The Prodigal Prophet dropped in on my last post to say this:"Often the poor ladies suffer at the hands of authoritarian men who'd have a hard time with Yeshua's liberating view on women."
I appreciate his words and am going to link an old post in honor of him.
People of the Spirit Wind
There is so much freedom in Christ that we are denied by the commandments of men who falsely think they have the mind of Christ.
Showing posts with label Freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom. Show all posts
Monday, November 19, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
My Prediction Concerning Driscoll on 9/9/09
Back in the day, it seemed that there weren't very many people talking about Driscoll and the abusive nature of his doctrine and attitudes on authority and women.
I did find one really good friend and we spoke back and forth quite a bit on her blog Freedom For Captives Blog. We were comparing notes on a particular thread and I compared Driscoll to a former pastor (This man is now divorced, no longer pastoring, unrepentant, and blames everyone else for his own failings). I compare watching Driscoll and his shenanigans to watching an impending train wreck.
I will link the prediction below. But first, a note. Even though things look pretty bad for Driscoll, this doesn't mean it's the beginning of the end for him. He could slip through this somehow and land on his feet. But he won't be able to do it forever, not as long as he insists on riding the rails he has chosen.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
The Good News in the Face of Hate
I went to youtube to find some sort of uplifting video to share after my particularly negative previous post. I was actually looking for one in particular that goes through and lists the negative things historic men have said against women through the ages and then God's response in His word set to music.
It was an uplifting video even though it is honest about misogyny through the ages.
Well, I couldn't find it.
So, instead, I'm going to post a link to Cheryl's testimony of the opposition against her ministry, not by men, but by a woman who is misogynous (yes, they exist). It's sad to see the lengths people will go to oppose women. But it is also good to see the truth triumph in the end.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Freedom of Ideas
Okay, I had lost a blog post that I wanted to link here a few days ago. I was getting ready to look for it, but is found me by linking one of my blog posts. Boy, does that make life easier.
Sallie Borrink points out how the Internet has helped women find their freedom.
I would add that the internet has helped countless silenced women find their God-given voices.
Here is one of my favorite verses in the Psalms.
Psalm 68:11 The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
Could it be that, besides referring to the time it was written, that this verse could also be looking forward to this day when a great host of women are actually given the opportunity to proclaim good tiding through the power of technology?
I've heard grumblings from some men that are not happy about this new found freedom that women have. I've heard grumbling and shamings from certain men who don't want women to have so much freedom. These men fear the freedom of their women. Otherwise, why would thy work so hard to bring women under the bondage of religions and legalism?
Yet, God has called us to freedom.
And one of the good tidings that women are proclaiming is:
GOD DOES NOT FAVOR MEN OVER WOMEN. God is not the author of the injustices that certain men have done against women in His name. The hierarchy that certain men have been enforcing over women is based in the traditions of men and have nothing to do with the heart of God.
This is good news. These are good tidings of great joy.
When some men make it their ministry and life work to tell women to sit down and shut up in church or anywhere, they are NOT speaking with authority from God. They are bullying from their own broken and deceitful hearts. And we don't have to listen to them. The voice of a stranger, we shall not follow (John 10:5). We will follow the voice of the Shepherd who, for freedom's sake, set us free. (Gal 5:1)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Traumatized By Ephesians Five?
For my readers still suffering from PTSD from having Ephesians five shoved down their throats, let me tell you the reading assignment I'd give you if you asked me for one.
I'd say, read Ephesians chapters 1-4, skip 5, and if you are okay with chapter 6, read it. If chapter 6 also causes a degree of PTSD then skip 6 as well.
Now some would scream that I'm not respecting the family or the Bible or whatever by giving such advice. All I'll respond with is this. If I read all of Ephesians minus chapter 5 half a dozen times, it still wouldn't make up for the hundreds of times I've hear messages from chapter 5 while the teacher ignored the rest of the book. So in suggesting such a reading assignment, I'm not negating any part of the Bible. I'm simply bringing balance to an area so far out of balance in so many circle it is sick.
I knew a woman so traumatized by the word "submit" that if she saw it in completely innocent places like, "please submit paperwork to..." she'd have a panic attack. This is how bad it has gotten. And I'd really like people who have been traumatized to gain some benefit from the incredible book of Ephesians.
However, if just the word "Ephesians" traumatizes you, then you are better off reading Galatians, over and over, until God reveals to you the liberty that Paul is trying to get across.
One other little note on Ephesians 5 & 6:
As I've noted, neo-patriarchy and CBMW are hard at work creating an image and 'single story' of womanhood that strips women of being Deborahs (leaders), Huldahs (prophets/preacher/teachers), or Junias (apostle/elder). Their version of womanhood makes women small, weak, and helpless. This is wrong and not in keeping with how Christ handles his bride. First He gives his Bride all authority (check out Retha's link below). And according to Ephesians 6, he arms her to the teeth. This is a far cry from what Patriarchs and CBMWers do. They are too busy disarming and discouraging their women to see what they should be doing, what Christ does, arming and empowering.
http://biblicalpersonhood.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/authority-is-for-sharing/
I'd say, read Ephesians chapters 1-4, skip 5, and if you are okay with chapter 6, read it. If chapter 6 also causes a degree of PTSD then skip 6 as well.
Now some would scream that I'm not respecting the family or the Bible or whatever by giving such advice. All I'll respond with is this. If I read all of Ephesians minus chapter 5 half a dozen times, it still wouldn't make up for the hundreds of times I've hear messages from chapter 5 while the teacher ignored the rest of the book. So in suggesting such a reading assignment, I'm not negating any part of the Bible. I'm simply bringing balance to an area so far out of balance in so many circle it is sick.
