in harmony with the Spirit. (I’m sure some might be rabble-rousers/apostate/what-have-you, but I like to believe the best in people. Even when it seems stupid.)
But, after all I’ve just said, I’ll still be wearing my skirt to church on Sunday. Because I wear my best to church, and as of now, that’s my best.
(Please don’t jump on me if I sounded weird. It made sense as I was typing it.)
I agree with you about not wanting to cast aspersions. I would love to engage in discussion about doubts and questions, but people tend to get up in arms and tell me I’m wrong for questioning. All I want is some input from others on how it works for them and maybe I can use others’ wisdom and testimony to bolster my weak spots.
I would LOVE to have a discussion like that in a different forum.
middleagedmormonman@gmail.com (And you can wear pants if you want)
Are you speaking to Camilla or to me?
Both.
I agree with you, Camilla – 100%. And you, Shoebox. I wrote about how the gospel discussion seems to be limited to the crazy apostate people and the people who think asking questions is apostasy.
Where is the room for those who want to question and get actual answers (not question with the intent of being rabble-rousers). I ask a lot of questions.
And there was a really great article in the New Era a few months ago about asking questions. I think you would like it.
All this talk just makes me have more questions. I do feel like some gender-specific language in the scriptures and in sacred temple work makes me wonder exactly what the role of woman is, especially after mortality. Mostly I keep my questions to myself, for fear of just this kind of outrage from others. I am comfortable in the role of mother, seminary teacher, wife, sister, friend, and I like wearing skirts to church and I would not use Sacrament meeting as staging for a protest, even one as innocuous as a woman wearing pants, but sometimes I wonder. Then there was the time our stake building was remodeled, based on what the stake presidency/high council felt needed to be done and they forgot to put in the nursing mother’s room. I wasn’t comfortable breastfeeding in Sunday School and (sadly) Relief Society, so I had to go into a toilet stall. My husband was the stake financial clerk at the time and I asked him (rather angrily) to bring up the lack of nursing facilities in the next high council meeting and it took about two months for a room to be re-made over. I wonder if they had asked a woman what she thought of the plans to remodel if she would have pointed out the missing room. I’m thinking perhaps for some things, a different (even feminine) viewpoint might give added insight. My son says on his mission that the sisters often come up with really good solution that the elders hadn’t thought of.
But I won’t be wearing pants. Mostly because I like skirts and because I won’t be protesting.
Your Stake leaders could have involved the Stake Council which includes the RS, YW and Primary Presidents in the process – but apparently didn’t . Too bad. Stakes work better when all are involved.
That was my point. Why didn’t they? Every so often that happens, and some women, including me, feel forgotten or useless. Stakes, mission districts, wards, families and the church, work better when all are involved and have input and are engaged in the work.
Dunno – but I don’t understand how anyone that understand the purpose of the church could ever feel useless when there is so much to be done “of our own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” If we ever feel useless or forgotten, we are missing the point…
I could think of 50 suggestions to make to our ward or stake, but it is not my stewardship, so I don’t worry about it. My ego does not drive me need to have a “voice” where I don’t have a stewardship- let alone the audacity to “send a message” to force people to hear what changes I think should be made.
This is also my point; I’m gettin’ the smackdown for wondering.
Help, help! I’m being repressed!
Anyone that can work a Python reference into all of this is a friend of mine!
I’ll bravely run away! (brave, brave Sir Robin…)
P.S. Is it just me, or are there suddenly more people (and more elect people) apostatizing? Interesting, combined with the election results and increase in missionaries. Last days, anyone? (Bring it on! I can’t wait for the Millennium!)
“What exactly are you protesting? The way God runs His Church? Or the Way His servants run his Church? It is the same thing, (D&C 1:38) so in essence, are you wearing pants to Church to protest God? Good luck with that.”
This is exactly why I read your blog, MMM. Thank you for defining it exactly how it is.
I totally agree. And #5 was something I thought about yesterday. I have never worn pants to church, and probably never will, but I don’t like that these women are protesting for women. I’m a woman, and I completely disagree with them, and don’t want them “fighting” for me. It’s offensive.
I’m also glad that you had decided to wear pants this Sunday. Good call.
Mindy: When you say thinks like that, sometimes it makes me feel “less than.”
Don’t worry. I like men in pants.
I protest conformity every Sunday by dressing like everyone else. No one seems to get it though. I wish these sisters the best of luck!
