it could be argued that men would benefit most from an equal rights amendment, esp. regarding paternity and divorce. As well as any future military draft.

Only FLDS would worry about their women being emboldened to use birth control.

Now, but not back in the 70's.

so who changed the thing on birth control?

Catholics are used to giving the finger to the Vatican. But I don't think LDS authorities would be able to stomach having members with one or two kids while the edict was no birth control.

Good adaptability to allow birth control.

It was actually a twenty-three page insert in the Ensign in 1980:

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vg...____&hideNav=1

Bodies, Babies, and Birth Control

Melissa Proctor

Dialogue - A Journal of Mormon Thought
Issue: Volume 36, Number 3 / Fall 2003
Pages: 159 - 175

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm4/doc...R=29343&REC=19

You might want to start with the preceding article. In fact, I can make a pdf if it will facilitate reading on the subject.

Fear. Like Packer said, intellectuals, gays and feminists are the LDS Church's arch enemies. Clearly he's right.

what I took away: John Widstoe and Hugh Brown (of course) were the first to make statements that provided a crack in the policy.

But it seems that reading the article there has never been any pronouncement really saying "birth control is ok". Seems like the GAs no longer talk about it really, and the members do what they want. As recently as 1993 Dallin Oaks said or quoted SWK that you should have as many children as possible.

Looks like members voted with their feet on this one, and the GAs didnt' stop them.

Let's be honest here, shall we? Those are the enemies of all that is good.

I hold intellectuals, gays and feminists in much lower regard than they do for themselves. Is that the same as fear.

At least when it comes to intellectuals I really don't think I fear them because I consider them "dumb asses".