I knew a woman so traumatized by the word "submit" that if she saw it in completely innocent places like, "please submit paperwork to..." she'd have a panic attack. This is how bad it has gotten. And I'd really like people who have been traumatized to gain some benefit from the incredible book of Ephesians.
However, if just the word "Ephesians" traumatizes you, then you are better off reading Galatians, over and over, until God reveals to you the liberty that Paul is trying to get across.
One other little note on Ephesians 5 & 6:
As I've noted, neo-patriarchy and CBMW are hard at work creating an image and 'single story' of womanhood that strips women of being Deborahs (leaders), Huldahs (prophets/preacher/teachers), or Junias (apostle/elder). Their version of womanhood makes women small, weak, and helpless. This is wrong and not in keeping with how Christ handles his bride. First He gives his Bride all authority (check out Retha's link below). And according to Ephesians 6, he arms her to the teeth. This is a far cry from what Patriarchs and CBMWers do. They are too busy disarming and discouraging their women to see what they should be doing, what Christ does, arming and empowering.
http://biblicalpersonhood.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/authority-is-for-sharing/
Monday, June 6, 2011
Human Structures in Review
We have spent three months on human structures.
In March we looked at Job, false structures and started talking about order vs chaos or Apollonian vs Dionysian and even touched on yin/yang.
In April we looked at the Wild at Heart phenomenon and how it has affected the church and perpetuated a not always female friendly male vs female structure. We also looked at the tiny boxes or structures that small-minded men build for women using religion to beat them into down into those boxes.
In May, we looked at big-hearted men and contrasted the loving freedom they offer to women with the limiting, restrictive structures that small mind men uphold for their sisters. We also did a rather long series on Chimananda Adichie's "Single Story" and how this applied to human structure.
Perhaps I've spend an inordinate amount of time on human structures. If so, it is only because I want people to start discerning the existence of these human structures and begin to hold them up to the light of scripture in order to debunk the false structures.
But this month, the lovely month of June, we will turn our attention on some of the ways that God structures things and how they differ from human structures.
And here I will leave you a verse.
Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
Vs 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, SO are My ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
In March we looked at Job, false structures and started talking about order vs chaos or Apollonian vs Dionysian and even touched on yin/yang.
In April we looked at the Wild at Heart phenomenon and how it has affected the church and perpetuated a not always female friendly male vs female structure. We also looked at the tiny boxes or structures that small-minded men build for women using religion to beat them into down into those boxes.
In May, we looked at big-hearted men and contrasted the loving freedom they offer to women with the limiting, restrictive structures that small mind men uphold for their sisters. We also did a rather long series on Chimananda Adichie's "Single Story" and how this applied to human structure.
Perhaps I've spend an inordinate amount of time on human structures. If so, it is only because I want people to start discerning the existence of these human structures and begin to hold them up to the light of scripture in order to debunk the false structures.
But this month, the lovely month of June, we will turn our attention on some of the ways that God structures things and how they differ from human structures.
And here I will leave you a verse.
Isaiah 55:8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
Vs 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, SO are My ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
The Single Story and Religion
If you recall from the talk Chimananda Adichie gave that was linked here Friday, May 2oth, she spoke of being relegated to a Single Story by her American University roommate. The roommate kept thinking certain things about Chimananda because she came from Africa. Chimananda kept surprising her roommate with the many stories that Chimananda really had.
It was difficult for the roommate to see past the Single Story in her mind, but eventually she had to come to terms with Chimananda's many stories. Fortunately for them both, the "African" Single Story that Americans tend to believe is not backed up by religion and "Thus saith the Lord." So adjustments can be made to accommodate Chimananda's many stories.
Women oppressed by "Biblical Womanhood" have a much harder row to hoe because the Single Story that is written there comes along with, "And if you don't accept this as Gospel and God's Divine Order, you are displeasing to God."
Opposing the Single Story of Biblical Womanhood is considered the same as opposing God. Those in power have written this into the Story. Some even back up the Story with hellfire and brimstone holding a woman's very salvation hostage to the Story.
This is why it is so difficult to get women trapped in the Single Story to see the freedom that lies outside that story and in the many stories of God, the Bible, and what is written concerning His dealings with women.
But more people are talking. More men and women are telling their stories. Hopefully God will bless those still trapped in the Single story with ears to hear more stories from the Bible.
It was difficult for the roommate to see past the Single Story in her mind, but eventually she had to come to terms with Chimananda's many stories. Fortunately for them both, the "African" Single Story that Americans tend to believe is not backed up by religion and "Thus saith the Lord." So adjustments can be made to accommodate Chimananda's many stories.
Women oppressed by "Biblical Womanhood" have a much harder row to hoe because the Single Story that is written there comes along with, "And if you don't accept this as Gospel and God's Divine Order, you are displeasing to God."
Opposing the Single Story of Biblical Womanhood is considered the same as opposing God. Those in power have written this into the Story. Some even back up the Story with hellfire and brimstone holding a woman's very salvation hostage to the Story.
This is why it is so difficult to get women trapped in the Single Story to see the freedom that lies outside that story and in the many stories of God, the Bible, and what is written concerning His dealings with women.
But more people are talking. More men and women are telling their stories. Hopefully God will bless those still trapped in the Single story with ears to hear more stories from the Bible.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Strong Men, Jon Zens
Jon Zens has worked since 2001 to help women out of the sex trade and has seen the destruction that patriarchy has wrecked on the lives of women and girls in the Christianity and noted the parallels between them.
He is disturbed by the trend of Neo-Patriarchy that is laying siege against the truth of freedom in Christ. And he has raised his voice along with other men against the abuses he has seen perpetrated in the name of Jesus Christ.
Besides speaking out and having an Internet presence, Jon Zens has written a book called, "No Will of My Own (How Patriarchy Smothers Female Dignity and Personhood)".
