I’m sure you’ve seen it by now. The Sharing Time lesson for Week 2 in October 2017. The object lesson is to instruct someone (a boy, because obvs) to hold an umbrella while children gather under it. You’re supposed to explain that the umbrella symbolizes the priesthood and that everyone under it is covered by it.
But you guys. Have you really looked at the picture they used as an example in the lesson?
You have to really look at it.
You can’t make this stuff up.
That umbrella is not covering all of them. If rain were actually falling on that umbrella, the people on the edge (all girls!!!) would get soaking wet.
Are the manual writers trolling us?
This perfectly exemplifies why we should all be holding our own umbrellas.
And that’s not even all. The lesson goes on to offer another suggestion. They offer another activity that ends up with the children placing these ordinances in order of progression.
That middle step presents a problem for the ladies.
How do we explain this to the little girls, I wonder? Probably they’ll tell us that it is the men’s job to lift them up over it. (because otherwise, they’d fall through it?) It is such a shame, though, that we can’t empower these little girls to walk up the steps of progression on their own.
Someone else will hold that umbrella. Someone else will carry you. Someone else will lead you. Someone else will preside over you. Someone else will always have authority over you.
These are the implicit messages we are teaching these girls. This is what they learn about their value and their worth in the Church.
This is what makes Ordain Women’s mission so important. Because someone needs to tell these little girls that they don’t need to be carried through progression. At the “Let My Voice Be Heard” action on October 1st, women will approach the doors of the Church Administration Building and request an audience with church leaders. And they will each be carrying their own umbrella.
To find out more, click on this picture or follow the link above.
Leah Marie
Leah Marie earned a BA in Political Science, and a Masters in Public Administration. She is currently working towards her PhD in Public Policy. She is wife to an English professor, and mother to 3 beautiful boys.
All posts by Leah Marie
I agree with you. Also, Tuesday night there was in the 10 p.m News Channel #2 an article about an organization created by Mormons (men and woman) that are Energy Healing Workers with different modalities, and the LDS Church is against it because “the women” are using “Reiki” (hands on) like the way the “priesthood” is doing, and it is not for the women. There is a LDS woman that has spent a lot of time to probe with scriptures that women can heal as well as men .Watch the General Conference because I feel that this is going a subject for the General Authorities. If you can, contact with Tamara Laing :tamarasbook.blogspot.com. her book are a “bomb” for LDS and maybe more religions. Maybe it would be a good idea for the ladies of “Ordein Women” to talk to Tamara before. The book title is “Healing Arts, A Gift from God”. LDS insight on the Light of CHRIST & Energy Medicine, and ” An LDS Approach to Energy Healing”
Leah, I would revend highly that the ladies of “Ordein Women” read the first book of Tamara because she probe with a lot of scriptures and even written papers from the first LDS authorities about the women and their power of performing many ordemamces without mem pristhood
the cracks in the dam are getting bigger and bigger and one should get out of the way before it breaks and all this dirty water that has been accumulating inside all of these years will come flowing out so new clean living water can fill this dam again. Sooner or later the truth is being known about this church being run by a bunch of leaders that think that we are still living in the dark ages and they can keep doing pretty much what they have doing for about 200 years. When one smells smoke in the air be assured that there is a fire someplace and this is what is happening to this church. This cleansing fire might first destroy some previous beliefs but eventually new grass will sprout and there will a renewal and we are ready for it now. Women keep moving forward because you are following what Jesus taught and not what these men are teaching.
In fact, this is a profesy in D&C 112. About the dispensation of time when the Lord is going to start ” the clean up first from inside of His church”. Read that section and particularly the D&C Manual. Surprise me that no many people talks about it
I wonder if we are not supposed to notice, in that image, that the umbrella-holder is quite literally above the non-umbrella-holders.
This post deserves all the reaction gifs, because just saying “Praise!” doesn’t quite convey how much I agree with this. Thank you for the perfect illustration.
If this is all Silverman has to write about… A picture with kids and an umbrella. Things must not be that bad! Seems like someone wanting to complain, but can’t find a problem…
For the life of me I can’t figure out why any honest feminist actually can remain in this ridiculous patriarchy. Packer was right- the biggest enemy of the “church” is the intellectual feminist because only we have the vastly influential power of social justice to cut through the falsehoods of “priesthood” dominance. The Bible teaches a priesthood of all believers. None of this Melchizedek male only power hierarchy. The Mormon church and its priesthood and patriarchy is geared solely towards the marginalization and disenfranchisement of females. It’s doctrine. It’s history. And any female who doesn’t understand this is so beset by internalized misogyny that they have lost the agency that god– including heavenly mother– holds so precious. The Mormon church is sexist, degenerate, rape-encouraging, and holds no equality. Thank you for demonstrating that this pernicious female hating is being perpetuating in the propaganda for children too.
NOT all girls. At least one in the front row, also not covered by the umbrella, is dressed in standard LDS boy attire.
Not to denigrate the writer’s or commenters’ concerns, but they might be better served with a little more accuracy of observation and maybe spiced with a little generosity or humility.
Still, I applaud the willingness to speak out about one’s frustrations and suggestions as to what might be done about them.
Good luck this weekend. I’ll be entertaining an ex-mo friend and her never-mo husband and check in on General Conference after its over.
Well said, Leah Marie. I particularly mourn for, like you said, the implicit messages we send to girls about their (lack of) worth. Good luck tomorrow!