I agree that some women get defensive because they don't want to feel demeaned. I think that many people defend their choices by pushing them on others to prevent feeling inferior, but I don’t want to get into that. I believe our society today (both in the Church and outside of it) is more supportive of women achieving educational goals (as it should be), but I also believe there will always be those who have chosen not to pursue the path to “higher education” who will defend their choice by justification and defensiveness. I also believe that a woman's education extends beyond one she obtains formally. I feel like both of my parents are highly educated and value education (as exemplified by 2 daughters with masters degrees, one who just finished her bachelors and one getting ready to head right into college), even though they both received only some formal college education. They are successful and have raised (in my opinion) a very successful family!
I know many extraordinary women, some who have advanced degrees and some who for whatever reason did not pursue higher education. I have learned a lot from (and I owe a lot to) all of these women. I don’t believe that any woman should be classified as educated or uneducated, especially in the Church. We all have circumstances in life that we have to react to and make sacrifices for. That being said I think that everyone (including women) should pursue as much education (formal and informal) as possible, and I think that that is one of the many great things about the Church – it urges us to do so.
Weber Stake Academy, 1905
I personally am one of those daughters of my parents with a master’s degree. I worked hard and really enjoyed school. I felt that it was important for me to continue pursuing my education and I was blessed to be able to do so. I can’t say that I would have made all of the same choices had I been presented with different opportunities and choices in life. We can each only make choices with what we are presented with, and that is and always will be different for each and everyone one of us. Like serving a mission, I firmly believe that what I learned on my mission will make me a better wife and mother. Does that mean that someone who didn’t serve a mission can’t be an incredible wife or mother, absolutely not!! It’s just what I needed! I believe that education can work in much the same way. How blessed we are to have a loving Heavenly Father to guide us down the path that is the best for us. My hope is that we all support each other on our respective paths, not with a judging eye but with a compassionate heart.
That being said I also think we need to urge young women today to seek education and as the scriptures admonish, “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” I could go on and on, but I don’t want to add any more to my disjointed ramblings. Thanks Ash for getting me thinking about this today. I hope your RS experiences improve in the future!
AMEN CHICKA!
ReplyDelete:o)
Your post was so much nicer and more gospel centered than mine! I totally agree with everything you said! Formal education isnt for everyone, but it bothers me (as evidenced by the angry post) when people treat it as the way to go when no other options appear! Thank you for your fantastic insight!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100%. We should pursue as much education as possible. I was blessed to have the means and opportunity to get my degree. However, I have chosen to stay home with my children. Just because I haven't been working in my field doesn't mean I don't try to continue to learn new things everyday. I know my education is helping me as a mother. My kids say to me all the time, "How do you know that?" Often it's something I learned in school but other times it's simply from reading something in the newspaper, on the internet, in a book, or from discussions with or demonstrations by friends. Not everyone has the same college opportunities that I did but we can all gain greater spiritual and secular knowledge no matter what our situation is and we should make an effort to grow everyday.
ReplyDeleteA girl in my YW class asked me what I thought about girls who went to college just to get married. I told her I felt they were wasting opportunities. After all, the glory of God is intelligence and we can take that knowledge to the next life.
As your Aunt, I'm so pleased that you took advantage of the opportunities you had to pursue education and go on a mission. They have expanded your knowledge, understanding and empathy toward others and increased your testimony which will help you in whatever you do in your life. There are many examples of people without college degrees who continue to grow and develop their talents that I admire as well.
The church helps us develop and discover talents through callings. I have learned so much as I have served in various assignments. Each calling has helped me grow spiritually and in many other ways. For example, as a primary leader, I learned a lot about effective teaching methods for children, as a RS leader, I learned delegation and organizational skills. I could list every calling and tell you different things I have learned.
The Lord's plan is for us to increase in knowlege and understanding, line upon line, precept upon precept and this growth should not EVER end (even in the eternities.)I am grateful for the church's emphasis on gaining knowledge, intelligence, and spiritual understanding. It just makes sense!