A few points concerning my religion and the election
A few interesting points keep popping up on the news and from people I have talked to on the college campus who have learned that I am a "Mormon." They truly believe that women are repressed in the LDS Church. That is far from the truth. In lieu of that belief I feel as if I should touch on a few of these points.
LDS woman may not be able to hold the Priesthood or be a Bishop, Stake President, an Apostle or become Prophet (some think this is repressive, I do not.) but we are able to hold other callings: teachers, secretaries, counselors, and presidents of the young women's youth group over the children's group or over our Relief Society groups (a group made up only of women who meet on Sunday's and other times during the month.)
We are inspired as the men are in our church through the soft spirit of the Holy Ghost, available to us through pray, quiet contemplation and sometimes through other people's needs.
We raise our daughter and sons, teach them the Gospel and how to be good citizens of what ever nation we live in.
We are not lorded over by our husbands if anything, I tend to boss him around like any other wife. I am responsible with my husband for my families salvation, my husband may preside, but more than likely as in my family I lead family home evening, family and personal prayer and when we have it scripture study not my husband.
I am free to come and go as I please, I am not a 1950's wife who serves my husband dinner at 6 p.m. because he demands it. I choose whether dinner is made by me or not. I chose to stay home and be a mom until they were able to attend school. I have decided to go to college after 18 years of staying home (actually while my kids were in school I worked, but was home for them when they came home.) This has all been my choice. I didn't want to miss out on my kids childhoods.
You know a lot has been joked about and outrage has been shown of the comments of Gov. Mitt Romney when he was talking about "binders of women," in the last Presidential Debate. I believe he meant that woma resumes were recommended to him.
Do not people have HR departments in businesses and are given recommendations of who the boss should hire? Pretty sure he meant the same thing.
He talked about his Chief of Staff wanting a flexible schedule because she wanted to be home for dinner with her family. What woman doesn't wish she could eat dinner with her family before her children head off to bed? Shouldn't more companies or government entities have flex schedules for employees?
In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith was inspired to have the women of the church form a women's society where they learn from each other and also from the Prophet about the Gospel, raising their children, supporting their husbands and serving those who were in need of charity work and love. This group called the "Female Relief Society," became defunct when the Prophet was killed and the saints started migrating to Utah.
In Utah when the pioneers arrived President Brigham Young reinstated the Relief Society (which has been around for 170 years this year,) and expanded its cause. Women were encouraged to get educations and go on to higher educations becoming not only what were considered in the states as "woman" jobs such as secretaries, teachers etc... but doctors, professors, editors of newspapers and numerous other "men" only careers.
Not sure how people can state that Mitt Romney will push our lives back to the 1950's when he has been active in a Church where they encourage a woman's independance.
I find it interesting that the widely held belief is that we are behind in the times and yet, LDS woman set historic precedence throughout the nation. Such as:
"Women’s Suffrage (the Right to Vote)
In February 1870 the territorial government of Utah granted women the right to vote in government elections. At that time, the territory of Wyoming was the only other place in the United States where women were given this right. Later the national government rescinded this privilege as part of the punishment for Latter-day Saints living the law of plural marriage. But Latter-day Saint women remained vocal and articulate about their rights. Many sisters actively sought women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. Their increasing ability to speak articulately was a blessing when they needed to represent themselves as strong, dignified, and ennobled women. Through their efforts, they regained the right to vote when Utah was granted statehood in the United States of America the beginning of 1896.
They also gained the respect of other women’s movements in the United States and around the world." Courtesy of www.LDS.org
When did women earn the right to vote in the United States, in 1920? Notice, the Federal Government rescinded the women's rights to vote in Utah not our church leaders (or as others would say our lording men.) Very interesting.
A few other points:
I have been thinking about this a lot after having a discussion with a sweet young man named Gregory who is pursuing a degree in Political Science; who as republican is very confused on who he should vote for (he is of African American descent). One thing he was confused about was the comment that Mitt Romney made about getting rid of Planned Parenthood.
My question to him was this, "If the Affordable Healthcare Act is in place why exactly do we need the redundancy of Planned Parenthood? Aren't all those services covered in the AHA? So can't we save money there?"
You may say, "well, doesn't Mitt Romney want to rescind the AHA?" In all fairness, yes, he did say that, as it pertains to the Federal Government taking the reins over it. He believes that States should have the responsibility to control their Healthcare rights.
I live in Florida, but when we lived in Utah we had healthcare covered under Intermountain Health Care. This program was actually looked at by the Federal Government as something to emulate. What they decided was that it would not work throughout the nation, but as a state plan it is a great program. This I believe is what Romney means by letting the States take control of HC. Don't our insurance plans cover birth control and women's healthcare coverage such as mamograms, births, pap-smears, etc? Yes, not all people have HC so they don't get the OB/Gyn coverage, but I know when we lived in Georgia we had free women's clinics which were not part of Planned Parenthood. We do have other options...
My fellow student, Gregory said he was going to go home and do a little research. Unfortunately for me and with much sadness for him he was called back to serve in Afghanistan (he has served 3 time already, both in Afghanistan and Iraq and never wanted to go back. But since he has signed up to serve his country he does so with pride.)
I really miss him in my two classes.
I don't have all the answers, I can't tell you how to vote, but I can say that we should all do our research on what the facts are and not believe the outrageous claims made by biased people.
