Women And Priesthood Essay

[Zakuska]

Wow, thanks for sharing!  I really never understood anything to do with a Queen of Heaven, it was never in my scope of reality.  What an awesome idea and would hope that our church curriculum would include it somewhere in the Sunday School manuals.

Whats interesting is it seems that the "Womens" preistessly duty in this type of worship consisted of the "baking of bread".

Jeremiah 7:18:

The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven

The symbology here is amazing!

Women bake bread => Christ was the bread of life => he was "baked" by Mary. (excuse the analogy... He was a bun in her oven)

Who prepared the meal of the Last supper when the Lord instituted the Sacrament?

And who was it that prepared the "shew bread" that was offered to the Lord in the Temple?

I contend that it was the Priestesshood order of the Melchezidek "Daughters of Aaron" (Luke 1:5) Elizabeth, Christs aunt belonged to this order.

Ive suggested before that perhaps the young women should be baking the sacrament bread each week so they can feel like an important/special part of the Lords supper. Like the Aaronic Deacons, Teachers, and Priests. Or they should at least be in charge of making sure the bread makes it to the sacrament table for the priests to setup.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Zakuska

[Tacenda]

Whats interesting is it seems that the "Womens" preistessly duty in this type of worship consisted of the "baking of bread".

Jeremiah 7:18:

The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven

The symbology here is amazing.

Women bake bread => Christ was the bread of life => he was "baked" by Mary. (excuse the analogy... He was a bun in her oven)

Who prepared the meal of the Last supper when the Lord instituted the Sacrament?

And who was it that prepared the "shew bread" that was offered to the Lord in the Temple?

I contend that it was the Priestesshood order of the Melchezidek "Daughters of Aaron" (Luke 1:5) Elizabeth, Christs aunt belonged to this order.

Ive suggested before that perhaps the young women should be baking the sacrament bread each week so they can feel like an important/special part of the Lords supper. Like the Aaronic Deacons, Teachers, and Priests.

At first sight of your mentioning women baking bread I was aghast,(you know that feminist mentality) but actually, when I thought about it, love the idea, woo hoo!  But if that were to ever happen I hope the YW, would read what you've put forth here!  Thanks for your insight Zakuska! 

Edited November 4, 2015 by Tacenda

[juliann]

 

Ask Kate Kelly, she is the perfect example of the end result of the false creed: Ordain Women. 

 

 

 

Non sequitur.

[BlueDreams]

I respectfully submit that the self-inflicted low self-esteem of which I spoke occurs when people elect to not take full advantage of the divine blessings and opportunities already graciously made available to them. If the latter-day ark-steadiers and malcontents of today's Church would focus less on quixotic attempts to change the Church, and concentrate more on fulfilling the God-given responsibilities they already have -- and be content do so within their own spheres of influence -- there would be a lot less talk about feeling unfulfilled and incomplete unless and until women are ordained to the priesthood. If there could be more sincere focus on becoming quality visiting teachers, magnifying Church callings, performing frequent acts of Christlike service for those both within and without the Church, participating in diligent scripture study, attending the temple regularly, doing family history work that leads to temple ordinances for the dead, engaging in frequent fervent prayer, exercising great faith and looking unto Christ in every thought, and in all things becoming a positive and joyous representatives of the Savior in the world, then self-worth would soar as lives are changed for the better, holy light shines into darkness, and the Holy Ghost becomes a constant guide and companion.

Because the faithful women of the Church have been baptized, given the gift of the Holy Ghost, washed. anointed, and endowed with the power of the priesthood of God in holy temples, there is nothing standing in the way of their full exaltation in the celestial kingdom except for their own ingratitude and failure to realize just how blessed of the Lord they really are. The promise of becoming queens and priestesses in heaven is assured, but that blessing will only be obtained by those who possess broken hearts and contrite spirits, and a humble willingness to wait upon the Lord with patience until in his own good time he pours out the fullness of his blessings on the women of the Church. Whining and complaining like impatient children is unbecoming of the saints of God, especially when there is oh-so-much to be thankful for.

