Vision Forum

A reader has asked me to take a look at Vision Forum, headed by Doug Philips. I have, and I think that place warrants a full series. This organization isn't just an apologetics ministry, like CARM, or creationist money making venture, like Answers in Genesis. Vision Forum is about total transformation of American family life and civil liberties, to more closely resemble their interpretation of the Bible. I'm not going to focus so much on the historicity of Jesus, the accuracy of Biblical accounts, the canonization of Scripture, or theological disputes. Since Vision Forum is focused on patriarchy and the family (you know, women and kids, who aren't equal people in their own right,) I'll be focusing on the same issues. I'll explain why I think the Vision Forum prescribed lifestyle is detrimental to women, children, and yes, even men.

Let's just take a look at the Vision Forum Mission Statement from their website at VisionForumMinistries.org. (Note: All materials used are copyrighted, but are reproduced on AngietheAntiTheist.blogspot.com in accordance with Fair Use laws.)

Our Mission - Preserving Our Covenant with God through Biblical Patriarchy and Multi-Generational Faithfulness

Keeping up our end of the bargain with the Man in the Sky by keeping women down and rejecting evolution. Got it.

1. Turning the hearts of fathers to their families.

Well that sounds nice, right? Dads liking their kids seems like a really good thing on its face, but let's see how Doug Philips thinks dads should treat their kids before we pass judgment.

2. Proclaiming the Nobility and Glory of Motherhood

Well motherhood and fatherhood are both extremely important. Not only are children necessary for the survival of the species (thus giving all of us an investment in how children are raised and cared for) but humans are social creatures, and we can expect that we will spend most of our lives interacting with other people who have also been raised by parents. So yes, I think it can be beneficial to recognize the important roles caretakers, teachers, and parents all play in the shaping of children. But that does not mean we should present motherhood as the highest or only aspiration a woman should have in life. (I'll get to why I suspect this of Vision Forum in a moment.)

3. Reviving the Doctrine of “Women and Children First”

Well, as a woman and a mother, I can certainly see the appeal to having my needs met first, or my survival valued. Who among us wouldn't like to live to see tomorrow? But I find "doctrine" to be an odd word choice, and so I will keep one slanted eye on it for a moment while I ponder its meaning in this context.

4. Embracing the Blessing of Children and the Sanctity of Human Life

Ah, now you've lost me. Not because I disagree that children can be a blessing. My son is amazing. He has the most infectious laugh you've ever heard and he actively requests to be tickled. Do you have any idea how great that combination is? But let's be honest for a moment (or always, whichever.)

Raising a kid is a huge undertaking, and it's not for everyone, and even for the people who love it, it's not always the right time. My son is a handful. He's bright and his curiosity level far exceeds his caution. He takes a lot of supervision and a lot of patience. If he gets those things, we're great, but if he doesn't... Life gets challenging. I only want one kid, and I've already got him. And let me make clear, Vision Forum not only opposes abortion; they oppose contraception.

This isn't "accept however many pregnancies you have, despite birth control" version of "everything happens for a reason" that I heard from many people when I had my own abortion. This is "acitvely seek to have as many children as possible." It's very, very different, especially when it's coupled by those prior aspects of the mission statement. Also, here Doug Philips mentions the "sanctity" of life. By this he means everything from opposing euthanasia to giving embryos greater rights and privileges than women.

5. Building a Culture of Virtuous Boyhood and Girlhood

So, no dating, no premarital sex, no sex education, no girls playing sports, no boys playing with dolls, and no getting a job at the local fast food place during high school, right?

6. Reinforcing Godly Masculinity and Femininity

Run away, run away, run away! Those gender roles stuck men with all of the decision making responsibility and burden, and women with none. They deprive people of healthy partnerships, and force them into unbalanced and often abusive relationships. There's a reason why developed nations treat women more fairly, and why women are accorded the right to vote, to own property, to win custody, and to work. Because we're good enough.

