Blessed Motherhood

Posted on May 8, 2022 by zeev1776

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful mothers out there all around the world. Please know that your hard work is not in vain, that it is recognized, and that it is the greatest work in the world. You are engaged in the lofty task of bearing, nurturing, and raising the children of Father in Heaven. Your posterity, as well as Almighty God, will honor you for eternity for your selfless service and humble sacrifices in the home as mothers. This holiday, I want to offer words of general encouragement and praise to mothers and to remind you how valuable and essential your calling really is.

I first turn to the holy scriptures. From Eve, the mother of all living, to Jochebed, the mother of Moses, to Mary, the mother of Jesus, good mothers have always been praised by the Lord and His prophets. Their good deeds, valor, uprightness, humility, and service have been highlighted and noted. Virtuous women generally, and mothers specifically, are held up high by the Bible as examples.

In both the Old and New Testaments, women are designated as mothers whom we are to honor (Leviticus 19:3) and who should multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28), as wives who should cleave to their husbands (Genesis 2:24), and as “keepers at home” (Titus 2:5) who should help raise their children in righteousness (Deuteronomy 6:1-9). We are taught that virtuous women have a value “far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10).

Though they are usually the side characters throughout the scriptures, think of all the great things that could not have happened without good women and mothers. Without Jochebed’s quick action to save her son Moses, and her extreme faith that the Lord would preserve her son, Pharaoh would have killed him. However, her faith was honored and Moses was found and taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter.

What’s more, Moses’ sister, Miriam, watched as little Moses was discovered. She interjected herself into the situation, asking Pharoah’s daughter if she could help by getting a Hebrew woman to nurse the crying child. Pharaoh’s daughter agreed and Miriam got her mother Jochebed to nurse Moses, for which she was paid. It is amazing how the Lord blesses the faithful actions of His people – and even more abundantly than they expect.

We all know of faithful Father Abraham who was promised that his posterity would be as numerous “as the sand which is upon the sea shore” (Genesis 22:17). The chosen house of Israel, through which came most of the prophets and the Savior of the world, came through Abraham’s lineage. However, Abraham could not have fulfilled his part in this covenant alone. His wife, Sarah, was by his side the whole time. She bore Abraham a child in her old age, Isaac, who was the father of Jacob, renamed Israel, who was the father of the tribes of Israel. Without Sarah’s part in this story, the great Abrahamic covenant would have come to nothing.

Many take offense when I honor Mother Eve for her sacrifice and goodness. She, with Adam, chose to fall so that the could bring about God’s higher purposes – the peopling of the earth and the redemption of the world through Jesus Christ. In an inspired text that is sadly not considered worthwhile by most Christians, Adam and Eve were visited by an angel, taught of the coming of the Redeemer, and made joint pronouncements that give precious insight into their noble souls:

“And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.

“Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.

“And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.

“And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.

“And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

“And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters” (Moses 5:7-12).

We should likewise make these things known to our children, teaching them of the goodness of Adam and Eve and their blessed souls. They should be honored as our first parents. Mother Eve was imperfect, like all of us, but she helped complete a crucial mission and did her part in fulfilling God’s higher purposes. Without her decision to become more like God in knowing good and evil, she and Adam would have never had children, which includes the Holy One, Jesus Christ.

And that brings us to Mary, the mother of the Son of God. No doubt she was a special woman for the Lord to have chosen her to be His earthly mother. We know that the angel Gabriel came to her, explaining that she had a unique mission, praising her in these words: “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).

Two additional Hebrew prophets likewise described her as a “virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white,” a “virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins” (1 Nephi 11:13,15), and as “a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel,” (Alma 7:10).

The thing that is most remarkable is not that she was a virgin or that she was apparently beautiful or that she was highly favored. The most special thing about Mary is how willing and quick she was to obey the will of God. A true willingness to do the will of God is somewhat rare in this fallen world of ours. It is also the hallmark of a true disciple of Christ and follower of the Almighty.

Good mothers are those who unbegrudgingly embrace the will of the Lord for their life and for their family. When circumstances allow, they happily embrace life in the home. When the Father favors them with children, they happily raise them, understanding the great trust that has been placed in them. They live virtuously, teach their children in the ways of God, and try as best as imperfect mortals can to lead by example. These types of mothers are cherished by right-thinking people and have earned the honor of future generations.

Many modern servants of Christ have raised their prophetic voices to honor mothers and exalt motherhood. I share just a few of them. The eloquent Elder Neal A. Maxwell once stated:

“Just as certain men were foreordained from before the foundations of the world, so were certain women appointed to certain tasks. Divine design—not chance—brought Mary forward to be the mother of Jesus. . . .

“When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? The great armistices made by military men or the peacemaking of women in homes and in neighborhoods? Will what happened in cradles and kitchens prove to be more controlling than what happened in congresses? When the surf of the centuries has made the great pyramids so much sand, the everlasting family will still be standing, because it is a celestial institution, formed outside telestial time. The women of God know this.

“No wonder the men of God support and sustain you sisters in your unique roles, for the act of deserting home in order to shape society is like thoughtlessly removing crucial fingers from an imperiled dike in order to teach people to swim.

“We men love you for meeting inconsiderateness with consideration and selfishness with selflessness. We are touched by the eloquence of your example. We are deeply grateful for your enduring us as men when we are not at our best because—like God—you love us not only for what we are, but for what we have the power to become” (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, “The Women of God,” General Conference, April, 1978).

Sister Sheri L. Dew once discoursed on motherhood, sharing these thoughts:

“Prophets have repeatedly answered this question, as did the First Presidency six decades ago when they called motherhood “the highest, holiest service . . . assumed by mankind.”