 

this sounds like you're fighting windmills here. Or at least caricatures of women who would like change in the church. Like I said, I would like change and greater parity between men and women in the church. I'm not stating priesthood ordination..but change none the less. I do just about everything on this laundry list of righteous acts you've given....and I still feel we are missing things. I've had this feeling before. I remember it most clearly on my mission. You would be doing and working and praying all the time, yet there would be this plateau of revelation or forward movement. It wasn't anything to do with something I or my companion were doing wrong. It was just something that would happen because we/I needed something that was missing and to move in a slightly different direction. And that's what it feels like now. I do all those things, love my blessings, etc. But I feel missing pieces that need not be missing...that would move me/us just that much more forward. Some of it is happening already and I'm pleased by those changes. But some of it is still not there.

 

I miss an active relationship with Mother. The smallest brushing with Her presense makes me ache for more.

 

I desire to lay my hands on others outside of the temple like in times past. That's a simple practice change and it comes from loving and working hard to magnify the privilege I have of doing so in the temple.

 

There are other desires that I yearn for and no one questions my righteousness for being unwilling to let them go. I desire children with a poignant ache. I desire a spouse and partner...to be sealed.

 

Those are not quelled by  what you mentioned. Having a sit down, be silent, and just be grateful attitude won't fix it. The desire is still there and sometimes is only amplified by doing those faith-promoting things you've mentioned.

 

I speak of myself, because I only know myself when it comes to my heart. Yet if this fails for me I assume that I'm not super exceptional. Most of the women who may desire priesthood ordination I doubt are whining, ark-steadying, malcontents who just won't try on the virtues of humility and gratitude. And speaking of them like so does not help balm up wounds and give correction when needed.

 

with luv,

BD

Edited November 4, 2015 by BlueDreams

[MiserereNobis]

I respectfully submit that the self-inflicted low self-esteem of which I spoke occurs when people elect to not take full advantage of the divine blessings and opportunities already graciously made available to them. If the latter-day ark-steadiers and malcontents of today's Church would focus less on quixotic attempts to change the Church, and concentrate more on fulfilling the God-given responsibilities they already have -- and be content do so within their own spheres of influence -- there would be a lot less talk about feeling unfulfilled and incomplete unless and until women are ordained to the priesthood. If there could be more sincere focus on becoming quality visiting teachers, magnifying Church callings, performing frequent acts of Christlike service for those both within and without the Church, participating in diligent scripture study, attending the temple regularly, doing family history work that leads to temple ordinances for the dead, engaging in frequent fervent prayer, exercising great faith and looking unto Christ in every thought, and in all things becoming a positive and joyous representatives of the Savior in the world, then self-worth would soar as lives are changed for the better, holy light shines into darkness, and the Holy Ghost becomes a constant guide and companion.

Because the faithful women of the Church have been baptized, given the gift of the Holy Ghost, washed. anointed, and endowed with the power of the priesthood of God in holy temples, there is nothing standing in the way of their full exaltation in the celestial kingdom except for their own ingratitude and failure to realize just how blessed of the Lord they really are. The promise of becoming queens and priestesses in heaven is assured, but that blessing will only be obtained by those who possess broken hearts and contrite spirits, and a humble willingness to wait upon the Lord with patience until in his own good time he pours out the fullness of his blessings on the women of the Church. Whining and complaining like impatient children is unbecoming of the saints of God, especially when there is oh-so-much to be thankful for.

 

This is so dismissive of people's concerns and basically says the reason they feel a disparity is because they are not being righteous enough and they should just sit down and take it.  I doubt this response makes them feel any better -- in fact, I'd venture to say that it would actually drive them farther away.

 

You should really think about how you present your ideas.  And, next time you have some sort of concern, perhaps you should try to just sit down and shut up instead of doing anything about it and see how that makes you feel.

[Calm]

The priesthood is patriarchal (of, relating to, or characteristic of a system of society or government controlled by men) its proper name is the holy Order of the Son of God and it has been held my men (only) since the days of Adam. My point is that women should not desire to be ordained to the priesthood and if women so desire and make such desires public then it is a form of dissension which I believe is the result of deception and by-and-by they will travel down the road (paved with pure intentions) to apostasy and excommunication.

