….but I’m not sure that’s possible, without starting a ruckus.
I’ve seen so many interesting things over the last few weeks, during my blogging break. So can I just leave a few of them here to share with you?
And if someone wants to talk about any of these, maybe we can do that, hopefully in a friendly fashion. I’m trying to navigate between having strong opinions on subjects that I think matter and desiring to be a peacemaker. But before I share these items, can I just ask if women who speak passionately on controversial issues are seen as somehow more divisive and more quarrelsome than men who do the same? It’s just something I’m wondering about these days.
1. This List of “8 things that reveal a woman’s character” from the Mars Hill Church website.
2. This Entire Episode including this meme, which was shared over 21,000 times
…and this video:
3. Also This Meme, a whopper with over 302,000 shares
4. This Video (especially from about 9:50 on)
5. And This Upcoming Event
If any of these items interest you and you want to offer your thoughts, you know where to find me – both here and on Facebook.
Happy New Year, friends. I hope you’re not freezing on what is, in these parts, the coldest day in 30 years!
Strange Figures 
I found that pink mom meme to be very ugly when I first saw it. I still find it ugly. May God protect me from that kind of nastiness. The Nye-Ham debate? Gimmick. The duck people? More gimmick. I didn’t have a clue who they were until a few weeks ago. I think they were trying to sell their merchandise for the Christmas season and intentionally created a controversy, not to mention a distraction from more meaningful news stories. I’m so sick of John Piper that I didn’t want to watch the video. I’d like to know what your thoughts are on the “8 things”.
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*I think I meant, may God protect me from becoming that kind of nastiness.
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The 8 Things list bothers me because of what I know about that church and their theology of gender. Because of that I see gender stereotyping all over it, but I also find some of the qualities suspect. I wish they would publish such a list for guys so that we could really compare. For instance, “is she soft?” which is then described as having a tenderheart “especially when she’s wrong”. Do we not also want husbands who are tenderhearted and willing to admit mistakes? And yet, I can’t imagine Mars Hill putting “Is he soft?” on a list of desirable qualities for husbands because in the relationship (according to their theology), the woman should be soft-er. More pliable, more submissive, more open to correction than the husband. That’s why teachable is on the, too, and the next one about being ruled by truth or emotion – because there is an assumption at Mars Hill that women are more prone to error, deception and being ruled by emotion, and so need to be taught and led by men. That’s certainly a common enough view these days, but I disagree with it.
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Interestingly, there is an “8 things to Convince you of a Man’s Character” list (http://marshill.com/2012/10/03/8-things-to-convince-you-of-a-mans-character), I was curious, so I checked and there is no “Is he Soft”, though there does seem to be a little bit of overlap in the lists. What bothered me about the two lists was that the pronouns seemed interchangeable. The character traits mentioned on the “women’s” list seemed just as important for men, while the character traits mentioned on the “men’s” list seemed to apply equally to women. As a woman, I want a man who is teachable and always learning and has a tender heart as much as I want one who loves Jesus and has control of his anger (the last two are from the “men’s” list).
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Sarah, thank you for finding that list. Clearly I didn’t look the way that I should have, but I’m glad you did.
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I thought the same thing, Sharon – that each one of those qualities should be applied exactly to men as well. And that was what was so scary about the Chandler-Piper “discussion” – the deliberate disenfranchisement of “vicious” (Piper’s word, not mine) women from leadership.
I foresee a time where this will lead to women not even being “disciples” because, in spite of the New Testament’s overwhelming teachings, Jesus “officially” chose only men as disciples. I can really see where this will end up with women at the feet of their husbands, asking them about Jesus, instead of at the feet of Christ, searching His Word and growing as His beloved daughters.
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I see that happening already at the extreme edge of the “Biblical Patriarchy” movement, where the husband is seen as prophet, priest and king to this wife and children. And that’s not an exaggeration – that’s the teaching.
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1. Are you insinuating that a woman’s character is important apart from any man’s assessment of it? What kind of woman are you, Sharon?
2. We know that women were not followers of Christ, had no part in His earthly ministry, and weren’t important to God. After all, Jesus was a bearded guy. Therefore this is the way for time and eternity.
3. Give this Loiusiana man credit where credit is due. Jerry Lee Lewis married his Cajun queen when she was a whopping 13 years old. So I see progress here, Sharon.
4. I feel sorry for the son of the woman who wrote this, and I feel sorry for the woman who wrote this. She’s in trouble, since men tend to marry women like their mothers.
5. Proof positive that Calvinists have their religiously incoherent Tom Cruise moments, too. Also: what Jilldomschot said.
6. I think a contest for “Modern homo sapien most closely resembling Neanderthal cousin” is in order here. Oh, you meant the debate about YEC! I admit that I was taught (and once believed) that the earth was 6,000 years old. Then the Lord pulled me away from that idea by reminding me He never said such a thing in His precious Holy Bible. And He placed reverent scientists like Hugh Ross in my intellectual path so that I could grow.
Thank you for your post!
It’s single digit freezing here in Tennessee, and my daughter in Milwaukee says it’s supposed to reach 40 below tomorrow – whew!
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I don’t think I know you (do I?), but I like you already.
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No, we haven’t met. Found your blog while surfing the web one day – and it was a joy to behold. I admire courageous believers, male or female. Blessings, Diann
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Well, thank you! And welcome! 🙂
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May your discussions be fruitful, and happy 2014!
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Thank you!
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Here’s a question for you sort of related to this post.
It’s fitting that you give five things you want to talk about. That sort of thing is, from what I’ve seen, part of you and part of the calling on your life (and something I share with you, at least to some extent). So please don’t take this as a criticism of this post. We need to talk about these things.
But tell/show me five things you stumbled across that left some sort of good taste in your mouth. I find we often need to talk about those things, too.
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Done. 🙂
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For item number 4, my biggest issue is that there seems to be a disconnect between Matt Chandler saying, “obeying the scriptures is God lining us up with how he designed the universe to be” followed by saying, “I teach to men”. As I read the New Testament, I see Jesus teaching men, women, children, adults, jews, gentiles, sinners and those who considered themselves to be religious (not an exhaustive list).
I don’t want to say that men and women see the world differently because that is too binary. Everyone has a unique perspective on life and God’s word that is a result of their study and experiences and will reach people in different ways. This is one reason I’m in favor of not only men and women pastors but recognizing members of the church who have the gift of speaking, though they may not be called to full time ministry, and helping them nurture and encourage their gifts to share with their community.
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I agree! Not everyone who is a gifted teacher and/or speaker in the church is called to fulltime ministry. I don’t know why we’ve made the clergy/laity categories so rigid. I’m a licensed pastor now but I was as devoted to Christ and as serious about the work I was doing in the church back when I was “just” a layperson.
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Very well said, Sarah!
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Pingback: Five things | jubilare
#1. Whatever. Nothing that interesting here. A bit of gender bias, but there’s a man list too, so whatever.
#2. The duck guys ( I refuse to watch the show or any more video clips) aren’t bringing back Christ, they are spreading hate.
#3. I don’t have a son. I do have 3 daughters. I am also annoyed by any of the dad has a shot gun/ dads against daughters dating/ insert ridiculous dad vs boyfriends message crap that I see out there. How about, instead of threatening potential boyfriends and girlfriends, we teach our daughters and sons to respect their peers and to respect themselves, allowing them the opportunity to become a person that any parent would be proud to have as a son/daughter -in-law.
#4. I couldn’t make it through the video. I don’t like him.
#5. Bill Nye is awesome. Period.
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