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I'm over the victim culture.
Really over it.
I don't doubt that there are real cases of abuse and intimidation and oppression out there. There always have been. What's different is that due to the current 'intersectionality' culture, everyone feels like they have a victim story to tell, and that it's all valid and without scrutiny, thank you.
Do I know what I'm talking about? Yes. I'm personally familiar with various abuses.
But you know what? Because I am not a snowflake, I don't focus on any of that. It happened, it's real, it hurt me or my family members, but it's in the past. You move on. I am a new creature, a new creation, with a bright future to look forward to. I have a Father who will not disown me, who understands me because He made me, a church family, riches in heaven, fruit of the Spirit growing every day. I have a sweet life in Christ, and being a victim is not a part of that.
Some of the things I read women claiming is misogyny or oppression or abuse, just isn't. It isn't ladies! People like Beth Moore don't help when she writes about her experiences of being "ignored" or "made fun of at team meetings", "dismissed and ridiculed and talked down to". Ladies, being talked down to is not abuse, it's not misogyny, it's not oppression. When someone "disrespects" you it isn't necessarily "because of gender", and even if it is, so what? No need to make a federal case. Ladies, just get on with things. It's inconceivable that someone with the (sad) amount of influence Beth Moore has in our evangelical world would make a federal case of 'being disrespected'.
Christian women in other parts of the world are being persecuted to such an extent that to be 'ignored' would be a blessing. One woman pseudo-named Maryam for safety purposes talks of her father being put in jail for complaining to police about the Muslims that block his store, and the threats of acid attacks on her sisters, and the Muslim gang of men that tried to stone her as she walked down the street.
One thinks of the Christian women that have come before us in history, like Amelia E. Barr in the 1800s, who with her husband emigrated to the US from England, lost the business opportunity they emigrated to, moved to Texas where her husband and 4 of her sons died of yellow fever. She was left alone to raise her daughters, and she worked tirelessly to do so- successfully, Barr had no time to whine about not being heard at team meetings. As a matter of fact, she said this:
“In my life I have been sensible of the injustice constantly done to women. Since I have had to fight the world single-handed, there has not been one day I have not smarted under the wrongs I have had to bear, because I was not only a woman, but a woman doing a man’s work, without any man, husband, son, brother or friend, to stand at my side, and to see some semblance of justice done me.”As I discussed these things with some younger women on Twitter, the longest conversation I've had on Twitter for the last ten years, none of them got it. As a matter of fact, one woman posted the Wonder Woman gif (not this one but similar.)
I replied that they're funny, thinking they're all warrior princesses, while no one is making the armor, cleaning up after Wonder gal, or cooking her meals. Everyone is a warrior princess. No one is a servant. In today's cultural language of "I'm empowered, because I recovered from my abuse" stances, being a servant (slave, gasp!) without an abuse story is distasteful and frowned upon. We're all chiefs, no one is a bottle washer.
Amelia Barr was a warrior princess. So was Susannah Spurgeon, Katy Von Bora, Gladys Aylward, Susanna Wesley. They got on with things. They got things done. They didn't have time to write whiny blogs and post gifs of Wonder Woman. I don't mean to be mean, or dismissive, but I do mean to exhort our ladies for greater strength and restraint in touting one's self, even when speaking of the negative that needs (does it really?) to be told.
I read this of the Apostle Paul's constant thankfulness. Here was a man who really was abused, oppressed, and hated. He endured so much for the sake of the Gospel. And yet he never called himself a warrior prince, he never set out to grab empowerment from telling his story, never boasted except in Christ. John MacArthur Romans Commentary:
During his second Roman imprisonment, he may have spent time in the wretched Mamertine prison. If so, we can be sure he was thankful even there, although the city sewer system ran through the prison. I was told on a visit there that when the cells were filled to capacity, the sewage gates were opened and all the inmates would drown in the filthy water, making way for a new batch of prisoners. But Paul's thankfulness didn't rise or fall on his earthly circumstances but on the richness of his fellowship with the Lord.Even if Paul was never incarcerated at Mamertine prison, you know for sure other Christians were, and more than likely died that way.
Do you know what Christian women do? They persevere. They endure to the end. They forgive. They know that love covers a multitude of sins. If there's abuse like physical beating, we go to a shelter. If there is rape or harassment or stalking, we go to the police. But not every slight is abuse. Not every want that's denied is oppression. What we do is as Jimmy Buffett sang.
"Breathe in, breathe out, move on."
Let's stop gazing at the lint in our bellies and thinking it is the thorn in our side. The American-female empowerment through abuse-story telling culture has to stop. Women, Sisters, breathe in, breathe out, (tell the authorities if necessary) and move on.
A Comment to the Snowflake Society
Comments
Yes! Amen!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the writer (no name published) I feel today's youngsters do not know what abuse really is and when anybody touches them on their arm at the office, they call it sexual abuse.. I feel Society has become so easy offended by anything. Why would that be? Because life is too easy for them, Mother does everything and Father is bringing the Money in. Though I also have seen part of the parents are very serious with their upbringing. "No" is also in their Dictionary! We must come back to GODLY principles. And that begins with reading the Bible and Prayer in Schools! That's where it begins! Thank you for reading.
ReplyDeleteHi Anne,
DeleteThank you for COmmenting, and I agree, we have to get back to Godly principles, as outlined in the Bible. I also agree that a soft life leads to one of entitlement and easy offense.
My name is Elizabeth, you can read more in the 'About this blog' tab at the top. My name and email address are also published in the sidebar. Thanks again for your comment.
Amen! Thank you for this.
ReplyDeleteI think about the daughters who are growing up right now.
What does this teach them?
I agree, it is a poor example to go around all the time offended and blasting out such offense and negativity. It's me-me-me. The next generation is always worse, and Jesus said in Revelation about the metaphorical Jezebel He was condemning, that He would also kill her spiritual daughters if they also did not repent.
DeleteI know who Beth Moore is, but I have no idea who you are. Maybe her letter wasn't necessary. Social media makes things feel vital to say in the moment and that all voices have to be heard now! Is it necessary for everybody and their cousin to post about a travel and food critic's recent suicide? Maybe not. Does it get people talking about how to help those with mental health or substance abuse issues and moving towards change? Maybe - How do you poll that? If she was only boo-hooing for herself rather than pointing to how the boys club mentality in highly visible ministries negatively affects the work of Christ then so what? I am guessing you've posted things that amounted to crap or vanity at some point at whatever level of exposure you may have. Her ministry being a very public proclaimer/encourager maybe doesn't seem as important to you as being on mission in a less visible and documented way, but that's judging someone's calling, isn't it? Maybe God is moving her in ways to speak out more on issues in ways that she hasn't before and it is a part of the learning curve. Why insult people by calling them "snowflakes"? That's a pop culture BS term. You're not called to be a hypercritical butthole in the name of Christ. Silence about abuse is where abuse thrives and grows, in all of its forms. You clearly aren't one of those "go to her for for prayer and compassion" types. I get it. Don't get too cocky ripping into those that are. Thanks - Bonnie
ReplyDeleteHello Bonnie,
DeleteI don't judge Beth Moore's calling. I judge her teaching. And it fails the test. (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Acts 20:29-31;Matthew 7:15-20)
and thank you for being so scrupulous to follow the Bible's command to correct in all gentleness and respect. (2 Tim 2:5; 1 Peter 3:16). Your language is so...delicate.