the Feminist Movement

[Erinwilcox]

I just saw that Betty Friedan just died at the age of 85. I thought that perhaps this would be a good time to reflect on the things that she has done and the impact that it has had on America. What are your thoughts on the American Feminist movement? While I realize that we have discussed similar things in the past, I do not believe that the Feminist movement was directly addressed.

 

[McWilliams]

It was a movement to exalt women far above their biblical role, focusing on what they want, when they want it, how they want it, no matter what!
The biblical, God honoring role for women puts them on a pedestal to be honored and respected by men, treated as special! The role of making them equal to men is demeaning, deminishing their true value and proper role as declared by God.
I know there are circumstances when women must work outside the home but our country has truly suffered by the decreased time in the home by women working and spending less time teaching their children the ways of God and leaving those roles to others to do who have different values entirely!
Women working outside the home actually increased when the fellows returned home after World War 11. During the war the women went to work and did all they could to be of help during the war. After the war they found it hard to return to being a homemaker and give up the job and the $. It even became an embarrasment to some to admit to being 'only a housewife'.
I have noted an increase in women staying home, schooling their children, training them in the ways of God! This is a wonderful challenge for them and so commendable! God will surely bless women who put Him and His ways first in the home!

 

[CCWoody]

There was a feminist movement? Hmmm, must have slept through it or drove the feminists from my presence like the Unitarian Universalists Church of Servetus run from my camp fires. Like I meant them when I quoted Tet Nugent -- famous Hard Rocker Christian who loves to hunt like a real man if you don't know: "Remember you can't grill it til you've killed it."

Either that or I just mistook them for smallish lumpy shaped men with funny haircuts and Michael Jackson voices.

 

[inchristalone221]

I agree with McWilliams. I consider myself fortunate to be in love with someone who knows that I feel this way about men and women and she feels the exact same way.

I think that if more women stayed home and educated their children properly, the church today wouldn't be in such deplorably shoddy shape, nor would society as a whole.

 

[AndOne]

Like I meant them when I quoted Tet Nugent -- famous Hard Rocker Christian who loves to hunt like a real man if you don't know: "Remember you can't grill it til you've killed it."

Ah - I think Hard Rocker Conservative would more aptly describe Ted Nugent.... Just my opinion...

 

[calmcoolandelected]

I think the Feminist Movement has done much and may be the most instrumental in the decline of American culture. I don't want to debate women in the workplace as I don't see that as being the biggest problem that feminism has wrought. What I have seen is a complete and utter disrespect for men, the feminization of men and our culture. Watch any tv show on today, white men are portrayed as complete and utter idiots or maniacal child molesters or wife beaters. Those not portrayed in that way are gay. Men in real life aren't sure how to act around their Oprah-watching wives. Women don't really *need* men anymore if you believe what society screams.

I see the devaluation of human life, especially children. Abortion has wreaked havoc on children and it has also crept into a "quality of life" issue. From abortion to euthanasia and we continue down the slippery slope.

May God have mercy on this country.
CC&E

 

[Paleoconservatarian]

I think feminism is a good reason not to marry an American girl. In my experience, women who have come here from un-enlightened, un-liberated, hierarchical patriarchical phallocentric oppressive Third World countries are emotionally and psychologically together, feminine, fiercely loyal to their families, love children and don't hate men. There's too much risk with liberated American women. You might think you're in marital bliss, but before you know it, you're divorced, and all your stuff and your kids have been taken away from you and you cannot see them under penalty of law. And you get to pay for the privilege. It happened to my dad.

I won't even talk about the problems with the schools, the church (although I have started a thread on this), the military, or the workforce. We have feminism (among other things) to thank for all this.

 

[McWilliams]

I think feminism is a good reason not to marry an American girl

Oh now wait a minute! Lets not go that far! There are many reformed christian women in our country that are the picture of the Proverbs 31 woman! You must always be discerning and follow the Lord's guidance in making such a choice of a spouse but lets not negate the godly women in this country because there are many women who are not the right choice!
Young people should be selective and very particular in making any lifechanging decision and not take such things lightly but pray, wait and be sure it is the wisest choice before rushing in!
I am so sorry this happened to your dad and know it must be a very painful experience and loss!

 

[seekingpurity047]

Hmm... heh... feminist movement. Well, I wouldn't blame today's problems on that and such. However, i don't think it's just some coincidence that the around the time that the feminist movement grew was when post-modernism became super popular as well...

Very interesting....

