Women and Spirituality

[Matthew.Bcaptain of 100]

Hello Sisters-

I have a question, if I may. I had a friend who recently said, in effect, that in his opinion (notice the gender of the speaker ) it seems that, in general, women are more in tune with the "Spirit" of the Law of God while men are more in tune with the "Word" or "Letter" of the Law of God. While neither gender is naturally insensitive to either, it was his opinion that women are more easily touched by the Spirit (mercy, compassion, charity, etc.) while men are more inclined to the Letter (commandments, judgments, punishment and reward, etc.). A second friend pressed him heatedly and said that he knew "many women" who would argue against that idea, and that furthermore women who felt more inclined to the "Letter" of the Law of God would be very offended by that sentiment.

Being unmarried and raised in a somewhat unique situation, and somewhat dumb, I'm wondering about that. I feel inclined to agree with the first friend.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers!

[serenitylalacaptain of 100]

Hello Sisters-

I have a question, if I may. I had a friend who recently said, in effect, that in his opinion (notice the gender of the speaker ) it seems that, in general, women are more in tune with the "Spirit" of the Law of God while men are more in tune with the "Word" or "Letter" of the Law of God. While neither gender is naturally insensitive to either, it was his opinion that women are more easily touched by the Spirit (mercy, compassion, charity, etc.) while men are more inclined to the Letter (commandments, judgments, punishment and reward, etc.). A second friend pressed him heatedly and said that he knew "many women" who would argue against that idea, and that furthermore women who felt more inclined to the "Letter" of the Law of God would be very offended by that sentiment.

Being unmarried and raised in a somewhat unique situation, and somewhat dumb, I'm wondering about that. I feel inclined to agree with the first friend.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers!

Opinions are what they are... just opinions.

Personality type is a better judge of the "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law" question. Certain personality types are more inclined towards details and specifics, while others prefer abstract things.

I personally love the Spirit of the law. My sister-in-law loves the letter of the law. She is more "prove it with the five senses" than I am. We are both women.

It depends more on the person than the gender. But there is a cultural tendency to debase men and the man's role... It is more common than not, for elders quorums to tell the men never to offer priesthood blessings only to perform them when asked but never to offer.... thus effectively limiting the man's practicing of the priesthood, as well as limiting the fact that perhaps the Lord wants to inspire a man to give a blessing.... Then on top of that men are continuously told that they are beneath women spiritually. So they don't get to practice the priesthood and they are told they are dirt. Wow.

So where does this all leave men spiritually?
Thinking that they are less spiritual and wondering what their role really is since women do "everything" now a days. Hence the argument arising that women are more spiritual and men are more letter of the law.

[reesecaptain of 1,000]

Hello Sisters-

I have a question, if I may. I had a friend who recently said, in effect, that in his opinion (notice the gender of the speaker ) it seems that, in general, women are more in tune with the "Spirit" of the Law of God while men are more in tune with the "Word" or "Letter" of the Law of God. While neither gender is naturally insensitive to either, it was his opinion that women are more easily touched by the Spirit (mercy, compassion, charity, etc.) while men are more inclined to the Letter (commandments, judgments, punishment and reward, etc.). A second friend pressed him heatedly and said that he knew "many women" who would argue against that idea, and that furthermore women who felt more inclined to the "Letter" of the Law of God would be very offended by that sentiment.

Being unmarried and raised in a somewhat unique situation, and somewhat dumb, I'm wondering about that. I feel inclined to agree with the first friend.

What are your thoughts?

Cheers!

Opinions are what they are... just opinions.

Personality type is a better judge of the "letter of the law" vs "spirit of the law" question. Certain personality types are more inclined towards details and specifics, while others prefer abstract things.

I personally love the Spirit of the law. My sister-in-law loves the letter of the law. She is more "prove it with the five senses" than I am. We are both women.

It depends more on the person than the gender. But there is a cultural tendency to debase men and the man's role... It is more common than not, for elders quorums to tell the men never to offer priesthood blessings only to perform them when asked but never to offer.... thus effectively limiting the man's practicing of the priesthood, as well as limiting the fact that perhaps the Lord wants to inspire a man to give a blessing.... Then on top of that men are continuously told that they are beneath women spiritually. So they don't get to practice the priesthood and they are told they are dirt. Wow.