There is an article at the link below concerning Jon Zens and his book. And linked in the article is an interview with Cindy and Jocelyn about the book on Blog Talk Radio.
http://undermuchgrace.blogspot.com/2011/05/jon-zens-talks-about-his-new-book-no.html
Thank you, Jon Zens, for being my brother and a brother to those in the sex trade and those oppressed by patriarchy in the 21st century church.
He is disturbed by the trend of Neo-Patriarchy that is laying siege against the truth of freedom in Christ. And he has raised his voice along with other men against the abuses he has seen perpetrated in the name of Jesus Christ.
Besides speaking out and having an Internet presence, Jon Zens has written a book called, "No Will of My Own (How Patriarchy Smothers Female Dignity and Personhood)".
There is an article at the link below concerning Jon Zens and his book. And linked in the article is an interview with Cindy and Jocelyn about the book on Blog Talk Radio.
http://undermuchgrace.blogspot.com/2011/05/jon-zens-talks-about-his-new-book-no.html
Thank you, Jon Zens, for being my brother and a brother to those in the sex trade and those oppressed by patriarchy in the 21st century church.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Strong Men, I.C.
Yep, you read it right. I.C. because I don't know his name. But he has a blog and I was made aware of it through Lewis's blog.
A certain fellow by the name of Spencer came to Lewis's blog one day, and was determined to set us all straight on the clear Biblical teaching of female subordination and the need for tactics for fathers to control their rebellious daughters.
I.C. wrote an open letter to Spencer on his own blog, and I'll tell ya. I.C.'s anger and indignation was not unlike Jesus going into the temple with a whip and chasing out the money changers. Jesus said that God's house was to be a house of prayer but men were making it a den of thieves.
This is what is going on in sections of Christianity. There a thieves who are stealing freedom from others. Jesus said that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. But the thieves have exchanged the truth for a lie, labeled it 'biblical' and even called it 'clearly scriptural'. And the lie has brought deep bondage into the lives of women.
With the same zeal that Jesus drove out the money changers, I.C. set about to boldly confront a truth exchanger who is seduced by the lies of patriarchy.
The truth exchangers pretend to be brothers, and even in a sense may be Christian brothers. But they are very misled brothers like my sister-in-law's bio brother who didn't know how to be an actual brother. (May 9th post)
I.C.. along with Lewis, knows how to be a true brother, a defender of women against the thieves who are out to steal freedom in Jesus. It's exciting for me to see men who are strong and love women with the love of the Lord rather than with the love of gaining seats of honor for themselves.
You can read I.C.'s open response to Spencer here and take comfort in his zeal for our freedom.
http://incongruouscircumspection.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-open-response-to-spencer.html
A certain fellow by the name of Spencer came to Lewis's blog one day, and was determined to set us all straight on the clear Biblical teaching of female subordination and the need for tactics for fathers to control their rebellious daughters.
I.C. wrote an open letter to Spencer on his own blog, and I'll tell ya. I.C.'s anger and indignation was not unlike Jesus going into the temple with a whip and chasing out the money changers. Jesus said that God's house was to be a house of prayer but men were making it a den of thieves.
This is what is going on in sections of Christianity. There a thieves who are stealing freedom from others. Jesus said that you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. But the thieves have exchanged the truth for a lie, labeled it 'biblical' and even called it 'clearly scriptural'. And the lie has brought deep bondage into the lives of women.
With the same zeal that Jesus drove out the money changers, I.C. set about to boldly confront a truth exchanger who is seduced by the lies of patriarchy.
The truth exchangers pretend to be brothers, and even in a sense may be Christian brothers. But they are very misled brothers like my sister-in-law's bio brother who didn't know how to be an actual brother. (May 9th post)
I.C.. along with Lewis, knows how to be a true brother, a defender of women against the thieves who are out to steal freedom in Jesus. It's exciting for me to see men who are strong and love women with the love of the Lord rather than with the love of gaining seats of honor for themselves.
You can read I.C.'s open response to Spencer here and take comfort in his zeal for our freedom.
http://incongruouscircumspection.blogspot.com/2011/04/my-open-response-to-spencer.html
Monday, April 18, 2011
Not a Tame Lion
I'm pretty much winding down as far as talking about Eldredge's "Wild at Heart" except for a couple things.
One of the phrases that Eldredge uses is from C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia". Aslan, the representation of God in Narnia, is a lion which is symbolic of Jesus being the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. One of the things that is said about Aslan is that He is not a tame lion. And Eldredge uses this to refer to men, that like Aslan, men were not created to be tamed and controlled by culture and civilization.
The saying about Aslan was that He was not tame, as in controlled. But He was good. Very, very good. And Eldredge uses this to call men to be their own wild and free selves, yet to remember that they are to be good in this deliriously wild freedom.
I have difficulty with this, not because Eldredge tells men they don't have to be 'tame' and controllable but rather that the implication that can be picked up is that women ARE to be tame and controlled. Whereas men can represent themselves in God's image as a lion, women are left to represent God as lambs. And this is a completely false correlation. Both lions and lambs come in male and female versions.
Jesus is referred to as both a lion and a lamb. Both men and women are referred to as sheep in the Bible. And both men and women can think of themselves as being as bold as lions when they walk in the righteousness of Christ.
Certain men, with itching ears, do not have the right to claim "lion" status for themselves while relegating women to "lamb" status. Men who do this are creating false structures that nature, God's own creation, witnesses against.
I'm not a tame lion either. I'm not subjugated and controlled by the men and culture of this earth. I run wild in the lioness freedom that Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, my older Brother... I run wild in the Spirit Wind freedom that He bought me. And I'm not going to let arrogant little whelps tell me any different. Those that try to take my lion status away in order to give me a lesser role are preaching a different gospel.