“Have you ever wondered why prophets have taught the doctrine of motherhood—and it is doctrine—again and again? I have. I have thought long and hard about the work of women of God. And I have wrestled with what the doctrine of motherhood means for all of us. This issue has driven me to my knees, to the scriptures, and to the temple—all of which teach an ennobling doctrine regarding our most crucial role as women. It is a doctrine about which we must be clear if we hope to stand “steadfast and immovable” regarding the issues that swirl around our gender. For Satan has declared war on motherhood. He knows that those who rock the cradle can rock his earthly empire. And he knows that without righteous mothers loving and leading the next generation, the kingdom of God will fail.

“When we understand the magnitude of motherhood, it becomes clear why prophets have been so protective of woman’s most sacred role. While we tend to equate motherhood solely with maternity, in the Lord’s language, the word mother has layers of meaning. Of all the words they could have chosen to define her role and her essence, both God the Father and Adam called Eve “the mother of all living”—and they did so before she ever bore a child. Like Eve, our motherhood began before we were born. Just as worthy men were foreordained to hold the priesthood in mortality, righteous women were endowed premortally with the privilege of motherhood. Motherhood is more than bearing children, though it is certainly that. It is the essence of who we are as women. It defines our very identity, our divine stature and nature, and the unique traits our Father gave us.

“President Gordon B. Hinckley stated that “God planted within women something divine.”6 That something is the gift and the gifts of motherhood” (Sister Sheri L. Dew, “Are We Not All Mothers?” General Conference, October, 2001).

President Ezra Taft Benson emphatically declared the importance of homemaking and motherhood in God’s Plan and to the salvation of women:

“Before the world was created, in heavenly councils the pattern and role of women were prescribed. You were elected by God to be wives and mothers in Zion. Exaltation in the celestial kingdom is predicated on faithfulness to that calling.

“Since the beginning, a woman’s first and most important role has been ushering into mortality spirit sons and daughters of our Father in Heaven.

“Since the beginning, her role has been to teach her children eternal gospel principles. She is to provide for her children a haven of security and love—regardless of how modest her circumstances might be.

“In the beginning, Adam was instructed to earn the bread by the sweat of his brow—not Eve. Contrary to conventional wisdom, a mother’s place is in the home!

“I recognize there are voices in our midst which would attempt to convince you that these truths are not applicable to our present-day conditions. If you listen and heed, you will be lured away from your principal obligations.

“Beguiling voices in the world cry out for “alternative life-styles” for women. They maintain that some women are better suited for careers than for marriage and motherhood.

“These individuals spread their discontent by the propaganda that there are more exciting and self-fulfilling roles for women than homemaking. . . .

“It is a fundamental truth that the responsibilities of motherhood cannot be successfully delegated. No, not to day-care centers, not to schools, not to nurseries, not to babysitters.

“We become enamored with men’s theories such as the idea of preschool training outside the home for young children. Not only does this put added pressure on the budget, but it places young children in an environment away from mother’s influence. . . .

“It is mother’s influence during the crucial formative years that forms a child’s basic character.

“Home is the place where a child learns faith, feels love, and thereby learns from mother’s loving example to choose righteousness.

“How vital are mother’s influence and teaching in the home—and how apparent when neglected!” (President Ezra Taft Benson, “The Honored Place of Woman,” General Conference, October, 1981).

A powerful advocate for mothers, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once remarked:

“Today I declare from this pulpit what has been said here before: that no love in mortality comes closer to approximating the pure love of Jesus Christ than the selfless love a devoted mother has for her child. When Isaiah, speaking messianically, wanted to convey Jehovah’s love, he invoked the image of a mother’s devotion. “Can a woman forget her sucking child?” he asks. How absurd, he implies, though not as absurd as thinking Christ will ever forget us.

“This kind of resolute love “suffereth long, and is kind, . . . seeketh not her own, . . . but . . . beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Most encouraging of all, such fidelity “never faileth.” “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed,” Jehovah said, “but my kindness shall not depart from thee.” So too say our mothers.

“You see, it is not only that they bear us, but they continue bearing with us. It is not only the prenatal carrying but the lifelong carrying that makes mothering such a staggering feat. Of course, there are heartbreaking exceptions, but most mothers know intuitively, instinctively that this is a sacred trust of the highest order. The weight of that realization, especially on young maternal shoulders, can be very daunting” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Behold Thy Mother,” General Conference, October, 2015).

Elder L. Tom Perry said:

“Please allow me to reminisce for a few moments and share a few of the lessons I learned from my mother about teaching the gospel in the home. My mother understood the value of teaching her children about standards, values, and doctrine while they were young. While she was grateful to others who taught her children outside the home at either school or church, she recognized that parents are entrusted with the education of their children and, ultimately, parents must ensure that their children are being taught what their Heavenly Father would have them learn. My siblings and I were quizzed very carefully by our mother after we had been taught away from the home to be certain the correct lessons were reaching our ears and shaping our minds.

“I used to think some days as I ran home from school that I was through learning for the day, but this illusion was quickly destroyed when I saw my mother standing at the door waiting for me. When we were young, we each had a desk in the kitchen where we could continue to be taught by her as she performed household duties and prepared supper. She was a natural teacher and far more demanding of us than our teachers at school and church.

“The scope of Mother’s teaching included both secular and spiritual lessons. She made sure none of us were falling behind in our schoolwork, which she would often supplement. She also would practice her Relief Society lessons with us. We, of course, received the unabridged versions found in her notebooks, not the abridged versions that had to fit in a single class period.

“Part of our learning at home also involved memorizing scriptures, including the Articles of Faith, and the words of prophets, seers, and revelators. My mother was someone who believed a mind would become weak if it was not constantly exercised. She taught us as we would wash the dishes, churn the butter, and help in many other ways. She did not believe in letting idle thoughts enter her children’s minds, even when they were engaged in physical labor.

