What's on your mind?

[bèlla]

But you do bring up a good point about getting all sorts of negativity from the writing. And it is most certainly something I need to think about.

Negativity is a powder keg on the internet and there’s too much rage bait. This is where people air their grievances and let off steam. Middle ground is advisable and you don’t want to be pigeonholed into camps or factions. Balance your commentary with real life applications. Share the concern about a misconception and how you address it and what you’ve learned from your study. You can also include uplifting feedback for singles and others lacking companionship and support. I think that’s a stronger topic overall.

I will reveal a personal experience I had when I did have a Gab account: a well-known account on there had made an unbiblical statement about women. I responded back with the truth. I wasn't rude or inappropriate in any way. He blocked me later that day. I was actually upset about it because I did like his posts. But I believe that's when my eyes were opened about what exactly was going on there. I don't regret what I said to him. To me, it revealed that he was a phony, and was not interested in serving God the right way.

Writing isn’t about us and bear in mind its relation to the gifts of the spirit. How can your musings serve the kingdom? When you put yourself in the public eye you have a different responsibility. You‘re representing Him in the media. You don’t have the liberty in that space you’d have elsewhere. We lead with light not grievances. God is bigger than Gab.

I do think Gab is a propaganda place to convince people to engage in certain things that are passed off as Christianity when it is not. I was one of those people that fell for some of it. It's dangerous, especially if you don't know the truth. But God rescued me from the lies and showed me the truth.

It’s important to make peace with the reality of this medium. Independence is a fallacy and most platforms are owned by the major players or acquired by them at a later time. Christians are operating on other people’s real estate and they will silence you. We have to use our heads to get our message out without setting off landmines. Remember Paul’s words.

One of the things is this trad wife stuff. They try to tell people that women "voluntarily left good homes" to practice feminism; they completely ignore cases where the abusive husband left the wife, or the wife had to divorce the abusive husband. They tell people to get married young and have babies; not everyone can do that. They call women derogatory names, while ignoring men's sins.

Sometimes irritants are callings in disguise. The things that upset or bother may be places for ministry and service. You have a beef with the media —-and that’s what Gab is—and it’s misrepresentation of christian teachings. There’s only one way to combat it. You have to join the fray. But you can’t allow injury to blind you to the truth and fair-mindedness is a must. Scripture is our primary source for the word of God not the internet.

We’re responsible for the things we take in and given principles to follow for discernment. If users opt to do otherwise you can’t ignore their culpability. Due diligence begins with us and ignoring that is costly. Irrespective to what the platform says or how they describe themselves. The lies wouldn’t land if they were in the book. That’s your quandary. How will you solve it? The dilemma was entrusted to you. ;-)

I would commune with the Lord and strategize. And you need to be monetized. If you do it right it’ll grow and require more time and commitment. You have an opportunity to solve a lot of problems by doing so. Not only your concerns about the scripture but personal issues you’ve mentioned recently. You’ll meet a lot of people over time.

Nevertheless, I like it. Just be shrewd and you’ll be okay. Don’t play into their hands and get shadow banned. You know what we wrestle against. Keep that in mind in your decisions.

~bella

 

[bèlla]

I hate this mentality. It pretty much reduces a woman's entire worth and value to being a wife/ mother.

They’re probably playing to the algorithm. Most of the comments from single women desiring a spouse are overwhelmingly seeking the same. They’re not focused on careers they’re looking for security. You’d have to look into their analytics and find the racial makeup. Trad wife content began with caucasian women and the majority were mormon in the early days. Most of the content on food, parenting, home, wellness and crafts was provided by mormon wives and I was there at the beginning.

