In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

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_zeezrom
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In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _zeezrom »

In a fairly recent article written by James Faust ("Womanhood: The Highest Place of Honor", Ensign, 2000), he said,
As you seek to know the will of our Heavenly Father in your life and become more spiritual, you will be far more attractive, even irrestible. You can use your smiling loveliness to bless those you love and all you meet, and spread great joy. Femininity is part of the God-given divinity within each of you. It is your incomparable power and influence to do good. You can, through your supernal gifts, bless the lives of children, women, and men. Be proud of your womanhood. Enhance it. Use it to serve others.


I'm curious, what do you women out there think of this idea?

My reaction to this comment was that it makes me think Faust is trying to over compensate for what women lack (the priesthood) by trying to conjure up another gift that is unique to women for doing good.

Why can't our power to do good be common to all humans? Why can't the ability for a woman to do good come from the traits she shares with men? Why can't her ability to do good come from deep within herself and the traits she has as a human being?

On the other hand, gender is a great thing. Our differences should be celebrated.

Thoughts?
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)

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_Themis
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _Themis »

zeezrom wrote:Thoughts?


It's just a way for a male dominated society to make women feel better about their lesser status.
42
_truth dancer
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _truth dancer »

I'm curious, what do you women out there think of this idea?



GAG!

Anything else you want to know?

:-)

~td~
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_Joseph
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _Joseph »

More hookers are women. They have the power to make guys feel good.
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_cafe crema
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _cafe crema »

A few quotes from an email conversation I had, the quotes are from 2 of JPII's letters, I don't think they're in order.

It should in fact be clear that "when women are able fully to share their gifts with the whole community, the very way in which society understands and organizes itself is improved" (Ibid. 9). This is a recognition of the unique role which women have in humanizing society and directing it towards the positive goals of solidarity and peace. It is far from the Holy See’s intentions to try to limit the influence and activity of women in society. On the contrary, without detracting from their role in relation to the family, the Church recognizes that women’s contribution to the welfare and progress of society is incalculable, and the Church looks to women to do even more to save society from the deadly virus of degradation and violence which is today witnessing a dramatic increase.

There should be no doubt that on the basis of their equal dignity with men "women have a full right to become actively involved in all areas of public life, and this right must be affirmed and guaranteed, also, where necessary, through appropriate legislation"

History is written almost exclusively as the narrative of men’s achievements, when in fact its better part is most often moulded by women’s determined and persevering action for good.


I noted that when one looks at the great process of women's liberation, "the journey has been a difficult and complicated one and, at times, not without its share of mistakes. But it has been substantially a positive one, even if it is still unfinished, due to the many obstacles which, in various parts of the world, still prevent women from being acknowledged, respected, and appreciated in their own special dignity"


Thank you, women who are mothers! You have sheltered human beings within yourselves in a unique experience of joy and travail. This experience makes you become God's own smile upon the newborn child, the one who guides your child's first steps, who helps it to grow, and who is the anchor as the child makes its way along the journey of life.

Thank you, women who work! You are present and active in every area of life-social, economic, cultural, artistic and political. In this way you make an indispensable contribution to the growth of a culture which unites reason and feeling, to a model of life ever open to the sense of "mystery", to the establishment of economic and political structures ever more worthy of humanity.

Thank you, every woman, for the simple fact of being a woman! Through the insight which is so much a part of your womanhood you enrich the world's understanding and help to make human relations more honest and authentic.
_zeezrom
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _zeezrom »

Crema,

Do you think JPII would have considered acting as prophet for LDS? He would have done an excellent job!
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)

The Holy Sacrament.
_cafe crema
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _cafe crema »

zeezrom wrote:Crema,

Do you think JPII would have considered acting as prophet for LDS? He would have done an excellent job!


Well I suppose he was fairly busy with Catholic type stuff. :)

Would the ideas that women's liberation has been a good thing, and that women have a right to be involved in all areas of public life be something that general LDS folks would like to hear from their Prophet?
_zeezrom
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _zeezrom »

café wrote:Would the ideas that women's liberation has been a good thing, and that women have a right to be involved in all areas of public life be something that general LDS folks would like to hear from their Prophet?

today? Yes. 30 years ago? Probably not.

It is fascinating how the leader of the Catholic Church is a couple steps ahead of the Mormon one. LOL.

McConkie and the other anti-Catholics are rolling in thier graves.
Oh for shame, how the mortals put the blame on us gods, for they say evils come from us, but it is they, rather, who by their own recklessness win sorrow beyond what is given... Zeus (1178 BC)

The Holy Sacrament.
_harmony
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _harmony »

zeezrom wrote:
café wrote:Would the ideas that women's liberation has been a good thing, and that women have a right to be involved in all areas of public life be something that general LDS folks would like to hear from their Prophet?

today? Yes. 30 years ago? Probably not.

It is fascinating how the leader of the Catholic Church is a couple steps ahead of the Mormon one. LOL.

McConkie and the other anti-Catholics are rolling in thier graves.


McConkie and the others would not have given the Catholic Church credit for being a couple of steps ahead of Mormons. Ever. Even today, women in the LDS church are relegated to inferior status, and will continue to less than males until women hold the same keys as men now hold.
(Nevo, Jan 23) And the Melchizedek Priesthood may not have been restored until the summer of 1830, several months after the organization of the Church.
_cafe crema
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Re: In what ways is femininity a power to do good?

Post by _cafe crema »

zeezrom wrote:
café wrote:Would the ideas that women's liberation has been a good thing, and that women have a right to be involved in all areas of public life be something that general LDS folks would like to hear from their Prophet?

today? Yes. 30 years ago? Probably not.

It is fascinating how the leader of the Catholic Church is a couple steps ahead of the Mormon one. LOL.

McConkie and the other anti-Catholics are rolling in thier graves.


Kind of like The Family: A Proclamation to the World, given in September 1995, nine months after the close of the International Year of the Family, and a year and a half after JP's Letter to Families was given.
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