The Value and Role of Women in the Church and Society

Our society is very confused about the roles of men and women.

The roles and value of women have been downplayed and minimized in terrible ways, especially in recent times. 
The glory of the world is shallow and temporary. The glory of God is deep and eternal.

Professional or political achievement gets attention, praise, wealth and the glory of the world, but has no eternal, lasting value.

Creating a loving home that is a bit of Heaven on Earth. Teaching children to be intelligent, wise, law-abiding, respectful contributors to society. Contributing to the community through school boards, neighborhood and community action. These and several other invaluable pursuits build integrity, virtue and solid character, all of which we can take with us into the eternities. Tragically, these most important activities are not only minimized in modern society, they are mocked and scorned. In a nutshell, historically, men do the dirty work of life and get too much credit for it. Women do the much more important work and too often get mistreated for it.

Women can do almost anything in this world that men can do, and just as well. However, men cannot do a great many things that women can do, or at least not nearly as well. That's why women in their divine nature are so valuable to our society. 

This isn't about being able to have babies. It is about the divine nature that all women are blessed with, and how using those gifts is far more important than any accolades the world can give to the fleeting and temporary vainglory that so many are determined to seek.

It seems that many women feel the need to become more like their image of men: tough, insensitive and demanding. Recent protests directed toward the Church such as demands to ordain them to the priesthood, wearing pants to church meetings, etc, express demands that the Church conform to the world's shallow view of importance and prominence. Losing women to the pursuit of the counterfeit glories and philosophies of men, and to the rough, crude world outside of their divine, nurturing gifts, weakens everyone within their sphere of influence.

Margaret B. Nadauld, former Young Women General President, said it best:

“The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.” (General Conference, October 2000)

My belief is that women play a far more important role in the Church and for the salvation of mankind in this life than men do. They always have. Two-thirds of the spirit children of our Heavenly parents chose to keep their first estate and come to Earth for their big test - mortality. While Heavenly Father directed the creation of all things within our sphere of physical existence (our planet, solar system, galaxy, etc), I have no doubt that Heavenly Mother taught us principles of intelligence, goodness, sensitivity and virtue.

Our Heavenly parents will never deprive us of our agency and will not force their will on us or deprive us of our right and ability to choose. As such, one-third of our spirit brothers and sisters chose Lucifer's path. Heavenly Mother was successful in getting two-thirds of Her children to keep their first estate.

Now we are on Earth. The Savior taught that "strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:14) I take this verse to mean that a greater number of us will not return to live with our Heavenly parents in the highest of kingdoms. We will have exercised our agency in ways other than what we were taught by Heavenly Mother.

In no way do I mean to imply that Heavenly Father is an inferior parent. I simply believe that Heavenly Mother's nurturing influence in our pre-mortal life was unique and priceless. I further believe that women on Earth, if they would follow Her example of what is most important, would do far more to serve mankind, and guide them toward eternal salvation, than any external pursuits could even approach.

The men of the priesthood cannot run, operate or manage the church alone. Priesthood authority is only one aspect of management and operation.

If the Church were run entirely by men, they could administer all of the priesthood ordinances, conduct meetings, and perform all of the management-related tasks needed. They could "manage it to death." But they could not be nearly as effective as women would be at teaching the gospel to children with the same quality of tender, nurturing care. Ordinances do not create testimonies. Nurturing does.

If the Church were run entirely by women, there would be no priesthood ordinances. That would be okay, because those would come in the Lord's due time. People simply would have to wait for them, just as they have done for millennia, until the Lord's Church, with its proper authority and saving ordinances, was restored in this final dispensation. But what is more important, in my opinion, is that people would be taught the gospel through love, tenderness and nurturing. Testimonies would grow. Love for the Savior and a desire to do good would abound. Good works in the local community would make real differences. I believe this is far more important to the salvation of Heavenly Father's children today than management and authority.

In these ways, I believe the world and the Church would be better off spiritually if men were to become more like women in their ability to nurture, than for women to try to become more like men. While both roles are important, perhaps equally so in their own contexts, I believe that the roles of women of God have more ultimate influence on salvation.