To the glory of God,

Randy

 

[Paleoconservatarian]

Oh now wait a minute! Lets not go that far! There are many reformed christian women in our country that are the picture of the Proverbs 31 woman! You must always be discerning and follow the Lord's guidance in making such a choice of a spouse but lets not negate the godly women in this country because there are many women who are not the right choice!

I agree. It is a huge cultural difference that I have noticed, though. I mean no offense to the godly American women out there.

 

[Imblessed]

i'm much happier not being a feminist.

I agree with calmcoolandcollected when she stated it's not the issue of women working outside the home, it's the issue of women treating men with contempt and disregard. And I think it's backlashed a little bit, because now you see women complaining that men don't treat women well anymore. "where's all the gentlemen?" "where are all the nice guys?" Well, the feminists have made sure they are the exception, not the rule.....

 

[seekingpurity047]

i'm much happier not being a feminist.

I agree with calmcoolandcollected when she stated it's not the issue of women working outside the home, it's the issue of women treating men with contempt and disregard. And I think it's backlashed a little bit, because now you see women complaining that men don't treat women well anymore. "where's all the gentlemen?" "where are all the nice guys?" Well, the feminists have made sure they are the exception, not the rule.....

Where are all of the nice guys? Yah... *sigh* i fear, at least from my personal experience, that women are no longer interested in the "nice" guys... but that's just my subjective opinion/experience. Guess I've just had bad experiences with women.

To the glory of God,

Randy

 

[JJB]

So many of the feminists I speak with sound very angry and diss men often. Usually, I will chime in with something about how wonderful and loving my husband is.....

One aspect that I think has helped many women through the feminist movement, is allowing women to work who are single and must support themselves. We're not all cut out to be nurses, secretaries, teachers or airline stewards, which were the predominant choices prior to the feminist movement.

But putting that issue aside, I think it has wreaked havoc on our society.

For you two young men, there are young women out there who feel the same as you: no one is interested in nice people anymore. How do I know? I once was a young woman who felt the same way that you feel now. Patience pays off!

 

[strengthinweakness]

If feminism were truly about "celebrating the feminine," then there would be no problem with it, Biblically speaking. God created femininity, and as a Christian man who utterly adores Godly, feminine women, I think that femininity is one of God's greatest ideas! Of course, what feminism is really about (at least in large part) is the denigration of God's intentions in creating both men and women, and giving them distinct roles in marriage. As such, there is a huge problem with feminism, Biblically speaking.

 

[rapturefish]

I believe feminism did more harm than good. True, perhaps the role of women was not given enough honour or respect and that helped the feminist argument along. But in the process what was promoted was a reactionary spirit that led to a confusion of roles with identity. We have been suffering ever since, both women and men.

Men have come off poorer because it is no longer very clear what a man is supposed to do. They were supposed to be the ones who took the lead, who loved and cared for her wife. They opened the doors, initiated the romance, etc. Now men are rebuffed for the same acts of courtesy and gentlemanly behaviour because of the new "independent woman".

Women meanwhile have had the impossible dilemma of becoming career women and trying to be mothers at the same time, or finding a partner and having kids once their career is established, only to find out that the likelihood of getting pregnant decreases sharply after their mid-30s. Not that women should not pursue careers, but there has been a perception that settling down and having kids was the cop-out, something of a loss. Well, you put your career on hold but it's a lie to believe that a mother and housewife is second-class to being a career woman. And it's asking an impossible lot to be both at once and few can do it well.

No, the problem with the feminist movement is the same problem male chauvinists have - that one's sense of identity or importance is based on their gender or gender role. If one's identity is with God as it should be, then it should not be an issue for the woman to be a housewife and look after the kids and do all the usual household chores. And the man should not have a problem if the woman has a career as well as he does.

But there has also always been a defined role for male and female. Some things are just made for one sex more than the other. Males can't hope to breastfeed or have the same maternal bond that females can with their children, and children should not be denied that bond with their mothers. Men are the traditional hunters and gatherers, and their physical build and instincts as leaders and decision-makers designs them for being the breadwinner. In that sense these roles should not be seen as one better than the other but simply the roles we're most meant to be at home with.

A dysfunctional upbringing might lend itself to a confusion of gender roles, genders and so on. It should not be. A woman can be a housewife and exercise freedom in their strengths as women. They manage the house, they have such an important role with raising the kids and being the one who observes things the husband will miss. While he may make the final decision she definitely offers a lot of wisdom and contribution to that final decision. People forget that wives are to submit to their husbands but husbands must also love their wives and care for them as Christ loved the church. This means the husband devotes himself to her and treats her with honour, respect, not as a lower-class person.

