I experience Mormondom to be a warm and beautiful and…
““I experience Mormondom to be a warm and beautiful and well-appointed home in which you suddenly find you're in a Patriarchy Funhouse that features crazy, rippling distortion mirrors built to magnify maleness and diminish femaleness. It's males who sit in the seats of authority, from God in his heaven on down to the leadership in Salt Lake City and out to every spot on the globe where Mormons congregate. It's males we pray to and pray through. It's males that preside at the pulpit. It's males that pray over and pass the sacrament, the tokens of the Lord's supper, and officiate in all other ordinances. It's males (nearly always) whose portriats hang on the walls of our chapels and whose faces appear on the covers of our class manuals. It's males who pronounce every doctrine and policy from church headquarters. It's males we read about in most of the Old Testament, and in ninety-nine percent of the Book of Mormon. (Thank you, Jesus of the New Testament, for being such a radical revolutionary, violating tradition, speaking of and to women, treating them as fully human.)””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The author critiques how Mormon structures elevate men, creating a distorted hierarchy that marginalizes women.
In simple terms: Mormon culture often places men in power, sidelining women.
Key Takeaway
Question gender dynamics in faith.
Themes
gender
religion
power
patriarchy
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
social commentary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- church leadership
- family worship
- educational materials
- community gatherings
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
feminist theology
institutional critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How can inclusive leadership be fostered in religious settings?
- What steps can individuals take to balance gender representation?
A Different Perspective
May generalize experiences across all Mormons.