I wish the women in the Church could know beyond any doubt that they are priceless as mothers, homemakers, teachers, and local community advocates. I wish the superficial and counterfeit influences of the world would not downplay the irreplaceable value that women of God have. I wish that women were revered more than celebrities, but that isn't possible in our shallow, wicked world. People of God can only feel the magnitude of their true value among the godly, and through the comforting influence of the Holy Ghost. Praise be to the great women of this Church. They are the real power that moves God's kingdom forward on Earth as they nurture, lead, teach and love in ways that only they can.

Word of Wisdom - A Higher Law with Higher Blessings (Part 3)

In verses 12 and 13 of D&C Section 89, the Lord outlines His will regarding the use of meat.

“12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.”

Something that is noteworthy about these verses is that the Lord says it is “pleasing” to Him that meat only be used when truly necessary. I believe He loves all of His creations and creatures, and does not want them abused or exploited for gluttony, selfish indulgence or needless killing.

If a person likes to hunt big game for sport, perhaps for the trophy mount, or the thrill, or whatever the motivation may be, but truly does not “need” the meat, are they doing what is pleasing to the Lord according to the Word of Wisdom? This is one of those tests where we can show whether we will do what we want or what the Lord wants.

The abusive way that large-scale commercial ranches and farms raise animals in unclean, diseased and very confined conditions for eventual slaughter and sale for food, is well-lknown. They are available in great over-abundance ready for our indulgence. I seriously doubt this is pleasing to the Lord.

Here are some other scenarios and questions to ask ourselves:

Person “A” claims they “cannot function” without downing several energy drinks in a day, and such function is not a life requirement. They are so amped up and jittery that they cannot possibly feel the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost. They have problems sleeping. Energy drinks are not forbidden. Are they keeping the Word of Wisdom?

Person “B” eats so much junk food that they become obese and/or begin experiencing serious health problems. Their ability to provide for their family is hindered, as is their ability to serve in Church callings and service capacities. None of the foods are “forbidden.” Are they keeping the Word of Wisdom?

Person “C” eats a seemingly healthier diet with minimal junk food. The diet includes large portions of meat at every meal. This person develops heart disease as a result, and is unable to serve in the Church or function with reasonable health. Again, no “forbidden” substances. Are they keeping the Word of Wisdom?

Person “D” eats mostly fruits, grains and vegetables. They eat meat occasionally, and then only in smaller portions. They drink caffeinated soda occasionally. They have no health concerns, and are able to serve in the Church in highly spiritual capacities for many years. Is this person keeping the Word of Wisdom?

Regarding caffeine, the church issued a clarifying statement in late August 2012 regarding the Word of Wisdom. A news article in the Daily Herald stated this:

“This week the church posted a statement on its website saying it "does not prohibit the use of caffeine."
A day later, the website wording was changed, saying only that "the church revelation spelling out health practices ... does not mention the use of caffeine."
Church spokesman Scott Trotter said the clarification was made to provide context to last week's NBC News hour-long special on Mormonism that stated Mormons don't drink caffeine.
But church leaders say that doesn't mean they view caffeinated drinks as healthy. They just don't bar members from drinking them.”

https://www.heraldextra.com/news/state-and-regional/lds-church-clarifies-stance-on-caffeine/article_e4e357d0-ba5d-5a6c-8e78-dd1e791a34b2.html

Why coffee and tea? Once again this writing is my own view. I believe it is because they are intended not just to taste good for those who like them (for the record, I am a convert to the Church and grew up drinking iced tea, and loved it), but they are intended to be stimulants. Coffee in particular is intended as a “pick-me-up” that some people come to depend on every day, sometimes all day. Stimulants impair our finer, more sensitive abilities to feel. Since the promptings of the Holy Ghost come as a still, small voice, this means that such stimulants impair, or at the very least least reduce, our ability to feel the Holy Ghost’s guiding direction in our lives. Heavy dependence can be spiritual suicide for many.