Now, after this rant, you may think that I really do hate Eldredge's book. But I don't. I only hate what others have done with it and how they have misused it. The next post is about the good in his book and why my love for it eventually does win out over my frustration.
One of the phrases that Eldredge uses is from C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia". Aslan, the representation of God in Narnia, is a lion which is symbolic of Jesus being the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. One of the things that is said about Aslan is that He is not a tame lion. And Eldredge uses this to refer to men, that like Aslan, men were not created to be tamed and controlled by culture and civilization.
The saying about Aslan was that He was not tame, as in controlled. But He was good. Very, very good. And Eldredge uses this to call men to be their own wild and free selves, yet to remember that they are to be good in this deliriously wild freedom.
I have difficulty with this, not because Eldredge tells men they don't have to be 'tame' and controllable but rather that the implication that can be picked up is that women ARE to be tame and controlled. Whereas men can represent themselves in God's image as a lion, women are left to represent God as lambs. And this is a completely false correlation. Both lions and lambs come in male and female versions.
Jesus is referred to as both a lion and a lamb. Both men and women are referred to as sheep in the Bible. And both men and women can think of themselves as being as bold as lions when they walk in the righteousness of Christ.
Certain men, with itching ears, do not have the right to claim "lion" status for themselves while relegating women to "lamb" status. Men who do this are creating false structures that nature, God's own creation, witnesses against.
I'm not a tame lion either. I'm not subjugated and controlled by the men and culture of this earth. I run wild in the lioness freedom that Jesus, the Lion and the Lamb, my older Brother... I run wild in the Spirit Wind freedom that He bought me. And I'm not going to let arrogant little whelps tell me any different. Those that try to take my lion status away in order to give me a lesser role are preaching a different gospel.
Now, after this rant, you may think that I really do hate Eldredge's book. But I don't. I only hate what others have done with it and how they have misused it. The next post is about the good in his book and why my love for it eventually does win out over my frustration.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
No Yoke of Slavery for You
Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Why did Christ set us free? For the sake of freedom.
Note, this is gender inclusive. This isn't just freedom for men, but for women also. There is no pink and blue freedom, different kinds of freedom for whatever gender you are.
This is radical, Spirit Wind freedom that we must continue to stand in and defend.
Paul warns them and us against subjecting ourselves to a yoke of slavery. He warns us against the teachings that say the works of the flesh earn us God's favor.
Yet there is much teaching about submitting and subjecting in the church today concerning women. Who is teaching it? Fearful men who are afraid of radically free women.
Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
But all preachers don't preach the truth. Some preachers preach the lie of patriarchy that sucks away freedom from people and makes them people of the Law rather that people of the Spirit Wind. Some preachers preach rigid roles and rules for individuals, legalism. And these preachers suck the life and wind right out of individuals.
No, Paul says to stand firm in our freedom and to not subject ourselves again to a yoke of slavery. We don't have to listen to those preachers any more. The truth in not in them.
John 8:36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
Why did Christ set us free? For the sake of freedom.
Note, this is gender inclusive. This isn't just freedom for men, but for women also. There is no pink and blue freedom, different kinds of freedom for whatever gender you are.
This is radical, Spirit Wind freedom that we must continue to stand in and defend.
Paul warns them and us against subjecting ourselves to a yoke of slavery. He warns us against the teachings that say the works of the flesh earn us God's favor.
Yet there is much teaching about submitting and subjecting in the church today concerning women. Who is teaching it? Fearful men who are afraid of radically free women.
Jesus said, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
But all preachers don't preach the truth. Some preachers preach the lie of patriarchy that sucks away freedom from people and makes them people of the Law rather that people of the Spirit Wind. Some preachers preach rigid roles and rules for individuals, legalism. And these preachers suck the life and wind right out of individuals.
No, Paul says to stand firm in our freedom and to not subject ourselves again to a yoke of slavery. We don't have to listen to those preachers any more. The truth in not in them.
John 8:36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Bewitching Your Freedom Away
Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
vs 2 This is the one thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the words of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
vs 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Paul here is asking the People of the Wind why they have turned in their status of freedom in the Spirit to become prisoners of the Law.
Paul asks them who has bewitched them, who has cast a spell over them that they would trade in the radical Spirit Wind freedom that Jesus bought for them with His own blood... why would they trade this in for rules and regulations and oppressive structures of religion.
He wants to know how they received the Spirit in the first place. Was is by the sweat of their own brow? And if they did not receive this Freedom by the sweat of their own brow and the carrying of heavy burdens, when did they start thinking they had to start picking up heavy loads and tying them up on their backs?
Who was bewitching their freedoms away from them? Who was demanding that they submit to structures and orders that wound them and break them down?
And this is the question we have to ask ourselves. Who is sucking our freedom away with their doctrine. Who is trying to separate us from the Spirit and freedom we have in Christ?
Jesus said, "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."
Are the teachers you are listening to giving you rest? Or are they wearing you down with their obsession with certain structures?
Are the teachers you are listening to allowing you to be free in the Spirit Wind, or do they require you to be mired in the bog of their doctrine?
vs 2 This is the one thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the words of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
vs 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
Paul here is asking the People of the Wind why they have turned in their status of freedom in the Spirit to become prisoners of the Law.
Paul asks them who has bewitched them, who has cast a spell over them that they would trade in the radical Spirit Wind freedom that Jesus bought for them with His own blood... why would they trade this in for rules and regulations and oppressive structures of religion.
He wants to know how they received the Spirit in the first place. Was is by the sweat of their own brow? And if they did not receive this Freedom by the sweat of their own brow and the carrying of heavy burdens, when did they start thinking they had to start picking up heavy loads and tying them up on their backs?