7. Understanding Family Culture as Religion Externalized

So, how you treat your family is how you worship your god? Or maybe you mean that children are there to carry on the meme of your faith to future generations of god-fearing mass-produced children?

8. Teaching History as the Providence of God

Wait, all of it? Even slavery and the Holocaust and the Iraq War?

9. Developing Biblical Worldview Through Presuppositional Thinking

Okay, I almost had a cream soda through the nose situation here. "Presuppositional thinking" is fallacious thinking. It literally means, "Taking this thing as true first, and using this assumption as the basis of my worldview." It's dumb and it shows how little evidence the Bible has going for it, if one must first presume it is true before finding it believable.

10. Training Character by Hebrew Discipleship and Home Education

Well, I don't know what he means by Hebrew discipleship, so I'll just note it and move on for now. Notice though that he lists home education as being for "training character" (as opposed to providing, you know, an education.) Helping children to develop a social character is important, but you can do it without home schooling. Most parents do, in fact.

11. Communicating the Applicability of the Law of God

In other words, applying Biblical law to today's society. Um, let's not. I really don't like the idea that I have to marry a man if he rapes me, or else get stoned to death. Really, there's nothing about Biblical law I like better than the laws we have today in the United States.

12. Addressing the Ethical Issues of the 21st Century

By this he means issues like abortion (against it) euthanasia (against it) stem cell research (against it) family planning (against it) and the Pill (against it). Yeah, that's a great way of dealing with issues from the 21st century: Just be opposed to all of them! (Why am I guessing he belongs to the party of No?)

13. Preparing Men to Stand in the Gates

Huh? No, seriously. What does this mean? There must be an awful lot of back story I'm missing out on here. Yay for in-group lingo?

14. Encouraging Unity Between Church and Home

With the Church, of course, in the "headship" position over the Home, much as the man is in "headship" over the woman.

So ladies, would you like to sign on to an untold (but probably large) number of pregnancies and births, to raising lots and lots of children without help from your husband, while serving his wishes and following all his commands, and never getting to make any decisions, but just doing whatever the church says your husband says you should do? Me neither!

[Edit: For anyone interested in more on the Vision Forum life from someone who actually lived it, I highly recommend the blog and community at NoLongerQuivering.com.]

Read more!

Choices

Those of you who follow me on Twitter or who I've emailed or called already know, but for the rest of you: My birth control failed, and I am pregnant. I have been in physical pain for days, and I think a certain amount of the emotional distress (read: suicidal depression & panic attacks) I've been under has been caused by hormone fluxes and my body being taken over. I can't *afford* to have all nutritional resources diverted elsewhere, and I'm not ready to be the mom of two kids.

Hell, I'll never be ready for that. I decided about ten minutes after my son was born that he was the only one in the world for me. As it became clear he had special needs, this decision cemented. I honestly believe that being an only child will be the best thing for HIM, in no small part because I feel at least somewhat capable of being a good mom to him, but not of being a good mom (certainly not a great mom) to two special needs children.

There's a list of reasons from personal (I don't want two special needs kids, sorry), to financial (remember how I already lived in a car with one kid? Imagine doing that with no car and two kids. I know I already have!), and health (I don't wanna die.) But you know what? "I don't want to be pregnant" is a *good enough* reason to get an abortion! Really & truly. "I don't want to give you a kidney" is a good enough reason not to be forced into an organ donation that would save another person's life. This is not different, and shouldn't treated as such.

This isn't a secret and this isn't something I'm ashamed of. I'm getting an abortion. It's the right move for me and for my family. And honestly, I can't wait to get it over with and get back to being the writer, speaker, activist, silly, fun, girlfriend, mom I'd like to be, instead of the pissed off incubator I currently am. This is not a child; this is a squatter which could potentially become a child. Or kill me. Maybe even both. None of those are outcomes I'm frankly interested in.