“I am not using my mother as a role model for parents in today’s world. Times are very different today, but while times may change, a parent’s teaching must never be devalued. Many activities link the values of one generation to the next, but perhaps the most central of these activities is parents teaching children in the home. . . .

“According to “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the principles I have taught about teaching in the home apply to both parents, but they are especially crucial to the role of a mother. Fathers most often spend much of their day away from home in their employment. That is one of the many reasons so much of the responsibility for teaching the child in the home falls on mothers. While circumstances do vary and the ideal isn’t always possible, I believe it is by divine design that the role of motherhood emphasizes the nurturing and teaching of the next generation” (Elder L. Tom Perry, “Mothers Teaching Children in the Home,” General Conference, April, 2010).

President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., gave these lofty thoughts about the eternal scope of motherhood:

“[T]he greatest glory of true womanhood has been motherhood.

“What a miracle is motherhood; how nearly infinite is mother. She fashions in her womb the most complex structure known to man. . . .

“This is wife’s and mother’s task and opportunity; and did she fail . . . then the great plan would fail and God’s purposes would come to naught. . . . This must never change. . . .

“But the full glory of motherhood is not yet reached when her child comes forth into this world of trial. . . . She feeds not only, but clothes it. She cares for it by day and watches over it by night. . . . She gently leads its faltering steps, till it walks alone. . . .

“Thus to the full stature of manhood and womanhood, mother guides, . . . instructs, directs . . . the soul for which she built the earthly home, in its march onward to exaltation. God gives the soul its destiny, but mother leads it along the way.

“When the souls shall return to the presence of the Father of all, the worthy mothers will be there to welcome their worthy children” (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., Immortality and Eternal Life: Melchizedek Priesthood Course of Study, 1969–70, Vol. 2, 24–28).

Finally, I quote only one more modern statement, once again from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. After reading from a letter written by a young mother, he editorialized thus:

“In light of that kind of expression, it is clear that some of those Rhode Island–sized shadows come not just from diapers and carpooling but from at least a few sleepless nights spent searching the soul, seeking earnestly for the capacity to raise these children to be what God wants them to be. Moved by that kind of devotion and determination, may I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you. He knows that your giving birth to a child does not immediately propel you into the circle of the omniscient. If you and your husband will strive to love God and live the gospel yourselves; if you will plead for that guidance and comfort of the Holy Spirit promised to the faithful; if you will go to the temple to both make and claim the promises of the most sacred covenants a woman or man can make in this world; if you will show others, including your children, the same caring, compassionate, forgiving heart you want heaven to show you; if you try your best to be the best parent you can be, you will have done all that a human being can do and all that God expects you to do.

“Sometimes the decision of a child or a grandchild will break your heart. Sometimes expectations won’t immediately be met. Every mother and father worries about that. Even that beloved and wonderfully successful parent President Joseph F. Smith pled, “Oh! God, let me not lose my own.”8 That is every parent’s cry, and in it is something of every parent’s fear. But no one has failed who keeps trying and keeps praying. You have every right to receive encouragement and to know in the end your children will call your name blessed, just like those generations of foremothers before you who hoped your same hopes and felt your same fears.

“Yours is the grand tradition of Eve, the mother of all the human family, the one who understood that she and Adam had to fall in order that “men [and women] might be”9 and that there would be joy. Yours is the grand tradition of Sarah and Rebekah and Rachel, without whom there could not have been those magnificent patriarchal promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which bless us all. Yours is the grand tradition of Lois and Eunice and the mothers of the 2,000 stripling warriors. Yours is the grand tradition of Mary, chosen and foreordained from before this world was, to conceive, carry, and bear the Son of God Himself. We thank all of you, including our own mothers, and tell you there is nothing more important in this world than participating so directly in the work and glory of God, in bringing to pass the mortality and earthly life of His daughters and sons, so that immortality and eternal life can come in those celestial realms on high. . . .

“You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.

“Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.”

“Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” And it will make your children whole as well” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because She is a Mother,” General Conference, April, 1997).

I can’t add much to those glowing words of praise, comfort, encouragement, honor, and conviction. Mothers have a special place in God’s economy. Mothers have a unique role, calling, and destiny. Mothers are “highly favored” of the Lord. There are definitely bad mothers, but there are also millions who are so very good and whose deeds and hard work and teaching and loving goes unsung and unnoticed by the crass world. But these motherly deeds don’t go unnoticed by your Father in Heaven, by godly people everywhere, or by your family who will cherish your name and memory forever.

I want to close by paying tribute to the two mothers in my life – my own Mom and my wife. My mother is the most selfless, caring, loving person I know. She taught me the best she could in the ways of the Lord. She gave me a shining example of Christian living. She was a person of passion in her principles. She always did and does stand up for what she believes is right, even if it requires her to turn around in a crowded stadium to tell a group of rabble-rousers in no uncertain terms to stop using profanity in public and around her children. She is also always there when I need someone to talk to about mundane things or about the things that afflict my soul. I love you, Mom!

As for my wife, she is, to quote Archie Bunker’s comment about his wife Edith, “something else.” I love her. She birthed my daughter – my precious little thing that gives me such rapturous joy! I have watched and noticed as she suffered through a hard pregnancy and through tough medical challenges caused by that pregnancy and by nursing. Our daughter sleeps well at night, yet, when she needed to nurse, my wife was there willing to slake her hunger. I have watched as they have fallen to sleep together, bathed together, played and laughed together, cleaned together, surprised me with food together, and every other type of activity. My wife adores our daughter and lives for her. I respect, honor, and thank my wife for always putting our little girl first, always going above and beyond to make her happy, and always giving of herself. Thank you, Emma. I love you.

Motherhood is a blessed calling and the greatest work in the world. Happy Mother’s Day, Mothers. You are loved. God bless each of you!

