What does the Bible really say about feminism, including radical feminism?

Lik3

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It makes me wonder if the feminist movement hasn't done anything positive for women and if so, could anyone here name one thing that the feminists have done that have been positive for us women. I personally feel that as a female, it is okay that we and men have our differences. Women can have kids, yet men overall are physically stronger than women. Equal pay for equal work. I have always believed that if were to have equality, then we were to have proper, balanced, detailed information for why this should be so. By the way, how about just, fair, and respectful treatment? How about opening a door for a woman with the woman thanking the man for opening the door for her? What have some of the leftists and the feminists argued or said about those things?
 

PloverWing

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It makes me wonder if the feminist movement hasn't done anything positive for women and if so, could anyone here name one thing that the feminists have done that have been positive for us women.
I'm fifty-something instead of forty-something, so if that's important, I won't post further in this forum.

Some of the things feminism has done for me are that I have been allowed to do all these things, despite being a woman:

- I attended a university and earned a degree.
- I teach at a university, with a mixture of male and female students.
- I work outside the home, even though I am a married woman.
- I vote.
- I own a credit card in my own name.
- I own property in my own name.
- I have served on the vestry in my church.
 
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A_Thinker

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It makes me wonder if the feminist movement hasn't done anything positive for women and if so, could anyone here name one thing that the feminists have done that have been positive for us women. I personally feel that as a female, it is okay that we and men have our differences. Women can have kids, yet men overall are physically stronger than women. Equal pay for equal work. I have always believed that if were to have equality, then we were to have proper, balanced, detailed information for why this should be so. By the way, how about just, fair, and respectful treatment? How about opening a door for a woman with the woman thanking the man for opening the door for her? What have some of the leftists and the feminists argued or said about those things?

Feminist movement ...

Voting rights
Ability to work in highly paid fields
Opportunity to be involved in politics and government
College/University acceptance
Empowered women to begin to resist sexual assault
Helped enable efforts to assist women worldwide
(education, prenatal care, etc.)

One might think that the Bible doesn't say anything about feminism (per se), but Genesis does declare that both men and women are made in the image of God.

Also, under the New Covenant, there is no distinction between male or female, Jew or Greek, rich or poor.

Certainly, the Bible uplifts many virtuous and influential women. Some of these are ...

Anna - aged prophetess who recognized the birth of Jesus as Messiah
Deborah - judge of Israel, who enabled Barak to lead Israel to victory over the Canaanites.
Dorcas/Tabitha - NT Christian ... was always doing good and helping the poor
Elisabeth - the mother of John the Baptist
Esther - Jewish Queen of Persia who risked her life to save her people
Eunice - the mother of NT Timothy, the student of Paul
Hannah - the mother of Samuel, the prophet
Lois - the grandmother of NT Timothy, the student of Paul
Lydia - early NT Christian convert at Philippi
Mary - the mother of Jesus
Mary/Martha - friends of Jesus
Mary Magdalene - devoted follower of Jesus
Miriam - the older sister of Moses who oversaw her brother's rescue from the basket in the river Nile
Phoebe - a NT deaconess
Priscilla - wife of Acquila and partner in NT teaching ministry
Rahab - Canaanite prostitute who hid the Hebrew spies in Jericho
Ruth - devoted daughter-in-law to widowed Naomi

Several of these woman are memorialized as hero(ines) of Faith in the book of Hebrews

Jesus certainly treated women as worthy followers. He spoke with and revealed Himself to the Samaritan woman at the well. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection. He forgave and rescued the woman caught in adultery from her accusers. He healed the woman with the issue of blood, Jarius' daughter, ... and the Canaanite woman's daughter.
 
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Sarah G

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All the things the other posters have mentioned (voting, right to education) plus spousal (marital) rape becoming illegal, domestic violence being outlawed, not having to marry our rapists, not entering arranged marriages, right to contraception, being able to leave one's husband without him automatically gaining custody of the children.
 
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Paidiske

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I'm fifty-something instead of forty-something, so if that's important, I won't post further in this forum.

Some of the things feminism has done for me are that I have been allowed to do all these things, despite being a woman:

- I attended a university and earned a degree.
- I teach at a university, with a mixture of male and female students.
- I work outside the home, even though I am a married woman.
- I vote.
- I own a credit card in my own name.
- I own property in my own name.
- I have served on the vestry in my church.

Thirty-something for me, but my list would be similar:

- Higher education to Masters level
- I've been able to be ordained and to lead a church community in obedience to God's call
- I'm my family's breadwinner, while my husband is our child's primary carer; which suits our particular gifts, strengths and personalities well.
- Voting, of course
- I'd add better women's health care, too, on a range of issues (rather than our specific issues being ignored or under-served)

In the face of all of that, to me the opening (or not) of a door is a non-issue.
 
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JAM2b

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As a single woman, I am able to earn a living to provide for myself and my children, instead of depending on an enmeshed family or having to give my children up for someone else to raise.

I can drive a car, I can sign my own lease agreement, I can run my own small business as a side income, I can have hormonal birth control to treat a reproductive health condition, I sign petitions and call my political representatives - and they hear me out because I'm a registered voter (even if they don't do what I'd like).

As far as men holding a door for woman, that bugs me. It makes me feel like I need to rush so they don't have to hold it too long, and that is hard on my because of knee and back problems. It's also kind of insulting. Like, I'm not capable of opening a door? Because I'm female I don't need to take some personal responsibility for opening a door for myself? And then there's the awkwardness of if I happen to have a door open and hold it for a second for a guy, he gets all embarrassed and acts like I've caused some horrible faux pas for him. I think door holding should be based on something such as physical need, and who's arms are the fullest, not something superficial like if you are male or female.
 
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Dave-W

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being able to leave one's husband without him automatically gaining custody of the children.
? ? ?

Back a few decades ago the ONLY way the woman did not get custody of the children is if the mom was going to jail or a mental institution for an extended time.
 
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Sarah G

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? ? ?

Back a few decades ago the ONLY way the woman did not get custody of the children is if the mom was going to jail or a mental institution for an extended time.
Breaking news: people live in countries other than the USA and have totally different laws.
 
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Paidiske

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And even in the USA, it was not ever thus. Before sometime in the 19th century, children were generally treated as the property of their father.

"In 1839, England enacted the Custody of Infants Act, which allowed the judge to use his own discretion in custody cases. The act permitted a mother to petition courts for custody of her children up to the age of 7.

In 1873, Parliament extended the age to 16 under the “Tender Years Doctrine,” which presumed that in a child’s early years, they are best cared for by the mother. This principle was adopted by the majority of U.S. states and the law reigned for the next century."

(From here: https://dadsdivorce.com/articles/history-child-custody-laws-america/ ) Before these laws custody was automatically the father's.
 
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Lik3

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I guess when I said feminism, what I should have asked is that if the "image" of feminism has been somewhat damaged by those who in their view promote something else that isn't godly or dangerous. I have noticed that true feminism in my view exalts women especially. Yet what is considered feminism has become political and godless and that was what I was referring to. I apologize for not presenting this point earlier. As a matter of fact, I created a video about how the Bible views women. I agree with all of you. Thank you for your viewpoints. BTW, would any of you consider Jesus a feminist of sorts or no?

 
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Paidiske

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I think to describe Jesus as a feminist would be anachronistic (he wouldn't have understood the concept in his society). But he didn't treat women as his inferiors, or as the inferiors of his male disciples, and so he behaved the way a feminist would.

Probably the point where most Christians and most secular feminists would part ways - in my experience - is on the question of abortion. But I still think it's possible to be both deeply Christian and deeply feminist.
 
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