Friday, June 17, 2011

Test Run (:

This is my "rough draft" and it is far from being done. I have not had the chance to edit this recently, due to many other things vying for my time and attention. I am not perfect, and I am ever learning; feel free to voice your comments, questions, or concerns (: I have not had the time to footnote in the scripture yet, so feel free to leave a comment with any scripture you believe would be beneficial to weaving into the theme! (For apart from scripture this whole "essay" is for naught!)

What of Feminism and Femininity:

Are the two synonymous?
I can only write what I personally have‭ ‬learned and know‭; ‬what I have learned has shocked me and caused my soul deep anguish.


‭“‬Feminists claimed that they would go down in history as heroines,‭ ‬but in the end,‭ ‬the only thing feminists will go down in history for is breaking up families,‭ ‬tearing down homes,‭ ‬and contributing to the mud-slide of cultural disintegration.‭”‬ Ana Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin



‬To clearly define feminism and femininity must be done first and foremost‭; ‬the meanings must be defined so they are‭ ‬neither ambiguous nor used interchangeably within the following words‭; ‬they are distinct and separate and hold differing and opposing weight.‭ ‬So what exactly is meant by femininity‭?‬-it must be specified and noted that the only sure source for this term is to go to the infallible word of God; ‬the meaning is derived only from scripture,‭ ‬and can only be built upon and drawn from this foundation,‭ ‬it cannot and is not dictated by anything,‭ ‬or anyone else,‭ ‬and least of all the culture around us‭; ‬femininity,‭ ‬simply put,‭ ‬is God‭’‬s ordained role of what a true woman is supposed to be‭; ‬its essential purpose was illustrated in Genesis when God made woman as a helper suitable for man-it is a compliment of masculinity.‭ ‬What is meant by feminism‭?‬-in our westernized civilization it is much more evident,‭ ‬rampant,‭ ‬and widely accepted,‭ ‬however the conception of feministic ideals began with Eve‭ ‬in Genesis‭; ‬for simplicities sake:‭ ‬feminism,‭ ‬at its root,‭ ‬is self-seeking,‭ ‬independent,‭ ‬and its nature and desire is to weaken and dominate men.‭ ‬We see the former is about self-sacrifice and the latter is self-seeking.‭ ‬The premise and definitions are now clearly set.

It is easy to assume that,‭ ‬as Christians,‭ ‬we build our life upon the foundation of God‭’‬s word.‭ ‬But how true is this‭? ‬And how much have we really allowed an unbiblical culture to infiltrate and train us‭? ‬Could we be blind to how the cunning devilish scheme has actually discipled us more than the very word of God‭? ‬Has feminism been more widely accepted than God‭’‬s design‭? ‬Is it possible our whole perception has been skewed by the culture we are immersed in‭? Wholeheartedly I would say yes,‭ ‬and I can say this honestly because it has been evident in my own life.‭ ‬We would like to say we follow the word of God,‭ ‬that we delight in it,‭ ‬and that our purpose lies within the truth and heart of God.‭ ‬But isn‭’‬t our enemy far more ingenious than we credit him for‭? ‬There are‭ ‬parts of God‭’‬s truth we delight in,‭ ‬others we dismiss,‭ ‬or conveniently have never studied,‭ ‬or worse,‭ ‬have been taught false opinions on the controversial matters.‭ ‬It absolutely breaks my heart to say this,‭ ‬but even the God-fearing women I have been surrounded with growing up have often been so feministic,‭ ‬that the biblical role has been skewed and feminism is normative in Christian circles.‭ ‬Does this mean all of them,‭ ‬definitely not.‭ ‬Does this mean they are not godly women,‭ ‬that is not my place to say‭!‬-but my meaning is that perhaps even they have allowed feminism in without realizing it.‭ ‬This is the crux of the matter:‭ ‬feminism is so integrated within our normal perception and daily life that we can hardly even admit to it or distinguish it at‭ ‬times‭!