Zack Strong,
May 8, 2022

Stay Home, Amy

Posted on September 28, 2020 by zeev1776

On Saturday, President Donald Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacant post left on the Supreme Court by the horrendous, pro-LGBT, internationalist Jewish radical, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Mrs. Barrett is being hailed as a conservative icon. In particular, her commitment to her family – her husband and seven children – has won her a lot of brownie points with more traditional folks. However, it is precisely the fact that she has seven children still in the home who need their mother that I oppose her nomination to a position which would take her away from her family.

To be upfront, I would never vote for a woman for any public position of trust, regardless of her talent or principles, nor do I believe women should be nominated to judgeships, be allowed to serve in the military, and so forth. I have a personal witness that the scriptures are true. The holy scriptures make it abundantly clear that a woman’s calling is in the home and that, whenever possible, she should not work outside of the home. Naturally, circumstances arise which at times require women to work outside of the home or to be the breadwinners. But in the ideal situation, God has appointed man to provide for the family, and woman to bear and nurture children.

An article on Moms.com described how Amy haphazardly juggles her sacred responsibilities as a mother with her professional duties:

“Coney Barrett considered becoming a stay-at-home-mother. Then, she was offered a professorship at Notre Dame and took it. At first, she felt guilty when she couldn’t spend time with her children, but because of the support her husband gave her, she continued to teach.

“Now, she attributes her success to teamwork with her husband, living in a smaller city, and a flexible workplace. She says that Jesse regularly cooks meals and makes doctors’ appointments. Barrett also says that she can volunteer at her children’s school because she can take time to leave chambers and make it to the school quickly. Living in a small community like South Bend, Illinois makes this possible.

“She recalls having a toy box in her office at Notre Dame so that her daughter Emma could be with her during office hours. Although she never had to, other professors attend faculty meetings with their babies. She highlights the importance of how flexible workplaces help working mothers. Finally, she’s thankful for her husband’s aunt, who has provided the family with childcare for 16 years—since Emma was little. She says that consistent, in-the-home childcare has been a significant factor in making her career possible.”

This, ladies and gentlemen, is quintessential feminism! It appears to me that far from being a mother first, she has placed motherhood on the backburner. Why should we applaud this woman who deliberately and unnecessarily chose to place her career ambitions above her God-appointed calling to be a mother in the home?

The line “she couldn’t spend time with her children” says it all. Amy has essentially abdicated her role of mother and homemaker, instead choosing to pursue a career and politics. Because she has failed to be the mother she ought to be, other people have had to pick up the slack. Her husband cooks meals and helps manage the kids because she’s too busy outside the home. And her husband’s aunt has spent sixteen years watching Amy’s children. Tell me, why should we give Amy Coney Barrett brownie points for being a mother of seven children when she doesn’t actually mother those children?

In an article aptly titled “Feminists Should Be Celebrating Amy Coney Barrett,” we’re given this accurate paragraph:

“This level of accomplishment and dedication to family, one would imagine, is what feminists are referring to when they say women should be able to “have it all.” Of course, no one can have it all, and life is full of tradeoffs. But you would be hard-pressed to find a woman who has navigated the difficult trenches of career success and motherhood as ably as Barrett.”

No, you can’t have it all. That’s one of feminism’s greatest lies. It has been used to lure women out of the home and away from their families. A woman who works full-time cannot be a full-time mother. There are no ifs, ands, or buts in that statement. It’s the cold, hard truth. Knowing this, perhaps we should ask whether Amy is really a mother or a professor/judge.

Another op-ed titled “Amy Coney Barrett: A New Feminist Icon” is also revealing:

“Barrett’s expected confirmation should serve as a catalyst for rethinking the most powerful social movement in the last half century: feminism. . . .

“Barrett embodies a new kind of feminism, a feminism that builds upon the praiseworthy antidiscrimination work of Ginsburg but then goes further. It insists not just on the equal rights of men and women, but also on their common responsibilities, particularly in the realm of family life. In this new feminism, sexual equality is found not in imitating men’s capacity to walk away from an unexpected pregnancy through abortion, but rather in asking men to meet women at a high standard of mutual responsibility, reciprocity and care. . . .

“Barrett says that for both parents, the needs of the Barrett children came first, their professions second – and yet both their children and professions thrived. Rather than assume caregiving is a woman’s “choice” to embrace or reject on her own, as Roe does, the Barretts recognize that both mothers and fathers are encumbered by their shared responsibilities to the dependent children in their care. That’s the new feminism building upon, while remaking, the old feminism.

“It’s not only the Barretts’ teamwork that has made all of this possible. In that same interview, she speaks with gratitude about the consistent child care her husband’s aunt has provided for more than a decade. And she points to the flexibility of her workplace and credits the growing presence of women in the legal profession as giving rise to better working conditions than when she was a young lawyer: “As women are more present in law schools… on faculties, at law firms… the workplace bends to be more flexible as women seek those accommodations.””

Isn’t it somewhat disturbing that Amy’s lifestyle can be seen by so many different people as “feminism”? Of course, many are spinning this in a positive light. They find nothing wrong with women in the workplace, precariously balancing their job with their children’s well-being. Yet, I find it extremely sad that a woman who apparently loves her family so much is content with spending so much time away from them and leaving their care in the hands of others. Indeed, it’s a tragedy that a woman who wears her Christianity on her sleeves conveniently ignores those parts of the good book which spell out a woman’s lofty calling as a mother, homemaker, and wife.

There’s a picture making the rounds on the internet showing one of Amy’s daughters looking up to her with a smile on her face. It makes the comment that the daughter is “looking up to her mom.” In the long run, however, what will her daughter remember – that her mom was a fancy judge, or that she was absent in the home during much of her childhood? Will she remember any landmark cases her mom may have been involved in, or will she recall the small, daily moments where her mother showed her love in ways the world does not value?