Christ has promised to share all that he is and has with those who become his children.

Is it only possible for men to become a child of Christ in your interpretation?

Edited November 4, 2015 by Calm

[Zakuska]

Some intresting parallels with the Goddess Anat and the virgin Mary.

 

In the Ugaritic Ba‘al/Hadad cycle ‘Anat is a violent war-goddess, a virgin (btlt ‘nt) who is the sister and, according to a much disputed theory, the lover of the great god Ba‘al Hadad. Ba‘al is usually called the son of Dagan and sometimes the son of El, who addresses ‘Anat as "daughter". Either relationship is probably figurative.

‘Anat's titles used again and again are "virgin ‘Anat" and "sister-in-law of the peoples" (or "progenitress of the peoples" or "sister-in-law, widow of the Li’mites").

‘Anat in Israel[edit]

The goddess ‘Anat is never mentioned in Hebrew scriptures as a goddess, though her name is apparently preserved in the city names Beth Anath and Anathoth. Anathoth seems to be a plural form of the name, perhaps a shortening of bêt ‘anātôt 'House of the ‘Anats', either a reference to many shrines of the goddess or a plural of intensification. The ancient hero Shamgar son of ‘Anat is mentioned in Judges 3.31;5:6 which raises the idea that this hero may have been understood as a demi-god, a mortal son of the goddess. But John Day (2000) notes that a number of Canaanites known from non-Biblical sources bore that title and theorizes that it was a military designation indicating a warrior under ‘Anat's protection. Asenath "holy to Anath" was the wife of the Hebrew patriarch Joseph.

In Elephantine (modern Aswan) in Egypt, the 5th century Elephantine papyri make mention of a goddess called Anat-Yahu (Anat-Yahweh) worshiped in the temple to Yahweh originally built by Jewish refugees from the Babylonian conquest of Judah. These suggest that "even in exile and beyond the worship of a female deity endured."[5] The texts were written by a group of Jews living at Elephantine near the Nubian border, whose religion has been described as "nearly identical to Iron Age II Judahite religion".[6] The papyri describe the Jews as worshiping Anat-Yahu (or AnatYahu). Anat-Yahu is described as either the wife[7] (or paredra, sacred consort) of Yahweh or as a hypostatized aspect[9] of Yahweh.[10][11]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anat Edited November 4, 2015 by Zakuska

[Meadowchik]

As I was walking this morning, my thoughts turned to presiding, and turning the human view of it on its head.  Rather than think about why the chosen person or groups presides, I thought about the subject over which someone presides.  What is the stewardship in question, in this thread?  There is the Church and there is the world, over which the Priesthood of God presides as leader and as a warning voice.  Rather than think about man's priesthood call as a reflection of man's worth in the eyes of God, what if we think about the presiding as a sign from god that the subject is important?

 

Because God loves all humankind, because God wants us to have joy, God selects people to preside as His messengers to all mankind. This, God does, not as a sign of the prophet's worth to Him, but as a sign of the worth of every human being on the Earth. 

 

By the same token, what other work is particular enough to warrant a presiding?  There may be many, but the nurture of God's child, young and old, is also an essential work of God.  Who presides over this work? As mothers and as members of the Relief Society in the Church, women do.  Again, is this meant to display the importance of women to the world?  Not really.  The role of nurturing establishes the importance of that work in God's eyes.

 

Thus, we, along with all our brothers and sisters on this planet, need the work of nurturing and we need the work of leading.  It makes sense to me that, then, there is a general rule and order about who presides in the roles of leadership and in nurturing.  Such roles are needed both at macro and micro, local levels. At the most general level, of course, they need to converge into one leadership, thus the prophet and First Presidency.

[Maedros]

Christ has promised to share all that he is and has with those who become his children.

Is it only possible for men to become a child of Christ in your interpretation?