Who was bewitching their freedoms away from them? Who was demanding that they submit to structures and orders that wound them and break them down?
And this is the question we have to ask ourselves. Who is sucking our freedom away with their doctrine. Who is trying to separate us from the Spirit and freedom we have in Christ?
Jesus said, "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."
Are the teachers you are listening to giving you rest? Or are they wearing you down with their obsession with certain structures?
Are the teachers you are listening to allowing you to be free in the Spirit Wind, or do they require you to be mired in the bog of their doctrine?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
People of the Spirit Wind
John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
This scripture is found in the same chapter and same conversation as the famous John 3:16 verse and where Jesus talks about being born again.
And if this verse doesn't speak of the freedom of God's people, I don't know what does. The wind blows where it wills. This is what the people who are born of the Spirit should be like. They are to be free.
This concept is extremely frightening to people who embrace rigid structure. This appears to be a frightening thought to many men when they think of their women, mothers, wives, daughters. What are they afraid of? That their women will abandon them? Fly away like the wind? No wonder some men feel compelled to control. They fear abandonment if their women are given 'too much' freedom.
It's funny. I never hear preachers preach on this verse. You hear about the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus about being born again and about God loving the world so much that He gave...
But who ever talks about those born of the Spirit and how they are like the wind?
Are there no messages about being as free as the wind because men are afraid people will be gone with the wind?
There is some concern over this. After all, wasn't it here, on this blog, that I linked a review for Wild at Heart by a woman whose husband read the book, then he was gone with the wind?
Yes. Radical freedom can be a frightening thing. Perhaps this is why preachers don't preach it. Perhaps this is why, instead of freedom and liberty for the captives, structure and roles and 'divine' order are taught. It's because of fear.
And people are being crushed under the weight of so much order keeping people in their places. People of the Spirit wind were not created to bear such heavy loads. You can't fly free when you are overburdened by structure and order.
People of the Spirit wind need to be released from the oppressive structures of religion so that they can mount up with eagles wings when they wait on the Lord.
This scripture is found in the same chapter and same conversation as the famous John 3:16 verse and where Jesus talks about being born again.
And if this verse doesn't speak of the freedom of God's people, I don't know what does. The wind blows where it wills. This is what the people who are born of the Spirit should be like. They are to be free.
This concept is extremely frightening to people who embrace rigid structure. This appears to be a frightening thought to many men when they think of their women, mothers, wives, daughters. What are they afraid of? That their women will abandon them? Fly away like the wind? No wonder some men feel compelled to control. They fear abandonment if their women are given 'too much' freedom.
It's funny. I never hear preachers preach on this verse. You hear about the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus about being born again and about God loving the world so much that He gave...
But who ever talks about those born of the Spirit and how they are like the wind?
Are there no messages about being as free as the wind because men are afraid people will be gone with the wind?
There is some concern over this. After all, wasn't it here, on this blog, that I linked a review for Wild at Heart by a woman whose husband read the book, then he was gone with the wind?
Yes. Radical freedom can be a frightening thing. Perhaps this is why preachers don't preach it. Perhaps this is why, instead of freedom and liberty for the captives, structure and roles and 'divine' order are taught. It's because of fear.
And people are being crushed under the weight of so much order keeping people in their places. People of the Spirit wind were not created to bear such heavy loads. You can't fly free when you are overburdened by structure and order.
People of the Spirit wind need to be released from the oppressive structures of religion so that they can mount up with eagles wings when they wait on the Lord.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
A Window Into My Soul
I have an Internet persona and keep my personal life very private. But for the sake of explaining the appeal of Wild At Heart to me personally, let me tell you about myself.
Even though I now live in the fertile prairies of the Heartland, I was not born here. I was born in one of the Plains states. It is rugged and wild country that I love. And most people not from that country have a hard time appreciating the beautiful, untamed, desolation of that area. John Eldredge is also from the wild country in Colorado. So when he described chasing a deer over that country, it set my heart on fire and made me remember my roots. They are roots that my friends from the Heartland, or the South, or the East Coast don't understand. My ancestors cut out an existence in those unforgiving plains. They went through the Dust Bowl for Pete's sake. They were strong and stoic and sometimes I get impatient with the spoiled heartland dwellers who have only known green and tamed terrain.
In my next post I'm going to link a Rich Mullin's song about the beauty of the plains. One of the lines goes like this, "How the Lord takes by its corners this old world and shakes us forward and shakes us free to run wild with the hope that this thirst will not last long that it will soon drown in a song not sung in vain." The state I was born in is listed in this song.
Rich was an anomaly. A Quaker boy born in the green, moist and tame Heartland wouldn't normally have an attraction to the desolate plains. But Rich did. He appreciated it and he wrote a song about it and about praising God that makes my heart sing. Funny. Other people are not nearly as stirred by that song as I still am.
Further back in my past, my family is from Denmark. Another rugged and desolate place of warriors and Vikings. Their men weren't just fierce, so were their women. They had to be to survive. I read a book that was made into a movie call "The Thirteenth Warrior" and was amazed at the feeling of affinity I had with some of the Viking thought processes. In the next post, along with the Rich Mullins link, I'll link an ancient sounding song with images from the old country which also touches a terrible deep place in me.
Why am I telling you this? I'm explaining the structures in my life, set up by my culture and my heritage that are not dissimilar to the structures in John Eldredge's life. But where he tries to make these structures into Biblical foundations, I know better. They are extra-biblical. This doesn't make them bad. I'm proud of my heritage. But these foundations are not Biblical. And they are not sturdy foundations to build a house of wild, spiritual, freedom on. The word of God is quick and active and sharper than any two edged sword and is able to cut between the soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12).
