It's very interesting reading this from the perspective of a Christian who has left behind evangelical thinking. I was raised by a mother who was a strong feminist, and even though I spent over 20 years of my life inside conservative evangelical churches, there was a lot of sitting in my pew with my arms crossed, angrily listening to a sermon about gender and thinking, "What a load of bullshit!"
Having come out of that not entirely unaffected, I see the need to deprogram patriarchal thought patterns that creep into every corner of our society. You make it clear how difficult it can be though, because even outside of Christianity (and the New Testament especially is a lot more egalitarian than people give it credit), these patterns emerge time and time again in new guises. Sometimes attributing gender to even the supernatural (come on, the God of Abraham doesn’t have a body, so "he" certainly doesn't have a penis) can be more troublesome than useful to get a handle on spirituality.
Anyway, I continue to find your writing enlightening. Thank you.
Thank you! I was raised in the Baptist church so I'm super aware of the unpacking. I'm also now a witchy type person who has spent a lot of time realizing the community can be just as toxic.
Yes! Polarity culture - the binary plays into the oppression we are trying to overcome. Thank you for writing this. As a person who loves symbols, mysticism and yes, incense, I completely appreciated your take on this issue.
Hallelujah! I'm one of those older pissed off women who has spent decades studying Western culture and history, and this drives me up the flipping wall
Their claim is that not only is that behavior natural but that Feminism, challenging the natural order, is why it's out of alignment. Divorced of the history of the women's rights movement starting on the 1840s and the second wave they can pull it off. Feminism is why you're miserable not the constant belittling of your talent and skill. Such a convenient scapegoat but i don't think the girls and young women are buying it.
“But better than evangelical patriarchy” is not the finish line. That bar is on the floor. Possibly under the floor. Possibly in a church basement next to a purity ring display and a youth pastor with a guitar that he knows precisely three chords on.”
This is so painfully accurate that I’m laughing, especially over that bit about the youth pastor. I knew him, back in the 70s, but got bored and annoyed reeeeally fast.
Great article—thanks! An anthropologist friend introduced me to a “Norse shamanism” New Age group. My friend seemed much better informed than I was about this stuff so I wanted to learn. But then I realized the group behaved exactly like the Evangelicals I’d grown up with! Same authoritarianism & hierarchy. I felt like I was back in the cult! I recognized what was going on immediately and left them in the dust. However, they’ve been attacking me with black magic ever since, which is why I advise people to never join a New Age or Wiccan group. I know how to protect myself 100%, but most people cannot protect themselves or identify a magical attack in the first place—it’s safest to avoid these people like the plague.
It's very interesting reading this from the perspective of a Christian who has left behind evangelical thinking. I was raised by a mother who was a strong feminist, and even though I spent over 20 years of my life inside conservative evangelical churches, there was a lot of sitting in my pew with my arms crossed, angrily listening to a sermon about gender and thinking, "What a load of bullshit!"
Having come out of that not entirely unaffected, I see the need to deprogram patriarchal thought patterns that creep into every corner of our society. You make it clear how difficult it can be though, because even outside of Christianity (and the New Testament especially is a lot more egalitarian than people give it credit), these patterns emerge time and time again in new guises. Sometimes attributing gender to even the supernatural (come on, the God of Abraham doesn’t have a body, so "he" certainly doesn't have a penis) can be more troublesome than useful to get a handle on spirituality.
Anyway, I continue to find your writing enlightening. Thank you.
Thank you! I was raised in the Baptist church so I'm super aware of the unpacking. I'm also now a witchy type person who has spent a lot of time realizing the community can be just as toxic.
Yes! Polarity culture - the binary plays into the oppression we are trying to overcome. Thank you for writing this. As a person who loves symbols, mysticism and yes, incense, I completely appreciated your take on this issue.
I own a decent number of crystals and multiple tarot decks, so I'm definitely delivering this critique from a place of love 😂
I understand completely! 🌹
Relationship status “It’s complicated” sums this up. Nuance & History Knowledge required. Enjoyed the piece.
Exactly!
This is pure gold. It summed up many thoughts I've had on this subject. Your essay is superlatively spot on, delivered in zinging syntax!
Hallelujah! I'm one of those older pissed off women who has spent decades studying Western culture and history, and this drives me up the flipping wall
Their claim is that not only is that behavior natural but that Feminism, challenging the natural order, is why it's out of alignment. Divorced of the history of the women's rights movement starting on the 1840s and the second wave they can pull it off. Feminism is why you're miserable not the constant belittling of your talent and skill. Such a convenient scapegoat but i don't think the girls and young women are buying it.
I really appreciate this. Thank you!
Thank you!
“But better than evangelical patriarchy” is not the finish line. That bar is on the floor. Possibly under the floor. Possibly in a church basement next to a purity ring display and a youth pastor with a guitar that he knows precisely three chords on.”
This is so painfully accurate that I’m laughing, especially over that bit about the youth pastor. I knew him, back in the 70s, but got bored and annoyed reeeeally fast.
Liked and subscribed.
All youth pastors are the same apparently
Yep. I preferred the constancy and honesty of nature without anybody telling me how to understand it. Still do.
Love your writing!
Thank you. It gives me a window into what feels right.
The world:
is locked into what people are supposed to be, which is so narrow.
Having fought for rights we should have, only to have them
"taken away."
2 MILLION MORE WOMEN THAN MEN.
Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan, and now Iran. Over and over. Wasting people's lives, being murdered, for no reason at all.
A hollow sick man, rather than a woman. Allowing him to destroy, abusing, torturing people.
Taking all of our public lands and destroying them. Logging 800 year old trees. Sucking our resources out of the Earth.
Poisoning our water, land, air.
70,000 people in concentration camps. Not acknowledged.
THOUSANDS of armed Stormtroopers running loose in the streets...
Sure you are aware of this.
What males do if they are given power and have not grown up. Not evolved.
DANGER.
Thank you for listening.
Strength, Being what we really are.
🗽🇺🇲🇺🇦
Lots of points to chew on here. I shall return.
Thank you
Long read, but so enlightening. A lot to think about and change the way I observe things. Thanks.
Great article—thanks! An anthropologist friend introduced me to a “Norse shamanism” New Age group. My friend seemed much better informed than I was about this stuff so I wanted to learn. But then I realized the group behaved exactly like the Evangelicals I’d grown up with! Same authoritarianism & hierarchy. I felt like I was back in the cult! I recognized what was going on immediately and left them in the dust. However, they’ve been attacking me with black magic ever since, which is why I advise people to never join a New Age or Wiccan group. I know how to protect myself 100%, but most people cannot protect themselves or identify a magical attack in the first place—it’s safest to avoid these people like the plague.