Too many people allow stupid things to make them hate others. Actually hate other people. You can literally hate what bothers you about others, but you should never allow that, or anything, to make you hate someone. That's wrong. I'd venture to say that it's evil.
Recently, a woman of my faith was tossed out of the faith for questioning a piece of gospel. Put simply, that's all it was, at least at the beginning. It has put nearly everyone in my faith in some shameless uproar where they berate, belittle, and hold undue hatred for the woman, and all those who followed her. It's been an embarrassing, saddening experience.
They did everything they could to make her into a bad person. They still say how she's in the minority, and she's besmirching the church, she's a feminist, she's stupid, she's apostate, she's an activist, she wants attention, she didn't take her husband's last name! But if you step back...Just. Step. Back. And look at the situation, you'll realize that you have no license to blame or judge her - especially if you couldn't possibly understand by not being a woman or, if you are a woman, not ever thinking about your role in life.
And you probably haven't if you don't understand where she comes from. After all, we're taught not to question our roles. We're taught to embrace these differences we have and pretend we're equal in the eyes of the church. We're simply not. WE'RE NOT. And that's okay.
What this woman was bothered by used to bug me. It really shook my faith for years. If we're so special and we're all equal (2Nephi 26:33), how do women not have the priesthood? Having babies is not the same thing, as some of us can't, and through no choice of our own. I'd literally risk my life trying to have babies. The only way to be denied the priesthood (since blacks were able to have it) is to be found unworthy. By choice. And there is no risking of lives involved.
Not equal.
But I found solace, that these women must not have found, in the scriptures. Words I've seen repeatedly laced throughout them with little variation; "through faith, all things are made possible." To me, this means that I'll be taken care of if I am faithful. Faith itself is your power. And that's all I need. It isn't logical that our God would not allow me to heal someone or help my family if I call upon him simply because I am female. He would help. I know he would. He has. I don't need to have the priesthood.
But these women haven't found what I have. They wander in an organization that seems so divided and unfair. Maybe it is, but they should seek a higher authority than the church, and that is God. They should know that man is fallible, and God is perfect. He knows an infinity of things we can't possibly understand. And we have to let him guide us and mould us how he sees fit.
Meanwhile, the rest of us should do nothing but love and serve our fellow man. We should be patient with their shortcomings and encourage them to find a higher understanding and peace through the life of our savior, his teachings, and the teachings of his faithful servants. Please stop the hatred. Stop the misunderstanding. Mourn our sister's loss, and hope for her return and peace of mind because I truly believe her when she says she loves this church.
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