Recently, I saw an article here on Odyssey that has been swirling around on twitter titled, "I'm a Christian Girl And I'm Not A Feminist, Because God Did Not Intend for Women to Be Equals."
As a Christian Girl who IS a feminist, I have a critique for this article.
I'm all for freedom of speech and people having their own opinions, but the argument that this woman makes needs to be challenged. She asked for Feminists to back up their arguments and I have delivered.
Let me give you some background into my own religious story. I grew up in a very religious family, my dad is even a pastor of his own church, so you could say that I am relatively well versed when it comes to the Bible and Christian Beliefs. Not once was I told that I could never do anything a man couldn't. I had every capability of doing anything a man could, and I'm grateful that I was raised to have my own autonomy. That being said, I also grew up watching my Christian, feminist, single mother be the head of OUR household, and NOT submit to a husband. That did not make her evil, nor did it make her sinful in the eyes of God. She was my provider during this time and I wholeheartedly believe God intended me to grow up this way.
You can say I'm biased, but let's take a closer look into what arguments were made.
God Made Man First
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While this is true, God did make man before woman, God also recognizes that Adam needed a HELPER. Not a servant, not a sandwich maker, not a sex slave. A HELPER. "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." (Genesis 2.18 NKJV) Another key thing to note here is that comparable is written. Meaning that women are equal enough to be compared to men, they are parallel, different yes, but equal in importance just the same.
We Are to Submit to our Husbands
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I don't know how many of you know this, but not everybody has a husband. That's just a fact of life. However, something you might find interesting is that submit has two definitions. The first is the kind where we are under the authority of someone, and the other being subject to a particular process, treatment, or condition. Perhaps this is God telling us to let go of fears and EMOTIONALLY give yourself and your love to someone. As it is later stated in Ephesians 5 (NOT Proverbs BTW.) Husbands are meant to love their wives in return. (Also why aren't we calling out the men who left single mothers behind and not loving them?)
"Proverbs 31 Woman"
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What does this even mean, and why is it relevant? Proverbs 31 is about a prophecy the mother of King Lemuel, who we don't even know to be quite honest, had laid out for him. Not ONCE did Jesus utter these words, and why should it be up for interpretation as this book was not made by Jesus himself.
Women and Men are not equal in God's Eyes
First of all, how do we know? Second of all, I could have 5lbs of apples and I could have 5lbs of pears, and I would still have an EQUAL amount of each. Different things with different features that appeal to different people, but I still have an equal amount of each. Equality does not mean that we don't acknowledge differences, but rather we allow each other the same opportunities because when it comes down to it, we are all human beings, and for me personally, we are all children of God.
I love my church, I love God, and I love others just as I was taught. That does not mean it's my job to judge people, nor does it mean I need to shove my beliefs in their face. I also do not have to accept what each church tells me, the Bible has many different translations and is up for interpretation, who are we to decide which is the correct one? My faith does not restrict me from being my own individual, and trivial interpretations do not stop me from standing with and caring for my fellow women who are raped, molested, slut-shamed, sold, murdered, harassed, oppressed, beaten, and married off as children every day. Being a feminist is recognizing that women have the same fundamental rights as men, and are equal in the eyes of the law. Being a feminist is looking out for my fellow women. It is me loving my neighbor as I would love myself, next to loving God with my whole self.
To non-feminists and those that are, you are loved despite your differences. You are loved equally. Just like men and women should be.