Feminism did highlight problems with traditional perceptions of male and female, but offered answers that only created a generation of females who upturned the roles that were meant to be honourable and made them despicable; and men were devalued and dishonoured by having their roles confused.

Thankfully there are signs that women are coming to see that there is value after all in having chidren and looking after them as housewives. Let's hope both male and female will find their identity in Christ first, and no longer feel insecure or threatened in their role and identity as male and female.

 

[Erinwilcox]

If feminism were truly about "celebrating the feminine," then there would be no problem with it, Biblically speaking. God created femininity, and as a Christian man who utterly adores Godly, feminine women, I think that femininity is one of God's greatest ideas! Of course, what feminism is really about (at least in large part) is the denigration of God's intentions in creating both men and women, and giving them distinct roles in marriage. As such, there is a huge problem with feminism, Biblically speaking.

I definitely agree. I am completely anti-feminism, but absolutely pro-femininity. I believe that feminism began by women spurning their God-ordained roles in life. . .by women feeling that their own ideas were more important than God's. This is not only dangerous to women, but it also endangers the family by trashing the biblical pattern and examples. Also, women should glory in just being women, not strive to lose their womanhood by chasing after masculine things. When Adam and Eve fell, God gave each sex a curse. . .the men would have hard labor and the women would bear children in pain, as well as desire to rule over their husbands. Forgive me, but the curse to the women sounds bad enough without trying to take on the curse of the man as well! As one can see, feminism was a part of the curse as well. We are to strive against it because it is sinful. When we give into feminism, we are not only letting the curse do its work, but we are also going against our God-ordained role as women. I believe that we, as women, have enough sins to be concerned about without trying to embrace the curse that was given to the men.

Women can complain all they want about there being no gentlemen left, but if women are rejecting their womanhood/femininity, then how can they expect men to treat them respectfully? If women act like men, work like men, dress like men, talk like men, etc. then how can women really expect to be treated like women? If women were more feminine, then I believe that most men would be more gentlemanly. And there are a few men who will hold the door for you. . .the more feminine you are, the more masculine the men will be.

 

[lmnop9876]

i think the greatest damage done by the feminist movement was in the Church. with the advent of the feminist movement and women trying to assume many of the traditional roles of men, the church also fell into the trap of believing that because men and women were equal, they had the same roles in the Church. this has led to many more divisions in the Church, and has greatly weakened the witness of the Church in the world, as compromise always does.

 

[CCWoody]

I think that if more women stayed home and educated their children properly, the church today wouldn't be in such deplorably shoddy shape, nor would society as a whole.

The same might be said about men.

 

[strengthinweakness]

I definitely agree. I am completely anti-feminism, but absolutely pro-femininity. I believe that feminism began by women spurning their God-ordained roles in life. . .by women feeling that their own ideas were more important than God's. This is not only dangerous to women, but it also endangers the family by trashing the biblical pattern and examples. Also, women should glory in just being women, not strive to lose their womanhood by chasing after masculine things. When Adam and Eve fell, God gave each sex a curse. . .the men would have hard labor and the women would bear children in pain, as well as desire to rule over their husbands. Forgive me, but the curse to the women sounds bad enough without trying to take on the curse of the man as well! As one can see, feminism was a part of the curse as well. We are to strive against it because it is sinful. When we give into feminism, we are not only letting the curse do its work, but we are also going against our God-ordained role as women. I believe that we, as women, have enough sins to be concerned about without trying to embrace the curse that was given to the men.

Women can complain all they want about there being no gentlemen left, but if women are rejecting their womanhood/femininity, then how can they expect men to treat them respectfully? If women act like men, work like men, dress like men, talk like men, etc. then how can women really expect to be treated like women? If women were more feminine, then I believe that most men would be more gentlemanly. And there are a few men who will hold the door for you. . .the more feminine you are, the more masculine the men will be.

Erin, God has blessed you, by His grace, with much wisdom and insight! It is wonderful that you have such a Biblical understanding of many issues at your age. I wish that I had had such a good grounding in truth when I was seventeen! Of course, I wasn't raised with a distinctively Biblical view of life, and at seventeen (and for too many years afterwards), I was still an utterly lost pagan. I am glad that your parents have taught you so well in the ways of the Lord, Erin! We benefit from their Godly parentage to you whenever we read your posts!

 

[PuritanLady]

It undermined both REAL manhood and REAL womanhood.


Thankfully the tide is turning somewhat...and the feminazi's know it (as admitted in a recent article against SAHMs)