I believe it is hard to admit the‭ ‬truth mentioned afore because to do so seemingly opens a‭ ‬Pandora‭’‬s Box.‭ ‬If we admit that it is true,‭ ‬we are held accountable.‭ ‬If we are held accountable,‭ ‬we ought to make some changes.‭ ‬If we make some changes,‭ ‬it‭’‬s going to be process of submitting to the will of God and relinquishing selfishness and our own comfort.‭ ‬It is almost frightening because we do not have control,‭ ‬we cannot ascertain what might be the result of opening such a‭ “‬Pandora‭’‬s box.‭”‬ But I would‭ ‬suggest that if you truly are a regenerate believing woman,‭ ‬you can find rest in the Sovereignty of God‭; ‬for He is good and all His ways are for our good,‭ ‬never our detriment,‭ ‬but only for our freedom.

There then,‭ ‬that word freedom is widely misused.‭ ‬Isn‭’‬t feminism all about women‭’‬s freedom and rights‭? ‬Surely there is SOME good it has brought us‭!‬-absolutely not.‭ ‬This is a prime example of how we have even subtly accepted feminism‭! ‬Feminism does not seek the women‭’‬s good,‭ ‬it does not seek to allow her to have more freedom,‭ ‬and it does not seek her best interest.‭ ‬In fact,‭ ‬it actually tears down women.‭ ‬Feminism across the board has one goal:‭ ‬make women like men.‭ ‬It scoffs and mocks the‭ “‬traditional‭”‬ roles of women,‭ ‬it blatantly assumes that such a role is‭ ‬dehumanizing for women to adhere to.‭ ‬They insinuate women ought to assume the roles of men,‭ ‬that women can do all that men do.‭ ‬This is precisely one of the ways feminism disdains biblical‭ ‬femininity‭; ‬you are not valid unless you prove yourself just as capable as a man.‭ ‬They presume to uphold‭ “‬equality‭”‬ but really they promote manhood‭ ‬as the status to attain.‭ ‬Do they really believe in equality,‭ ‬or is this merely a guise to force women to abandon what it means to be a woman‭? ‬Only within a biblical context does it‭ ‬value,‭ ‬honor,‭ ‬and treasure women as distinctly separate,‭ ‬yet wholly necessary‭! ‬The bible states that the woman is the‭ glory of‭ the man, so by effect, the crowning glory of creation‭;‬ feminism thinks we are but a‭ ‬body with different anatomies.‭ ‬Under feminism women do not have freedom,‭ ‬they have restrictions and chains that say she must prove herself to be like a man,‭ ‬or else she is not worthy.‭ ‬In God‭’‬s truth,‭ ‬women have the freedom in His boundaries‭; ‬when they submit to Him,‭ ‬they are protected,‭ ‬loved,‭ ‬cherished,‭ ‬and encouraged to attain the loftiest heights of biblical beauty and usefulness:‭ ‬helping men subdue the earth.‭ ‬She is free to be what she was designed to be.‭ ‬Why in the world would one take on the pressure to be like a man,‭ ‬when she can devote her time to cultivate her femininity as the crowning glory of creation‭? ‬I would propose that feminism subtly dehumanizes God-ordained womanhood‭; ‬she is not accepted as‭ “‬equal‭”‬ if she submits to God‭’‬s design,‭ ‬she is seen as backward,‭ “‬anti-progressive‭”‬ in her ways,‭ ‬she is outdated,‭ ‬she‭ ‬“destroys‭”‬ her freedom,‭ ‬etc.‭ ‬The one who says‭ “‬Christianity is dehumanizing to women‭”‬ is actually far more subtly dehumanizing‭! ‬To say that a woman‭ ‬must be like a man and do as men‭ ‬do dehumanizes a woman‭’‬s role.‭ ‬Feminism is dehumanizing to women and‭ ‬it does not offer freedom.