 

Among the twelve disciples that the Saviour ordained: none were women; of the prophets who received revelation from Him from Adam to President Monson: not one was a women. Your question is non sequitur; the below statement by President Hinckley is my opinion on the matter:

 

 

 

Gordon B. Hinckley, prior President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said:

“Women do not hold the priesthood because the Lord has put it that way. It is part of His program. Women have a very prominent place in this Church. Men hold the priesthood offices of the Church. But women have a tremendous place in this Church. They have their own organization. It was started in 1842 by the Prophet Joseph Smith, called the Relief Society, because its initial purpose was to administer help to those in need. It has grown to be, I think, the largest women’s organization in the world... They have their own offices, their own presidency, their own board. That reaches down to the smallest unit of the Church everywhere in the world...

“The men hold the priesthood, yes. But my wife is my companion. In this Church the man neither walks ahead of his wife nor behind his wife but at her side. They are co-equals in this life in a great enterprise.”

 

 

Latter-day saint women who lobby for priesthood authority are on a dangerous road. Ordain Women is a false creed and "with their lips they draw near to [Him] but their hearts are far from [Him]." 

[BlueDreams]

Among the twelve disciples that the Saviour ordained: none were women; of the prophets who received revelation from Him from Adam to President Monson: not one was a women. Your question is non sequitur; the below statement by President Hinckley is my opinion on the matter:

 

The bold is patently false. I can think of 3-4 women who did just that conjointly or on their own accord off the top of my head: Eve, Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah.

 

Receiving revelation for the church is not a male only job, even today (think general conference). 

 

Latter-day saint women who lobby for priesthood authority are on a dangerous road. Ordain Women is a false creed and "with their lips they draw near to [Him] but their hearts are far from [Him]."////

The priesthood is patriarchal (of, relating to, or characteristic of a system of society or government controlled by men) its proper name is the holy Order of the Son of God and it has been held my men (only) since the days of Adam. My point is that women should not desire to be ordained to the priesthood and if women so desire and make such desires public then it is a form of dissension which I believe is the result of deception and by-and-by they will travel down the road (paved with pure intentions) to apostasy and excommunication.

 

I get it, you have a major problem with women entering what is considered male spheres. I'm curious though if you have the same reaction to women who desire a greater furtherance/fruition and influence of the Matriachal order?

 

....also I don't think Cal's question is a non-sequiter. It's pointing to the fact that in the majority of instances, women are expected to insert themselves into male language. Including language about priesthood....such as exodus 40:12-13. Which is quoted for both men and women in initiatories and is directly tied to the next edict the verses below:

 

"14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations."

 

So even the language around priesthood is used for both men and women EVEN when there's pretty explicit male orientation in language. 

 

With luv,

BD

[Jeanne]

Among the twelve disciples that the Saviour ordained: none were women; of the prophets who received revelation from Him from Adam to President Monson: not one was a women. Your question is non sequitur; the below statement by President Hinckley is my opinion on the matter:

 

 

 

 

Latter-day saint women who lobby for priesthood authority are on a dangerous road. Ordain Women is a false creed and "with their lips they draw near to [Him] but their hearts are far from [Him]." 

This is a sad commentary on many fronts, 

[JLHPROF]

I think it's time they ask God about the church JS started, I'm fairly confident we'd have women as Priestesses had BY not veered off the path of prophecy.

 

Actually in my opinion (based on ordinance records)  there were more women made priestesses under Brigham Young than under any other president of the Church.

Brigham had no issue with making women priestesses.

 

The sharp decline began under President Grant.

[Tacenda]

Actually in my opinion (based on ordinance records)  there were more women made priestesses under Brigham Young than under any other president of the Church.

Brigham had no issue with making women priestesses.

 

The sharp decline began under President Grant.

Wow, thank you.  I really spout things off without having researched it. 

 

ETA:  I did some research and found this quote taken from Dialogue Journal - "The Historical Relationship of Mormon Women and Priesthood"  Linda King Newell 

 

"Another clarification of women' s position came in 1922 when the First Presidency, then consisting of Heber J. Grant, Charles W. Penrose, and Anthony W. Ivins issued a circular letter defining the purposes of each auxiliary. The Relief Society was first: "Women, not being heirs to the priesthood except as they enjoy and participate in the blessings through their husbands, are not identified with the priesthood quorums " (Clark 4:314-15) . The pattern of removing women from the realm of anything associated with the role of male priesthood had now been established, clarified, and validated."

