Overheard in a Sacrament talk today:
Women are more spiritual than men. Women are more spiritual in their callings than men.
Women are more spiritual than men
24 thoughts on “Women are more spiritual than men”
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[Teeth Grinding]
Mine was:
[Head shaking]
Isn’t the fact that there was no correction made some sort of tacit acceptance of the theory?
Based on my experience, I believe the vast majority of those present believe the same thing.
Why is this upsetting to men? Do you know how often it is underscored to women (both subtley and not so subtley) that we can’t hold the Priesthood? I mean, come on, throw us a bone here. Especially those of us who don’t have the PH in the home…..
Because it is untrue, and it makes men feel worthless.
Literally? No, I don’t know how often. I’ve seen it done a lot, but I cannot quantify its frequency.
The idea that women are more spiritual than men insinuates that men have access to fewer of the gifts of the Spirit and women don’t have to work for those gifts.
That’s just wrong. And I wouldn’t be surprised if this idea is the cause of so many apathetic men in the church today.
Why is this upsetting to men?
My impression is that it is actually men who perpetuate this idea as a way of patting women on the head, while excluding them from meaningful leadership.
But the important point is that unless one can define “spiritual,” the assertion that one sex is more spiritual than the other is meaningless.
I have the same impression, Last Lemming.
As a single woman, if I counted how many times I felt worthless at church I’d be long gone. I’ve started (kindly, but gritting my teeth) speaking up. Maybe the brethren should do that when someone makes these stupid comments about spirituality.
Oh, then I guess the rest of us have nothing to complain about. Single women complaints trump all others and everyone else’s bad experiences are irrelevant.
I have in more intimate settings (ward council, elders quorum, Sunday school).
Kim, I’m not saying that being a single woman gives me any kind of special reason to complain. In my own stupid and clumsy way I am saying that I understand – from a different perspective – how difficult it is when people stay stupid, inane things. A friend of mine who is married but can’t have kids has stopped going to relief society because of some of the comments the sisters have made. Another friend’s husband left her for another man and she has difficulties regularly. We all have issues when it comes to idiots saying things at church. My perspective is that of a single female. Your perspective is different. No challenge to anyone “trumping” another person. The only thing in common is that – even in “intimate” settings like ward council – we still need to speak up if we feel that we are being insulted or upset.
I think that any gender can be equally spiritual. I don’t really even think that you have to belong to a religion to be spiritual. I certainly do not think that because someone has the “priesthood power” that makes them more spiritually in tune. We are all equal are we not?
Was this said by a man or a woman?
I always think it’s funny when people say things like this. I actually think it’s quite condescending. It goes with comments like ‘women didn’t need to have the priesthood because they’re already so [this or that]’.
Does putting all men’s spirituality down help you feel more worthwhile at church? Interesting perspective.
Dawn – read my comment in #11. I wasn’t putting anyone down.
Re: #11
In that case, I take back my snarkiness. I misinterpreted your intent.
I agree, Dar. Everyone has as equal opportunity to be spiritual. The gifts of the Spirit know no gender bounds.
Dawn, the speaker was a man.
I think I’ll go back to lurking. I obviously don’t make much sense when I have a migraine and am in mourning. I keep leaving whole sentences and thoughts out of the equation!
No need to leave. Written word is easily misinterpreted when we don’t know a person’s intent.
Does it make sense to anyone that, if they believe this crazy line of thinking, that the gender LEAST spiritual holds the power of God on earth and leads the church while the MOST spiritual gender does not?
I think that anyone making a blanket statement like that is out to lunch. Just too many variables….and besides, how do you measure?? What exactly are they basing this on? It could be based on so many things (e.g. who brings the nicest table cloth, who speaks in the niciest voice, who sits still the longest in a meeting, who does their VTing/HTing every month, etc)….none of which really reveal what is in someone’s heart….which is where real spirituality lies.
Just to play devil’s advocate here …
On my mission (in Japan) we had a really difficult time finding men to join the church. Women were baptised much more often than men. I’d say in the average month only about 1/4 of the baptisms were men. It got to the point where the mission president had to urge us to search out more men.
Does this indicate a higher level of spirituality among women in general? I don’t know.
For that matter, Mike, on my mission in Utah, the bulk of the members in part-member families were women, and the bulk of those women were no longer active.
No one has a monopoly on spirituality. I agree with LL thought and I think what it really comes to is that we all rely on the spirit of the Lord to increase our spirituality, women and men equally. I have no worries that I am worthless or on a lower plane than a man, or any other woman for that matter.
SS experiences at church are present, but not everywhere of course and having dealt with the infertility aspect myself, I know how people can be, but at the same time I have learned that this shows THEIR lack, not the church, not the Lord. Only misguided individuals.
Hey Kim,
Just wondering… if you were presiding, how would you have “corrected” the speaker?
Privately.
And perhaps have someone give a talk (or several talks over a period of time) in the future on how spiritually is not bound by gender.