This may sound... cold? At the moment, it's hard to care what anyone else thinks. I know this is the right thing to do in this circumstance, and I won't be regretting this later. I love my son & I'm glad I have him. When I was pregnant before, I *felt* like I was carrying a baby, the little boy I had always wanted. Right now I feel like I have a tapeworm or some kind of horrible infection. Maybe the hormones aren't working right yet or maybe I'm practical.

Whatever last minute doubts I may have had were squashed by spending yesterday in a crowded room (church auditorium, actually) with 600 special needs children, during my son's school field trip. Holy crap, am I glad I'm getting an abortion!

And, just in case it needs to be stated more clearly, you guys know I'm glib but that doesn't mean I don't till feel this stuff. Put on a happy face, right? I'm not giddy about it or anything, but I'm not going to get emotionally manipulated into feeling bad that in the case of Me vs. It, I choose me.

And in case you needed to have it more thoroughly explained to you, this is what I am not willing to go through again. (And not a single pro-life man would either. They just don't have the *ovaries* for that kind of pain.)

p.s. At 6 weeks, a fetus has an eye spot, but no eye. It has the first cells which will become the heart, but no heart. It has no brain or even the beginnings of a brain. It does, however, have a tail. Tell me, is this a person? Does that 2% uniquely human DNA really make a difference in this? Also, please note the size of the scale in this picture (from BabyCenter.com) Am I really going to sacrifice my health and life, my sanity and my body for a cluster of cells (with human DNA, and the potential to grow into human life) about the size of a pinto bean? Answer: No.

Read more!

Chatting with a Mormon Missionary: Take 7

In this week's installment, I'll be posing as Andrew, a married man whose wife doesn't want him to convert to LDS.

You are speaking live with Jule', who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Information provided in this session is to provide assistance only and is not an official statement of the Church.

Jule': His this is Jule' and Kenzi, how can we help you?

Me: Hi I'm really interested in the Church of LDS, but my wife has a lot of hesitations.

Jule': What can we do to help?

Me: Well, I wanted some reassurance for her that she won't be treated any differently if she's a member of this church. She's a science teacher at a local community college, and wants to keep working. Also, she doesn't want to have children.

Jule': God will provide a way for everything to work out for the best if you follow his teachings.
(Is this seriously the best response you can come up with?)



Me: well, can you answer some marriage and family life questions for me?

Jule': Of course we can.
(Then why did you give me that craptastic pat answer before?)

Me: Do many women in LDS work in academic careers?
(Long pause...)

Jule': I don't know an exact number, but many women in the church have very academic careers and degrees.
("Many")

Me: Excellent. That's certainly a relief.
She's been worried I would ask her to give up her career to become a stay-at-home mother.

Jule': Education is highly encouraged in our religion.

Me: Really? It seems to me that most LDS youth are encouraged to engage in missionary work, rather than seeking a college degree.
(Cause who needs an education when the rapture's on its way?)

Jule': They are encouraged to do both. Education is stronly advised for both men and women.

Me: So they go to college while doing missionary work, or beforehand?

Jule': Usually afterwards, but some go for a little before they leave on a mission. I personally received my Associates Degree and will work on my Bachelor's when I get home.
(Good for you honey! College=good, unless of course it's BYU.)

Me: Are you a woman?

Jule': Yes

Me: Do you think it's okay for a woman in LDS to never have children - on purpose?

Jule': It's a personal decision between a husband, wife and God.
(God, in LDS, talks only to male prophets, so that's sort of like giving hubby two votes, including the veto power.)

Me: Would other members of the church look down on her for not wanting children? This is a really big concern for her.

Jule': People are different. It depends on the people in the area, but we are encouraged not to look down on anyone and love everyone no matter the choices they make.
(That sounds so sweet - you'd never guess the Mormon church spent oodles on making sure gay Californians couldn't get married!)

Me: She says that women in LDS have fewer opportunities, and that she wants to be free to dress, think, and behave as she wants. What do you think?

Jule': We are not given any fewer opportunities than anyone else. I'm not quite sure what you mean by the think and behave part of the question though.