Hopefully, after the post with the song links, I can present Bible verses that promise us freedom. These verses ARE a firm foundation and are not someone else's culture and perspective. They are a spiritual foundation and aren't given to us to cancel out other people's cultural influences.
Even though I now live in the fertile prairies of the Heartland, I was not born here. I was born in one of the Plains states. It is rugged and wild country that I love. And most people not from that country have a hard time appreciating the beautiful, untamed, desolation of that area. John Eldredge is also from the wild country in Colorado. So when he described chasing a deer over that country, it set my heart on fire and made me remember my roots. They are roots that my friends from the Heartland, or the South, or the East Coast don't understand. My ancestors cut out an existence in those unforgiving plains. They went through the Dust Bowl for Pete's sake. They were strong and stoic and sometimes I get impatient with the spoiled heartland dwellers who have only known green and tamed terrain.
In my next post I'm going to link a Rich Mullin's song about the beauty of the plains. One of the lines goes like this, "How the Lord takes by its corners this old world and shakes us forward and shakes us free to run wild with the hope that this thirst will not last long that it will soon drown in a song not sung in vain." The state I was born in is listed in this song.
Rich was an anomaly. A Quaker boy born in the green, moist and tame Heartland wouldn't normally have an attraction to the desolate plains. But Rich did. He appreciated it and he wrote a song about it and about praising God that makes my heart sing. Funny. Other people are not nearly as stirred by that song as I still am.
Further back in my past, my family is from Denmark. Another rugged and desolate place of warriors and Vikings. Their men weren't just fierce, so were their women. They had to be to survive. I read a book that was made into a movie call "The Thirteenth Warrior" and was amazed at the feeling of affinity I had with some of the Viking thought processes. In the next post, along with the Rich Mullins link, I'll link an ancient sounding song with images from the old country which also touches a terrible deep place in me.
Why am I telling you this? I'm explaining the structures in my life, set up by my culture and my heritage that are not dissimilar to the structures in John Eldredge's life. But where he tries to make these structures into Biblical foundations, I know better. They are extra-biblical. This doesn't make them bad. I'm proud of my heritage. But these foundations are not Biblical. And they are not sturdy foundations to build a house of wild, spiritual, freedom on. The word of God is quick and active and sharper than any two edged sword and is able to cut between the soul and spirit (Hebrews 4:12).
Hopefully, after the post with the song links, I can present Bible verses that promise us freedom. These verses ARE a firm foundation and are not someone else's culture and perspective. They are a spiritual foundation and aren't given to us to cancel out other people's cultural influences.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Yearning For Freedom Part 2
Last week we looked at how certain present day men dealt with the desire to be right with God while at the same time, control their women, through religion. This week I want to touch briefly on some contemporaries of the Puritans who considered freedom as the right for all, including women.
The Quakers spearheaded the abolition movement and were among the first supporters of women's suffrage movement. The man who founded the Quakers was George Fox. He lived in the 1600s. Back in that day men disputed over whether or not women even had souls. One group held that women didn't have souls anymore that a goose did. Fox responds with the scripture where Mary the mother of Jesus proclaimed that her soul magnified the Lord. (Luke 1:46,47) http://trilogy.brynmawr.edu/speccoll/quakersandslavery/commentary/themes/radical_quaker_women.php
The Quaker movement allowed women a lot of freedom, even to the point of letting them be ministers. The Quakers were also severely hated by the Puritans.
http://www.she-died-twice.co.uk/quakers-in-england.htm
George Fox and the Quakers were more tolerant of freedom among women and slaves than the Puritans and were more interested in personal relationships with God. Where the Puritans were overly structured, the Quakers represented a more freeing version of Christianity, but not selectively so like the present day Only-Men-Can-Be-Wild-At-Heart bunch.
The Quakers spearheaded the abolition movement and were among the first supporters of women's suffrage movement. The man who founded the Quakers was George Fox. He lived in the 1600s. Back in that day men disputed over whether or not women even had souls. One group held that women didn't have souls anymore that a goose did. Fox responds with the scripture where Mary the mother of Jesus proclaimed that her soul magnified the Lord. (Luke 1:46,47) http://trilogy.brynmawr.edu/speccoll/quakersandslavery/commentary/themes/radical_quaker_women.php
The Quaker movement allowed women a lot of freedom, even to the point of letting them be ministers. The Quakers were also severely hated by the Puritans.
http://www.she-died-twice.co.uk/quakers-in-england.htm
George Fox and the Quakers were more tolerant of freedom among women and slaves than the Puritans and were more interested in personal relationships with God. Where the Puritans were overly structured, the Quakers represented a more freeing version of Christianity, but not selectively so like the present day Only-Men-Can-Be-Wild-At-Heart bunch.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I'm Not Alone/Order vs Chaos
I guess others on Blogger are also dealing with this paragraph crunching monster. I've had several suggestions and am going to try one today.
One of the overviews of the Order vs Chaos thinking within the church that I want to look at is the Puritan view. The Puritans and other like groups are rigid and structured and lean heavily on the need for order and light. They shun any disorder and unorthodox creativity as devious and dangerous. The witch trials would be and extreme example.
There is a reason the term Puritanical was coined. This way of thinking is so rigid and so oppressive that people wilted under it until they could handle it no more, then they rebelled, either internally or externally. Those that rebel are looked upon as evil, dark.
The order and structure becomes the god and is cemented as God's divine order.
Women are particularly feared in these systems by the men in charge because women often approach things differently. And instead of being given space for this, the men of these systems are threatened by this because it doesn't line up with their view of God's order. So anything different than the rigid structure is viewed as apostate. Any form of freedom, even freedom inspired by the Holy Spirit, is squashed.
