Blog Tag: General Conference
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Peace, but Not at Any Cost
I do hope, however, that this call to civility and love does not encourage people to avoid all difficult topics or advocacy. It's far too easy to say, "I am not political," or "I don't care about politics," or "I only focus on the good" to achieve peace. This peace comes at a great cost, however. And the people who pay that cost are often those who experience the daily costs of systemic racism, sexism, bigotry, and classism.
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Women at LDS General Conference: Fewer are called, fewer are chosen,...
Peggy Fletcher Stack, senior religion reporter at The Salt Lake Tribune, wrote a fascinating analysis of the lack of women speakers at general conference, including research by Exponent II magazine theology editor Eliza Wells and thoughts from blogger April Young-Bennett.
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Why Representation In General Conference Matters
Some would like to believe that representation doesn’t matter. They try to reduce the sense of belonging so many crave to be a carnal, selfish or even naive request. Why should we want to see people who look like us when we already know that we are a worldwide church?
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My teen son and his very long hair are in the...
The bishop met with me first, before extending a calling to my 14-year-old son to participate in the youth choir at General Conference. There would be lots of rehearsals. He wanted to make sure I was okay with the time commitment. He showed me the letter outlining the requirements.
I glanced at the rehearsal dates briefly before my eye was drawn to another part of the letter, listing the dress and grooming requirements. "If he needs help with clothes, we can help with that," the bishop told me.
I wasn't worried about the clothes. It was the bit about "no extreme...
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Guest Post: Reclaiming General Conference
Guest Post by Marie. Marie is an idea explorer, re-activated avid reader, wife, and mother. She has lived most of her life in Atlanta, dreams big, and searches out for the best-tasting food.
Yesterday morning I was reading through an older Ensign article from President Uchtdorf about preparing for General Conference. The impetus for this was that the last year has brought me some of the darkest times of my spiritual life. This is due, in part, to postpartum side-effects from my Christmas-Eve baby, but also to my spiritual shelf slowly becoming too full, this shelf becoming even more...
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Guest Post: Springtime in the Church
Guest post by Maria Mortensen-Davis. Maria Mortensen-Davis is a poet, amateur naturalist, and currently an at-home parent in her family. She lives in Utah County with her husband and four children, where she spends as much time outside as possible.
I've spent many hours this week preparing my garden beds for the season. I don't enjoy gardening during most of the year, a fact that I manage to forget every spring for a few weeks in a feverish obsession with new growth and sunshine. Easter was last week, spring is on my mind, and it’s time to work in the...
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Guest Post: Religious Freedom Should be Free for All
Guest Post by A.T.
A.T is a paraeducator, avid slow jogger, and mother of 2 who currently resides in California.
On nights when I just can’t fall asleep, sometimes I do a little waltz in my head. I imagine the steps as I breathe in time, steadied by the beat. Back, side, close. Forward, side, close. One, two, three. One and. Two and. Three. Even as I lay still, the perception of motion is soothing, like a baby being rocked to sleep. That kind of curative movement is harnessed in the spiritual notion of the dance of life. It’s a...
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These Guys Are Just Men
In 2004, I lived in South Carolina for a few months while my military husband attended training at Fort Jackson. I'd just graduated from BYU and moved away from Utah with him for this temporary assignment. While there, I met a very friendly woman who was part of the housekeeping staff where we lived. She'd had a rough life and I came to love her very quickly after she helped me use my room to conceal a starving, lost kitten I found in the parking lot for several months. I adopted that cat and he was with me until...
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Guest Post: An Open Letter to Elder Oaks: Is Heaven to...
Guest Post by Christina Taber-Kewene. Christina is a lawyer, business owner, writer, and mother to four humans.
Dear Elder Oaks, I have a few thoughts for you, one lover of human agency to another:
One of the traditional Christian doctrines Joseph Smith rejected when he was working out his beliefs was predestination. At the time, many Christian sects, including the the Presbyterians Joseph heard preach, believed God chose His elect for salvation regardless of human action. Any allowance for human agency would limit God’s ability to choose whom He saved, so free will was an illusion. Any religion that truly believes in...
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Guest Post: Pray, She Is There. Speak, They Are Listening
Hi, I'm Meghan (she/they.) I live in North Idaho where I am a founding member Harmony CDA, a local support group seeking to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ and allies in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And my husband suggested it might be a good idea to link my latter-gay stories post if anyone wants to know more about my personal “coming out” story that is mentioned. This can be found here: https://lattergaystories.org/hi-im-meghan/
I’ve been feeling a lot of feelings following Elder Renlund’s address in the Women’s Session of General Conference, but mostly, I am sad. I’m sad...
What is Exponent II?
Exponent II provides Mormon feminist forums for women and gender minorities across the Mormon spectrum to share their diverse life experiences in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance. Through these exchanges, we strive to create a community to better understand and support each other.
Exponent II was founded in 1974 by a group of Mormon women in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These women were inspired by the original periodical, “The Woman’s Exponent,” to create a forum “posed on the dual platforms of Mormonism and Feminism.”
For 50+ years, Exponent II has shared women’s voices in its quarterly magazine, and members of the community have convened at an annual retreat. Our reach has expanded as technology has advanced: the blog, founded in January 2006, has reached millions. As we look to the future, we are focused on growth and building a more inclusive community.
