my first step when I changed my mind about keeping my own name. I went with
logic. A long hyphenated name would be nothing but trouble over the long haul.
And what does the second generation do if two people with hyphenated names
marry each other?
Keeping my own name would have created problems after the
children came–Is that your stepmother?
Why doesn’t everyone in your family have the same last name? That’s how my deprograming began.
children came–Is that your stepmother?
Why doesn’t everyone in your family have the same last name? That’s how my deprograming began.
Just as making an inconvenient, illogical choice for a name
is irrational, so I’ve learned is much of feminism. I am not referring to the
belief that woman are deserving of equal dignity as men; that is a given. Rather,
I refer to radical feminists who chronically criticize the Vatican as archaic
and dangerous to women, and include abortion among their demands for equal
rights. Such feminism is not feminine.
Instead, it distorts our strengths and turns them into weaknesses—something to
overcome rather than to treasure.
is irrational, so I’ve learned is much of feminism. I am not referring to the
belief that woman are deserving of equal dignity as men; that is a given. Rather,
I refer to radical feminists who chronically criticize the Vatican as archaic
and dangerous to women, and include abortion among their demands for equal
rights. Such feminism is not feminine.
Instead, it distorts our strengths and turns them into weaknesses—something to
overcome rather than to treasure.
Reverse Interpretation
Often,
radical anti-Bible feminists blame Scripture for discriminating against women.
However, consider the differences of
interpretation below. (Thoughts are gleaned from Alice von Hildebrand’s book, The Privilege of Being a Woman.)
radical anti-Bible feminists blame Scripture for discriminating against women.
However, consider the differences of
interpretation below. (Thoughts are gleaned from Alice von Hildebrand’s book, The Privilege of Being a Woman.)
Feminist: God created Adam first and Eve was just made to keep him
company so from the beginning the Bible devalues women.
company so from the beginning the Bible devalues women.
Truth: Being created last does not indicate inferiority. God
created in ascending line from inanimate to plants to animals to man to woman.
If sequence of events was the criteria, it would elevate, not devalue women.
created in ascending line from inanimate to plants to animals to man to woman.
If sequence of events was the criteria, it would elevate, not devalue women.
Feminist: Adam is presented as superior to woman since it is his rib
God made Eve from.
God made Eve from.
Truth: Is being made from a rib less than being fashioned from the
dust of the earth?
dust of the earth?
Feminist: Eve received the
harder punishment, consigned to the pains of childbirth
harder punishment, consigned to the pains of childbirth
Truth: Suffering pain to bring life into the world is a
premonition to Christ suffering to redeem us and give us eternal life. Punishment or divine role?
premonition to Christ suffering to redeem us and give us eternal life. Punishment or divine role?
Feminist: A woman is blamed for ushering sin into the world.
Truth: The New Eve, Mary, brings us the fruit of salvation through
her motherhood to Jesus Christ. Only Mary is present and directly involved when
the message of an angel announces the greatest privilege ever to be bestowed on
a human, taking part in the mystery of the incarnation, where Jesus becomes
flesh.
her motherhood to Jesus Christ. Only Mary is present and directly involved when
the message of an angel announces the greatest privilege ever to be bestowed on
a human, taking part in the mystery of the incarnation, where Jesus becomes
flesh.
Feminist: Women are not
treated as important in the Bible.
treated as important in the Bible.
Truth: The Stations of the Cross honors women. Jesus meets his
mother, Veronica wipes his face, he comforts the women of Jerusalem, and it is
women and just one man, John, who stood at the foot of the cross. After the
resurrection, Jesus appeared to the women at the tomb before appearing to his
apostles. The men did not even believe at first.
mother, Veronica wipes his face, he comforts the women of Jerusalem, and it is
women and just one man, John, who stood at the foot of the cross. After the
resurrection, Jesus appeared to the women at the tomb before appearing to his
apostles. The men did not even believe at first.
Mixed Up
Much of the confusion lies in what it means to be weak and
what it means to be strong. Jesus taught his apostles that the greatest among
them must serve the others. Too often, modern women think their greatness lies
in power and control. But God often uses
the weak to shame the strong and told us that there is power in weakness. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong” (2
Corinthians 12-10).
what it means to be strong. Jesus taught his apostles that the greatest among
them must serve the others. Too often, modern women think their greatness lies
in power and control. But God often uses
the weak to shame the strong and told us that there is power in weakness. “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong” (2
Corinthians 12-10).
No one will deny that individual men throughout the
ages have denigrated women. Hildebrand
points out in her book that such treatment is a consequence of original sin in
which Adam and Eve wanted to become equal to God, without God. She summarized
our distorted values by stating, “…the glorification of strength and the
denigration of weakness has become the shallow core of modern thought and
feminist belief.”
ages have denigrated women. Hildebrand
points out in her book that such treatment is a consequence of original sin in
which Adam and Eve wanted to become equal to God, without God. She summarized
our distorted values by stating, “…the glorification of strength and the
denigration of weakness has become the shallow core of modern thought and
feminist belief.”
The most perfect human ever made was a woman—Mary. The Bible does not denigrate women, it
uplifts us. God made us male and female not good and better. Trying to be more like men makes us less of
what we were created to be.
uplifts us. God made us male and female not good and better. Trying to be more like men makes us less of
what we were created to be.
All who seek God have equal
access to the grace we need to live out God’s plan for us. “There is
neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)
access to the grace we need to live out God’s plan for us. “There is
neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)
Rather than being prideful andseeking status and power, we must be driven by a desire to follow where God
leads us. Consider that St. Joan of Arc
was only a girl of nineteen when she was executed in 1941 for her role in
leading the French troops against England.
At seventeen, she was the youngest person in history to lead and entire nation’s army. Her
victories are considered among the greatest in history.
Unfortunately, Joan was captured and put on
trial for heresy by her English enemies under the auspices of a Church
trial. Her greatness, though, was not something born of feminism but of
following God’s call.
trial for heresy by her English enemies under the auspices of a Church
trial. Her greatness, though, was not something born of feminism but of
following God’s call.
Greatness
is not measured by a worldly standard. That is where
feminism goes astray. Rather than clinging to the God-given dignity of women,
feminism seeks to take control of the world and define victory in human
terms.
is not measured by a worldly standard. That is where
feminism goes astray. Rather than clinging to the God-given dignity of women,
feminism seeks to take control of the world and define victory in human
terms.
This is
not to say that barefoot and pregnant is the default setting for all women. I
have an advanced degree and I support my daughters continuing their education.
At the same time, I do not see titles and high positions as trumping
motherhood. We all must follow our own path but I hope it is the path laid out
for us by God and not one in which we blaze our own trail without him.
not to say that barefoot and pregnant is the default setting for all women. I
have an advanced degree and I support my daughters continuing their education.
At the same time, I do not see titles and high positions as trumping
motherhood. We all must follow our own path but I hope it is the path laid out
for us by God and not one in which we blaze our own trail without him.
Amen!
Thanks and God bless you!
Love, Love, Love this! So well said and I think all women should read!
Thanks you. I'm wondering what I would have thought of it pre-rehab. Guessing not "all" women would appreciate. God bless you.
Well said.
Keep up the God work, Sister.
🙂