The Most Dangerous “-ism”?

I’m standing in Home Depot with my husband. A couple stand near us in an open area of carpet and fixtures. She says to him in a flat, no-nonsense voice, “Put your phone away.” He immediately obeys.

I stared. Stunned. Stunned to see a woman treat her husband this way. (I would have been stunned to see a man do this to his wife, too.) It is a stark reflection of our cultural current. We ride on the wave of the “-ism” above all other isms begging reconsideration in light of the Ancient Paths: feminism.

Feminism has drenched our thinking for the last 50-plus years, influencing every area of society. It has taken up residence in our homes, in our halls of power, and in our churches where it sits comfortably on the pews beside us, barely noticed.

But is feminism on the ancient path, the “good way” of God? We know God created all people to be valuable and worthy of respect in His sight. Is feminism just an expression of this? Or is it a destructive departure from God’s way?

I would argue that in feminism we’ve been given a false solution to sometimes very genuine concerns, but a solution that leads us away from God’s way and into other and bigger problems.

If you are surprised by this topic, interested in it, or annoyed by it, I want to hear your voice, and I ask you to be patient with an idea that needs more than one blog to develop. For today, just a look at this question: How is feminism destructive?

~ It undermines the value of womanhood, of femininity, of uniquely feminine contributions to the world by diminishing their importance in the feminist paradigm.

~ It offers tacit admission that men, after all, ARE superior. Women emulating men, as a way to achieve value, tells women men are better, and that uniquely feminine gifts are of lesser significance.

~ It has made disdain for men palatable, barely a giggle, nothing of import. (Take note of commercials and sitcoms.)

~ It eschews marriage, homemaking, having children, or having more than one or two children.

~ It urges young women to be strong, smart, powerful, taking on adjectives that were once more the province of men. Nothing wrong with women being smart and strong, but rarely are values of modesty, gentleness, or kindness championed.

The world loses so much in this transfer. Women lose the truest expressions of self. Men lose helpmates and respect. Children lose well-functioning families. Homes, churches, and communities lose healthy forms of male leadership.

I hope you will chew on these thoughts a bit. Share your thoughts. Then stay tuned for a post on “Understanding Feminism,” which both sympathizes with, and critiques, feminism’s roots.