Just a Heads Up, This Is A Serious One

I love being a woman. I love the fact that I can bear children, that I have curves, and that as one I'm just naturally different from men. The idea that men and women have to be the exact same kind of person has been a serious peeve of mine all year. No, sociologist professors, we are not the same. Women have certain qualities that set them apart from men for a reason. We are equal in importance and I am all for equality but there are divine attributes every woman has and no matter how hard some may try they cannot be a man and a man cannot be a woman. Accept the differences, and realize their value.

I'm reading this book I got for my birthday called Woman of the Old Testament and I'm quickly falling more and more in love with it; especially since it starts with talking about Eve whom I have a special place in my heart for. It was the testimony of this wonderful woman that I first realized the pure joy that comes from repentance. I remember randomly scoping through the Book of Moses and I happened upon chapter 5. Here they first learn that they can be saved through Jesus Christ and find redemption and Eve in verse 11 gives a simple but lovely testimony of the Plan of Salvation and the joy that has come from the knowledge of the atonement. With her praising of God she also expresses the joy she can feel, the children she can have and that now she can know for herself that God's way is the correct way. I find this amazing. To have walked with God and then to be cast out from his presence would be utter torture in my mind. I have a great love for Eve. Yes, she partook of the fruit but God knows all. He knew this was going to happen and I'm sure it broke his heart to have them leave the Garden of Eden but he knew they would be happy and that eventually we would all be able to come and experience joy. For her to return and praise God and live in righteousness for the rest of her days... She's so strong. She came back from a difficult trial and found joy. Satan thought he was ruining the plan, but in reality he did not understand the magnitude of what God had in store. In my new book they talk a lot about Eve's wisdom and courage and Eve is in a very different light in our church than in other Christian churches. Let me illustrate my point with some quotes within it:

LDS view:

"It was Eve who first transgressed the limits of Eden in order to initiate the conditions of mortality. Her act, whatever its nature, was formally a transgression but eternally a glorious necessity to open the doorway toward eternal life. Adam showed his wisdom by doing the same. And thus Eve and 'Adam fell that men might be' ([2 Ne. 2:25]). Some Christians condemn Eve for her act, concluding that she and her daughters are somehow flawed by it. Not the Latter-day Saints! Informed by revelation, we celebrate Eve's act and honor her wisdom and courage in the great episode called the Fall... Modern revelation shows that our first parents understood the necessity of the fall." (Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Nov. 1993)

and now a not so LDS view of Eve:

"The woman sees that the tree is good for food and... a delight to the eyes. Deceived by the serpent, she is now deceiving herself. All that she wants to do, she tells herself, is to satisfy two legitimate desires, for food and for beauty. By what right has God forbidden their satisfaction? Her real desire, however, is for power." (Terrien, Interpreter's Bible.)

All I can say is, I love Eve and I love this church. Oh, and this book.