This is an archived copy of a post written by Conflict Of Justice (conflictofjustice.com). Used with permission: Conflict Of Justice may not agree with any alterations made.
Our Mormon belief that priesthood comes from God and not from man is a break-through doctrine which places the Mormon church at the top. We don’t get to decide who speaks for God. We don’t decide who God chooses. It is always frustrating when evangelical Christians “feel” the priesthood in their heart or receive the priesthood from a college professor. The movement to ordain women is frustrating for the same reason: because it totally denies the rich understanding we fought so hard to restore.
People have always sought to break the natural order of things. It could be as silly as men who demand the right to enter women’s restrooms. It could be as sickening as parents who convince their young children that they should change genders. The fringe Left’s crusade to ordain women to the priesthood is a similar kind of abomination.
They claim they want “equality,” but really it is about supremacy. They seek to upset the balance and receive all authority. When they get angry and the countenance of “Ordain Women” finally drops, we see desire for worldly glory, like apostates of ancient times.
Biblical Basis For Priesthood Order
1 Timothy 2 commands women to learn in silence and subjection. What exactly does that mean? Feminist Steve Allred says:
“The Greek text says en hesuchia indicating, through the use of the preposition en (“in”), that silence refers to the condition under which the learning experience takes place and not to the permanent condition of women in church or in society.”
Does that make sense to you? If someone says, “I drink in moderation,” does that mean they only watch what they drink sometimes? How does “in” turn an adjective into a temporary condition? Since when does the word “in” do that? If someone says “sit in silence,” you don’t take that to mean “only sit silently for now.” Actually, “sit silently” means a temporary condition. “Sit in silence” is a permanent condition.
So the complete opposite of what he says is true. “In silence” and “in subjection” means a permanent condition. The bible uses the word hesuchia, which translates to a “silent lifestyle.” In 2 Thes 3:12, hesuchia translates to “a quiet, tranquil life.” The Greek lexicon defines the word primarily as: “Descriptive of the life of one who stays at home doing his own work.”
Oh, but what about cases in the bible when women taught others, asks Steve Allred?
“Is this a universal command for all women everywhere and for all time? If it is, then we must discount the other stories and commands in Scripture, mentioned earlier, where women were teaching (e.g., Acts 18:26).”
“To teach” does not always refer to a leadership position in the priesthood. Mormons understand this. Acts 18 tells of a Christian couple who taught an investigator about the gospel. There is nothing in that story that hints at a woman usurping a man’s priesthood authority.
But in 1 Timothy 2, “teaching” refers to a priesthood office, because he is talking about the roles and responsibilities of priesthood leaders. The word for “teacher” was the same as the Hebrew “Rabbi”, which was a priesthood position (see Num. 8), which only men were allowed to hold. The Book of Mormon uses the word “teacher”in the same context. I don’t know how Paul could have been any clearer: A woman is not to usurp a man’s authoritative position in the church.
This is not a ban on women teaching at any time. Paul is just making it explicitly clear that women should not undermine men’s priesthood positions in the church.
Steve Allred cites Titus 2:3, where Paul says old women should teach good things. But Allred leaves out the next verse, which points out that it is young women whom the older women are to teach. So rather than support the Ordain Women doctrine, this scripture actually supports the idea that priesthood authority in the church rests with men. Men teach men and women; and women teach young women. Same as today.
He then argues that the usage of the word for “authority,” authenteo, really means “to try to domineer the teacher.” Paul is saying women should not “assert authority in an arrogant way, or to flaunt ones authority,” he claims.
But that is false. Authenteo means to act with your own authority, to be absolute master, or to govern. When women teach over men in the church they are acting by their own authority, not by God’s. Paul does not say that women are authorized to maintain a teaching role, but that they should be subordinate and “silent” to priesthood leaders.
Steve Allred says, “Ordination by human hands is simply a recognition of whatever gift that God chooses to bestow.” The Ordain Women movement likewise frames godly authority as something that all people have a right to equally, but that just isn’t true. Priesthood isn’t a warm cozy feeling you feel in your heart because you studied the bible and you think that makes you a smart person. How do the rest of us know that you have the gift of godly authority, Steve?
This wildly false doctrine is where Ordain Women takes us. Ordain Women supporters say priesthood should be distributed based on the ability to give “helpful advice about life.” That’s how you know if someone is called of God? If they have helpful advice about life!? Suddenly Dr. Phil is a prophet now.
This is very dangerous apostasy because it turns the priesthood into a human institution, governed by anyone who thinks they are smart enough. Actually, what it ends up doing is making the priesthood exclusionary. The true order of the priesthood involves everyone. Women have a role. Men have a role. If you keep righteous standards, you can be part of it. Old people have a role. Young people have a role. It is well organized. You get called to offices, you don’t petition for them. Everyone gets a calling.
The apostates throws this superior system away and turns it into a business model, where you go to college, get a degree, apply to the church, and get appointed by a panel of businessmen. A few elite individuals handle everything. They collect the money and dish out redemption.
Ezekiel called this mode of leadership “whoredom.” The Book of Mormon calls it “priestcraft.”
Adam and Eve
“Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” (1 Timothy 2)
Mormons understand that it was a good thing Eve ate the fruit and transgressed, because it made it so that we can develop the faith we need for exaltation. Yes, it was good, but it was still a transgression.
I haven’t seen any prophet really explain why Adam and Eve’s different behaviors in the Garden of Eden lead to the gendered priesthood structure. But Paul says that it definitely did. And really after all, can’t we see our natural roles as men and women in Adam and Eve’s behavior? Eve disobeyed because she figured it would achieve her goal, which was the command to reproduce and multiply. Therefore, she needed childbearing. Adam stuck by the immediate command not eat the fruit until he absolutely had to. This meant he needed priesthood leadership.
