As a feminist I am really sad you have such a negative view on us.
Maybe I can point you to the fact that I am not American, and it seems to me christendom is generally more liberal and progressive in my country, so my behaviour, although still clearly feminist, is in no way radical or extreme compared to the people, christian or other, I meet around me on a day by day basis. So it often surprises me that I leave such a dark impression on Americans when stating things that are absolutely acceptable for christians in my culture.
It's neither your, nor my fault, it's just an unresolvable cultural difference that we can only accept.
In what way have we, or have the generations of women before my time, destroyed feminity? Because I would think that in empowering women feminity is actually strengthened.
What exactly is "feminity"? Is there a universal "feminine nature" (other than the biological facts like that we can have the babies)? One purpose of feminism is to leave it to the individual to explore what exactly their feminity means. We hope that we do not only improve the situation for women (especially for those in countries where women face sexual violence, blatant discrimination and reduced access to education and healthcare), but also for men who will have stronger and more self confident girlfriends and wifes who can be true partners and companions for them. Self confidence in this case means a healthy relationship with oneself, which is a neccessary condition for altruistic behaviour and humility.
And from what I am hearing for a number of men, that is the kind of woman many guys seem to wish for and feel attracted to.
I believe the "seperate roles" in life do not really exist. We are very different on an individual level, and many of us do not have the talents that are traditionally asigned to a stereotypical person of their sex. If I'd take a photo of my appartment as it is right now and post it here you would see that I am a terribly untalented housekeeper. >_< Many of us have skills and interests that would traditionally be something ascribed to the opposite sex. I know that this is not exactly what most christians' idea about biblical gender roles is about; but it is an example to show that gender is often a poor predictor for what a person is good at and what talents they have. So it just wouldn't make any sense to see any God given different roles for ALL women and ALL men. Those two categories are just too unspecific.
The Bible doesn't even comment on gender roles much. Some Bible passages describe how things were or were expected to be in those days, but there is no comment on whether those things are good, bad or irrelevant. As far as I can tell it's mostly Proverbs 31 and a few lines Paul wrote.
And like I told you earlier I know that mutual submission is necessary for a healthy marriage.
So I am wondering, in what way have I disobeyed God in this context? Believe me, I haven't done anything illegal or violent. My feminist activism is limited to debating with people, signing online petitions, sharing stuff on facebook and wearing shirts with feminist messages, so I haven't done anything illegal or indecent in regards to that. I have no husband that I could be disobeying or so, and the last boyfriend I had (before becoming christian) was also were much in favour of equality. So what exactly is my sin? I never felt that fighting for women's rights was seperating me from God in any way.
Okay I judged a book without having read it. I'm not 69 yet, so I'm excused for being youthfully unwise. ;-) Seriously though I'm having a hard time ot judging that book, but I will try not to judge the author, but instead see her as a sister in the Lord who may have a different world view in some things.
Let's understand some things of one another. You had already revealed the fact that you were a member of the greater than God, World League of Feminists by presenting your views, here, on the forum.
I am of German, Irish, English and Apache heritage. My Grandfather, on my mom's side arrived in Galveston, Texas, just after the effects of losing WW I began to set in on the Father Land.
I, fifty years later, still carry a scar, just above my left eye for being a crass young fool in front of a middle aged Comrade's misses. The, not much later, German friend that taught me manors, nearly popped my eye out of it's socket in one of the nicer Stubes in Hanau, he hit me so hard.
The relatives and other natives, save the Nazis remaining there in the sixties, were sweet people and the ladies were just that, ladies. Feminism was already breaking out in Europe then but they were not considered lady like, woman, yeah, but never, ever, feminine.
My Irish/English Grandmother arrived here, pre 1915, as Bond Servants... Slaves! Those two ladies were the sweetest, most lady like creatures I have ever known, they both thought the sun rose and shone, just, in me and I loved them enough to have died for them.
When I was in Vietnam, trying to maintain the freedom of the Little People, women, not ladies, was already being discussed because of the man like feminists and my reply, at the bar or in a Non-Com and Officer meeting was that she would be the first to die in my fox hole.
I admit, I love ladies, I cannot ever trust a woman that wants to trash her God Ordained protection.
You say, correctly that Christianity in
Europe is more liberal than in the U.S. and to that I say, "You're right!" Had you read my post carefully and thoughtfully, I suspect you would not have hit me with that comment.
You see, as I have said hundreds of times, the term Liberal Christian is an oxymoron, there is no such thing. Jesus said, "If you love me, you'll obey my commands." That leaves, absolutely, no room to be liberal. And if we read John 1:1-5, it is very clear that Jesus is , the author of all the Bible, meaning that all the commands found in both the New and the Old Testaments are His.
Reread your comment, please! Do you see how you spelled Christendom? I know, the times and the customs are changed. Therein is the root of the issue! Mal. 3:6a God never changes. This is a truth that is unavoidable. If we had no capital letters, the omission would not exist but we do. It has always been a sign and a form of respect to capitalize the first letter of names and in this case, the title or the word is derived from one of the names of God, Christ, a.k.a. Saviour. All of us, every man and yes, every woman will and should now bow at the feet of Jesus with me. He deserves that. I'll let you spelling of Christian be, enough on that.
But the content does need reckoning. You want to be a Heaven dwelling Christian? You will not rationalize your way in there. Your relative position to any other person, anywhere, does not matter.
I am fully aware that God does not use a Christian Person Cutter, like a cookie cutter, meaning that all of us are different but, our standard is the Bible, not the mandate of the Feminist Movement.
Then there is your mention of culture, it is of no import at all. There is a Church Family in Nigeria that prayed, the entire assembly, for my ministry for several years before we lost contact. Nigerians are very dark black people and they neither live nor worship like I do and yet we live by the same standard, the Bible, the holy Word of God.
I'm going to drop this now because we are terribly off subject.
Not a good role model for jewish hairstyling.
no I’m not going to endure some man leading our marriage. But God says the husband is to the wife even as Christ is to the church. Christ is the head even as the husband.