I have been asked to speak today about an obscure topic. The topic
given to me was “Women in the Book of Mormon and the New Testament”. On face
value, it doesn’t sound that obscure, but once I started researching I realized
just how obscure it is.
Let’s
take the Book of Mormon, for example. There's only six women mentioned by name
in the Book of Mormon and three of those are referencing the Bible (Eve, Sarah,
Mary). Out of the three remaining women, one is a prostitute, so probably not appropriate
to talk about on Mother’s Day, and then I am left with Sariah and Abish - Great women, but my pickings are fairly small
as far as stories to tell. (source:
http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Women_in_the_Book_of_Mormon)
When
women are mentioned generally in the Book of Mormon, there are a few cool
references ("we do not doubt our mothers knew it”), but there's also quite
a few times where women are mentioned as sex symbols (harlots, concubines,
etc). (Source: B of M index: women)
Those
of you on Facebook know that this week I put a little poll in the ward facebook
page asking who your favorite Book of Mormon heroes are. I had thought—“well
maybe even though there’s only a few women mentioned by name, people may really
like those few women or maybe the women who are mentioned but don’t have names are really meaningful and ward members may and
have great insights about them”. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Nephi,
Enos, Moroni, Mormon, Brother of Jared, Benjamin and Abinadi were the heroes
mentioned. And don’t get me wrong—those are great figures in the Book of Mormon
(Enos has always been my favorite), but it doesn’t help me with my fairly obscure
topic.
Additionally,
there is no book in the Book of Mormon told through the perspective of a woman.
The Book of Mormon is a book written by men and dominated by male protagonists.
Realizing
that the stories of women during the Book of Mormon times go largely untold may
cause many to feel that the Book of Mormon is a sexist manuscript that can’t be
true. Though I may agree that it is sexist, I contest that this is part of the
testament of it’s veracity. The Book of
Mormon is a part of history and the history of the world has been largely
dominated by sexist beliefs.
Political
Science professor and Mormon Scholar Valerie Hudson Cassler wrote, “It is very difficult to be raised in one of the Abrahamic
faiths (Judaism, Islam, and Christianity), as I was, and not come away with
some fairly unpleasant conclusions about women. Depending on the religion and
sect involved, one may be taught that the first woman was feeble-minded or a
murderess and that all her daughters are marred by that fact, that a woman’s
body is unclean, that God meant women to submit to their husbands and in
general be subservient to men, and that divinity is male and male alone. (Of
course, echoes of such teachings can be found in other faith traditions besides
the Abrahamic, as well.)” SOURCE: http://mormonscholarstestify.org/1718/valerie-hudson-cassler
My guess is there are many here
today who have felt this way. Her article later describes one very important
story about a woman that is clarified only in the Book of Mormon – the story of
Eve. In the Bible we learn that Eve tempted Adam and Adam fell and it is easy
to blame Eve for our misery. The Book of Mormon, of course, clarifies this
story and helps us to realize that what Eve did was essential to our existence
on earth. I’ll read an excerpt from 2 Nephi chapter 2:
18 And because he [SATAN] had fallen from heaven, and had
become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind.
Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who
is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden
fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and
evil.
19 And after Adam and Eve
had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the
garden of Eden, to till the earth. [So
at this point, Satan probably thinks he got his way—that Eve did what he said
and therefore people would be miserable forever, just like he was hoping for.
It appears, though, from the next few scriptures, that Eve knew better than
that]
20 And they have brought
forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. [Of course we know here that they couldn’t
have had children in the Garden of Eden, so this was the only way for us to be
born]
21 And the days of the children
of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that
they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a
state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the
commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave
commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they
were lost, because of the transgression of their parents. [Our loving God created an opportunity for
us to be born and then to repent—all because of that decision that Eve made]
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not
transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden
of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state
in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained
forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had
no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence,
having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew
no sin. [So Adam and Eve would have
stayed in this state of perfection, but it wouldn’t have been a state of joy
because they were unable to have all emotions when they couldn’t contrast]
24 But behold, all things have been
done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men
might be; and men are, that they might have joy. [Though it doesn’t say it in this often
quoted scripture, we know from the scriptures above that Adam would not have
fallen had Eve not eaten of the fruit first. So, in essence, we owe our
existence and our ability to feel joy to the story of Eve]
[And in the last verse I’m going
to read to you, we learn God’s solution to the fact that we are born in a
fallen state]:
26 And the Messiah cometh
in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from
the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have
become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves
and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at
the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.
This
scripture passage I read is a very clarifying moment in the Book of Mormon for
women. It turns that Christian-notion that women were the first temptresses on
it’s head and shows that this story – the story of our creation - was really
about Eve and her courage to think outside the box and do things slightly
unconventionally—for the good of the entire world.
Mormon
Scholar Hugh Nibley expounded on this idea, saying, “it is the woman who sees
through Satan’s disguise of clever hypocrisy, identifies him, and exposes him
for what he is. She discovers the principle of opposites by which the world is
governed and views it with high-spirited optimism: it is not wrong that there
is opposition in everything, it is a constructive principle making it possible
for people to be intelligently happy. It is better to know the score than not
to know it. Finally, it is the “seed of the woman” that repels the serpent and
embraces the gospel: she it is who first accepts the gospel of repentance.”