Both Candidates have strengths and weaknesses according to what you value. Do the right thing= Go Vote.
LDS woman may not be able to hold the Priesthood or be a Bishop, Stake President, an Apostle or become Prophet (some think this is repressive, I do not.) but we are able to hold other callings: teachers, secretaries, counselors, and presidents of the young women's youth group over the children's group or over our Relief Society groups (a group made up only of women who meet on Sunday's and other times during the month.)
We are inspired as the men are in our church through the soft spirit of the Holy Ghost, available to us through pray, quiet contemplation and sometimes through other people's needs.
We raise our daughter and sons, teach them the Gospel and how to be good citizens of what ever nation we live in.
We are not lorded over by our husbands if anything, I tend to boss him around like any other wife. I am responsible with my husband for my families salvation, my husband may preside, but more than likely as in my family I lead family home evening, family and personal prayer and when we have it scripture study not my husband.
I am free to come and go as I please, I am not a 1950's wife who serves my husband dinner at 6 p.m. because he demands it. I choose whether dinner is made by me or not. I chose to stay home and be a mom until they were able to attend school. I have decided to go to college after 18 years of staying home (actually while my kids were in school I worked, but was home for them when they came home.) This has all been my choice. I didn't want to miss out on my kids childhoods.
You know a lot has been joked about and outrage has been shown of the comments of Gov. Mitt Romney when he was talking about "binders of women," in the last Presidential Debate. I believe he meant that woma resumes were recommended to him.
Do not people have HR departments in businesses and are given recommendations of who the boss should hire? Pretty sure he meant the same thing.
He talked about his Chief of Staff wanting a flexible schedule because she wanted to be home for dinner with her family. What woman doesn't wish she could eat dinner with her family before her children head off to bed? Shouldn't more companies or government entities have flex schedules for employees?
In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith was inspired to have the women of the church form a women's society where they learn from each other and also from the Prophet about the Gospel, raising their children, supporting their husbands and serving those who were in need of charity work and love. This group called the "Female Relief Society," became defunct when the Prophet was killed and the saints started migrating to Utah.
In Utah when the pioneers arrived President Brigham Young reinstated the Relief Society (which has been around for 170 years this year,) and expanded its cause. Women were encouraged to get educations and go on to higher educations becoming not only what were considered in the states as "woman" jobs such as secretaries, teachers etc... but doctors, professors, editors of newspapers and numerous other "men" only careers.
This was a paper that was ran by LDS women (but not the LDS Church)
for 42 years from 1870 until 1914.
notice what the point is of this issue and what the date is...
I find it interesting that the widely held belief is that we are behind in the times and yet, LDS woman set historic precedence throughout the nation. Such as:
"Women’s Suffrage (the Right to Vote)
In February 1870 the territorial government of Utah granted women the right to vote in government elections. At that time, the territory of Wyoming was the only other place in the United States where women were given this right. Later the national government rescinded this privilege as part of the punishment for Latter-day Saints living the law of plural marriage. But Latter-day Saint women remained vocal and articulate about their rights. Many sisters actively sought women’s suffrage, or the right to vote. Their increasing ability to speak articulately was a blessing when they needed to represent themselves as strong, dignified, and ennobled women. Through their efforts, they regained the right to vote when Utah was granted statehood in the United States of America the beginning of 1896.
They also gained the respect of other women’s movements in the United States and around the world." Courtesy of www.LDS.org
When did women earn the right to vote in the United States, in 1920? Notice, the Federal Government rescinded the women's rights to vote in Utah not our church leaders (or as others would say our lording men.) Very interesting.
A few other points:
I have been thinking about this a lot after having a discussion with a sweet young man named Gregory who is pursuing a degree in Political Science; who as republican is very confused on who he should vote for (he is of African American descent). One thing he was confused about was the comment that Mitt Romney made about getting rid of Planned Parenthood.
My question to him was this, "If the Affordable Healthcare Act is in place why exactly do we need the redundancy of Planned Parenthood? Aren't all those services covered in the AHA? So can't we save money there?"
You may say, "well, doesn't Mitt Romney want to rescind the AHA?" In all fairness, yes, he did say that, as it pertains to the Federal Government taking the reins over it. He believes that States should have the responsibility to control their Healthcare rights.
I live in Florida, but when we lived in Utah we had healthcare covered under Intermountain Health Care. This program was actually looked at by the Federal Government as something to emulate. What they decided was that it would not work throughout the nation, but as a state plan it is a great program. This I believe is what Romney means by letting the States take control of HC. Don't our insurance plans cover birth control and women's healthcare coverage such as mamograms, births, pap-smears, etc? Yes, not all people have HC so they don't get the OB/Gyn coverage, but I know when we lived in Georgia we had free women's clinics which were not part of Planned Parenthood. We do have other options...
My fellow student, Gregory said he was going to go home and do a little research. Unfortunately for me and with much sadness for him he was called back to serve in Afghanistan (he has served 3 time already, both in Afghanistan and Iraq and never wanted to go back. But since he has signed up to serve his country he does so with pride.)
I really miss him in my two classes.
I don't have all the answers, I can't tell you how to vote, but I can say that we should all do our research on what the facts are and not believe the outrageous claims made by biased people.
Both Candidates have strengths and weaknesses according to what you value. Do the right thing= Go Vote.
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