Edited November 5, 2015 by Tacenda

[BlueDreams]

Meadowchik, 

I'm having a hard time following your line of thought on this one....could you clarify a little for me?

As I was walking this morning, my thoughts turned to presiding, and turning the human view of it on its head.  Rather than think about why the chosen person or groups presides, I thought about the subject over which someone presides.  What is the stewardship in question, in this thread?  There is the Church and there is the world, over which the Priesthood of God presides as leader and as a warning voice.  Rather than think about man's priesthood call as a reflection of man's worth in the eyes of God, what if we think about the presiding as a sign from god that the subject is important?

 

Because God loves all humankind, because God wants us to have joy, God selects people to preside as His messengers to all mankind. This, God does, not as a sign of the prophet's worth to Him, but as a sign of the worth of every human being on the Earth. 

 

What is the subject that you're referencing? And I'm not sure how this indicates that male presiding over the church body indicates this. How is this presiding solely a male role? And how does solely having men do so somehow show God's love to all humankind. Would it be somehow different if a woman did? 

 

By the same token, what other work is particular enough to warrant a presiding?  There may be many, but the nurture of God's child, young and old, is also an essential work of God.  Who presides over this work? As mothers and as members of the Relief Society in the Church, women do.  Again, is this meant to display the importance of women to the world?  Not really.  The role of nurturing establishes the importance of that work in God's eyes.

 

Thus, we, along with all our brothers and sisters on this planet, need the work of nurturing and we need the work of leading.  It makes sense to me that, then, there is a general rule and order about who presides in the roles of leadership and in nurturing.  Such roles are needed both at macro and micro, local levels. At the most general level, of course, they need to converge into one leadership, thus the prophet and First Presidency.

 

 

Ok, I think the difficulty I'm having is needling out the words Preside and Nurture....and then these as male and female stewardships....and then the idea that women "preside" over nurturing God's children. While men preside over telling the world God's message. And then the re-splitting of the roles of leadership and the roles of nurturing as two generally split domains. 

 

To me that's the main rub I've seen with the topic of preside + nurture...or how preside is a male role and entails some form of being subject to one's spouse but also, somehow, being equal partners and deciders in the family. Preside, in an LDS context very obviously seems to have a different definition, not only from the general world but also how that term is used for the home compared to the church hierarchy. 

 

I personally have a hard time following it, because having a split language on this also feels contradictory to blessings that I have that include call to leadership judgment and speaking as the "prophets of old." And I know plenty of men who are great nurturers....Christ is the best example of nurturing/succoring and his atonement is often directly paralleled with mother acts (see Holland's talk). These roles, in actual application do not seem so easily split into stewardship.

 

I don't have a problem for men having stewardship over certain priesthood ordinances in the home and the church. But I do have a problem when we try to gender terms and concepts that may not actually need to be so gendered. I think part of the problem I have is that these also have never been so straight-forward in my daily life. 

 

Anyways, help me if I'm misunderstanding you on this. Because I certainly feel like I'm missing your point.

 

With luv,

BD

[MiserereNobis]

The bold is patently false. I can think of 3-4 women who did just that conjointly or on their own accord off the top of my head: Eve, Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah.

 

Don't forget the prophetess Anna, who recognized Jesus as the Christ in the temple.

[Maedros]

The bold is patently false. I can think of 3-4 women who did just that conjointly or on their own accord off the top of my head: Eve, Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah.

 

Receiving revelation for the church is not a male only job, even today (think general conference). 

 

 

I get it, you have a major problem with women entering what is considered male spheres. I'm curious though if you have the same reaction to women who desire a greater furtherance/fruition and influence of the Matriachal order?

 

....also I don't think Cal's question is a non-sequiter. It's pointing to the fact that in the majority of instances, women are expected to insert themselves into male language. Including language about priesthood....such as exodus 40:12-13. Which is quoted for both men and women in initiatories and is directly tied to the next edict the verses below:

 

"14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations."

