Victim Blaming

[Gregory Thompson]

Yes, I know the story, but the sin was their rebellion. They did not obey God. Obeying God is like the opposite of sin.

Well, I guess that's that then. (Romans 14:5)

I'm convinced of my perception of the events, and you're convinced of your opinion of events. Let every man be convinced as it is written.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I'm not saying that blaming is ok, if it's true. In this case it was. The bible calls it bearing false witness when it's untrue.

The blaming mentality is kind of where the law comes from, inside it there is no room for grace

 

[Romans 8]

Well, I guess that's that then. (Romans 14:5)

I'm convinced of my perception of the events, and you're convinced of your opinion of events. Let every man be convinced as it is written.

So you believe if they didn't blame each other, then God would have overlooked that they ate the fruit He forbid them to eat. Uh huh.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

So you believe if they didn't blame each other, then God would have overlooked that they ate the fruit He forbid them to eat. Uh huh.

The blame was a manifestation of the "knowledge of evil" manifesting. Since it is foundational to the psyche of the first fallen humans, it's hard to imagine a humanity without blame.

I wonder what fallen humanity would have been like if another sin had manifested instead.

This shows something about God that does not change, God judges fruit. He could have kicked them out before asking all those questions since eating the fruit was crime enough, but apparently what the consequence of eating the fruit was ... seemed important enough for God to ask the question.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Jas 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

The matter is for our own sanctification, first ask the question how would I like to be judged?

Then in application, judge others with mercy.

The judgment in the garden of Eden was without mercy, but on the cross Jesus said, forgive them, they know not what they do thus reversing the pattern.

 

[anna ~ grace]

Some women genuinely enjoy dressing in revealing clothing because they're proud of their bodies, not because they're lustful and want attention from men. Confidence in one's own skin can be a good thing. It's certainly better than suffering from eating disorders or something because you think you're ugly.

Being comfy with how you look is a good thing. But dressing modestly and accepting how we look don't have to be two different things. I am getting older. I used to have muscular arms, now I have "mommy arms". I'm getting a tiny bit squishier in places, my neck is going all soft, and my hair is turning white. My being ok with that and happy with aging doesn't equate to wearing tight, revealing, or short clothing. At all. It's just "I'm cool with getting older, my mommy arms are squishy and neat, I look like an aging hippy, and my knees are going. Sweet!"

 

[The Faceless]

We all just talk past each other in these conversations. Not every victim is blameless and that's just that.

 

[The Faceless]

I guess if I OD on heroin I'm not at fault. I'm a victim of dope and the dealer. False. I would have known what I was doing and the consequences there of before I ever chose to do it. In some places you have to be smart enough to not do some things and if you do them well that was just dumb and you knew.

 

[Paidiske]

Would it be fair to say women who wear tight, revealing clothing, want the attention of men whom we know are more sexually reactive than women?

Context is everything. Where is she? What is she doing? With whom did she anticipate interacting?

Sure, some women wear tight revealing clothing in order to attract attention. Some wear it for exercise, or because it's a practical option in their climate, or because it's culturally appropriate in their context, or because they didn't expect to interact with any men that day, or any of a myriad of other reasons.

Blanket statements don't work about this stuff.

 

[FireDragon76]

Context is everything. Where is she? What is she doing? With whom did she anticipate interacting?

Sure, some women wear tight revealing clothing in order to attract attention. Some wear it for exercise, or because it's a practical option in their climate, or because it's culturally appropriate in their context, or because they didn't expect to interact with any men that day, or any of a myriad of other reasons.

Blanket statements don't work about this stuff.

That's one of the problems with patriarchy and heteronormativity, it makes men think that everything women do is about them.

 

[All4Christ]

I guess if I OD on heroin I'm not at fault. I'm a victim of dope and the dealer. False. I would have known what I was doing and the consequences there of before I ever chose to do it. In some places you have to be smart enough to not do some things and if you do them well that was just dumb and you knew.

In this case, you took the heroin. You didn’t just walk in an area where they deal heroin. You took a voluntary action to consume it. Now if you only had a small amount and the dealer laced it with a deadly drug besides that and ODed from an amount smaller than what would be needed to OD, then it’d be a bit different. You’d still be guilty of taking heroin. The dealer would be guilty of lacing it and causing the heroin to be much more potent.

In each case, we can own up to what we do. In the case of a rape, dressing immodestly doesn’t equate to the act of rape. The victim isn’t the one committing the rape, whereas the heroin addict is the one consuming too much heroin.

Everyone is responsible for our own actions, not the actions of others.

To all: Stating that people “asked” for rape based on the situation is not helpful to anyone. Trying to find scenarios where a victim is to blame is not helpful either. Rape is wrong, pure and simple. A victim should not feel guilty for the rape. If we make a victim of rape feel guilty, then shame on us. Encourage people to be wise (ex. defensive driving), but don’t put the blame on the victim.