Relationships Of Welcome, Not Fear (Re: How Sexist Christian Views Marginalize and Isolate Adult, Single Women and Maintain Other Stereotypes About Adult Singles)
(Link): Relationships Of Welcome, Not Fear
Some male commentator left a reply under this post at Missio Alliance that I had to reply to, so I left a reply for him there. He was basically arguing against everything the author was saying in her page.
It’s amazing how weak and sexist some Christians are that they would rather keep upholding nasty stereotypes and views and practices that stigmatize single women than do what Jesus role modeled, which was talk to women and include them.
Not only are these views insulting towards adult single women, but toward males in general, and they are unbiblical.
These views are premised not just on the insulting assumption of un-married women being easy harlots who are just dying and eager to fall into bed with any and every married man they meet (even a middle aged, balding, fatso who is not good looking), but they assume that all or most men lack sexual self control, even though the Bible teaches that people have sexual self control.
This stereotype also assumes only MEN cheat and have affairs, and that only MEN want and enjoy sex. Wrong! I have many blogs posts with examples of married women who had affairs on their husbands.
Christians also teach out of the other side of their face that getting married makes a person immune from sexual sin, because, supposedly, the married person is getting his (or her) sexual needs met. (This is one reason why a lot of evangelical Christians tend to think of single adults as horny horn dogs who sleep around all over the place.)
Also, that some Christians let their guards down at times and admit, via these dopey, insulting pages warning married men to avoid single women because married men are prone to cheating goes to show that
- 1. you don’t have to become perfect and godly before God will send you a spouse (which is sometimes a view taught by some Christians)
- and
- 2. that being married does not make a person more godly, mature, or ethical than being single
I’ve blogged on this topic before (see links at the bottom of this post).
(Link): Relationships Of Welcome, Not Fear
Excerpts (if you want to read the entire thing, please use the link above; I am only presenting a few excerpts here):
- JULY 16, 2014 | BY: KARINA KREMINSKI
Sometimes I feel like I live in my own little bubble far far away from certain debates and discussions that plague church circles. When I do read some of those discussions through social media, the effect it often has on me is one of experiencing sheer puzzlement.
This happened again as I randomly came across and read two articles on social media within a short space of each other. One was called (Link): 5 Things Every Married Man should do around Single Women and the other was called (Link): Avoid any Hint.
Granted, the articles could apply to both genders but they were written by men and the implication in the content was more around the matter of how men must deal with that pesky, recurring issue of women in their lives.
According to the articles, in order to avoid potential problems with women, men should for example, ‘keep eye contact simple and short’, ‘Not go to lunch alone with the opposite sex’, and ‘Keep conversation general and professional’. I was utterly bemused.
Is this how most people view the relationship between men and women?
Are we as Christian leaders teaching this kind of thing in our churches? Can’t anyone see the problems around thinking in this way?
And more importantly; is this the direction that the church wants to go regarding our vision for ministry? Is this the kind of attitude which truly embodies the radical values of the kingdom of God for witness to our world?
… A Premise Of Fear
… It Marginalises Women Further
I am aware that the cautions and rules in the articles mentioned can apply to both genders.
However, many articles like these are written by men and the rules and cautions such as these mentioned are implemented by men who are mostly the ones in positions of power in churches and other institutions.
The effect that this has is that it marginalises women further as men exert their power however unintentionally, to isolate women. If men are being told to practice avoiding eye contact or the implication is to be fearful in connecting with women, then women will continually be viewed as the problem to be pushed to the side and will be further isolated from being fully involved in the life and ministry of the church. Less ministry opportunities are given to women in this kind of atmosphere.
… Impedes Building Healthy Male/Female Relationships
… Here Are 4 Things That Ministry Leaders Can Do To Help Build Welcoming Relationships Between Men And Women:
If you want to read the author’s suggestiona, and the rest of the page’s content, please click here
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Related posts:
(Link): The Islamic Billy Graham Rule – Unmarried Muslim People Are Punished For Being Alone Together
(Link): Affairs Don’t Start with Texts – via guest authors at Tim’s blog
(Link): Discipling Healthy Male/Female Relationships in the Church Part 1 by Wendy Alsup
(Link): Non-Romantic Nearness, The Billy Graham Rule, and Pope John Paul’s Friendship With a Married Woman
(Link): Brotherly Love: Christians and Male-Female Friendships
(Link): Why So Much Fornication – Because Christians Have No Expectation of Sexual Purity
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