New Church Life Mar/Apr 2014 | Page 18

new church life: march / april 2014 it. This saddens me quite a bit – not that people have a different view, but that it seems there is a fight brewing. There seems to be no tolerance for varying points of view. I tried to have a conversation with some people about this topic. This seems to be impossible. I got a very strong push back. I could not finish my thought before being interrupted. A flood of feelings came at me. In short, no conversation took place. They communicated their feelings to me and I communicated nothing to them. Men and women are made differently in every way. The Writings are clear on this. One is not more human than the other. They are both needed. The bodily differences between men and women correspond to the difference in their souls. Men are in the form of the understanding, since this predominates with them. Women are in the form of love and affections, for these predominate with them. Men think from the understanding and women think from their affections. Both of these ways of thinking are important to the human experience. Deriving doctrine from the Word is primarily a function of the understanding, not the will. I am not saying that women are incapable of deriving doctrine. But because they think from affection they are not as able to do it with the same clarity as men. Men are more interested in ideas drawn from the Word, while women are better at taking those ideas and putting them into action or use. Men have their heads in the clouds and women are more down to earth. As Mr. Rogers said, it is fine to have women ministering to people, but drawing doctrine from the Word is a masculine use. Men and women need to work together. This does not mean doing the same job, but that the talents of each should be used in harmony, like a choir. Women should not be singing bass and men should not be singing soprano. But we can sing together. I have worked in many jobs. Sometimes I have tried to do the work that others do. When I do that I am often frustrated. Why does it take the expert less time and effort? I found the answer is that the expert has the right tools for the job. If men are given certain talents or tools, and women other talents or tools by the Lord, shouldn’t we follow His will? Is this not what innocence is? If my comments have hurt or offended anyone I offer my humblest apology. I am just trying as best as I can to understand the issue. It’s possible I am wrong, but from all that I have read I don’t think so. I do believe that this argument must start and end with the three-fold Word. And in my quest to find the real truth this is how I see it. The question of women in the ministry is extremely important and is one that will define the General Church. Doctrine derived from the Word is the one and only gateway into heaven. If it is derived primarily from our affections 114