 

So even the language around priesthood is used for both men and women EVEN when there's pretty explicit male orientation in language. 

 

With luv,

BD

 

Actually it is not false - no woman has been ordained to the priesthood or has held office in the same. I have a problem with people who demand that the authorized servants of the Lord must change the holy order to accommodate their false desires for recognition and power when it was not intended for them. You seem to think that I've got a problem with women in general and Cal's question is foolish; when did I ever suggest that men and women are not equal before the Lord, so asking me such is completely off the points that I've made. Also, you seem to have ignored my quote by President Hinckley about women and priesthood. My view is: women who protest and organize and teach and encourage other women to rally together and put pressure on the prophets and apostles whom I sustain as leaders to change the church policies for the sake of bearing the priesthood, is wrong and it can only lead to apostasy and excommunication.  

 

Women are an important part of the gospel plan but they are not ordained to the priesthood, never have been and it is highly doubtful that they ever will. That is just a matter of fact which the majority of lds women (including yourself) believe, so why entertain the opposing notion? Or rather is opposing the notion that women should ask to bear the priesthood feminist or somehow an attack against women and does that make me anti-woman? Don't try and psycho-analyze me especially if you're going to come to the wrong conclusion about what I'm saying and what I believe. 

Edited November 5, 2015 by Maedros

[JeremyOrbe-Smith]

 

You seem to think that I've got a problem with women in general.

 

I believe there is a saying about ducks ... 

[Maedros]

I believe there is a saying about ducks ... 

 

Non sequitur

[Bob Crockett]

Actually in my opinion (based on ordinance records)  there were more women made priestesses under Brigham Young than under any other president of the Church.

Brigham had no issue with making women priestesses.

 

The sharp decline began under President Grant.

Isn't that just a 2d anointing thing?   No real duties; just a title?

[JLHPROF]

Isn't that just a 2d anointing thing?   No real duties; just a title?

 

Is it duties assigned that make a priesthood office?

 

Am I referencing the 2nd Anointing?  Yes.

If in that ordinance a man is ordained a King and Priest after the order of Melchizedek, then why wouldn't a woman be a Queen and a Priestess after the order of Melchizedek?

 

And if her husband were to apostatize does that make her no longer a Priestess?  Of course not.  She has remained faithful, showing that the priesthood given is hers, not through her husband.

 

Why President Grant chose to put a stop to this ordinance in all but a few instances is a mystery to many.  The Salt Lake Temple president (who was an apostle, presiding patriarch, and president of the Quorum of the 12) at the time repeatedly expressed great concern over this ordinance being reduced, stating that the Church was withholding the fulfilling of the blessings promised in the initiatory.

Edited November 5, 2015 by JLHPROF

[bluebell]

 

If in that ordinance a man is ordained a King and Priest after the order of Melchizedek, then why wouldn't a woman be a Queen and a Priestess after the order of Melchizedek?

 

You could be right.  A man is ordained a king and a priest to God though, while a woman is ordained those things to her husband.  That difference could impact what order the woman is ordained to.

[Maedros]

2. The Church is governed through priesthood keys.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church, and His Church is governed by and through priesthood authority and priesthood keys. “Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood leaders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth. The exercise of priesthood authority is governed by those who hold its keys (see D&C 65:2; 81:2; 124:123) … [and] who have the right to preside over and direct the Church within a jurisdiction.”¹

 

“In our Heavenly Father’s great priesthood-endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. In the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by husband and wife.”³

 Why are men—and not women—ordained to priesthood offices? President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) explained that “it was the Lord,” not man, “who designated that men in His Church should hold the priesthood” and who endowed women with “capabilities to round out this great and marvelous organization, which is the Church and kingdom of God.”⁴ The Lord has not revealed why He has organized His Church as He has.

This matter, like many others, comes down to our faith. Do we believe that this is the Lord’s Church? Do we believe that He has organized it according to His purposes and wisdom? Do we believe that His wisdom far exceeds ours? Do we believe that He has organized His Church in a manner that would be the greatest possible blessing to all of His children, both His sons and His daughters?