I believe fear is a defining factor as to why women submit to feminism rather than God‭’‬s word.‭ ‬Let me reiterate that:‭ ‬when a Christ-following woman submits to feminism,‭ ‬she fails to submit to God.‭ ‬That in itself is a massive problem.‭ ‬By willingly following feministic ways,‭ ‬women‭ ‬deny the inerrancy of scripture‭;‬ essentially they are proclaiming to the world that they do not believe God is good,‭ ‬and they declare that God‭’‬s ways are not sufficient.‭ ‬They are afraid,‭ ‬wrongly afraid,‭ ‬of God.‭ ‬Another facet of this fear is perhaps women are afraid men will not rise to being men‭; ‬in this fear,‭ ‬they themselves fill the roles men fail to fill.‭ ‬But if women are busy filling the roles of men and becoming quasi men,‭ ‬who is to fill the roles‭ ‬of women‭? ‬When we step out of our God-given jurisdictional roles,‭ ‬things began to collapse.‭ ‬Isn‭’‬t this evident‭? ‬When women have stepped into the shoes of men,‭ ‬they rejected their beautiful role as mother and wife,‭ ‬and now are‭ “‬sexually liberated‭”‬ where‭ ‬they no longer‭ “‬need a man‭”‬ and instead‭ ‬sacrificially‭ ‬abort their children as a testament to their own‭ ‬selfish‭ “‬freedom‭”‬.‭ ‬Women are afraid to fulfill their calling.‭ ‬The root of it is sin‭; ‬we want to be our own gods,‭ ‬we want autonomy to be the defining rule,‭ ‬not God‭; ‬we want to usurp God‭’‬s authority.‭ ‬Eve,‭ ‬in the garden,‭ ‬sinned‭; ‬Adam was held responsible.‭ ‬He failed to protect her and be a shield for her‭!‬-he failed in his husbandly duties.‭ (‬It‭’‬s amazing,‭ ‬isn‭’‬t it‭?‬-‭ ‬since the beginning of the human race man‭ ‬apparently did not rise up and BE the man God designed him to be‭)‬.‭ ‬So it ought‭ ‬not to surprise‭ ‬us that men often fail in rising to the occasion‭; ‬on the flipside it ought‭ ‬not to surprise us that women try to dominate‭; ‬both these realities were present in Adam‭ ‬and Eve.‭ ‬They have given us a miserable inheritance.‭ ‬God,‭ ‬however,‭ ‬was gracious to give us His special revelation through the infallible scriptures and literally spell out His very design for us‭; ‬we have a place to look to go against the fallen man‭’‬s desires.‭ ‬But in that,‭ ‬we will fail every time‭; ‬we need Christ and His redemption to ever walk in His ways.‭ ‬Men will not be men apart from the grace of God,‭ ‬nor will women be women‭ (‬according to His design,‭ ‬not according to the culture‭)‬.‭ ‬To be afraid,‭ ‬is no‭ ‬excuse‭;‬ that is a lack of faith and trust in God and blatant disobedience to His word.

‬Now,‭ ‬perhaps you might think this is harsh,‭ ‬but feminism is harsh‭; ‬it is destroying everything the bible stands for‭! ‬To run the risk of being wildly‭ ‬unpopular and rejected,‭ ‬I will be explicit in bringing a few things to light.‭ ‬First,‭ ‬we must realize,‭ ‬though feminism pushes women to be as men,‭ ‬women‭ ‬still‭ ‬are submitting in all things.‭ ‬The question is,‭ ‬to whom and what are we submitting to‭? ‬Is it God‭’‬s word,‭ ‬or man‭’‬s expectation‭? ‬God‭ ‬says women are to be silent in church‭; ‬man says this is oppressive and backward.‭ ‬In the name of freedom‭ (‬or ignorance,‭ ‬or even blatant disobedience‭) ‬we have changed church to be‭ “‬feministically friendly‭”‬; but the real‭ ‬question is,‭ ‬if church is a matter of Sunday worship with simple commands in how we are to worship in scripture then all other fellowship,‭ ‬bible studies,‭ ‬and aspects of life a woman is free to‭ ‬not be silent.‭ ‬Why is this so offensive‭? (‬Maybe God knew that women‭’‬s nature was bent to dominate‭!) ‬This is highly offensive,‭ ‬I know‭; ‬if you ask me if I am silent in church,‭ ‬I believe I can honestly say yes‭‬.‭ ‬I bring my questions elsewhere‭ (‬namely to my parents,‭ ‬or even wise godly older women‭; ‬or I will study the word of God on my own‭)‬.‭ ‬Part of why this is so hard is because we have changed the dynamics of church in such a way it is impossible to be‭ “‬silent‭”‬.‭ ‬Sunday schools,‭ ‬stages,‭ ‬etc.‭ ‬Perhaps we have allowed feminism to not just influence church in this aspect,‭ ‬but‭ ‬absolutely paved a new concept of church for us.‭ ‬God says‭ ‬the father is the covering of the daughter until she is handed over to the husband,‭ ‬man says a woman needs a higher education,‭ ‬independence,‭ ‬status,‭ ‬an individual‭ ‬income,‭ ‬to be living on her own a few years.‭ ‬God says a woman is to be a helpmeet to the man and they are to cleave together and become as one‭; ‬man says a woman must be her own person,‭ ‬even in marriage,‭ ‬for she ought‭ ‬not to lose her identity.‭ ‬God says a woman is to be chaste,‭ ‬modest,‭ ‬servant-hearted,‭ ‬tender,‭ ‬kind,‭ ‬and‭ ‬loving person‭; ‬man says a woman is to be brazen,‭ ‬flaunting,‭ ‬manipulative,‭ ‬and to use all her wiles to gain status in this world.‭ ‬These are but a few,‭ ‬and certainly not an exhaustive list,‭ ‬of diametrically opposing worldviews.‭ ‬How can we presume that feminism is neutral‭? ‬How can we say that it has not radically disturbed the biblical order of things‭? ‬How can we be silent toward feminism,‭ ‬yet incessantly speak elsewhere‭?