Man, this got all serious before I could jump in and suggest a category you left out, but I want to know what you would say it represents: kids with matching ties/vests/skirts, moms and daughters matching, the like. But then I think you’d have to split into two sub-groups: store-bought and homemade…
Yeah! What mCat said! Ditto! Amen! and all that!
The equality I am hoping to achieve is found here:
“And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things—where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne forever and ever;
Before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence, and give him glory forever and ever.
They who dwell in his presence are the church of the Firstborn; and they see as they are seen, and know as they are known, having received of his fulness and of his grace;
And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.”
Doctrine & Covenants 76:92-95
Tom
Perfect reference!
I first heard about this yesterday. I’ve had a few coworkers ask about it. It’s been quite the office buzz. I personally don’t think any of my LDS friends will participate, nor will I. I’ll be in my Sunday best
Great article.
There is a distinction between doctrine and procedure. We believe in continuing revelation, which does allow for changes in procedure.
Exactly. I’m pretty sure that Emma Smith helped bring about the Word of Wisdom. Isn’t it possible that some good could come out of this?
Correct. We also believe in stewardship, which means I don’t tell the Prophet how to do his job.
MMM, I agree. I think we all agree more than we disagree if we look at things closely.
I am so sick of these stupid protests that these poor women who are so “unequal” to men find to come up with. It is completely dis-respectful to Sacrament Meeting. For heavens sake grow up!! It’s a short life and believe me, there are many more thing important than this. You make a mockery out of what we are all trying to believe and work to perfect.
Easy there Anonymous. Isn’t life great that we all (mostly all) can have intelligent thought and discussion on a comment board without name calling and temper? I liked the give and take here. Take a couple of deep breaths and enjoy a beautiful day.
Uh oh. I’m rethinking the neon green tie my son wants so badly now.
Thanks for the post. I enjoyed it very much! 🙂
I think bishopric facial hair needs to be reinstated as an accepted practice…and I look really dumb with a clean shaven face.
Rebel.
Did you mean rebel like “you are such a rebel” or rebel like “you should rebel”?
The Billy Idol kind.
The idea of wearing pants to church isn’t, in my opinion, actually about the pants. Perhaps we could consider what is in the hearts of these women. I don’t think they want to be apostate, otherwise why not just leave? In my humble opinion, I think maybe we could seek to understand before seeking to be understood.
You are exactly right. It has nothing to do with the pants. It is about fighting against God and His servants. THAT is what is in their hearts.
Why do you think they are fighting against God and His servants? To clarify, I’m not asking why you think their protest is fighting against God, I’m asking what you think their motives are.
They are trying to push their personal agenda that the church needs to modernize and “evolve” over the agenda that God has put on earth through his servants. Whether it be women and the Priesthood, gay marriage, or whatever.
If someone is using a sacred meeting to further their personal agenda, instead of supporting God’s agenda – they are at war with God.
I haven’t seen ‘women and the priesthood, or gay marriage, or “whatever”‘ listed among the reasons these women have stated for wearing pants to church.
I agree that sacrament meetings shouldn’t be used to further personal agendas. I understand what you mean by saying that people who are more interested in their own agenda than God’s are at war with God. I agree with you.
Just a question, had you read any of the statements written by these women before you wrote this blog post? I think if people softened their hearts, they would see motives that are no where near warring with God. There may be better ways to express their hearts than the method they’ve chosen.
I think it would benefit people to look at why this is happening, and consider the problems as they are stated by the women bringing them to our attention, rather than assuming we know what is in their hearts.
Kristen: From an email sent by organizers describing their motives:
“In addition to the larger structural inequity of women being excluded from most leadership positions and requiring the approval of a male superior regarding the decisions they do make in their limited callings, these smaller indignities are heaped upon Mormon women constantly and are both created and then reinforced by a religious culture that puts them on a pedestal by treating them like children.”
God restored his church again through his servants and gave us the fullness of the gospel. Either we believe all of that or we don’t. Ala carte obedience is not an option.
Joe J. Christensen said something once that has always stuck with me. “There are no loopholes in the gospel.”
The credibility was not reenforced when I read of a sister sister who mentioned in her list of grievances that she is “hurt” because her daughter cannot make a pinewood derby. True story.
Where does it say in that statement that the organizers don’t believe that God restored his church through his servants, or that we don’t have the fullness of the gospel?
From LDS Wave:
“Not all gender inequality in the church is tied to the priesthood and I think that 90% of it is unintended and, thus, it is important for us at LDS WAVE to makes our voices heard.”
http://www.ldswave.org/?p=402
MMM, I think we can all agree that pinewood derbies are not motivating over 600 women to wear pants to church.
