I have enough experience being close to death, and bearly living, knowing I'll get through. If I've done that, I really can do anything.
What is my desired destination? To see women truly valued, equally, with the same privilege of autonomy and having the locus of control for their lives and willpower in their own hands. A woman should feel free to choose who she shall love, how she shall love them and not be told that her desires are masculine and ungodly if she decides and pursues those things that she wants to see. As if initiative is manly.
For me, the crux of the matter is 1 Timothy 2:12 where Paul seems to say women are not allowed to preach/teach men. This is however destructive to not only the progress of God's kingdom, but also to marriages, family, friendship groups, basically anywhere that men and women interact. If men have authority over women but women do not have authority over men, this is where the trouble starts.
Part of why it's a big deal is that there are women who have succumbed to the belief that they are meant to play second fiddle to men as if God ordained it himself. We are insidiously indoctrinated to believe that our lives revolve around men and that men are the "number ones", the "stars", the "lead actors" of life and we are the "supporting roles".
Another reason is for all the men who benevolently believe that by patronizing women, "allowing" women to hold positions of power, or have moments of authority, or giving their blessing to preach "this or that time", or providing their "covering", that they are fulfilling some God-given role of approving of women. These men need a wake-up call and a get well soon card.
Yeah, you read that right. Get well soon. The world so dearly needs you to. But I digress.
This week I have decided to be Egalitarian. Truly. I have been indoctrinated with Complementarianism so it's an undo it yourself process, and disentangle myself. I believe I was mainly influenced by Egalitarian beliefs growing up so to be told I'm Feminist is quite a shock to me. When one is Egalitarian there really isn't a need for Feminism. Everybody is equally valued, so there is no need to bring in the heavyweights to balance things out. However we're still not balanced yet, so it's time to bring in the heavyweights and get this thing right.
For the record, freedom songs like the one above, are only necessary when there is an abuse/imbalance of power. Just think about that.
If we were all free, we wouldn't need freedom songs.
'Until we are all free, we are none of us free.' Emma Lazarus