President Russell M. Nelson recently said, “... in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” (General Conference, April 2018)

We as Latter-Day Saints are not expected to live a life of good physical health just so we will enjoy good health. We have made sacred covenants to serve God with all our heart, might, mind and strength. If our bodies are healthy, we are better able to serve God to our fullest capacities. At this writing, our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson is approaching his 96th birthday and appears to be in excellent health. He still snow skis! This man is an outstanding example of using one’s habits of good physical health to serve God to the fullest. He is a textbook example of one who is able to “run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.” (D&C 89:20)

Failing to keep ourselves healthy, and therefore rendering ourselves unable to serve, is to fail in keeping our covenants to their fullest in this manner. We have limited our ability to serve, and therefore have limited our potential blessings. Since the Lord has shown us the way through the revelation in Section 89 and through more recent clarifications, we have no valid reasons for failing to be ready to serve at our best.

Further, and in my opinion more importantly, we are required to live in such a way that we can maximize our ability to make full use of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

While the Word of Wisdom was originally given as more of a suggestion and not a commandment, and a person typically won’t be denied the opportunity to attend and participate in church callings and activities, adhering to it is nevertheless a requirement for temple attendance. This makes complete sense to me. The temple is a place of purity, apart from the world, where the influence of the Holy Ghost can be felt most clearly. Aside from only wanting those living higher laws in the House of the Lord, the “great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19) we can receive by following the Word of Wisdom are either greatly inhibited or not felt at all by someone whose senses are impaired.

The Word of Wisdom is a higher law with higher promises. See verses 18-21.

I have believed for a long time that the Gift of the Holy Ghost, in all of its ways to bless us, is our road map back home to Heavenly Father in a very confusing maze of culture and worldliness. I take President Nelson’s counsel very seriously, that spiritual survival depends on that guiding, constant divine influence.

I also believe this is what is meant in D&C 89:19 where the Lord promises that we “shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures….”

The Holy Ghost can reveal incredible things to us, knowledge and wisdom that is unavailable to those who would mock or refuse to live worthy of it. What are those hidden treasures? How badly would you like to know? Living the “letter of the law” will not reveal them to us.

Finally, in the last verse of D&C 89, the Lord promises to those who embrace the Word of Wisdom that “the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.” What did the children of Israel do to not be destroyed at the time of the Passover? They followed their prophet’s counsel. They didn’t question or mock or rationalize. They heeded his counsel, and they lived. For us, the Passover is a physical representation of spiritual gifts that are available to us. If we follow the counsel the Lord had given us through His prophets, we won’t be easily tempted to go astray. The destroying angel is very busy in our day, but not as a mist floating through the streets. It is in popular culture, worldliness, immorality, and self-gratification in all its forms. It is even more dangerous today, because its death is spiritual, not physical as in the days of Moses. It comes slowly, unknowingly, and eternally. Having power to avoid the destroying angel in our day is priceless. If simply following the counsel of our prophets and apostles will help us have that protection, what is more important?

Please think of the Word of Wisdom for its spiritual purposes more than the physical. While both are important, it seems clear to me that the spiritual needs and benefits far outweigh the physical reasons. The letter of the law might be compliant, but the spirit of the law brings the blessings and great, hidden treasures of knowledge. Perhaps most importantly, it allows us to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, to help us find our way home to Heavenly Father, and not be deceived by the louder messages of the world.

The Hearts of Evil and Conspiring Men - Word of Wisdom, Part 2

It was the disgusting and distracting influence that smoking and drinking had on the School of the Prophets that prompted Emma to say something to Joseph, and for Joseph to inquire of the Lord. The Lord’s response was the revelation recorded in D&C Section 89, also known as the Word of Wisdom.

For specific information on the background leading to the revelation, here are a couple of links:

(https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/word-of-wisdom-dc-89?lang=eng)

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/revelations-in-context/the-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng

I want to focus on a few key points that often are overlooked - points that perhaps are more important than the substances mentioned that get so much attention.

In the opening verses if D&C 89, the Lord outlines the revelation:

“1 A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—
2 To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—
3 Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
4 Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation.”

In verse 2 the Lord says the Word of Wisdom is not given by commandment or constraint. It actually is not a commandment. It is a higher law for those who wish to achieve higher levels of health and spirituality.