I heard the story of a Mennonite woman who began to seek God and find freedom in her own home. She did nothing out of order concerning her sect, she just started getting happy in the Spirit and in the knowledge of Jesus. After a while the elders of the church became uncomfortable and went to the woman's husband and ordered him to bring his wife back into submission.
The good news to this story was that it was too late. The husband could see that what his wife was pursuing was of God and in fact had benefited from this freedom himself. He left that Mennonite church and took his family to one that was experiencing a revival.
Here is a post on No Longer Quivering about a gal who suffered from a marriage to a mentally unstable, rigid-structure thinker. The paragraph I'd like people to note is tenth from the bottom (believe me, it was easier to count that way).
[Also note that the husband in this story, with all his rigid structuring upon structure was really hiding a dark secret that he ultimately would not be able to hide or defeat with all his complicated structures.]
http://nolongerquivering.com/2011/03/25/justice-is-no-lady-chapter-5-in-pursuit-of-biblical-theology/
One of the overviews of the Order vs Chaos thinking within the church that I want to look at is the Puritan view. The Puritans and other like groups are rigid and structured and lean heavily on the need for order and light. They shun any disorder and unorthodox creativity as devious and dangerous. The witch trials would be and extreme example.
There is a reason the term Puritanical was coined. This way of thinking is so rigid and so oppressive that people wilted under it until they could handle it no more, then they rebelled, either internally or externally. Those that rebel are looked upon as evil, dark.
The order and structure becomes the god and is cemented as God's divine order.
Women are particularly feared in these systems by the men in charge because women often approach things differently. And instead of being given space for this, the men of these systems are threatened by this because it doesn't line up with their view of God's order. So anything different than the rigid structure is viewed as apostate. Any form of freedom, even freedom inspired by the Holy Spirit, is squashed.
I heard the story of a Mennonite woman who began to seek God and find freedom in her own home. She did nothing out of order concerning her sect, she just started getting happy in the Spirit and in the knowledge of Jesus. After a while the elders of the church became uncomfortable and went to the woman's husband and ordered him to bring his wife back into submission.
The good news to this story was that it was too late. The husband could see that what his wife was pursuing was of God and in fact had benefited from this freedom himself. He left that Mennonite church and took his family to one that was experiencing a revival.
Here is a post on No Longer Quivering about a gal who suffered from a marriage to a mentally unstable, rigid-structure thinker. The paragraph I'd like people to note is tenth from the bottom (believe me, it was easier to count that way).
[Also note that the husband in this story, with all his rigid structuring upon structure was really hiding a dark secret that he ultimately would not be able to hide or defeat with all his complicated structures.]
http://nolongerquivering.com/2011/03/25/justice-is-no-lady-chapter-5-in-pursuit-of-biblical-theology/
Monday, March 28, 2011
What I Said Was...
Since my last Blogger post is all messed up, I thought I'd repeat something here that is at the end of the previous crunched together post.
Apollonian is always about light, structure, order, and is always portrayed as male. Dionysian can be chaos and negative. Or it can be freedom from over structured repression making it good. And even though Dionysian is a man, he had some 'feminine qualities.
I've seen people claiming that anarchy is good and believe what they mean is freedom from oppressive rule. Dionysian can also be portrayed as nature loving and happy dancing out in the forest with flower garlands on their heads. This is also generally viewed as positive but can also be viewed as negative.
I'm saying all this to point out that Apollonian/Dionysian can be portrayed as order/chaos or oppression/freedom or structured/freestyle or stiff/creative or any other number of things. It really is all quite squishy and mailable in the hands of whoever wants to tell the story or use it for their own purposes.
And again, for the sake of labeling and understanding our world, these constructs aren't necessarily bad. But they are not suitable foundations for building doctrine. And this is what I want to get into in future posts.
Apollonian is always about light, structure, order, and is always portrayed as male. Dionysian can be chaos and negative. Or it can be freedom from over structured repression making it good. And even though Dionysian is a man, he had some 'feminine qualities.
I've seen people claiming that anarchy is good and believe what they mean is freedom from oppressive rule. Dionysian can also be portrayed as nature loving and happy dancing out in the forest with flower garlands on their heads. This is also generally viewed as positive but can also be viewed as negative.
I'm saying all this to point out that Apollonian/Dionysian can be portrayed as order/chaos or oppression/freedom or structured/freestyle or stiff/creative or any other number of things. It really is all quite squishy and mailable in the hands of whoever wants to tell the story or use it for their own purposes.
And again, for the sake of labeling and understanding our world, these constructs aren't necessarily bad. But they are not suitable foundations for building doctrine. And this is what I want to get into in future posts.
Order vs Chaos Recap
We've talked about order vs chaos here and I'd like to move on to more specific and general examples, but first feel the need to pull a couple things together and clarify something in particular.
We mentioned in the March 4th post the story of Job and how his friends tried to make sense of a situation that doesn't make sense and pointed out that it is human nature to try to do this. The story of Job happened long before the Greeks came along with their Apollo and Dionysus and even longer ago than when the terms and philosophy of Apollonian and Dionysian were coined by Nietzsche in the late 1800s.
Nietzsche was only labeling what he saw as the push and pull of the opposing forces that people have always seen like in Job's case. (We talked about the Philosophy in the March 7th post.)
We also compare the Apollonian and Dionysian concept to the concept of yin and yang in our March 12 th post. We talked about how sometimes good and bad are attributed to Apollonian or Dionysian or both or how they can just sort of balance each other and how this is pretty arbitrary and left to the discretion of the one who applies it.
One other thing I want to bring up is that, whereas Apollonian is nearly always about light and structure, Dionysian can be about either chaos and somewhat negative, or about freedom from restriction and even tyranny and this is always good. I've seen some people claim that anarchy is good, and it appears that what those people want is freedom from oppression.
