Hi, I’m Randall.
I believe in ordination equality because I have witnessed first-hand how good, well intentioned men can come to believe and do bad things when their authority is unchecked and uninformed by equally powerful women.
While I could offer many examples from my Mormon life, I’ll share an experience from a priesthood interview. In 2001, I was finishing my doctorate in family therapy at BYU and preparing to marry in the Jordan River Temple. During my temple recommend interview I expressed that over my life doubts had started to influence my faith. When the branch president inquired I told him that I had come to see the world through a feminist lens and that I believed women were treated as lesser in our church. His sincere response was. “Oh, that’s all? The feminist issue is easy. Rush Limbaugh said it best. Feminists are just a bunch of ugly, angry women”.
While I was pleased to challenge the ignorance of this church leader at the time, I worry what happens when similar statements are shared with our youth and other vulnerable members behind closed doors, in classrooms, and over the pulpit.
I love my family. My wife believes that our children would benefit from a strong, active priesthood holder in our home. Despite my role model parents, 4-year seminary diploma, Eagle Scout, faithful mission, and 2 degrees from BYU, I will never be that priesthood holder. She is far more devout than me and embodies all the characteristics from D&C 121 that God and prophets look for in church and family leaders. Due to her reverential obedience, she would never ask for ordination, but I can only wonder.
I take comfort in the great strides toward equality that we’ve witnessed in my lifespan. It seems clear that our church is becoming more egalitarian and I hold out great hope that women will share in church leadership within my life.
It’s for this reason that I believe that women should be ordained.