I want to point out that the Word of Wisdom is not a condition of membership in the Church. Yes, it is part of a typical baptismal interview, but it is not a requirement for keeping membership. It is not a requirement for holding many ward callings. A person can usually be “in good standing” in the church without obeying the Word of Wisdom. There is no formal church discipline that I am aware of that is associated with failure to live the Word of Wisdom.

In verse 3 He states that it comes with a promise. Indeed it does. Please refer to verses 19-21 at the end of the section. We will discuss these later.

Also in verse 3 he states that this revelation is “adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints….” I have found this to be true with many of the commandments, laws and points of counsel we have been given over the years.

We all have heard of or know people who live the “bare minimum” of laws and commandments. People can do all kinds of things to ruin their physical bodies, and yet claim they live the Word of Wisdom because they don’t partake of any of the “listed forbidden substances.” At the other extreme, there are people who do their very best to get every blessing possible through their adherence to the Word of Wisdom. Both will be rewarded accordingly. Hence, the adaptation to the weak and the weakest of Saints… but also, in my view, to the strongest of Saints.

In verse 4 He refers to the “evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days….”

This revelation was given in 1833. For decades, people were told that tobacco was not harmful. For many years, it was considered fashionable. Women even had their own brand of cigarettes to further glamorize smoking. In the words of a notable politician who I will keep nameless here, the human use of tobacco is “harmful or fatal when used as directed.” There is no doubt about this now.

Even today, some people claim that a glass of wine each day is healthy and good for the body. Whether true or not, it is like saying that one cigarette won’t lead to addiction, one snort of cocaine won’t lead to a fatal overdose, one brief look at pornography won’t lead to addiction, adultery or sex crimes, etc. One little drink won’t lead to a drunk driving death, and so on. Nathaniel Currier created a graphic in 1846 called “The Drunkard’s Progress” which clearly shows that even early on, this was a known slippery slope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperance_movement#/media/File:The_Drunkard's_Progress_-_Color.jpg

If a person never takes the first step in any such direction, addiction or any other adverse consequences have a zero percent chance of occurring. Those who are looking to be temple worthy have no business on slippery slopes of this kind.

I have two uncles whose lives were ruined by the casual beginnings of social drinking. One was an attorney. Because he, like so many others, could not control the “social drinking,” he ultimately lost his ability to practice law, and for a while was homeless. He died in his early fifties of alcohol-related illnesses. I witnessed him stealing money from another family member so he could buy another drink.

The other uncle was a gifted soldier in the US Army. He was the First Captain of the Cadet Corps and Brigade Commander (top ranking of all the cadets) at the US Military Academy at West Point, NY in his senior year. He golfed with generals and had meetings with the President of the United States. He was on track to be a top ranking general someday… but that someday never came. He retired after twenty years at a rank much lower than he should have achieved, and died a few short years later of liver failure and complications due to alcoholism.

Despite the obvious negative impact of alcohol in all parts of society, governments continue to allow it to destroy countless millions of lives, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Perhaps the hearts of evil and conspiring men are more concerned with re-election than with the value of human life and a safer society.

Modern energy drinks and vaping are glamorized in society rather than recognized as the poisons that they are. Gourmet coffee drinks are rationalized as “not coffee” because they go by some other name. Here is some clarification from the Church on vaping and gourmet coffee drinks, among other substances:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/new-era/2019/08/vaping-coffee-tea-and-marijuana?lang=eng

We also have learned of the direct correlation between eating meat and heart disease and cancer in its many forms. Many studies have been conducted by varied organizations that prove this. Yet despite these overwhelmingly conclusive findings, meat is heavily marketed as a central focus of meals and diets, even by the United States Government (USDA).

Product marketing is intended to shape perceptions. Those who have the companionship of the Holy Ghost are not so easily deceived. The evils and designs of conspiring men will not easily deceive a person who is trying diligently to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

The Word of Wisdom Was Made for Man, Not Man for the Word of Wisdom (Part 1)

The Word of Wisdom is perhaps the most misunderstood doctrine in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is the subject of debate over what is and is not included, what a person can “get away with” and still be compliant, and seems to be a catalyst for judging others based on one’s own interpretation.

