we recently taught this sunday school lesson, and it was going great until the conversation about satan's influence started dragging a little. i asked if anyone had any last comments about that section of the lesson, and a woman in the very, very back (all combined) bouncing her baby raised her hand. she started going on about all the evil in the world and 'people taking roles they don't belong in' and the threat of gay marriage and 'the feminist movement' and women wanting the priesthood...
as she kept talking i could feel myself glazing over. for real?
when she got done i stumbled around my words and said some b.s. about focusing on personal revelation and kindness and not working about 'big picture topics.' i kept thinking about it all afternoon. i was mortified that the moment had come and i failed to stand up for myself and for others there who might have thought like i did.
if i could go back in time this is what i would say:
"well, i'm a feminist and i think there is room for a lot of different view points in the gospel, which is one thing that's so great about it. i also think we don't know the answers to a lot of questions and, like the articles of faith say, we believe many things will still be revealed. it's important to focus on faith and building others up."
oh i wish i could change it.
Almost everytime I have an interaction with our Bishop (at a ward activity or something) he says something outrageously racist. And I am always too stunned and/or angry to formulate an eloquent rebuttal on the spot. But it sucks so bad to have the "what I wish I would have said" swirling around in my head for always after it happens. It feels so terrible to feel like you missed an opportunity like that.
ReplyDeleteThat answer you have is great. I'm writing it down in my "to use when relief
society gets cray cray" binder.
-Annette