Perhaps Amy Coney Barrett’s family really is as happy as they claim. I hope they are. I hope her children are happy. Yet, I know that however happy and well-developed they may be now, they could rise to even greater heights if their mother was in the home with them. Her four daughters, especially, need the example not of a working woman with a busy professional life, but of a humble homemaker and mother performing her duties in this highest and holiest of all callings. I fear that, spurred on by her example, Amy’s children will one day grow up to prioritize career over family as her actions prove she does.

Let’s be honest, the only reason President Trump selected Mrs. Barrett is because she’s a woman. He’s pandering, as he so often does. Ruth Bader Ginsburg, over whom he gushed with praise, died, so he rushed to fill her spot with yet another career woman. There was not one man available could have done the job, Mr. President? Did you really have to choose a mother of seven children, one of whom has disabilities, to serve in one of the most sensitive positions in the country?

According to my score card, President Trump is only one for three on Supreme Court nominations. He nominated the Establishment charlatan Brett Kavanaugh, apparently unaware of the murder coverups he’s been involved in on behalf of the Establishment. And, now, he’s nominating a woman who ought to be at home with her small children. I’ve been critical of President Trump’s lack of discernment from the beginning. He hits a lot of homeruns, but he also strikes out a fair amount. Amy’s nomination shows, yet again, that President Trump often gives into popular opinion rather than sticking to principled positions. Conservatives clamored for Amy Coney Barrett, and others demanded a woman fill a woman’s position, so he gave them what they wanted.

If our nation was in touch with its moral roots, we would not celebrate a working woman filling positions of national trust. Instead, we would celebrate the woman who embraces God’s will for her life and stays home with her children. In such a society, the wife would be commended, the homemaker would be cherished, and the mother would be exalted. Instead, in our warped Marxist-feminist culture, the 21^st-Century version of Rosie the Riveter is the ideal.

To close, I want to reiterate that traditional gender roles, as ordained by God Almighty, are not suggestions. They cannot be discarded without serious consequences to individuals, families, and societies; especially by professed Christians. It’s no coincidence that the rise in societal corruption, mismanagement, degeneracy, broken homes, and rebellion, has coincided directly with the rise in women abandoning the home and motherhood in favor of 9-5 desk jobs and worldly accolades.

Ladies, the home is where you were designed to shine! Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. The greatest work you can do for society is to stay at home and raise a beautiful family in the ways of God and goodness. Think of it, you can raise the next generation of citizens, shaping them, molding them, and teaching them the principles they will act upon.

Nothing you do outside of the home will ever match the eternal impact you can have inside your home as a mother. There is no higher and holier calling than motherhood; no profession more important and far-reaching than raising the rising generation. As important as sound Supreme Court justices may be, they won’t long be remembered. But good mothers will be remembered and praised for generations, both by their families and by a society that will benefit from their tender devotion in the home.

And so, I say, stay home, Amy. For the sake of your beautiful family, the well-being of your young children, and the greater good of society, stay home.

Zack Strong,

September 28, 2020

A Tribute to Mothers

Posted on May 9, 2020 by zeev1776

“Because our mothers love us, we learn, or more accurately remember, that God also loves us.” – President M. Russell Ballard

Motherhood is the highest, holiest, and most exalted calling in mortality! Mothers are co-creators with God in His divine work of peopling this earth for the purpose of being tested and, through the redeeming mercy of Jesus Christ, receiving eternal life in His Kingdom. Women bear a special responsibility as life-givers and nurturers. Motherhood is the essence of womanhood; the fulfillment of a woman’s sacred role. This Mother’s Day, I pay a warm tribute to all mothers, and especially to those who cheerfully embrace their divine calling.

From the beginning, our Father in Heaven has acted through families. We are His literal children and belong to His family. We lived with Him, learned from Him, and embraced Him before we came into mortality. Here on earth, our memories of that time with our Father have been veiled and temporarily hidden from us as part of this mortal testing period. However, the Lord reminds us of our Heavenly home by placing us in families with loving parents.

Mothers play a special role in the process of life. Of course, biologically, only women can have children. But beyond this, and much more importantly, a woman’s unique sensitivities are needed to raise children into peaceable, civil, and worthy adults.

By nature, women are more childlike. They operate more on an emotional level. They tend to care more about suffering. They are often more compassionate than men. They more frequently notice when others need help, when a hug would soften someone’s burden, or when a person simply requires a listening ear. All these traits – empathy, compassion, being able to relate to children – are tailored to motherhood.

God would have been a poor judge of character had He appointed men to do the work of nurturing. Don’t misunderstand, there are plenty of compassionate men who do a wonderful job rearing their little ones and reaching out to lift others. But men are not designed primarily for that role whereas women are. Women simply surpass men in nurturing. Men similarly outstrip women in those things God has appointed to their care. Thus, in His wisdom, our Eternal Father appointed woman to bear, raise, and nurture children.

Our Eternal God has placed such a heavy burden – that of nurturing His precious children – on women because He knows their abilities and trust them to do their work with all their hearts. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said:

“[M]ay I say to mothers collectively, in the name of the Lord, you are magnificent. You are doing terrifically well. The very fact that you have been given such a responsibility is everlasting evidence of the trust your Father in Heaven has in you” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because She Is a Mother,” General Mother, April, 1997).

In our day of rampant feminism, many women have neglected their divine duties. But the Lord has nevertheless appointed them to be wives, mothers, and homemakers and to play a fundamentally crucial role in His Plan of Happiness. Those who embrace this calling – and there are plenty who faithfully do – bring light and joy into the world. They make the world a little better. Their influence sheds on others and inspired people to better themselves.

Women, the home is where you were designed to shine! It is in the home that you can do the most good for society. It is in the home where you can change society by training your children. It is in your role as a mother that you can do the most good for the world. It is also as mothers that you will find the most fulfillment and happiness and where your soul will be stretched beyond what you can imagine. The happiest people I know are those who have faithfully responded to the divine call of motherhood.