Now we’re on 2.0 and the christian variant is foremost but that’s a little misleading because a lot of them are mormon but they use a different label. The church doesn’t give christian wives what the other receives. They don’t have to homestead because they’re getting compensation elsewhere. That’s why Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm are popular. They have the mormon media behind them and the majority aren’t aware how many they have in the public eye influencing viewers.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think everyone is called to marriage and the majority can’t afford to live on one salary. But when you’re working 9 to 5 and watching someone on the screen playing with sourdough and looking relaxed it messes with your head. Before the pandemic women weren’t seeking six figures en masse. That’s an outgrowth of the lockdown and you’re seeing it in retail and advertising because it sells.

There’s a lot of women wishing they could have the same and they’ve garnered male support. Some are pronatalists, others prefer traditional roles, some want self-sufficiency along with the others and so on. Stay-at-home wives are the new flex on social media. That’s why it’s getting so much attention. And the 50/50 conversations are part of that.

~bella

 

[LoveDivine]

They’re probably playing to the algorithm. Most of the comments from single women desiring a spouse are overwhelmingly seeking the same. They’re not focused on careers they’re looking for security. You’d have to look into their analytics and find the racial makeup. Trad wife content began with caucasian women and the majority were mormon in the early days. Most of the content on food, parenting, home, wellness and crafts was provided by mormon wives and I was there at the beginning.

Now we’re on 2.0 and the christian variant is foremost but that’s a little misleading because a lot of them are mormon but they use a different label. The church doesn’t give christian wives what the other receives. They don’t have to homestead because they’re getting compensation elsewhere. That’s why Nara Smith and Ballerina Farm are popular. They have the mormon media behind them and the majority aren’t aware how many they have in the public eye influencing viewers.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think everyone is called to marriage and the majority can’t afford to live on one salary. But when you’re working 9 to 5 and watching someone on the screen playing with sourdough and looking relaxed it messes with your head. Before the pandemic women weren’t seeking six figures en masse. That’s an outgrowth of the lockdown and you’re seeing it in retail and advertising because it sells.

There’s a lot of women wishing they could have the same and they’ve garnered male support. Some are pronatalists, others prefer traditional roles, some want self-sufficiency along with the others and so on. Stay-at-home wives are the new flex on social media. That’s why it’s getting so much attention. And the 50/50 conversations are part of that.

That's interesting. I wasn't aware of the Mormon connection. I've watched some channels that I don't mind. Farmhouse on Boone is one that comes to mind. It can be relaxing to watch someone do ordinary tasks and cook, etc. It's also more wholesome than all the garbage out there. I agree with your point that the lifestyle they promote can seem really special to those who are stressed from working full days. But it's also important to remember that is their job - they get endorsements and are paid to promote their content. There is nothing wrong with that, but it's also not an entirely accurate picture of the lifestyle. I think they glorify it and it can make some women feel inadequate. It's not entirely attainable to live that way unless it is your source of income. I just wish there was balance. There is so much gross, sexual content bombarding us regularly ( combined with insane feminism ) and then there is this trend. In general it seems that everyone wants to become an influencer or have a YouTube channel. I think the unrealistic expectations have destroyed the work ethic for many.

 

[DragonFox91]

Yeah, we've discussed this in the past. Even otherwise good Christian teachers on social media really emphasize the need for people to have children & that's what people need to do. They'll post very true things about the Bible & being a Christian & then you'll get a post like 'get married & have LOTS of children! The Bible says this!' & it's like, what?

I try to ignore those posts now. Clearly they are not talking to singles or couples who otherwise can't have children. I also don't think they factor in the timing should be right.

I really wish there were more Christian leaders who were single. (The other day I was thinking why does it seem all the missionaries are married when the Apostle Paul was single?)

@LoveDivine I've seen posts saying like motherhood is the highest calling or whatever, & that's not true. You are right. Whatever a Christian's calling is is the highest calling b/c it's a calling from the Lord. He placed it special for that individual person. We are all given different missions. And we also all have the same mission in saving souls.

A lot of these attitudes aren't new & go back the beginning. We see Jacob's wives have this attitude for example in Genesis. But the Bible says 'in that day the barren will rejoice.' They have not been forgotten. The overwhelming message of the Bible is it is not a sign of where you stand w/ God.

