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.
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.
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
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.
Relationship status “It’s complicated” sums this up. Nuance & History Knowledge required. Enjoyed the piece.
Exactly!
I really appreciate this. Thank you!
Thank you!
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.
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
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!
Thank you