I now wish to pay tribute to four women in particular: My wife, my Mom, Mother Eve, and our Mother in Heaven.

First, I wish to express my love to my wife, Emma. Some months ago, we found out that she’s carrying our first child. We are extremely exited to begin the journey of parenthood and to have a family of our own this summer. I honor my wife for her sacrifice in carrying our child. It’s been fascinating to see the process unfold, watch our little one grow inside her, and know that our Father in Heaven trusts us enough to send one of His special spirit children into our home. I cannot express too profoundly how much I appreciate my wife’s willingness to fulfill her role as a mother. I love you, Emma!

Secondly, I wish to honor my own mother. My Mom is the best person I know. When I think of my Mom, the first descriptor that comes to mind is “selfless.” Always and forever she put me, my siblings, and my Dad above herself. She put our needs before her own. She made us food when she was hungry. She cleaned the house that we had made messy even when she was tired. She held us when we were sad. She cared for us when we were sick. She listened when we needed to reveal the innermost secrets of our heart. She centered everything on her God and her family. For that, I love her, honor her, and pay her the deepest tribute mere words can pay. My Mom is an elect woman, a true Saint, and I love her!

Little me and my lovely Mom

Next, I pay tribute to the most maligned woman in history – Mother Eve. I believe the Christian world stands condemned for falsely accusing and excoriating that special lady, the wife of the prophet Adam, the mother of our race. She transgressed like all of us. But she was faithful to the higher laws of God. She was loyal to her husband. She exemplified womanhood and motherhood in her willingness to fulfill her divine role as a co-creator with our Father in Heaven. May we learn to revere Eve and cease our condemnation of this tremendous Christian woman.

Lastly, I pay tribute to my Mother in Heaven. Our Father in Heaven has chosen not to reveal Her to us, perhaps out of respect for Her and to protect Her from the same indignities and insults which His disobedient children heap upon Him. If we are His children, and He is our Father, then it is the most logical and correct thing in the world to believe we have a Mother as well. This is far different from believing in the pagan conception of the “Queen of Heaven.” Rather, it is the logical conclusion of the human soul once that soul understands his true relation to his Eternal Father and the fact that we are part of His family. My heart fills with gratitude and longing whenever I reflect that I’m a child of God!

This Mother’s Day, I encourage you to honor your mother. Call her. Visit her if you can. Tell her how much you appreciate, cherish, and love her. Give her a bear hug. Let your heart beat for her and express its love in its magical, unspoken way.

In a general sense, honor all mothers. Honor those who willingly embrace their womanhood by becoming mothers to special spirits sent from Heaven. Honor those who do their best, however falteringly, to love, nurture, and care for their children. Pay your respect to the noble women who know that they are daughters of God and who live pure lives, embrace their feminine nature, and relish the high and holy calling of motherhood.

Dear mothers, please know that you are loved. Real men everywhere honor you. Real men appreciate you. Real men would die to protect you. Also know that your children, though they might not always show it, need you, remember you, and love you. The greatest work you will ever do will be in home. The greatest calling you will ever have is as a mother. The greatest joy you can experience will be to watch your own children grow in righteousness and put into action those things you so painstakingly taught them as you nurtured them in your home.

God bless you mothers! God bless you prospective mothers! God bless you young women who know that your destiny – your sacred calling – is to follow the path of Mother Eve and your own mother in bearing children and raising them to serve the Lord. Happy Mother’s Day!

Zack Strong,

May 9, 2020

Read my tribute to fathers here.

Feminism Destroys Families

Posted on March 11, 2019 by zeev1776

Feminism is a disease! It is a spiritual, mental, cultural sickness. The Women’s Liberation movement was founded by Marxists and serves to this day as a communist front. The purpose of the organized women’s movement is to destroy the institution of the home because the home is the ultimate safeguard of society. It accomplishes this by blurring the lines between the genders, turning Biblical traditionalism on its head, breaking down marriages, destroying families, and creating animosity and disunity among the population. Simply, feminism is so dangerous because feminism destroys families.

The communist conspirators have founded, co-opted, or used numerous movements as fronts through which they achieve their purposes and promote their insidious ideology. Marxist agitators started the destructive LGBT movement, the radical environmentalist movement, and the so-called “civil rights” movement, to name only three. Feminism, however, has been the most devastatingly effective of all communist fronts. This is so precisely because it strikes at the foundation of society – the family.

The family is the bulwark of society. It is the rock foundation of every civilization. The health of a people’s homes reveals the health of the overall society. As homes go, so goes society. The family is the key building block of humanity – the ultimate institution. Anything that undermines the family unit assaults and degrades society. And feminism is the greatest offender.

Inessa Armand, one of the leading Bolshevik women during the early days of the communist reign of terror in Russia, made this noteworthy statement:

“If women’s liberation is unthinkable without communism, then communism is unthinkable without women’s liberation.”

According to one of the arch-feminists, “women’s liberation is unthinkable without communism.” Communism and feminism are inseparable. This is because in order for communism to succeed in its stated goal of world subjugation through world revolution, families must first be transformed and destroyed.

In The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx smugly declared:

“Abolition of the family! Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the Communists.”

From the beginning, one of the most controversial and fundamental proposals of the communist conspiracy was the “abolition of the family.” Marx knew, and his ideological descendants understand, that the traditional family established on Biblical principles must be abolished first if communism is to be imposed upon the world.

