Day 2 Station 3: Is Feminism fair to everyone?
Introduction (10min)
- Key Verse: "There is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)
- Historically, women did not hold high positions or work
- Today, we will answer the question "Is Feminism fair to everyone?"
- What does fair mean?
- Merriam Webster: "Marked by impartiality and honesty: free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism"
Activity (15min):
Research your assigned female saint and see how God used them to deliver His ministry
- St Mary: called to bear the Christ in her womb (VERY high position)
- Deborah: only female judge (high position)
- Esther: queen, female leader, through her the Jewish people were saved (leader, high position)
- Mary the sister of Martha: did not serve the "traditional female role" but sat with the "others" and listened to Jesus. Although this wasn't traditional, our Lord Jesus Christ accepted for her to sit, and be taught so that later she can use the knowledge she can minister to others
- Judith:
Lesson (20min):
Christianity is the first institution in the world to be open about liberating women
- The Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, held women in high esteem and called them to follow Him and be His disciples.
- "And the twelve were with Him and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities... Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance" (Luke 8:1-3)
- The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the women first (Mary Magdalene) after His Resurrection. This shows great love for them. Not only that, but He sent Mary Magdalene to tell the rest of them, rather than just appearing to them, Himself. He entrusted her and commissioned her with the great news to bring the people to Him.
- Christianity and the apostles were open to stating this as a fact although they knew that women were not taken seriously and were not believed by most.
- The Church was open and accepting of women when the Jews were not. This brought them to the faith in the early church. Women were not allowed in the synagogue, and society though of women as something that should be disregarded. Even until now, some religions do not allow women in their places of worship. But we see that the church welcomes everyone and we are all able to come and to pray and to worship in one Body of Christ and to partake of the Eucharist together.
- Scriptural References:
- Prophetess: Exodus 15:20, Judges 4:4
- Leader in a war, or a judge: Judges 4:4-16
- The Widow who gave two mites:
- Christ praised her for offering the two mites
- The Syrophoenician Woman: Matthew 15:28
- The Lord commended her faith
- The Samaritan Woman: John 5
- The Lord had a long conversation with her to bring her to confess her sins, repent and become an evangelist proclaiming His name
- The woman who poured fragrant oil: Matthew 26:10
- The Lord defended her and caused her deed to be honored throughout all ages along with the preaching of the gospel
- Pentecost: Acts 2:17
- Church Rituals
- In families and marriages, the wives are representative of the church and the husband’s representative of Christ. In the crowning ceremony, the wives are instructed to “honor, respect, obey, and submit” to their husbands. The husbands are instructed to “do all that is good for her, have compassion on her, gladden her heart, love her as Christ loved the church, and be responsible for her.” Both commands come with the promise that God will “increase their livelihood, and grant them blessed children, long ages and prosperous life in this life and after.”
- People often get stuck on the “submission” part of this command to the bride. It is important to understand the family structure and to understand that women are the church as men are Christ. If a woman understands that her husband is the image of Christ and the role of Christ in the family ‘church’ they will not have any problem ‘submitting’. In Christianity marriage is a mystery. It is the union of man and woman through the Holy Spirit "So then, they are no longer two but one flesh" (Mt 19:6).
- HGBY states “It is in this relation framework that women should be submissive to their husbands and husbands have authority over their wives. This does not mean that one gender is better than the other, but God's command is for the husband to lead. This does not make the wife inferior in any way.”
- Not only this but in Ephesians 5:21 the Lord commanded that we submit to one another. Submission is not just commanded of a woman, nor is it just commanded in a marriage, but it is commanded to EACH one of us.
- Christ Himself submitted to the will of the Father when He took flesh in complete obedience, even unto death.
- In families and marriages, the wives are representative of the church and the husband’s representative of Christ. In the crowning ceremony, the wives are instructed to “honor, respect, obey, and submit” to their husbands. The husbands are instructed to “do all that is good for her, have compassion on her, gladden her heart, love her as Christ loved the church, and be responsible for her.” Both commands come with the promise that God will “increase their livelihood, and grant them blessed children, long ages and prosperous life in this life and after.”
Is Feminism Fair to Everyone?
- Is it fair to the Church?
- The feminist movement disregards all of what we mentioned and calls the church unfair and oppressive to women, when we clearly see that the women were not oppressed, just given different roles.
- The feminist movement is UNFAIR to the church.
- Is it fair to Men?
- The feminist movement tries to bring men down. It tries to strip them of their positions and take them from them. It doesn’t call for laws to be applied equally to men and women for example in issues of child custody and child support.
- Pushes Men to crave power and authority back.
- Pushes men to be more feminine and this pushes them to homosexuality and transgenderism.
- The feminist movement is UNFAIR to men.
- Is it fair to Women?
- It is not even fair to women (aka the ones they want to “fight” for).
- It makes others believe that everything offends women.
- The feminist movement forces all women to believe and follow all of their ideas and initiatives. If a woman does not believe in one of their ideas or movements, they are quick to go off on her and say that she is against them and does not support them. For example, a woman who does not believe in abortion will instantly be ‘canceled’ and labeled a non-supporter of feminism and of women in general. How is that fair?
- Feminists look down on women who want the traditional roles of staying home to raise their children.
- Feminism is UNFAIR even to their own- women.
Conclusion
- In spite of the great strides and ground gained by the original women’s movement, feminists still believe they are of much less value than males in society. However, the same can be argued for the opposite side: men get longer sentences in jail for the same crimes than women. Men are defamed more in many aspects such as social and political. Feminism doesn’t have to do with equality, and as we talked about is NOT fair to everyone.
- Remind yourself of the definition of fair, is this “movement” free from self-interest and partiality? No, it is only worried about the women that support every aspect of the movement, but completely disregards males, the church, and other women who may have issues with some of their initiatives/views.
- “Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as women came from man, even so, man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.” (1 Corinthians 11:11-12)