Kristen: No one has said they don’t believe in the restoration. The point is they are trying to facilitate change in the church in a way they compare to the civil rights movement with “civil disobedience”. Disobedience is a key word here.
This is merely a front for a much bigger push for women holding the priesthood – if you look carefully, you can see that in their materials:
“I feel unequal when there are more (a lot more) men’s voices in religious texts, meetings, leadership positions, and decision-making bodies.”
“I feel unequal when callings that don’t necessitate the priesthood are given only to men: Sunday School Presidency, Brigham Young University Presidents, Church Education Commissioners, Ward Mission Leaders, recommend takers at the Temple, etc.”
Don’t get fooled into thinking it is about “feeling unequal.” We all know that nobody can make you “feel” any certain way.
I understand your point of view. I disagree.
I think we can all still get along. I hope that we can foster productive conversations online rather than name calling and vitriol. I think that perhaps we should follow the example of the church leadership, if we are defending them, by speaking to people and writing about them with kindness — the way I imagine our church leaders would.
I thought you and I were getting along just fine?
There is not any vitriol in this, I am just using satire to make a point, which, ultimately I feel is very sad.
And I hope that the young women of the church are smart enough to not get drawn down a false path.
Remember, the same church leaders you are referring to are the ones being accused of heaping indignities on women and treating them like children.
I’m referring to a few other people who have commented here as well as on other boards. Satire and name calling are, as you are well aware, different.
I don’t think the brethren are being accused of much. I think they’re probably being asked to consider something different. And I think they would respond to that request with kindness, whether the request merited it or not.
The brethren are being asked to consider something different?! Last time I checked “the brethren” are prophets who speak for God. So isn’t that basically like telling God you don’t like the way He has organized His church?
Emma Smith asked the Prophet Joseph Smith to consider something different. And now we have a beautiful and great piece of scripture that we lovingly refer to as the Word of Wisdom. Asking for consideration is not telling God you don’t like his way. The brethren didn’t reorganize the church, God did, and he has shown throughout the scriptures that some blessings aren’t given until we ask for them. Other examples include the Brother of Jared asking for light in the boats, and the revelation on the priesthood for black men.
I’m not saying that we should tear down the church and try to rebuild it in our own image. I’m simply saying that we can take our questions to the Lord, and ask him what we should do.
Right. Emma didn’t organize a protest and issue a press release. These things are supposed to be handled through the proper priesthood channels – or one on one with God. Not through public pressure and the media.
I have no problem with change – the missionary changes for example. Great!
Funny thing, my cute little college friend who is in the midst of final’s at the Lord’s university broke her “Final’s Facebook Fast” to post something about this today (not in solidarity). She got quite the thread from fellow young female students who were more than a little sympathetic to the movement’s cause. I lost my lid. Basically your #4 summed up my feelings. Why on earth are they using Sacrament meeting (where a sacred ordinance is performed) to protest? And for anyone who doesn’t get it, IT IS A PROTEST. No matter what you want to call or or attempt to explain/justify it. If nothing else, it’s distraction is unfair and disprespectful to the Lord and other’s there to worship and renew covenants.
I too feel for those poor sisters/women who for reasons that are none of my business, wear slacks or pants for reasons other than demanding gender equality, for they will now likely be lumped into this group through no fault of their own.
I’m gonna wear my usual skirt, with a lovely Christmasy sweater (as per usual this time of year – no statement intended). Splenda Daddy will wear his usual white shirt and tie. I’ll worry about my behavior and attitude and try not to judge anyone else.
Except those women wearing pants who don’t normally. Green ties, and Moroni pins….. And then I’m climbing the stairs of the big and spacious building and will be pointing and mocking mericilessly.
Golly, I’m glad for the internetz, otherwise I would have had no idea this tempest in a teapot was going on. I frankly don’t notice what any woman in church is wearing but my lovely wife and my daughters.
And thanks for putting in a photo of my glasses.
Thank you MMM. May I make copies of this and pass it out with the bulletin on Sunday? Busy day today, first off is going through my husband’s ties. Ciao!
awesome. Nice work.
Sorry. One more comment. I would be facinating to track those who wear pants and see if they actually stay active in the church.
I hope that after the “pants” issue, the other ones were sarcasm. Unfortunately there are enough idiots out there that some of these “protests” are really happening. PS, I love my green ties and gladly pay my 10%.
