On Women, Men, and Ordination

Recently a young woman who is agitating for women to be ordained to the priesthood in the LDS Church was excommunicated.

Her position is that she merely has a difference of opinion with leaders, and that she is entitled to that. The position of the men who excommunicated her is that she is advocating and encouraging others to press for ordination as well, and that in doing so she is teaching principles contrary to the Gospel.

I examined her website, Ordain Women, and I have to agree with the church authorities on this. I have also listened to her on a couple of podcasts, and like many others who dissent, I feel she is re-interpreting Gospel messages and history to align with her own beliefs, and not what the anointed, ordained servants of God who lead this church, preach.

Because of the brouhaha this has caused, we had a recent Sunday in which women and the priesthood was thoroughly addressed. Two female speakers in Sacrament meeting gave wonderful talks. One woman quoted Sheri Dew, who is a former member of the General Relief Society presidency and served as president of Deseret Book. She said that women in our church do more than many ordained women in other churches. We teach, expound scripture, lead auxiliary organizations, and serve missions.

The speaker also pointed out that women do not have to be ordained to be admitted to the temple, but men do. I found that very profound.

Then in Relief Society, the young teacher, a mother of two, used Dallin Oaks' address in the April 2014 General Conference Priesthood session as the basis of her remarks. She humbly got up and admitted that she was a "feminist," that she had been discriminated against at times, and that she had been dismissive of the general "women are special" patronizing remarks made by the General Authorities. And then she admitted that she had been wrong.

After spending three months investigating and praying and pondering this subject, she beautifully expounded on the differences between men and women of the Church, and how it is in no way a gospel teaching that women are somehow "less than." And I agree. While some men are patronizing toward women at times (I have witnessed this in my own life) this is not what Christ teaches or advocates. It was wonderful to hear her humble testimony and witness her conversion to this point of view. A lot of women in that room needed to hear this.

A friend and I were discussing the re-emergence of this issue, and she pointed out something that I have pondered a lot: "Young women today have been raised with the idea that they can do anything men can do, and that they are equal. This is at variance with what they hear at church." True. While my parents raised me with the idea that I could and would go to college and have my choice of career without gender bias, there was also support for stay-home motherhood that is no longer the case. Girls have bought, lock, stock and barrel, that the highest and best use of their time is in a career. I used to believe this, but then I had kids. Suddenly my own agenda took a back seat, and rightly so. It took a while, but I learned to love and embrace being a homemaker and mother. It is, indeed, a holy calling and a great privilege.

Getting back to the podcasts I have heard, the young leader of Ordain Women stated something I found astonishing, and in nearly 40 years in the Church I have never, ever, heard this uttered by a childless woman: "We are childless by choice." What? I believe that bearing children and creating an eternal family is a commandment, and this woman, who claims to be a staunch believer, is actively refusing to take on this responsibility. That speaks volumes about her motivations, if you ask me. She is deliberately setting aside the opportunity for the greatest growth a human being can have.

These complaints seem to overwhelmingly come from well-educated, white, middle-class women. The Ordain Women website is overly academic and legalistic. And the grievances seem very petty. Look, nobody's perfect, even ecclesiastical leaders, and while I don't think anyone should put up with abuse, get over it, quit taking offense, and allow others' minor mistakes to roll off your back. Keep your eye on God and live the commandments.

I don't know why women are not ordained to the priesthood. I suspect that men would leave the Church in droves if they were, as has happened in other faiths. Men and women are different, in every single cell of their bodies. We cannot and should not pretend they are the same.

Furthermore, it does no good to speculate on when, where, or whether women will be ordained. Personally, I don't care, and I do not think it is ever going to happen, but if and when it does, I need to know that directive comes from the Lord.

I am literally seeing the very elect be deceived, and the sifting of the wheat from the tares has begun. As for me, I want to be one of those kernels of wheat. We know what the final score will be, and I want to be on the winning team.