People like the 'be fruitful & multiply' verse but they ignore that means multiplying in God's image. If you are not multiplying in God's image, you're not fulling the command. (I wonder now if it's not so much a command as it is 'I am allowing you to'). So since there's a lot of people not in God's image, it is up to those further along to help them. In this way, we can all help here & are following God's command. To make sure no one is still confused, Jesus settles this w/ the Great Commission.

All this being said, I do believe if a couple is capable, they should have children. I think the Traditionalists are right there. But I think a lot of them got married at 18, had children at 19, & think that's just how life is for everyone.

 

[DragonFox91]

I was browsing the Mormon website not too long ago & there was a lot on marriage. It appeared to be one of their main hooks. Both marriage now & marriage in heaven. A clever lure to draw people in

 

[bèlla]

I’m watching this now and it’s a much needed fyi if you’re meeting people online or seeing strangers elsewhere. They disclosed the presence of communities teaching people how to be predators. I would definitely use a tracking app when meeting a stranger and inform my loved ones where I’m going and bring an extra battery pack.

 

[bèlla]

That's interesting. I wasn't aware of the Mormon connection. I've watched some channels that I don't mind. Farmhouse on Boone is one that comes to mind.

Lisa’s husband no longer works and that’s another side of trad culture that few are aware of. She’s the breadwinner now and the same holds true for several. The Seasonal Homestead is my favorite and I’ve followed them since the beginning. She’s mormon and never discusses it. Her children are well mannered and her husband works and helps with the homestead. Becky and Cam are the closest you’ll get to the balance you seek. He cooks as well as do the kids and everyone pitches in with the work whether it’s the homestead or canning.

I mention that because of the promotions. If you look at her channel you’ll notice she doesn’t post a lot. Once per week is her norm and they don’t rely on her income. While others are more active and more dependent on tnem. When the pandemic occurred many channels did well because we were home. A lot of them assumed it would continue when that changed. You saw a combination of lifestyle creep and people leaving jobs. The majority have no income outside of YouTube and sponsorships and I don’t consider them businesses.

The money isn’t fixed it fluctuates and sponsorships are based on marketing budgets that change every year. The money they earn from Google is determined by their policies which they’re free to change and do. And they’re married to the algorithm. If engagement isn’t good the platform won’t promote it and their income tanks. But the ones doing well can earn more than their spouse although they give the impression of traditional to their audience.

I think they glorify it and it can make some women feel inadequate. It's not entirely attainable to live that way unless it is your source of income. I just wish there was balance. There is so much gross, sexual content bombarding us regularly ( combined with insane feminism ) and then there is this trend. In general it seems that everyone wants to become an influencer or have a YouTube channel. I think the unrealistic expectations have destroyed the work ethic for many.

It isn’t their responsibility to make their lives more accessible to the viewer no more than you’d expect from a show on The Food Network. But I’ve heard that more than once and that’s the dichotomy of social media. No one says the same about television. They expect a difference between themselves and the person on the screen while wanting the reverse on the platforms. And it’s not realistic.

Most of the people making content are trying to raise their standard of living. When you aren’t tied to a salary it’s easier to do. That doesn’t negate the value of traditional employment. But if you’re adept at business or sales and have an idea worth pursuing other options exist. Influencing can be a stepping stone to that but it wouldn’t be my lone source of income.

There’s another element that hasn’t taken root as of yet and that’s the impact of nepotism. Much like we see elsewhere. Children will inherit businesses and channels or create their own with the parent’s help. You’ll have more of a continuum than new voices per se and less opportunities overall. That’s the new formula.

~bella

 

[bèlla]

I try to ignore those posts now. Clearly they are not talking to singles or couples who otherwise can't have children. I also don't think they factor in the timing should be right.