I’ve always loved this part of “A Wrinkle in Time”…seems like it applies to the situation here:
——————————————————
“We hold these truths to be self-evident!” she shouted, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
As she cried out the words she felt a mind moving in on her own, felt IT seizing, squeezing her brain. Then she realized that Charles Wallace was speaking, or being spoken through by IT.
“But that’s exactly what we have on Camazotz. Complete equality. Everybody exactly alike.”
For a moment her brain reeled with confusion. Then came a moment of blazing truth. “No!” she cried triumphantly. “Like and equal are not the same thing at all!”
“Good girl, Meg!” her father shouted at her.
But Charles Wallace continued as though there had been no interruption. “In Camazotz all are equal. In Camazotz everybody is the same as everybody else,” but he gave her no argument, provided no answer, and she held on to her moment of revelation.
Like and equal are two entirely different things.”
———————————————————
Tom
I love this; thank you for sharing!
Please note that there are plenty of women and YW that carry a cutsie scripture case simply because they’re prettier, not because of animal rights. Leather and vinyl cases are great but they all look the same. It’s not to have other options!
Overall, as members we are taught to not be judgmental of others. In other words, it doesn’t matter if someone is wearing a green tie, jimmer shorts under his pants, or a big watch. Who cares? I’m at church to renew my covenants and worship my God! I don’t even mind the occasional lady in pants. Typically she’s an investigator that probably doesn’t have a skirt or dress to her name. I’m fine wearing my dress or skirt.
Let me introduce you to a friend of mine: Daisy, meet Satire. Satire, this is Daisy.
It took me a while to get that it was a joke too. Don’t worry Daisy you don’t have to throw away all your husbands green ties. Just like all the women who wear pants to church for reasons other than feminism don’t have to wear a skirt to church on Sunday
Ha!
Hahahahahahaha! I’m thinking I might incorporate all those protest items into my wardrobe this coming Sunday! That would be quite the statement!
Amen! Thank you for a little sanity in the moment.
This is the best take I’ve read on the issue…
Wait, what inequality? Do you mean the way the church is always asking the women to set up and put away the folding chairs every Sunday? Or maybe the way the women always have to stay at the church all day on Sunday taking care of ward business? Or all the time women have to spend doing the callings, setting people apart, interviewing them for temple recommends–that sort of thing? Hey, women pantsers, leave me out of this. I’m happy with the inequality.
Total agreement!
yes!
Glad to be a girl for sure. 🙂
Let’s face it, women have always used clothes to make a statement, to get their way or draw attention to themselves. Nothing is changed 🙂
I think we all should just not wear clothes on Sunday. Then we’d be equal. Oh wait….no that won’t work. We still would look different.
Perfect succinct. revealing !
Perfect succinct. revealing !
I suppose the men could join this movement and skip wearing a tie to church and be equal with the women 😉
Now that is a protest I could support. Let’s get rid of suit coats while we’re at it…at least in the summer.
Let’s not leave out all of the women that will be happily wearing skirts on Sunday. 🙂
In protest of their protest, I will be wearing my pink, frilly, lacy, and most feminine dress I have. That will show them! 🙂
(Sorry, a little weird to have that comment look like it was coming from my husband.)
What I was trying to say was,
GO, WENDY!
Haha!
I wonder what would happen if I, a woman, wore pants and a dress to church at the same time! Maybe I’d start a new fashion trend.Of course I would have to combine that with a green tie, watch, glasses, and fabric tote.
This all takes too much effort. Maybe I’ll just stay home this Sunday!
Well said, MMM. You should add the smart phone/Ipad bringers. They are silently protesting old-fashioned scriptures. I’m inadvertently in that group, because carrying an infant carrier and a diaper bag is all I can handle.
Why don’t feminists form their own church, really. It get’s old. As a man, I don’t complain that they get a nursing room, or that they get to be Primary President, or that they get to have Enrichment…honestly.
Oh, this is hilarious!!
There is another agenda you didn’t mention – The name tag protest. Members who are part of this movement dress in conservative colors, and wear black name tags. They are so dedicated to their cause that they give up all worldly things for it, even their first names. Instead they go by Elder or Sister. Watch out, they are part of an army like no other! 😉
Those MPs better stay away from the Logan temple.
Great, now when I am at church I will never look at a man in a green tie the same again. Not to mention all those animal loving young girls and young women carrying around their cutesy cotton scripture totes. Lol. This post was very “enlightening”. Nothing like a good chuckle to start the day. Thank you. 🙂 I might see how many of those looks I can combine all together this coming Sunday.
Love it!!!