So where does this all leave men spiritually?
Thinking that they are less spiritual and wondering what their role really is since women do "everything" now a days. Hence the argument arising that women are more spiritual and men are more letter of the law.

I agree serenity. Personality type is much more of a factor than gender. And when a person truely comes to Christ they will become like him, whether they are male or female...."we will see him because we are like him". The requirements for salvation are the same for everyone, no one has an advantage, not even a prophet. All must obey the same laws to get the same blessings.

[ChelCThe Law]

From my perspective, friend 1 was speaking in generalities and friend 2 who places the spirit above the letter in his own heart felt slighted by that.

There are always exceptions, but generally speaking, women are nurturers, men are providers/presiders. Their natural roles reinforce the opinion of the first friend, but certainly don't define every man or every woman.

[serenitylalacaptain of 100]

I don't blame friend 2 for being upset... he was judged by the fact that he was a "man", not on his personal characteristics.

Women are do nurture, but I will say, and being a woman I can say this without bias, that women can be utmost more vile than men. I have witnessed relief society presidents deny families food orders because the RS president decided that they were not keeping all the church laws (doing extra church activity work, or attending social church activities0 that the RS presidents deemed were necessary in order to receive charity.

I have seen young Womens presidents derail teenage girls in the most vile manner because of their cultural beliefs that they hold as laws. Many women can be just as critical, if not more than men. But men can be vile as well. Just as both can be the most amazing people to walk the face of the earth. The Savior was a man, just as His mother was a woman. They earned their own merit, not based on gender predispositions, but on the strength of their own characters.

So, I do have to admit that I completely disagree with gender based generalities. Women and men are different: but to say the nurturing woman's role predisposes them to a more spiritual perspective, while the man's protective priesthood role predisposes them to a more strict and letter of the law perspective... is a flawed notion.

If these predispositions were an actuality, then the laws of the Lord would be unfair, favoring women to be more righteous than men or vice versa.

It is the individual heart that determines its course.

[sbsioncaptain of 1,000]

why do you think there will be seven women to one man in marriage during the millenium?

[durangoutcaptain of 1,000]

why do you think there will be seven women to one man in marriage during the millenium?

I mean no offense but I don't think that is the correct interpretation of that scripture. Many times in the scriptures "woman / women" are a symbol for the church. For example: The bride and the bridegroom, The woman that fled to the wilderness in Rev, the 10 Virgins and there are others. In all of these instances, the woman / women without question represent the church. I think that in the Isaiah quote from above, it is the same. They represent the church in the millenium. So the question is who is the man that they want his "name". I feel it is Christ. Just as the church or faithful members are the bride, He is the bridegroom. Is not our goal to "take his name" and be exalted? Another clue that this is not literal is the use of the number 7 for the amount of women. 7 of course means complete for perfect. What a better way to represent the faithful than as perfected brides to the bridgroom Christ?

Anywho...back to the thead. My opinion (as mentioned above, everybody has one ...)

One sex is not necessarily more spiritual than the other. Men and women are hardwired diffrently. Relative amounts of Estrogen vs testosterone causes us to act diffrently. Women seem to be more spiritual because as was mentioned earlier they are more nurturing...We are equal. We are only exalted with each other.

Women are God's most beautiful creation--and I really like them!

[sbsioncaptain of 1,000]

actually, man nor woman is a creation, but, a manifestation of intelligences that have always been and are embodied according to their natures

[durangoutcaptain of 1,000]

actually, man nor woman is a creation, but, a manifestation of intelligences that have always been and are embodied according to their natures

hmmm...I can go with that.

[JohnnyLcaptain of 1,000]

Temple covenant...

[Squallycaptain of 1,000]

Women are God's most beautiful creation--and I really like them!

I agree..... thanks for the laugh. I really like them too!!

[Nancaptain of 1,000]

Women are God's most beautiful creation--and I really like them!

I agree..... thanks for the laugh. I really like them too!!

Once again, I find myself in complete disagreement with someone here.