Hi, Angelina.

This is a book, which you can read on-line, which helped me a lot. As women, it really helps give a perspective on how the LDS Church views women.

And if you wonder why a lot of people call the Church a cult, you can see why in this book.

It was written in the 1800s by Eliza Webb Young, who was actually one of Brigham Young's plural wives. It's long, but worth the read. It gives you excellent perspective into the early days of the Church.

http://www.archive.org/details/wifeno19orstoryo00younrich

Thank you for thinking of me!! Wow, this is a historical record. Did you feel that the depiction of how women are treated then is fairly similar to the Church's position today?
The irony is that I highly value independence and I view myself as a strong woman. My non-lds friends have always wondered how i could be so independent and part of an indoctrinating religion. As I discover more withehld and damning info about the Church, I slowly get my power back!! I look forward to reading this!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2012 09:39AM by angelina5.

Things are certainly better today than they were back then. But the Church has a terrible history with regard to women. They even fought in the legal battle against equal rights for women.

Today they will still ask a husband's permission to give a woman a calling. The husband still has the final say in the decision-making for his family.

We are still often patronized and patted on the head when we have a problem with the status quo. We're still told to stay at home, rather than making a living.

We're certainly not encouraged to go out and study to become a doctor. Women who do so, do it because they're courageous enough to ignore them and do what's right for themselves.

The Church is way behind the times, still.

Today, men run the Relief Society.

Men take all money earned by the Relief Society.

Men decide what "relief" the society will provide, if any, and to whom.

Men changed the name (didn't work).

Men changed the meeting frequency ('cause women are working now)

Women now see no need to meet.

The danger of autonomous women gathering has passed.


Anagrammy

Better didn't mean good. LOL I meant opposed to having your throat cut if you doubted the Church.

Women are definitely treated better today than they were in the beginning of the church (no polygamy for one), BUT the patriarchal male dominated culture IS what the church started with and what is still there in the religion. Men make the decisions and the women follow.

What I think is interesting is that when women started working more outside of the home and equality became more of an issue in the broader US culture is when the church took away much of the power of women in the church (see Anagrammy's post). Can't have those wimmin thinking for themselves.

Another interesting thing to look at is the difference in lessons between the women's meetings (YW and Relief Society) and the men's meetings (YM and Priesthood). For example, YW are taught we are the homemakers, taught that we are responsible to stay pure and holy, etc. While YM are taught about priesthood responsibilities, etc.

While the church says they honor women, what they really DO is marginalize women and teach them that their only valid purpose is being a good wife and mother.