On March 8^th, the communist holiday known as International Women’s Day, Ellie Mae O’Hagan wrote a piece for The Guardian titled “Feminism without socialism will never cure our unequal society.” The subheading of her article charges: “Gender inequality is a necessary condition of capitalism, so this International Women’s Day join a trade union.” She followed this radical line of thought and stated:

“If this sounds like socialism, it’s because it is. Only by diminishing the power of the boss class, and giving female workers more access to collectively owned social goods, can we ensure that no woman is forced to choose between sexual and economic exploitation, and poverty. Inessa Armand, the Bolshevik revolutionary who was responsible for allowing Soviet women to divorce, have abortions, participate in politics and access childcare knew that only fundamental change to the economic system could make life better for women. “If women’s liberation is unthinkable without communism, then communism is unthinkable without women’s liberation,” she argued.

“Among the hashtags and vacuous corporate slogans that now flood International Women’s Day, it’s easy to forget that it was first celebrated 110 years ago by the Socialist Party of America to honour the New York garment workers’ strike, which had been held by female workers a year earlier. Eight years after the first International Women’s Day, female revolutionaries in Russia effectively overthrew the tsar with a series of protests and strikes, which also won them the right to vote. It’s not novel to tie socialism and feminism together: they are inextricably linked as movements, and always have been.

“Of course, it’s complacent for any socialist to argue that ending capitalism will simply erase sexism from existence. Gender inequality may be a necessary condition of capitalism, but it is maintained by culture. Sexism persists because it is propped up by a deep-rooted set of beliefs and stereotypes that imagine women as inferior. These won’t be forgotten overnight by changing the economic system; they must be actively taken on and defeated – and that fight must be led by women themselves. But understanding this makes socialism even more necessary: because women can’t fight against sexism as a whole if they’re too busy trying to keep their heads above water in an economic system that exploits them. Just as gender inequality is a necessary condition of capitalism, socialism is a necessary condition for the genuine liberation of the majority of women.”

O’Hagan’s article is a truly astounding piece of ideological rubbish. I quote it only to prove a point; namely, that from day one feminism has been intertwined with and inseparable from communism. Avowed socialists founded and spearheaded the Women’s Liberation movement. Today, “the fight must be led by women themselves.” What fight? The fight to destroy capitalism, destroy the “deep-rooted set of beliefs” (i.e. Christian beliefs) that undergird society, and destroy the home. To feminists, only socialism/communism can save women from their plight. It’s time to take these radicals at their word when they say things like, “socialism is a necessary condition for the genuine liberation of the majority of women.” They’re communists, plain and simple.

Preceding even Marx in the push for worldwide feminism was the Order of Illuminati. If you trace the history of that Bavarian secret society, you are led directly to an England-based group known as the League of the Just. It was this league that in 1848 hired Karl Marx to write a manifesto of belief and that changed its name to the Communist League when that declaration as published as The Communist Manifesto. Years later, under a new name, this same secret cabal was led by Vladimir Lenin and, with Western funding, overthrew Russia in 1917, creating the Soviet Union – the same Soviet Union that was the first state to legalize abortion-on-demand and institute no-fault divorce.

The founder of the Order of Illuminati was Adam Weishaupt. Weishaupt was a keen observer of human nature. He understood that the family unit had to be shattered into pieces if Illuminism (later to be known as socialism and communism), was to conquer the globe. The method Weishaupt and his cohorts devised to destroy the home was to co-opt and deceive women into working for them unawares. He wrote:

“There is no way of influencing men so powerfully as by means of the women. These should therefore be our chief study; we should insinuate ourselves into their good opinion, give them hints of emancipation from the tyranny of public opinion, and of standing up for themselves; it will be an immense relief to their enslaved minds to be freed from any one bond of restraint, and it will fire them the more, and cause them to work for us with zeal, without knowing that they do so; for they will only be indulging their own desire of personal admiration” (Adam Weishaupt, in John Robison, Proofs of a Conspiracy, 111).

In one short paragraph, Weishaupt described the purposes and methods of the feminist movement. History has proven the tragic accuracy of his words. Those women so deceived by these criminal agitators have worked for them “with zeal, without knowing that they do so.” By rising up against Biblical traditions that they have been indoctrinated to believe are “oppressive” and “sexist,” women have assisted the Illumined Marxists in their work of overthrowing society.

In the United States, women have traditionally been, without any question or shadow of doubt, the most blessed and privileged class of society. From the beginning, women held an honored place in our nation. They have been cherished and held up as role models. No one was more praised, honored, and valued than the American woman. Authors Suzanne Venker and Phyllis Schlafly, in fact, wrote:

“[B]uried beneath the surface lies the truth: American women are the most fortunate human beings who have ever lived. No one has it better. No one” (Venker and Schlafly, The Flipside of Feminism: What Conservative Women Know – and Men Can’t Say, 14).

There was never any real oppression of women in the United States. Making women feel like underprivileged victims was a classic communist ruse used time and time again to great effect with various groups such as blacks and homosexuals. Instilling this false feeling of victimhood in women was the first step in mobilizing them for the world revolution. To reiterate the crucial point, this push began with the occultist founder of the Illuminati, Adam Weishaupt, and escalated under later communist leaders like Marx and Lenin. Feminism is part and parcel of the communist world revolution.

After a constant barrage of Marxist propaganda that painted them as “oppressed victims” of some fictitious “patriarchy,” however, the privileged American woman rebelled against her blessings and privileges. Under socialist leadership, women began demanding “equality” in a system that actually favored them, protected them, and was set up to support them in their inspired roles as wives, homemakers, and mothers. Instead of basking in the light of the American system, the system that made them the most privileged and blessed class of people in human history, Marxist-indoctrinated women served as the front-line soldiers in the cultural war against our Christian country.

In actual fact, the illusion of “equality” and “emancipation” these feminists sought ripped them from the arms of their children and the warmth of their homes and placed them in the rat race of 9-5 work. Instead of using their exceptional talents in the home to nurture the rising generation and, thus, to shape society, they gained an existence of meaningless work as drones in faceless, lifeless office buildings. With this fast-paced life, women gained high rates of depression and stress and began delaying or rejecting marriage and abandoning their God-appointed callings in the home.

