Kate Kelly, the excommunicated Mormon speaks
Kate Kelly is the fighter for women’s rights in the Mormon church. She was excommunicated by a panel of 3 men in the Mormon church. Kate Kelly however is not going away. She intends to make her point. After-all, that is what real activism with a purpose is all about. Why can’t women be ordained as priests. As in many churches women do most of the work and engage more with the people.
Kate Kelly was asked why it was so important for women to have the ability to be ordained in the Mormon Church. “It is important that women are ordained in our church,“ Kate Kelly said. “Because the entire leadership structure of the church revolves around having the priesthood. And so in our church women are not given any leadership opportunities over congregations or in the leadership of the church simply based on their gender.”
When asked how the excommunication was affecting her she said it was hard to express the sorrow she felt. Kate Kelly said she felt forcibly evicted from her spiritual home.
When asked why she did not just leave the religion her answer was simple. She did not do this for herself. She did this for her sisters, her nieces, and all women. It is not just about her. She does not want anyone growing up feeling that they are less than. She does not want anyone to feel that there is a systemic achievement opportunity which is implicit within the Mormon’s doctrine relative to women.
Kate Kelly’s dad said that she was never the type to put up with any type of discrimination. He is right. If all activists were like Kate Kelly and stuck with the values of equity and not compromising away equal rights and equality, the country would be much better off both politically and socially.
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It is a basic church doctrine that the priesthood is conferred on men only, but that women have equal, yet different roles. Any active member of the Church knows that women are just as important as men and indeed do hold many active leadership roles. As Church members, we believe that the eternal roles of men and women are set by Heavenly Father and are not subject to the politically correct whims of the day. It was not asking questions that got Kate Kelly excommunicated; it was her direct opposition to the doctrines of the Church and her demanding by organizing groups to force her way. Either she believes the doctrine or she doesn’t. If she doesn’t, why does she still say she believes?
Maybe because the doctrine was written by men in a patriarchal time when there thoughts supposedly influenced by God were at best suspect.
Indeed.
I love this woman’s strength and integrity. Everything she says is the truth. Men and women are not equals in the Mormon church (or any other church where women are excluded from leadership positions). .This is a religion where one’s HUSBAND determines if his wife (or wives) may enter heaven. Y’all can call that ‘fully equal’ but all that does is make you a religious right Republican who lies reflexively and shamelessly
I have been a member for over 25 years, and in all the sacrament meetings, Sunday school classes I have been, and taught, all the priesthood meetings and I ones I taught, all the leadership meetings I have been, I never, not once, not ever heard or seen a hint that the HUSBAND determines if his wife (or wives) may enter heaven. EVER!!! I was always taught it was God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ that determined that…Who, by the way, are male…
I could argue about other points, but once you start to argue with a fool, pretty soon people will not know the difference…
Linus, apparently you haven’t been through the Mormon temple? At the end, it is the husband who brings his wife through the vail into heaven.