I was watching Glenn Beck last week on CNN and he was at a summit in Florida for secular Muslims who are trying to reform Islam and make it into a more tolerant faith. I have had conversations with secular Muslims in the past, so the idea that there are moderate Muslims trying to change things was no surprise to me. One of the interviews was with a young girl (around 23 if I'm not mistaken) who has been an outspoken leader in the reformation movement. She also happened to be a lesbian.
Scripture does not permit me to share the woman's sexual values, but I couldn't help but admire the woman's courage. Just for speaking out against the oppression of women by people of her faith, she has received numerous death threats, including threats of bodily mutilation-and yet she still did the interview despite the threats. I think that Christians can take a valuable lesson from this courageous young woman. We should be just as willing to sacrifice our personal security and comfort for the cause of Christ.
One thing the woman said I thought was profound. The reason why she receives so many threats by Muslim men is because she shows them that a woman can actually have a mind. Her point was that the root of oppression for women is based on the idea that women are sex objects and have little to offer in terms of intellectual value. When women speak up and show that they actually have an intellect, insecure men are threatened and the only thing they can do about it is to assert their sexual power over them-hence the threats.
Jesus would agree. When Martha challenged Jesus for why He allowed Mary to sit and listen to His teaching while she was doing her domestic duties, Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part. In His day, that was a revolutionary concept-the fact that women could actually learn.
Jesus stood up for women's rights, and so should we. I find it odd that secular Muslims are getting the message out while many Christians are sitting on the sidelines.
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2 comments:
Aaron,
I think that while this girl may have some truth in some of the things she has said, my opinion is that there are a good number of these threats coming from people who aren't angered because she is a woman, but because she is bringing shame to their faith by proclaiming her homosexuality. I would likewise have a problem with a homosexual "Christian" telling me what the church should be like, although I obviously wouldn't hate the person or threaten them. I would question whether this woman is really doing this for the gain of her "God" or if she is doing it for her own selfish gain. Either way, she is standing in the face of opposition and that does take....intestinal fortitude.
As far as christianity and women goes, it seems that there is a fine line between sexism and feminism that is where we should be, but we're not there yet. I think that the Bible is fairly clear on the roles of men and women and that those roles aren't at all demeaning to either sex. The history of man put overly aggressive males in the right by twisting scripture and the Feminist Movement has done just the opposite. I would, however, like to point out that Christians seem to be closer than most other religions. We have our Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer, and Darlene whatever her last name is ( Hillsong singer...I can't spell her last name ) types. I think that within those three names you can find why women's views, thoughts, and gifts are needed in the church as well as some of the problems incurred when "Woman Power" goes to the head. Don't get me wrong, men in power can and have gone on power trips just as easily and that is every bit as wrong. What I guess I'm saying, is that it is important to think about whether we are putting someone in a position because they have a pure heart and a zeal for God's will to be done, not because of what they are contributing to their specific sex.
Pete
I appreciate your thoughts. Don't have time to comment on them though. Have to run to a meeting. I agree that there is a fine line between sexism and feminism, although, I think we have to be careful how we define feminism. We often forget that feminism was originally a Christian movement (started by the Quakers to be exact). The movement has been radicalized, but that is true of just about every movement under the planet.
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