“Latter-Day Saints surely recognize that qualifying for exaltation is not a matter of asserting rights, but a matter of fulfilling responsibilities.”
It is not a matter of what Adam and Eve deserved or were capable of, but what they needed for salvation. Eve was blessed with childbearing. This is actually very important. Sure, feminists dismiss the ability to create life as a burden, but what is more important than creating life? If priesthood is the authority to act in God’s name, what could be more godly than creating life?
D&C 132 tells us the woman “holds the keys of this power,” which is “that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued.” It is women who give birth, who teach children and thus decide what the human race will be. If women had childbearing and leadership everywhere else, what would be left for men to do? Men must be relevant or things won’t work.
Men and women are very different and naturally suited toward different roles as they work as a team toward success. Personally, I couldn’t imagine giving birth, taking care of the kids, running a company, and leading the local lay clergy of the Mormon church. Who can handle all that? There is a natural way to distribute the work load.
Apostates contrast childbirth as an alternative to holding the priesthood, but actually isn’t it part of the priesthood? In the temple, both women and men take on the priesthood and learn what it means for them. D&C 132 plainly calls child-birthing a “key” of godly power.
This is much more than just creating life. It includes the raising of foster children, and helping out with nieces, nephews, friends’ kids, and children in the ward. A righteous woman, even if she can’t have children of her own, helps immensely by providing righteous direction to other children. I believe this “key” is a female trait that can beneficially affect all children.
Beyond childrearing, I believe there are many other aspects of the priesthood in women. Do not be tricked into thinking of the priesthood as a corporate-structure of positions and elevations. Elder Oaks explained:
“We are not accustomed to speaking of women having the authority of the priesthood in their church callings, but whatever authority can it be? When a woman, young or old is set apart to preach the gospel as a full time missionary, she is given priesthood authority to perform a priesthood function.”
So, yes, women hold the priesthood in many ways. Godly functions are performed with priesthood authority.
“Our church doctrine places women equal to, and yet different from men. God, our master does not regard either gender as better or more important than the other. When men and women go to the temple, they are both endowed with the same power which is priesthood power. Access to the power and blessings of the priesthood is available to all of God’s children.”
Female Supremacy
In fact 93% of active Mormon women think only men should hold the priesthood. The number of men who think women should receive it is larger. But women don’t want to hold it! They understand the distribution of roles! It is white knight Leftist men pushing female priesthood leadership.
The media describes priesthood leaders as if they were bosses of a corporation. But are priesthood leaders actually leaders as the media describe them? No, priesthood leaders follow promptings. They basically do as they are told, like Adam did. It is not like a business hierarchy, but more like a military regiment.
Beliefnet claims the female clergy of any other church would “in an LDS context means giving women the priesthood.” False. Our concept of priesthood is totally different.
The LDS priesthood is not a hierarchy. It is not a clergy. The primary teacher is not any higher or more important than the President. Access to the priesthood is not restricted to those who hold keys and offices. You don’t go to a religious college and receive a degree that says you are God’s servant. Women go up to the pulpit and gives sermons just like men. It is a service role.
The church isn’t a dictatorship. All members vote on service roles that affects them, all the way to President of the Church. They can deny a priesthood appointment and their vote will be carefully considered. This is unique to the LDS church, and it is essential to prevent abuse of the priesthood.
Feminists use a fake definition of the priesthood because fake priesthood is exactly what they want. They want the oppressive priest who sells salvation for a price. If they can install a hierarchical definition of priesthood in the name of “equality,” they can then take control of that hierarchy and usurp the church.
Take a careful look at the feminists who are agitating for more leadership roles, look at how often they say “I” or “me” instead of “us,” look at how often they talk about what they deserve instead of what they are responsible for. They dream of standing in front of the pulpit, moving the adoring masses with speeches about being kind to the unfortunate, and saving the despairing wanderer, like superheroes, receiving awards for their greatness.
Well, the priesthood doesn’t work that way. Humility is a qualification, not desire for praise. If Ordain Women feminists want to help so bad, why don’t they volunteer at homeless shelters or fight the oppression of women in the Middle East?
It comes back to the Marxist obsession with class warfare. If one class has a benefit over another class, any kind of perceived inequality, it is always due to class oppression. Men are oppressing women in the church; there is no other explanation! Marxists seek to even out all classes as totally equal, and much like the “Kingsmen” in the Book of Mormon, they want a handful of elitists to be in charge and enforce the rules.
Ordain Women is classic Marxist agitation. It is classic priestcraft.
Did the patriarchs in the Old Testament distribute leadership and responsibilities to all the members of their families equally? No, they instituted a patriarchy. Why should the church be different today? Oh well, they were nomads in the desert, and today we have organized societies and advanced technology that makes the brute strength and warfare capabilities of masculinity unnecessary. This is what a Communications teacher at BYU-I will tell you, a follower of Marxism. But the truth is we are every bit as lost today without both masculine and feminine qualities in their proper roles. They are divine qualities. We need strong men to fight the spiritual war that is going on.
Feminists make a lot of noise and bully young women into joining their cause, but the truth is women crave a man who distinguishes his masculinity, asserts his morality, and embraces his leadership role in the priesthood. He will never stop being necessary for the woman’s ultimate goal, which is the creation and rearing of children. Any woman with an ounce of femininity, who hasn’t been completely “equalized” by Marxist doctrine, understands that men are needed for all they do, just as men understand why women are necessary for all they do.
So reclaim your identity! Ignore Marxist infiltrators, the envious women, the white knight males who try to tell us what to do. Don’t allow them to create competition between the sexes! Do not allow domineering priesthood leaders and exclusion in the workload. Ultimately it is about having faith in God’s restored church and knowing that He leads and directs it with His wisdom.