My opinion --
A lot of people don't see it so much as opposing the General Conference, they tend to see the Adventist Church as an American Institution being told by third world countries (where women are regarded as lessor creatures) what they can and can't do.
Adventism, even though the General Conference office is still in America, now has it's greatest membership outside of America, so they now have a larger vote.
Of course there are people in America who are against women ordination as well, so it isn't a clear cut thing here, but the battle of cultures is playing its role here.
I'm not sure it really is a battle of cultures. If our members in other countries base their opposition on Scripture rather than culture, it really isn't a battle of cultures.
Bob, notice they want to be gender neutual.
Could you please explain what in my comment led you to think I want to be gender neutral?
I'm very happy to be a woman. I do NOT want to be an ordained minister. \
I just find some of these arguments to be rather on the desperate side to keep women in their place.
Welcome to Advent Talk, Ulicia. You are not the only one who finds these arguments on the desperate side. If you followed the arguments, including what president Ted Wilson said at the CUC meeting, not one of the opponents of ordaining women used a valid argument against the question, except their definition of unity and authority.
These people keep claiming they have Scripture and Ellen White on their side, but the real evidence is nowhere in sight, unless they interpret Scripture in a way that would discredit the Spirit of Prophecy, and who wants to be caught doing that?
This is the reason why you find all of these desperate arguments.
There are some in ----- who ought to be men instead of boys and heavenly minded instead of earthly and sensual; but their spiritual vision has become obscured; the Saviour’s great love has not ravished their souls. He has many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. You are children in growth and cannot comprehend the mysteries of God. When God raises up men to do His work, they are false to their trust if they allow their testimony to be shaped to please the minds of the unconsecrated. He will prepare men for the times. They will be humble, God-fearing men, not conservative, not policy men; but men who have moral independence and will move forward in the fear of the Lord. They will be kind, noble, courteous; yet they will not be swayed from the right path, but will proclaim the truth in righteousness whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. {5T 263.1}
True leaders, according to this, will not be "conservative, not policy men; but men who have moral independence and will move forward in the fear of the Lord."