SOURCE: https://publications.mi.byu.edu/fullscreen/?pub=1065
Let’s
move to the New Testament now—which does have more stories of women.
Those on Facebook also know that the day after I asked for your
Book of Mormon heroes, I asked for your favorite New Testament stories. Not as
many ward members chimed in on that post, but out of the ones who did, one
person mentioned the story in John 8 of Jesus being asked about the woman
accused of adultery. This story reminded me of one of the reasons that I love
the New Testament and the example set by Jesus in it. Christ always treated
women with complete respect and love.
Writer Dorothy Sayer, said of how Christ was depicted in the New
Testament, “They [women] had never known a man like this Man—there never has
been such another. A prophet and teacher who never nagged at them, never
flattered or coaxed or patronized…who took their questions and arguments
seriously; who never mapped out their sphere for the, never urged them to be
feminine or jeered at them for being female; who had no axe to grind and no
uneasy male dignity to defend; who took them as he found them and was
completely unself-conscious."
I’ll read the story from John 8 now, starting in verse 3:
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him
[JESUS] a woman taken
in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was
taken in adultery, in the very act. [Of
course, if she was caught in the act of adultery, there was a man caught in the
act of it as well, but they weren’t concerned about that]
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us,
that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might
have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and
with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he
heard them not. [I like how at this
point where these men are taunting him, he doesn’t let it bother him. He merely
gives himself some time to think and for them to cool down]
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted
up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let
him first cast a stone at her. [He’s so matter-of-fact about this. He gives them a clear opportunity
to think of their own actions rather than focus on this poor woman]
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the
ground.
9 And they which heard it, being
convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the
eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman
standing in the midst. [so here he put
them in their place. They couldn’t do it anymore and had to leave.]
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none
but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no
man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto
her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. [He truly was so quick to forgive and
showed so much love to her.]
Another example of Christ treating women with respect occurs in
the story of the woman at the well. Christian pastor Greg Cantelmo tells the
story as he depicts it like this:
“We see in the gospels that Jesus treated women with incredible
respect. A classic passage in this regard is Jesus’ interaction with the
Samaritan woman.34 This is a remarkable exchange,
since Jesus was not only interacting with a Samaritan, a member of a race that
was despised by Jews,35 but also a woman. And Jesus’
conversation with this woman is probably the most profound discussion of
theology in the gospels. Women were not encouraged to have interaction with
male strangers.36
“But Jesus went beyond the cultural ethnic and gender barriers and
treated her as a person who was worth his offer of the living water of eternal
life.37 He didn’t treat her in reference to
what others said about her, her accomplishments or possessions, and he didn’t
deal with her based on her appearance. He establishes through this woman that
whoever accepts his offer of living water, that person will receive it. The
woman saw the barrier as ethnic,38whereas the disciples returned and made
an issue of gender.39 But for Jesus, gender and ethnicity
are irrelevant in his offer of salvation.
“She comes to the well at noonday, the hottest hour of the day,
which whispers a rumor of her reputation. The other women come at dusk, a
cooler, more comfortable hour. They come not only to draw water, but to take
off their veils and slip out from under the thumb of a male-dominated society.
They come for companionship, to talk, to laugh, and to barter gossip—much of
which centers around this woman. So shunned by these women, she braves the
sun’s scorn. Accusing thoughts are her only companions as she ponders the
futile road her life has traveled. She’s looked for love in all the wrong
places, going from one dead-end relationship to another. For her, marriage has
been a retreating mirage. Again and again she has returned to the matrimonial
well, hoping to draw from it something to quench her thirst for love and
happiness. But again and again, she has left that well disappointed.
“And so, under the weight of such thoughts she comes to Jacob’s
well, her empty water jar a telling symbol of her life. As her eyes meet the
Savior’s, he sees within her a cavernous aching, a cistern in her soul that
will forever remain empty unless he fills it. And there she meets Jesus.40
“This encounter shows to all women that regardless of past
mistakes, hurts, pain, and failures Jesus wants to fill women with his love
because women are people intrinsically whom he values. Every woman is created
in his image, a daughter of Eve, and he offers the greatest ministry ever;
cleansing, forgiveness, hope, meaning, significance, and a life of power and
purpose.”
We see from this and several other stories from the New Testament
how Jesus discussed religion with women. He taught them and clearly felt it was
important that they played an integral role in His gospel. After his ministry,
when he was resurrected, it was women who first found the empty tomb and were
given the responsibility to share the message of the resurrection.
Matthew 28
tells the story:
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it
began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the
women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he
said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he
is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there
shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre
with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 ¶ And as they went to tell his disciples,
behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him
by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go
tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
This story not only shows the faith of these women, it shows the
importance that Christ placed on their responsibility. He entrusted them to
testify of His resurrection – at perhaps the most crucial time in history.
The scriptures and stories that I’ve shared today were chosen in
hopes to help the women and girls in the congregation who may have struggled
with the gender roles they’ve seen in the scriptures and in the church.
Admittedly, it can be difficult “to
be raised in one of the Abrahamic faiths … and not come away with some fairly
unpleasant conclusions about women.” My hope and prayer is that this talk has
helped some women to see more clearly the eternal value that women do have.
Women’s opinions should be respected, and women should be empowered. Women’s
skills and minds have been crucial to the existence of humankind and the spread
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