Me: Well, what are the rules or sort of guidelines for women in LDS?

Jule': The same rules apply to the men as to the women.

Me: But, since I'm head of the household, obviously some things will be different. I mean, I get the final say, right?
(I'm sure she'll say no to this now, but later on when I ask if I should just convert anyway and threaten to leave my wife if she doesn't follow suit, we'll see how she responds then.)

Jule': That's up to you and your wife. You must council together in all family decisions.

Me: What about within the church? I know women are not prophets. Are there other things women can't be?

Jule': Women aren't prophets, bishops, preists, or hold the preisthood.
That's the only difference.

Me: That seems like a pretty big difference, lol.
Does the Church have an official stance on birth control?
(I asked this of a guy in Take ___ and want to see)

Jule': it is a big difference. ha

Me: So how does that difference play out? Are there women who want to be bishops? What happens then?

Jule': no the church doesn't have an official stance on birthcontrol, but if your wondering if it is acceptable, it is.
i don't know of that problem ever arising. as women, we accept and support the men as the leadership of the church.
andrew, we have to go, could we transfer you to someone who will continue to answer your questions?

Me: Yes please

Jule': ok. it was nice talking to you, hopefully we were able to help you out. have a nice day!

Me; Thanks so much for your time

Jule': Has transferred you to:

You are speaking live with Brent, who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Information provided in this session is to provide assistance only and is not an official statement of the Church.

Brent: Hello Andrew

Me: Hi Brent, how are you?
(Pause while he catches up on reading prior conversation)

Brent: Not too bad. How are you doing today?

Me: Good. I'm interested in LDS, but my wife has concerns.

Brent: Ok I will see if I can help you out. Where would you like to start?

Me: Well, she wonders about why only men are in priesthood or leadership positions in the Church.

Brent: That is a very valid concern. I will see if I can help you out.
The women in the church do have leadership positions, they just have different authority and different responsibilities.
(Different = lesser)

Me: Different how?

Brent: Well in the church there is the priesthood, which as I think you know is only men. However there is the Relief Society for women.
LINK
That link describes more what the relief society is

Me: Okay, so it's essentially charity and missionary work.
But not leadership or doctrinal teaching, right?

Brent: Well. During a typical Sunday service there are 3 meetings (Sacrament, Sunday School and Pristhood/Relief Society). Each ward has a "Relief Society Presidency" which oversees the Relief Society

Me: And that Presidency is run by women, right?

Brent: Does that make sense?
It is.

Me: Yes, I think so. Sacrament for all (overseen by men), Sunday School for all (taught by men and women, I think) and Relief Society for women
But no woman could ever become a member of the priesthood, even if she was well-read in the Book of Mormon and the Bible?

Brent: Yes that is correct. Sunday school is often team-taught (husband and father). For instance my mother and father teach a class together. But it isn't always that way
Correct, the priesthood is reserved for men, however women are blessed because of the priesthood. You cannot use the priesthood for yourself, only for others. So women in a sense have the priesthood through their husbands if they are worthy
(Bullshit!)

Me: Worthy?

Brent: In order to have the priesthood, you must be worthy (keep the commandments, pay tithing, obey the word of wisdom, etc.)

Me: Okay, well I think you've answered my questions on priesthood. I have a few other questions though.
What is the LDS view on evolution?

Brent: We don't have one.

Me: Does BYU teach science courses?

Brent: They do, but I am not familiar with those courses, you would have to look at BYU website

Me: Okay. I just know that evolution is the foundation of all science (bio, chemistry, etc.) so that's a big concern of my wife's

Brent: Andrew I have to run, but can I transfer you again to someone else (sorry about all the transferring)

Me: No, that's okay. I'll try again another day.
(I've got places to be and things to do.)

Brent: Ok. Thank you for your time and concerns. Come back any time
Have a great day!

Me: You too :)

Massive image credits goes to the site Salamander Society

Read more!