Empowered Traditionalist

I’m sitting at my desk, surrounded by books, stacked 3 or 4 volumes high. One is out of print, another published just a few months ago, authors from differing backgrounds and beliefs litter my workspace. Needless to say, I have been studying a lot.

With the help of several resources, I have attempted to compile a brief history of the Feminist movement since its inception. None of my writing is original thought, I stand squarely on the shoulders of those smarter and wiser than me- I just share what I’ve read.

What we need to understand, before we continue, is that Feminism is a distinct philosophy or belief. As Mary Kassian elucidates,

Feminism is an “ism” like atheism, humanism, Marxism, existentialism, post-modernism, and the “ism” indicates that we are dealing with a theory, a philosophical theory, a doctrine, a system of principles and ideas… It’s a distinct worldview with its very own thoughts, ideologies, values, ways of thinking…”

So when we study the history, we are looking at the history of this philosophy- and its metamorphosis.

From all accounts America has undergone 3 waves of Feminist thought.

The First Wave – Brains, not just bodies.
The first wave began in the 1700s with American Mary Wollstonecraft writing her Vindication of the Rights of Woman which gained prominence and later culminated in the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848. Here 100 American women (shows the power of 100 women) gathered to ratify the “Declaration of Sentiments”, drafted primarily by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. This document listed 15 grievances of women’s rights, and was later seen as the beginnings of what we call the suffrage movement.
Now we all appreciate our ability to vote and are grateful for the efforts of our fore-mothers; but as Carolyn McCulley points out,

“As important as it was to these early feminists to obtain the right to vote, two additional issues were just as significant: coverture* and the reform of Christianity.”

This lead to many helpful reforms, but intermixed with those needed social reforms was also a direct challenge to the church. Specifically, it’s governance, biblical teaching, interpretation of Scripture, and women’s role in the community.

The ratification of the 19th amendment brought the conclusion to the first wave. But while women suffrage and marriage laws had been reformed it soon became clear their was a more specific target in view.

part 2 coming Thursday…

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Mary Kassian, at the True Woman Conference 2008, also see her book: The Feminist Mistake
Carolyn McCulley, Radical Womanhood, 2008

From my new friend, and fellow blogger, Olivia Brodock

Be A Chef

If I cook great dishes, make them into literal works of art as I work them up in a commercial kitchen, and serve them to people I’ve never met, or will ever meet again, I am called a chef, an artist!

But, if I cook those same dishes for the ones I love most and I nourish my family in the realm of my fathers home, it is said that I am wasting my talent.

Be a CPA

If I go to school for years, become a CPA, and manage books for other people that I have absolutely no ties with; I’m a career woman, I’m independent, I am a woman of the twenty first century!!!!

But if I, after years of studying, keep my dad’s books, I am then wasting MY life, all that training down the drain!

Be a Childcare Professional

If I take care of a other people’s children, I become their nanny, I am then a childcare professional, I am valuable and important!!!

But, if I take care of and nurture children GOD gives me, then I am old-fashion. I am repressed by a sexist society of dominate males! I am told I am wasting my life!

Be a Cleaning Professional

If I care for rooms, homes or offices that belongs to strangers; I’m a housekeeper, a cleaning professional.

But, if I remove dust bunnies out of my own home and make it clean and orderly for my family; It is thought that I am a house wife and am wasting my life with coupons and soap operas! (who has time for soap operas???)

What is the difference between the examples above? Why is nanny-hood OK, but motherhood frowned upon? Why is professional respected and domestic criticized? Why is going through a secular college an assumed event in every high school graduate’s life, but simply learning at home and continuing education in many mediums highly disregarded?

Ironic isn’t it?

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It is our duty and delight to shine forth as examples of true-womanhood in action. Many of you are exemplary women who have utilized societies tools (college, career etc) to great advantage without being taken advantage of, or losing your foundation.

Any stories you care to share?

-continued from part 1

- Your body is your own! Women are sexually liberated and should be just as aggressive as the men, be a predator if you feel like it! Whose body is it ladies? Is that your body? Who made that body? We were bought with a price, we are houses for God’s Spirit who dwells within us. (Rom 12:1,2) This whole sexually liberate thing flies right in the face of biblical truth.

-The Workplace is more important than the home
What does the Bible value more- market or home? Home. In our culture, what is valued more? Market or home? Market and it’s leading to a complete social collapse because of it. That’s why you have enormous divorce rates and 40% of children will go to bed in a home where their father does not live.

-The Government should take away all burden of motherhood and raise our babies

Reinvent the workplace to accommodate women. So we have Government run day care, preschool, after school care, maternity leave. 50 years ago the majority of young women under 25 wanted to grow up to be a housewife. It was (and is) a high and noble calling. Today we’re told retain your independence, don’t get married, a husband will cramp your style. Or “That’s too bad you got married, now you can’t take that promotion”.