In the end,‭ ‬I have seen shallow churches,‭ ‬fragmented homes,‭ ‬haughty‭ “‬educated‭”‬ women‭ (‬as well as women with‭ “‬good intentions‭”‬ but still not truly submitting their life to the word of God‭)‬,‭ ‬broken marriages,‭ ‬divorce,‭ ‬emotionally detached families,‭ ‬undisciplined children AND parents alike,‭ ‬man centered traditions,‭ ‬and a lack of reverence for the things of God.‭ ‬Modesty is a thing of the past‭; ‬chastity is long forgotten‭; ‬submissiveness is disdained‭; ‬biblical meaning has been skewed and to be a wife who works apart from the corporate machine and instead in the home is abhorred‭; ‬children are seen as a nuisance and not a blessing‭; ‬children are neglected if they are allowed‭; ‬husbands are not held to any standard for the woman rises to his position‭; ‬men are mocked,‭ ‬women are idolized‭; ‬rape and all sorts of perverse sins are‭ ‬RAMPANT and women are unprotected on every side‭; ‬to be feminine is seen as weakness‭; ‬it is noble to pursue anything except being a loving wife and mother‭; ‬in all of these few things I have seen and been exposed to,‭ ‬it is very clear to me that I live in a reality that is wholly opposed to what God calls me to.‭ ‬What He calls me to is not dependent on if he sends me a husband,‭ ‬but rather simply because He first loved me,‭ ‬chose me,‭ ‬redeemed me,‭ ‬and ever sanctifies me‭ ‬and He deserves all of me for His glory.‭ ‬He loves me,‭ ‬so His design and plan is good.‭ ‬He chose me,‭ ‬so in His sovereignty He will place just what I need in this life in His timing.‭ ‬He redeemed me,‭ ‬so I am not my own.‭ ‬He sanctifies me,‭ ‬that I might be more like His Son and a light unto the world.‭ ‬In the end,‭ ‬I am made to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever‭; ‬this is on His terms,‭ ‬not mine.

If anything in here is offensive,‭ ‬you might be a product of the feministic,‭ ‬humanistic,‭ ‬hedonistic,‭ ‬narcissistic,‭ ‬autonomous culture you are immersed in.‭ ‬If anything in here moves you toward the Lord and relinquishing self,‭ ‬you might just be a‭ ‬child of the King.‭ ‬Ultimately,‭ ‬this is but a glimpse and nothing I have said is new‭ (‬and it is woefully lacking understanding‭; ‬by the Lord‭’‬s grace He is ever opening my eyes to His truth and ways‭)‬.

1 comment:

Rachelle said...

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