So here’s my interpretation. It’s less about physical health than it is about spiritual health. Much less. This seems to be lost on many people, including priesthood leaders. We go through a temple recommend interview and answer all the questions. When we get to the question, “Do you keep the Word of Wisdom?,” we answer with a token “Yes” because we have checked off all of the right boxes: coffee, tea, tobacco, alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs.

But looking at the bigger picture, we didn’t have to say Yes or No to highly caffeinated energy drinks, which seem to be at least as addictive to some people as coffee, and on which some become dependent in order to function. We didn’t answer Yes or No to way too much junk food and sugar, too much cancer-causing meat product, or other habits or addictions that threaten our health, and ultimately our ability to serve the Lord at our best, or to be most sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Depending on which bishop or stake president is interviewing you, you might or might not get a temple recommend if you don’t answer the question the way they want to hear. And the questions that might really need to be asked won’t be.

You might come away disappointed if you use a few coffee granules to flavor your weight loss shake.

You might be judged as a heathen if your ward friends see you buying coffee ice cream at the supermarket.

Try showing up to a church social with a Starbucks cup with a Strawberry Frap (no caffeine in that), and be judged and criticized by someone who is having their third Monster drink of the day, who could jump start a pickup truck with their adrenaline alone. Just take the ¾ pound fatty cheeseburger they serve you at the social and go sit at the corner table in exile.

Perhaps it’s time for the checklist to go away because there seems to be so much inconsistency and room for hypocrisy with a purely linear or objective approach to the Word of Wisdom.

For some things, a checklist seems appropriate. Illegal drugs, tobacco, and drinking wine or beer all seem straightforward. There might be some rare exceptions there. Tea might have very few exceptions as well.

But coffee isn’t so easy. Coffee ice cream is flavored with real coffee, isn't it? Does that make it evil?

It certainly isn’t going to impair a person’s ability to feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost the way a couple of Rock Star drinks will.

Cooking wine is still wine. Blush wine dressing is still wine… isn’t it? So after the delicious dinner where these were used, are you suddenly unworthy of a temple recommend? It seems to depend on who you ask, or who interviews you.

Enjoy that ¾ pound cheeseburger with chile cheese fries (about 5,000 calories there, plus all the artery-clogging fat), and down it with a couple of Rock Stars. No Word of Wisdom problems so far, right? The checklist is intact… but wait, you just had some coffee ice cream for dessert. Surrender your temple recommend now, you sinner.

So here’s a scenario for you: I have a friend whom I will not identify here for privacy reasons, who is a devout member of the Church and who has a very stressful, demanding job. It requires him to work harder at times than his body has normal strength. He is physically fit like a star athlete. For years, he depended on highly caffeinated energy drinks to help keep his alertness and energy levels at their peak. This is a man who uses the companionship of the Holy Ghost to make decisions in his work that literally can mean life or death to himself or others. This is not an exaggeration. He drank the energy drinks because they were not listed as “against the word of wisdom.”

In a recent visit with his doctor, who happens to be a stake president (not his stake president, but is one elsewhere), the destructive effects of the energy drinks on my friend’s health were concerning to the doctor. Knowing the demands of the job, the doctor/stake president recommended drinking coffee instead of energy drinks, because the physical health concerns for coffee don’t compare to the energy drinks.

I want to reiterate that this man feels the influence of the Holy Ghost strongly, and it has saved his life and the lives of others in the course of his work. He is a good father and husband, mild mannered and kind, and is a great Latter-Day Saint in every way I know.

I consider him temple worthy. His use of coffee is not as an unnecessary stimulant for convenience, and it is doctor-recommended in this case.

The greater spiritual aspects of the Word of Wisdom seem to have been lost in the pharisaical, letter-of-the-law quest for checklist compliance.

The Word of Wisdom also lists those things that we should include in our diets, not just those to avoid. However, the emphasis in church culture has been on temporal prohibition, not on the spiritual opportunities that are promised. Do we want to do our best to draw closer to the Lord, or see how much we can get away with and still call ourselves worthy?

Borrowing the same line of thinking that the Lord shared in Mark 2:27, the Word of Wisdom was made for man, and not man for the Word of Wisdom.

Living the letter of the law brings compliance. Living the spirit of the law brings blessings.