Dionysian is also portrayed as nature loving, peace loving, all happy and dancing out in the forest with garlands on their heads. This is also viewed, generally, as positive. But just as much, it can be viewed as negative. I guess what I'm saying is that is it a bit mixed up. Apollonian/Dionysian can be viewed as, order/chaos or oppression/freedom or structure/freestyle or any other number of things. And again, for the sake of labeling and understanding our world, these things don't have to be viewed as anything more than description or light categorizing. But these thought processes are not a foundation on which to build doctrine. And this is what I'm wanting to deal with a bit in future posts.
We mentioned in the March 4th post the story of Job and how his friends tried to make sense of a situation that doesn't make sense and pointed out that it is human nature to try to do this. The story of Job happened long before the Greeks came along with their Apollo and Dionysus and even longer ago than when the terms and philosophy of Apollonian and Dionysian were coined by Nietzsche in the late 1800s.
Nietzsche was only labeling what he saw as the push and pull of the opposing forces that people have always seen like in Job's case. (We talked about the Philosophy in the March 7th post.)
We also compare the Apollonian and Dionysian concept to the concept of yin and yang in our March 12 th post. We talked about how sometimes good and bad are attributed to Apollonian or Dionysian or both or how they can just sort of balance each other and how this is pretty arbitrary and left to the discretion of the one who applies it.
One other thing I want to bring up is that, whereas Apollonian is nearly always about light and structure, Dionysian can be about either chaos and somewhat negative, or about freedom from restriction and even tyranny and this is always good. I've seen some people claim that anarchy is good, and it appears that what those people want is freedom from oppression.
Dionysian is also portrayed as nature loving, peace loving, all happy and dancing out in the forest with garlands on their heads. This is also viewed, generally, as positive. But just as much, it can be viewed as negative. I guess what I'm saying is that is it a bit mixed up. Apollonian/Dionysian can be viewed as, order/chaos or oppression/freedom or structure/freestyle or any other number of things. And again, for the sake of labeling and understanding our world, these things don't have to be viewed as anything more than description or light categorizing. But these thought processes are not a foundation on which to build doctrine. And this is what I'm wanting to deal with a bit in future posts.
Monday, February 28, 2011
The "Keep Sweet" Conspiracy
Before I get into this fully, I want to assure you all that I know there are many good men who do not fall into this conspiracy. There are several who comment at Suzanne's Bookshelf, the Equality Central Forum, and The Commandments of Men that refuse to tell women what they are supposed to feel and how they are supposed to react in the face of sin, abuse, and danger. These men allow women to be human and to be who God created them to be and refuse to pressure women into a "Keep Sweet" mold.
"Keep Sweet" was a favorite saying of Rulon Jeffs, former prophet of the FLDS sect. Rulon's son, Warren, in now in prison for various crimes, is the present prophet of the FLDS.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-king/keeping-sweet-in-san-ange_b_102774.html
Well, cults do what cults do. And it's not that I'm unconcerned for them, I am. But I'm also deeply concerned with the "keep sweet" doctrine entering into mainstream Christianity. I'm concerned with men, like Piper, who seem completely unaware of how their teachings are lining up more with the FLDS and other patriarchal groups than with Christianity. I'm concerned with them teaching a doctrine that brings bondage and plastic molding to women. I am concerned with the fact that these men are being deceived and believe they bring freedom. They don't. They are blind guides leading the blind.
My friend Waneta has come and left a comment under my last post and she said something I wish these men would realize. She said:
"their insistence that women be sweet, ends up making them despise women for their weakness. So no matter what they do, women do it wrong. If they are sweet, they are despised for weakness and taken advantage of. If they stand up for themselves, they are labeled with various 'sin' descriptions."
These men, quite frankly, created a no win situation for women. And then they call this lose/lose situation, the 'good news'.
It is not good news. It is not the gospel. It is bad news. And it would behoove them to quit embracing their sacred cows.
But they refuse to re-examine their positions because they are quite convinced they are right. They are self-righteous rather where they should be humble and teachable. But then, their doctrine teaches them that they are not to be taught by women, so they cannot hear the cries of the wounded abused. All they can offer is what Rulon and Warren Jeffs offered. A "keep sweet" conspiracy.
"Keep Sweet" was a favorite saying of Rulon Jeffs, former prophet of the FLDS sect. Rulon's son, Warren, in now in prison for various crimes, is the present prophet of the FLDS.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-king/keeping-sweet-in-san-ange_b_102774.html
Well, cults do what cults do. And it's not that I'm unconcerned for them, I am. But I'm also deeply concerned with the "keep sweet" doctrine entering into mainstream Christianity. I'm concerned with men, like Piper, who seem completely unaware of how their teachings are lining up more with the FLDS and other patriarchal groups than with Christianity. I'm concerned with them teaching a doctrine that brings bondage and plastic molding to women. I am concerned with the fact that these men are being deceived and believe they bring freedom. They don't. They are blind guides leading the blind.
My friend Waneta has come and left a comment under my last post and she said something I wish these men would realize. She said:
"their insistence that women be sweet, ends up making them despise women for their weakness. So no matter what they do, women do it wrong. If they are sweet, they are despised for weakness and taken advantage of. If they stand up for themselves, they are labeled with various 'sin' descriptions."
These men, quite frankly, created a no win situation for women. And then they call this lose/lose situation, the 'good news'.
It is not good news. It is not the gospel. It is bad news. And it would behoove them to quit embracing their sacred cows.
But they refuse to re-examine their positions because they are quite convinced they are right. They are self-righteous rather where they should be humble and teachable. But then, their doctrine teaches them that they are not to be taught by women, so they cannot hear the cries of the wounded abused. All they can offer is what Rulon and Warren Jeffs offered. A "keep sweet" conspiracy.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)