Man and woman were created for each other. Opposites. Compliments. Mutual supports. Different roles. Originally in Genesis, it says: “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh”.
--Genesis 2:8, 18, 21-24
The Lord goes on to give a brief definition of the roles assigned to men and women, starting with Adam and Eve. To Adam, he assigned the male role of provider: “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”. (Genesis 3:19). To Eve, he assigned the female role of childbearing and nurturance: “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children” (Genesis 3:16).
Why the Antagonism?
Why does such great antagonism exist today between men and women? Here are 4 sources:
Source 1: Natural Gender Differences. Some of it lies in instinctive, biological gender differences that can naturally create confusion, misunderstanding, and friction with the opposite sex. News flash: men and women are actually built differently. Different brains, hormones, emotions, and ways of thinking and interpreting the world. People who assume the other gender is just like them will soon be frustrated with them. They will wonder what is wrong with them and how they are thinking and acting. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with them. Men and women, cats and dogs, apples and oranges: they are all made differently and that is OK. Please understand and accept this, because it isn’t going to change and it isn’t by accident.
Source 2: Antagonistic Same Sex Friends, Family Members, and Others. Men and women, in an effort to deal with the opposite sex, often complain about, gripe about, and blame the opposite sex to their same sex associates for not thinking or acting like their gender does. As if that is a problem. The problem: the more you complain about the opposite sex or give a listening, agreeable ear to others complaining about the opposite sex, you add to the problem and mutually fuel antagonism towards the opposite sex. Conversation about the opposite sex fostering understanding is much more useful and helpful than complaints and gripes.
Source 3: The Media. The media—TV, movies, news, books, magazines, etc., enjoy dividing men and women and pitting them against each other. Showing extreme and unflattering versions of typically male or female behavior sets up the opposite gender to be seen with resentment, ridicule, blame, and antagonism. The media likes to instill fear and anger in viewers/readers/listeners because that is what spikes ratings and makes them money. The media doesn’t care about the strain and resentment caused towards the opposite genders. Even worse, they like it because it makes them money. So, beware of the divisive approach to gender from the media, which regularly pits men and women against each other as the enemy.
Source 4: Satan. In the last days especially that we live in, that which is good will be deemed evil, and that which is evil will be deemed good. In Isaiah 5:20-21, 23, it says: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!”
Satan tempts people to confuse that which is good and evil. This includes the roles and natural gender differences of men and women. Don’t buy into the confusion and antagonism. As the 1995 Proclamation to the World states, “All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.”
Final Thoughts
If you are aware of these 4 sources fostering antagonism between the sexes, you can challenge these negative messages and refute that messages. Being aware is most of what is required. Second, make a choice and a commitment that you will like, love, and enjoy the differences between men and women. Looks for reasons to be impressed by, fascinated by, and appreciative of these differences. You are allies, not enemies. Remember, such differences were set by design before the world was and are good. Because "…neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:11).
Sincerely,
Dr. G
INFO FOR READERS--
*To submit a question for a future Q & A column or to request a possible future article subject, contact me at drgilchrist@yahoo.com.
**Do you struggle with pornography or another addictive tendency? Do you struggle with eating issues or want to lose weight? Anxiety issues? Other issues, challenges, or problems? Consider my special custom hypnosis recording service for fellow LDS members only, available worldwide by online delivery. A powerful, effective, convenient tool for change. Learn more now at www.dr-rg.com/lds or email me questions at drgilchrist@yahoo.com. Completely private and confidential.
| 2018-07-16 | Randy Gilchrist | Understanding men, Understanding women, Dating, Healthy relationships, Conflict resolution |
About the author
Hello, my name is Dr. Randy Gilchrist (aka "Dr. G"). I am a licensed clinical psychologist, a licensed marriage & family therapist, and a certified hypnotherapist in private practice in Roseville, CA (www.dr-rg.com), practicing since 1997. Also, I am happily married in the temple (Manti) since 1996 and have 4 sons. I am a volunteer writer and contributor to LDS Dimension. I use my training, education, and experience to share insights with LDS Dimension on all things of interest to the LDS dating community. Please read my articles and columns on this site to assist you in your online dating journey. Also, to be considered for an answer in a future Q and A column, please email me your dating/relationship oriented questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com. Finally, I also offer a powerful, effective worldwide custom hypnosis recording service just for LDS Dimension members for weight loss, pornography, and many other issues of concern to those in the LDS dating community (please learn more now at www.dr-rg.com/lds; email me questions to drgilchrist@yahoo.com).