So, I haven't spoken to many people about this, but I have been going through a religious upheaval. (Is that the correct spelling?) I've decided to "come out of the closet" and talk to people about it here.
I have a lot of questions and many more doubts about things I have been taught as Truth as well as things that are more implied/socialized than taught under the same category.
One of the things I struggle with about the LDS church is the role of women. I label myself a feminist. I think men and women are equal. I believe the church would claim that as well but I think in practice, there are some discrepancies between what is said on the surface and what is actually done or expected of both men and women.
Being under the impression at an early age that my religion was flawless and guided by the direct influence of an all-knowing God, I was disappointed to find flaws and inconsistencies. I still struggle to reconcile what can be considered revelation and what are simply the feelings and (presumably good) intentions of old men.
I'm starting to get a little side-tracked so I'll try to focus again. One issue I have struggled with is the story of Adam and Eve. I had become frustrated with the Creation story found in the Bible and the contradiction of the two commandments. There also is a dichotomy with Eve. LDS people say they honor Eve for her forsight in the garden but then also say she was punished for it, even though it was right. Eve's power and intelligence were never made clear to me until I read this article.
In Copper Woman, Old Woman says that women from all corners of the world have bits and pieces of the truth that we once had about women. There is Truth in Copper Woman and there is Truth in that article. I am just starting out on my journey to find my spirituality and truth again. I wanted to share the revelations I found with you.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Mother Eve
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Some Recommended Reading
Daughters of Copper Woman:
I don't even know where to start. I am not finished with this book yet, I'm just a little more than halfway through. Already it has made my heart sing with gladness, challenged my old ideas about creation and Time, made me angy and cry bitter tears, and made me cry tears of sadness and compassion. The stories are mythical and magical and they hold Truth that we have forgotten. It celebrates women and their sacred power, magic, and love. I can't wait to finish so I can start reading again.
Mistborn:
This book was recommended to me by my past boyfriend, Blake. It was a captivating read. I spent an entire Saturday just reading it (which was not good -- I had a couple of midterm projects I should have been working on; which is why I'm putting off starting the second book until I get caught up). The characters are interesting and dynamic. The heroine, Vin, is awesome. She starts out a strong and clever but beaten down girl living on the streets and at the end she is the most powerful awesome woman, unafraid to love and fight for what is right. Kelsier is Vin's teacher and he is amazing, too. He totally kicks a$$ in this big fight near the end. It's got some good underlying thematic questions as well about equality and ethical use of power.
The FOB Bible:I haven't read the whole thing because I don't own it yet (I intend to order it when I have money. At the moment, I'm completely broke). But there are some excerpts online at this site. It is a collection of literary works re-examining and re-imagining the Old Testament. I particularly liked "Blood-Red Fruit" and "Abraham's Purgatory." I think B10 Media put it best, "At once irreverent, whimsical, sexy, feminist, and poignant, this ain’t your mama’s Bible, and you sure didn’t learn this in Sunday school." The stories are insightful and even spiritual. I'd love to discuss these with you if you read them. Leave a comment about what you think or which one was your favorite/least favorite.
Same for the other books. If you've read them, let's chat :) I love discussing literature.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
A wish
Tonight, my sister and I were driving home from our weekly (in theory at least) game night at her boyfriends house. At an intersection, we saw a woman get out of a big white truck. She was halfway out of the truck with the door open for a while like she was gathering her things. Then she started walking away in the direction that we had come from. We thought it was a bit odd so we kept an eye on her when our light turned green. The truck made a U turn and followed her to a gas station. The driver was aggressively following her, he even pushed her to the side with his truck.
We turned around. When we got back to where she was, the guy in the truck had sped away and she was walking on the sidewalk in the dark. It was probably around 1:30 am. We gave her a ride to where she needed to go. She cried a little but was strong. I hope that we helped her in some small way. Actually, I am certain that we did.
I thought about the incident on the whole way home. Women, girls, we need to look after each other. There are so many creeps out there. Let's take care of each other. Not only with bigger things but in small things, too. Let's love each other and be kind to each other. Women get abused all the time, we as their sisters cannot support or continue abuse in any shape or form, under any title or definition.
If we all just made a more conscious effort to love and care for the women in our lives; our mothers, sisters, lovers, friends, neighbors, aunts, nieces, any woman you meet; if we shared with them our strength when they feel weak or oppressed, think of what a difference that would make! I know that many of us feel this is important already, but reaffirming this conviction will make it stronger and will make women stronger.
I hope that young woman to whom we gave a ride can get a big hug tonight from her mother/best friend/sister/anyone who truly loves her. When she does, I hope she feels my love and Tashi's love in it, too.