The indoctrination has become so profound that women, and society at large, now see children as a burden. Pregnancies are routinely referred to “unwanted.” So “unwanted” are they, in fact, that over 70 million innocent babies have had their lives snuffed out by abortionists in the past 46 years since Roe v. Wade legalized infanticide. It is “inconvenient” for these worldly people to have families that present them from working, having fun, and focusing on themselves.

We live in a selfish world. And feminists epitomize selfishness. Instead of the home, they embrace hedonism. Instead of marriage, they adopt materialism. They shun familial duties and reject God’s commandments to marry (Genesis 2:18,24; Matthew 19:4-6; 1 Corinthians 11:11; Ephesians 5:31) and to multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:27-28). Marxist-indoctrinated individuals certainly do not share the Lord’s view of children which asserts:

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

“As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.

“Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them” (Psalms 127:3-5).

Feminists are content with a self-centered lifestyle. They simply don’t have time for marriage and family. And when they do make the unpopular choice to marry, they are often so inadequate to the task that they cause divorces. Women initiate 80% of divorces in the United States. The rampant curse of no-fault divorces is symptomatic of the Red Plague of communism that has infected our population and corrupted our culture.

A former leader of my Church, President Boyd K. Packer, made this comment clear back in 1964:

“There is a trend in the world today—and unfortunately in the Church—for women to want to be emancipated. And we wonder at times—emancipated from what? From domesticity? From motherhood? From happiness? And to what are you in slavery? Your children? It is neither necessary nor desirable for the mother of little children to become a drudge or to be relegated to a position of servitude. It is not, however, uncommon to see women—interestingly enough many in the financially well-to-do category—over-surfeiting themselves with activities outside of the home at the expense of their little children.

“I have never known a mother to regret in the closing years of her life a sacrifice made for her children or to begrudge the cost of guiding them to fine Christian citizenship.

“On the other hand, we find almost universal remorse for neglect of family in the growing years or for overindulging children, which is symptomatic of the most serious type of neglect.

“Mothers, do not abandon your responsibilities!” (President Boyd K. Packer, “Suffer the Little Children,” General Conference, April, 1964).

If we are to fix this massive problem, women must unlearn what they have learned about relationships, marriage, and motherhood. They must cease viewing themselves as “victims.” They must realize how honored and blessed and valued they are. They must embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ which appoints them as wives, mothers, and homemakers – holy and high callings second to none in the economy of God’s Plan of Happiness for His children. They must no longer neglect their families, but return to the home.

Women, the home is where you were designed to shine! The home is your fortress of safety in this dark world. The home is your refuge from the storms of life. It is in the home where you can do the most good for society. The greatest thing you can do for you country and your community is to raise a generation of civil, kind, respectable, honorable, and righteous men and women. You may not receive the praise of the world by embracing your noble calling as a mother, but you will be honored, appreciated, and remembered for generations by your family. Which would you rather have, the hollow praise of the world or the authentic gratitude of your husband and children, your grandchildren and great grandchildren?

It is my firm belief that if we are to defeat feminism, we must once and for all convince women that they are being used as dupes and pawns by the communists in their push to abolish the family and enslave society. They must realize that they have been manipulated and that the fruit of their actions is the rampant divorce, millions of aborted babies, discontent between the sexes, the blurring of traditional gender roles, and the destruction of the family institution.

Researcher Henry Makow, himself a former feminist, wrote the classic book on feminism titled Cruel Hoax: Feminism and the New World Order. In it, he stated:

“Feminism’s roots in Marxist Communism explain a great deal about this curious but pernicious movement. . . .

“It is hard to escape the conclusion that feminism is Communism by another name. Having failed to peddle class war, Communism promoted gender conflict instead. The “diversity” and “multicultural” movements represent feminism’s attempt to forge “allegiances” by empowering gays and “people of colour.” Thus, the original CPUSA trio of “race, gender and class” is very much intact but class conflict was never a big seller. . . .

“. . . Feminist activists are mostly Communist dupes. We see this subversion in the dismantling of the liberal arts curriculum and tradition of free speech and inquiry at our universities. We see it when feminists push the elite “global warming” hysteria. In government, business, the media and the military. This could only happen because the financial elite in fact sponsors Communism” (Henry Makow, Cruel Hoax: Feminism and the New World Order, 36-37).

Feminism is a top-down fraud foisted upon society via deceived women and their Bolshevik puppet masters. It is designed to disenfranchise women of their birthright as daughters of God and as co-creators with Him. It is also designed to sideline men – the traditional defenders of society. Ultimately, feminism was created not to make women “equal” to men or to win “rights” for women, but to break down society by shattering families, thus creating a weak society susceptible of overthrow.

Red Feminism must be thrown onto the ash heap of history if we are to move forward and progress as a civilization. Feminism has stunted our growth, robbed us of generations of Americans through the scourge of abortion, created deep fissures between men and women, promoted promiscuity and hedonism in place of spirituality and moral living, and, most damning, undermined the home so completely that we are at crisis levels. The key to combating this feminist enemy is to first identify it as a communist front movement.

Feminism is a Marxist movement. It is spiritual blindness whose chief principles and practices are at odds with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the plain revelations in the scriptures. If we want to save our Republic, we must save our families. If we desire to save our homes, we must extinguish the feminist conflagration burning them to the ground. If we seek to do that and preserve our People, we must know that feminism is communism and that communism is working behind the scenes to subjugate humanity under their iron rule. It’s time to wake up, America.

Zack Strong,

March 11, 2019.

The American Citadel

Defending our Faith, Families, and Freedom.

Tag Archives: Motherhood

Blessed Motherhood

Stay Home, Amy

A Tribute to Mothers

Feminism Destroys Families