ENSIGN ARTICLE: “Does the church favor equal rights for women? Yes.” –excerpt of a Q&A section of an article about the church’s opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, published in the Ensign, March 1980. [source]
QUOTE: “I personally deplore the fact, one apparently conceded by some of the proponents, that the Equal Rights Amendment would make it impossible for the government to make any distinction between men and women for military service. They would be compelled to draft women in time of war in order to draft men, and they would be compelled to force women into combat, lest they could not force men to do likewise.” Boyd K. Packer, arguing against the ERA, Ensign, March 1977. [source]
COMMENTARY: I’m not sure why church leaders constantly feel the need to redefine words to make the church look good. “Equal rights for women” does not mean special protections for women. “Fairness for all” does not mean protecting the rights of religious groups to discriminate against gays. “Unequivocally condemning all racism, past and present” does not mean excusing past leaders, or even God himself, of excluding blacks. Unless, of course, you’re so desperate to keep believing that your church is true that you have to force even the word “truth” itself to have no meaning. But what do I know? I’m just another apostate.
ADDITIONAL BONUS SARCASM: And am I the only one who thinks it would be a terrible, terrible travesty if we could no longer force men into combat? What would we do with a world without war? It would be truly horrifying!
