Categories: uncategorized
Date: 19 April 2007 12:49:49
I have copied the following entry directly from a post I made to a discussion forum on OT Law and Ethics, in connection with the Diploma in Christian Studies I am currently studying. The thread I was responding to concerned the idea of women being little more than slaves in OT culture. This is me in serious mode...
"At risk of annoying the more 'traditional' feminists, I would like to say that the liberation movement, whilst doing a great deal of good for women of my generation, has also done us a disservice. I think that alot of the drive towards equality has been underpinned by the unspoken subtext of 'Women are as good as men and should be allowed professional advancement in the traditionally male-dominated fields'. The implication of this can be the reinforcement of the idea that what men, on the whole, do better is somehow to be aspired to and admired.
I believe that the thrust should now be towards recognising that things that women traditionally do better, the more nurturing and organisational professions for example, are worth just as much. In fact, I think the idea that we can 'have it all' has proved to be a fallacy. Men seem to be able to detach the emotional from the work-based in a way that women do not appear to, so the career-orientated wife still may tend to bear more of the emotional responsibilty in a family setting that their equally career-minded partners. Also, have you noticed how a man can just ignore outstanding housework? If that is not just specific to my husband(!), then it suggests that the female tendency to want to make surroundings more pleasant will also prey on her mind if it is not done more than it would that of her husband.
Whilst I have been talking about this in the context of career, am I alone in thinking that the apparant downgrading of the idea of a stay-at-home-mother is not good? I dislike it when I hear a competent and caring woman denigrate herself by saying she is 'just a housewife'. Just!!! Not being a mother myself, but seeing how my friends cope and also taking time myself to care for my nephews occasionally, I think that bringing up a family must be one of the hardest jobs - ever!
To put these thoughts in the context of this discussion on Law and Ethics, I think that God certainly made us different and, pre-Fall, we were certainly equal. However, the relationship was damaged by sin and now there appears to be a battle of the sexes. We no longer co-operate, utilising our complimentary talents. Instead, the man has assumed a form of superiority that he was never intended to have. As a consequence, the woman can feel subjugated and attempt to compete with the man, on his terms. This is a mistake as a man will always be the best at being a man, and the woman can only ever be a woman trying to act like one!
So, in summary, perhaps the OT Law about women submitting is, as I said before, just to accomodate this fact. Another of the 'least worst' rather than 'best' situations, to use Dr. Provan's terminology.
And Lila, as for why this is still being discussed. There will always be a new generation of Chritian couples trying to resolve this in their particular context. The fact of this conflict will never go away, at least until Christ returns(!), so I guess the debate never will.
So, everybody, have I stirred up a hornets' nest by making unfounded statements and presumptions? Or does any of this make sense to you? Please tell me, I would like to know."
Equally, wibfolk, am I wide of the mark here? (Male and female perspectives welcome :)