It’s a misconception to assume every message is applicable simply because it’s christian. I know you’re aware of this theoretically but I’ll say it nonetheless. Content isn’t an umbrella no matter the subject. They’re addressing a specific group within that topic who resonates with their message. While it may attract others outside of it they’re not the focus. Nor is that restricted to social media alone. It’s a principle in marketing and every company uses it including the church.

Let’s take what you shared at face value. Get married and have lots of children may resonate with many singles. There are some who do the same through adoption as well and the message doesn’t offend them. Look at Paul’s messages in the bible. He had specific things to say to each group which didn’t contradict the word and spoke to their circumstances. This is no different.

You can’t speak to everything and everyone all the time. There’s elements of your message that will be applicable to some and less so with others. We can’t condemn them because that isn’t so. Barrenness and singleness aren’t the norm. There are more people who will marry and have families than not.

I really wish there were more Christian leaders who were single. (The other day I was thinking why does it seem all the missionaries are married when the Apostle Paul was single?)

You’re asking for people to address your struggles while ignoring yourself. Why don’t you talk about it? We’ve discussed the lack of singles in leadership in the past and let’s be honest. Celibacy isn’t for everyone and few can live like that. Most men desire companionship and won’t remain alone voluntarily. And the majority would pick from the flock without a rule in place. Which could go sideways really fast and result in lawsuits and the like.

As for missionaries, the majority aren’t self-supporting and rely on donations to make ends meet. I’ve been through missionary prep and supported a single in the past and she struggled a lot because she didn’t have a buffer. There was no one to pick up the slack when she was ill or short on funds and she shared her plight with her donors. If you want to do the same as a single you‘d need discretionary income or a patron.

All this being said, I do believe if a couple is capable, they should have children. I think the Traditionalists are right there. But I think a lot of them got married at 18, had children at 19, & think that's just how life is for everyone.

You’re doing the same thing you’ve accused others of. What if they can’t afford it? See the problem? ;-)

If you’re speaking to a group that isn’t financially encumbered they’d probably agree. But fertility doesn’t pay the bills. Much like your earlier example the comment will resonate with some and less so with others. And that’s okay.

~bella

 

[SarahsKnight]

What's on your mind?

I am so past the point of just being tired that I literally feel like I am delirious.

www.christianforums.com

I just made AI art of my OC Sarah Winters as a cute bunnygirl waitress.

 

[GodDoesListen55]

Just when I thought I was fixing something, I had to restart from nothing.

 

[peaceful-forest]

I miss the Tartaria group I was a part of on another website.

 

[bèlla]

A virtuous woman will be the greatest prize in society’s eyes in the long run and we’re turning a corner. All that we’re witnessing reinforces the Lord’s wisdom and the value of scripture in modern times.

 

[Saucy]

Hey everyone, I hope you're all doing well

 

[.Mikha'el.]

Hey everyone, I hope you're all doing well

I hope things are okay with you.

 

[Saucy]

I hope things are okay with you.

Thanks! Things are awesome I've been fulfilling my calling. I hope you are doing well, too!

 

[GodDoesListen55]

I wish it would all just go away...

 

[.Mikha'el.]

I wish it would all just go away...

 

[bèlla]

Thanks! Things are awesome I've been fulfilling my calling. I hope you are doing well, too!

That’s wonderful to hear! Give us an update. Are you working in ministry?

 

[Saucy]

That’s wonderful to hear! Give us an update. Are you working in ministry?

Yes! I am currently serving bi-vocationally as a hospice chaplain, which is my "full-time" job, and was recently ordained as a pastor at my church. God gets all the glory for changing my heart, helping me grow and mature, and then opening those doors for me.

 

[bèlla]

Yes! I am currently serving bi-vocationally as a hospice chaplain, which is my "full-time" job, and was recently ordained as a pastor at my church. God gets all the glory for changing my heart, helping me grow and mature, and then opening those doors for me.

Congratulations indeed! God is good. That‘s an incredible role and you’re well suited for it. He made you empathetic for a reason.