Sunday, November 19, 2006
I am Woman, Hear me ROAR
This is such a ridiculous debate but I find myself needing to articulate some of my inner thoughts on Femininity, specifically in the Christian context. From what I've been able to gather reading the scriptures (although I have not read the entire Bible) women have been loved and despised throughout by their male counterparts. In some stories women are the heroes (Ruth) in some they are viewed as nothing more than objects for men's pleasure and birthing sons to their men (most of the letters by Paul). I don't think either of these polarizations of the Female gender are what God has to say about Femininity, however. Maybe I should rephrase that last statement because I don't want to presume to know anything about the presuppositions of God. So, what I've been able to gather about the topic of Femininity through scripture is that 1. Women are intelligent, innovative, more attractive than men with our curves, etc. and are highly prone to manipulative behaviors (cons, deception, lies, etc.) 2. Finger nail polish, lip gloss, and perfume are the antithesis of what God calls us to care about. For that matter shaving, plucking, tucking, and weight loss mainia are as well. 3. In order for women to feel Feminine they have to search within themselves, not through a man, and wrestle with what God wants from them. If our femininity is associated solely with our appearance, marital status, and cosmetic purchases...what does that say of the millions of women who don't make enough money to "fake-bake" three times a week, don't wear makeup because they have to put diapers on their babies, and don't shave because they're too busy working three part-time jobs to make "ends meat"? These aren't the women who don't fit into the "net" these stereotypes are casting. These are the women who should be defining Femininity in our books. The women who have to run their houses, raise their children, and "bring home the bacon." If this were the pioneer days they would be trappin', shootin', and fixin' the wheels on the wagon...and where would the MASCULINE MAN be? Off in jail, with another woman who wore make-up and shaves her legs, or just plain gone. When my husband goes through times of discontentment (see http://journeyofthediscontent.blogger.com for more on this) my heart absolutely brakes. Here we are pursuing our dreams of living simply so others can simply live and some upper-middle class white pampas jerk goes off and ruins what GOD is putting together in his heart. From what I gathered in the accounts of Jesus' life here on earth, he didn't hunt or fix cars, or any of these other socially-constructed ideas of Masculininity. I was reading someone much smarter than myself's blog (http://commonblue.wordpress.com) and read a thought by someone else whom excapes exactly who it was now. Anyhoo, their idea was that if we spent more of our energy trying to be a good CHRISTIAN instead of a good AMERICAN, we may get closer to God's ideas of Masculinity and Femininity than any of the boneheads talking about it today! Peace, Jodi
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3 comments:
Good post Jodi. I do think you were trying to get a reaction from me (and others)about Paul though. I do dislike some of the things Paul has to say. Do you want to read through some of his letters with me so we can try to understand him more?
Also, I think you have some great points about this too. Mark Driscol is the man's name. He is what we in the "professional ministry" call an "asshole".
Jodi,
Great post and thanx for the props. I just have one point of contention: I don't believe it would be fair to say that Paul viewed women as "as nothing more than objects for men's pleasure and birthing sons to their men." That is a popular view of Paul and unfortunately it is still perpetuated by a lot of fundamentalist.
There are admittedly portions of Paul's letters that may read that way at first glance. For instance, "Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord" (Eph. 5:22). This has been so often taken out of context to defend an ungodly amount of misogyny. This passage is also one of the worst rendering of the Greek in most English translations. In the Greek there were no chapter or verse numbers. The point is in the Greek there is no verb in that verses: Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord" The verb is in Verse 21 Where Paul is beginning his discussion of what English Bibles like NIV call Instructions for "Wives and Husbands" or "family." So the section starts "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (5:21) ..."and wives to your husbands as to the Lord" The key is mutual submission!!! Mutual self sacrificing love!!!
Okay: "Women should be silent in the churches." (I Corinthains 14:34). This is specific to the Church at Corinth as well as some of the stuff about clothing. What should be noted is the Church in Corinth receives a lot of harsh instructions that aren't in Paul's other letters. They pigged out on the Lord's Supper and didn't feed the poor among them or save them a place (1 Corinthians 11:27-32). They had come to the gospel from all sorts of sexual sin, some attached to there former religious life (so thus so much talk about sexual immorality in Corinthians). And some of the women were apparently prone to talk a lot during the worship service (I Corinthians 14:34). I admit Paul’s words in 34 still sound harsh but a lot of scholars wonder if some of the wording might be second or third generation Paul followers. Which I have a hunch might be the case with passages like 1 Timothy 2:11-15 :(
But now for the good stuff!!!
2 Timothy Praises the women who raised Paul's left hand man Timothy: "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." (So much for the women not teaching men of 1 Timothy).
In Acts 16 Paul starts the Church in Philippi around Lydia and a group of praying women.
Phoebe is mentioned in Romans 16:1 as deacon" in the church of Cenchrea.
Six of the eight times that Paul mentions Priscilla and Aquila he mentions Priscilla first. Not only was that less than rare but shows that Paul probably saw her as the leader of the two.
Three letters where Paul talks about the "gifts" that God has given to the church for its edification, there is never any distinction between the gifts God gives women and those God gives men (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12 Ephesians4).
And most importantly lets not forget: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
Now it is possible that some of Paul’s followers had a lower view of women than he did. It is also possible that Paul himself had mixed feelings or that his understanding evolved over the course of his ministry. But it is obvious that there is evidence that he respected women and held many individual women in high esteem. Unfortunately, Patriarchal society has had its influence on the Church and we have just focused on those parts of Paul that seem to uphold that system.
Again, thanx for the post it was very good. I put a link to your blog on my blog tonight I hope you keep writing. I’ll keep reading.
Blessings,
Wayne
Yeah, some of my thoughts were just inflamatory and for a reactive purpose...thanks for the thoughts guys, I absolutely would love to read through the letters again...and again. I know people tend to take scripture apart because of the way the NIV and some other popular translations have disected it...that's why I like the Message because it's a story...God's story. Addmittantly I have yet to read the gosples or any of the new testament in that version (as a story). When should we start?
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