Now, sisters, while your input is significant and welcome in effective councils, you need to be careful not to assume a role that is not yours. 

3. Men and women are equal in God’s eyes.

Men and women are equal in God’s eyes and in the eyes of the Church, but equal does not mean the same. The responsibilities and divine gifts of men and women differ in their nature but not in their importance or influence. God does not regard either gender as better or more important than the other. President Hinckley declared to women that “our Eternal Father … never intended that you should be less than the crowning glory of His creations.”⁵

Some become confused and fail to think straight (Ordain Women, Kate Kelly and her ilk) when comparing the assignments of men to those of women and the assignments of women to those of men.

Women come to earth with unique spiritual gifts and propensities. This is particularly true when it comes to children and families and the well-being and nurturing of others.

4. All of God’s children have access to priesthood blessings.

When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power, which by definition is priesthood power. While the authority of the priesthood is directed through priesthood keys, and priesthood keys are held only by worthy men, access to the power and blessings of the priesthood is available to all of God’s children.

.

5. The Church needs the voice and faith of women.

We need more of the distinctive, influential voices and faith of women. We need them to learn the doctrine and to understand what we believe so that they can bear their testimonies about the truth of all things. 

 

None of us can afford to stand by and watch the purposes of God be diminished and pushed aside. We must all defend our Father in Heaven and His plan. We must all defend our Savior and testify that He is the Christ, that His Church has been restored to the earth, and that there is such a thing as right and wrong.

 

If we are to have the courage to speak out and defend the Church, we must first prepare ourselves through study of the truths of the gospel. We need to solidify our own testimonies through diligent, daily study of the scriptures and by invoking Moroni’s promise that we can “know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:5) if we seek it through humble prayer and study.

Do not spend time trying to overhaul or adjust God’s plan (Ordain Women, Kate Kelly and her ilk). We do not have time for that. It is a pointless exercise to try to determine how to organize the Lord’s Church differently. The Lord is at the head of this Church, and we all follow His direction. We need to think straight in this world of confusion and disregard for the things of God.

 

I leave you my witness and my testimony that we are in a day and a time when we must stand in unity—men and women, young men and young women, boys and girls. We must stand for the plan of our Heavenly Father. We must defend Him. He is being pushed aside. We cannot stand idly by as members of the Church and allow that to continue to happen without being courageous enough to let our voices be heard."

 

Men and Women and Priesthood Power, by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

[Calm]

Cal's question is foolish; when did I ever suggest that men and women are not equal before the Lord

 

 

Totally not the point of my question.

 

Bluedream hit the target perfectly.

Edited November 5, 2015 by Calm

[Maedros]

Totally not the point of my question.

 

Bluedream hit the target perfectly.

 

Well, I hope that my quote in thread #347 answers your question and once and for all clarifies my point of view 'regarding the ordination of women to the priesthood'.

[Zakuska]

Is it duties assigned that make a priesthood office?

 

Am I referencing the 2nd Anointing?  Yes.

If in that ordinance a man is ordained a King and Priest after the order of Melchizedek, then why wouldn't a woman be a Queen and a Priestess after the order of Melchizedek?

 

And if her husband were to apostatize does that make her no longer a Priestess?  Of course not.  She has remained faithful, showing that the priesthood given is hers, not through her husband.

 

Why President Grant chose to put a stop to this ordinance in all but a few instances is a mystery to many.  The Salt Lake Temple president (who was an apostle, presiding patriarch, and president of the Quorum of the 12) at the time repeatedly expressed great concern over this ordinance being reduced, stating that the Church was withholding the fulfilling of the blessings promised in the initiatory.

 

I'm voicing great concern right now. Taking the healing anointing blessings away from the sisters has stunted the spiritual growth of many of our women and reduced their duties of healing the sick to nothing more than a chamber made and cook. Bringing in casseroles and green jello with carrots when someone is sick. Feeding the, sick chicken soup, nursing them and then cleaning up the other end when it comes out.

Before you comment castigating me please see this post:

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/66310-women-and-priesthood-essay/?p=1209555835

Edited November 5, 2015 by Zakuska