-Women’s groups, such as NOW (National Organization for Women) have the right to speak for all women. Who gave them the right to speak for all women? Did we vote them in? Now they are writing legislature, writing the sociology curricula and are on CNN. But who speaks for mom? Who presents her case? No one, she doesn’t get to be on CNN, she’s just mom. Mom is busy doing other things- so NOWattacks mom while claiming to be speaking for all women! (e.g. Equal Rights Act is a superb example)

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I know some of this is very forthright, but if you disagree, I would ask: is it because you are reading your Bible a lot or is it because you’re not reading your Bible a lot?

-always a work in progress…

Everything I write will be highly controversial. If you are at all feministic you will most likely find this very offensive. But bear with me, give me some of your time and let’s walk through this together. I do not stand alone as I write. In fact, none of this is original. I just gleaned from many older, wiser women and I share their insights here.

She finds things strangely silent—no happy noises of teenagers and their friends, no footfall of a faithful husband in the kitchen, no gurgling of grandchildren eager to be cuddled. She will come “home” to a cold, lonely apartment whose silence is broken only by the occasional visits of men who size her up as one with a liberated view of sex, societal restraints, and the institution of marriage, and therefore an easy mark for sexual favors for which they neither have to pay nor assume responsibility…it is unlikely that so many ever gave up so much for so little. –Phyllis Schafly

This doesn’t sound very empowering to me.

We have the Pill; we can go experiment and be as wild as the men are, and that’s our right…you try that and it doesn’t take very long before you feel very empty. You start thinking, ‘They’re telling me I should have a great time but I feel hollow’ You feel like you’ve been invaded.”-Isabel, graduated from high-school in the 70s

This doesn’t sound very liberating to me.

For most young women, the greatest—and most subtle—impact of feminist ideology shows up in postponed fertility. Some have chosen childlessness…but many more women have inadvertently missed the opportunity to bear children by trying to imitate the life cycles of men.” –Carolyn McCulley

This doesn’t sound very fulfilling to me.

As I research, study and analyze society today I am disturbed by the multiple and nefarious results of radical Feminism. Every woman alive today has been profoundly affected by Feminism. All of us to some extent have become Feminists. It’s pervasive doctrines have thoroughly entrenched themselves into our psyche.
We’ve been hit by a Tsunami and like survivors among the flotsam we cling to the remnants of Biblical Womanhood. A lot of women today do not even realize they are believing things that aren’t true and are not in their Bible.
Our society says:

-Men and Women must be exactly alike to be equal
What that means is, the men are not trying to be women- the women are trying to be men! Ladies we have nothing to prove. The Bible says that Men and Women reflect the Trinity and different aspects of God’s Character. We are created equal, but different. Eve was created from Adam’s side- not front or behind, but his side- his equal. Our culture just can’t understand this. Women do not need to be as skilled in hand-to-hand combat as a man to be equal to him. Neither does a Man have to bear children to be equal to a woman. Equal but different.

-There is no gender differences, it’s only cultural conditioning
Who made the culture? Men and women. Then don’t blame the culture- blame creation! If there is no gender differences there is normative sexuality. This soon leads to homosexuality (if there is no gender-why can’t a Man love a man or a woman a woman?) Polygamy is the next step.
Men and women are different, hormonally, biologically, spiritually, mentally (even our brains operate differently). Not good and bad- different.

-Women should be tougher, men softer

“Men should get in touch with their feminine side” Men don’t have a feminine side! They’re men! Dogs don’t have a cat side!
-Women are an oppressed minority group-

There are more women than men in America. More women are registered to vote than men. According to statistics, women live longer than men. So there’s more of us, we decide more of the laws and we have a better quality of life. Yep, we’re oppressed.

Part 2 coming Thursday-

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Sources: The Power of the Christian Woman, Phyllis Schlafly Radical Womanhood, Caryolyn McCulley, Girls Gone Mild, Wendy Shalit

This is just a pithy introduction. Start thinking along these lines-

What do these have in common?

-According to the Center for Disease control 1 in 4 teenage girls has a STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease)
-“pole-dancing aerobics” or “stripper aerobics” are now available at all the major health and fitness clubs.
-The demise of the dinner table. Few households eat dinner as a family anymore
-Babysitting, Daycare, Nannies, in home potty-trainers and sleep-nurses.
-Girls Gone Wild.
-Gillette’s latest razor, “The Goddess”
-When Helen Reddy accepted her Grammy award for her song “I AM WOMAN” she concluded her speech by thanking God “because SHE makes everything possible”.

These are all direct or indirect results of radical feminism. If you are like me you probably know precious little about feminism and it’s impacts. But the truth is, every woman alive today is profoundly affected by Feminism and its ramifications. This issue is crucial because,

It is the women who have an understanding of the past who can discern a path for the future.

Ladies, get ready for a thorough, albeit concise, introduction to Feminism and what to do about it.