As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, I am going to be giving a speech at a speech tournament next weekend (Please pray for me), but when I told you about that earlier, my speech was going to be on abortion. Through a series of events and the Lord working in my heart, my topic is now on feminism. I wanted to post it to get your opinion, so please comment, negative or good, because I would love to hear from you! Please remember while reading this post that it is "Soli Scriptura". I am basing my opinions and convictions off of the Bible only. Thanks for reading!

In a world that seemed to be so complete, how could it yet be incomplete? In a place which seemed to have everything, what was missing? What made this almost perfect picture partial? But then I saw it- the perfect completion and at that moment, I knew that my Creator’s plan had been made whole, for there she was! Woman: for she was taken out of me and is a part of me. She is my suitable and apposite helper and I am her protector and her leader. What a wonderful and beautiful plan our Maker had for us. But then he came: the Serpent, and with his appealing deceit and enticing promises of knowledge, freedom, and self-promotion this precious picture came to a quick end. The reality of it hit all too soon, it was over. It no longer seemed beautiful, in fact its sweetness soon turned to bitterness. Why did I no longer desire to lead and protect her and she now wished to lead me? Why did she want more than I offered? Following me was no longer appealing to her and she wished for leadership and autonomy, while I felt overbearing and all together weak? How could things change so quickly?

God made man and woman in His image to demonstrate His love, but when sin came into the world through Eve’s independence and disobedience women and the entire human race have been struggling with God’s way since. I hope to inform you on what feminism is, when it began, and what God’s Word says about it.

What is a definition of feminism and what is the feminist’ goal? Gerda Lerner sums this up in her book, The Creation of Feminist Consciousness. She urges and tries to make women aware that they: I quote -
belong to a subordinate group; that they have suffered wrongs as a group; that their condition of subordination is not natural, but is societally determined; that they must join with other women to remedy these wrongs; and finally, that they must and can provide an alternate vision of societal organization in which women as well as men will enjoy autonomy and self-determination."1
In her definition of feminism, she not only tells women what she believes to be wrong, but also, her goal in this belief. So, in brief, feminism and the feminist’ goal is the belief in fighting for equality, human rights, and independence. Feminism is simply, egalitarianism applied to gender. A feminist believes that society has been oppressed by the stereotype of housewife, patriarchy and hierarchy. Phyllis Schlafley said that the goal of a feminist is to,
“Make homemaker socially incorrect, and economically impossible.”2
Most feminists during a time were lesbians whose intent was to make heterosexual couples the same as homosexual couples. Having both partners work and live equally in the relationship. The result is millions of couples both Christian and non religious living in frustration and non-functional roles.
So if we come down to the root belief of feminism we see that these women believe that they are victims: victims of society, victims of men, victims of God’s role for them. They have a passionate hate for anything or anyone that has a difference of opinion with them, because it threatens their idea of freedom and self-identity. Consequently, their goal in ending their oppression and victimization was aimed at the housewife. They fear and dislike the housewife, because they realize the true power and influence that she has when she is submitting to God and her husband. These feminists realize that they cannot have an equal society until they force the women and men into social niches and the children into socialized schools. An American critic and memoirist Vivian Gornick said:
“Being a housewife is an illegitimate profession…The choice to serve and be protected and plan towards being a family- maker is a choice that shouldn’t be. The heart of radical feminism is to change that.”3
Though they believe that women are oppressed by the home, they are seeking a society without choice. A society that does not only look down on the Godly woman, but one that utterly destroys it. What they don’t realize is they are the ones that ultimately suffer for their decisions by living in independence without protection, and trying to find fulfillment where you cannot – yourself. God’s design is always best as some realize and are afraid of it. One such woman, French author and feminist, Simone de Beauvoir, says,
“No woman should be authorized to stay at home and raise her own children. Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice, precisely, because if there is such a choice, too many women would make that one.”4


When did feminism begin? As I alluded to earlier, feminism is a consequence of sin. It is not something new that came about during the rebellion in the 1960’s. Throughout history, women have tried to usurp men by taking power. They have risen with nations and fallen. Some say, “if only we could go back to the good old days of the fifties we would be fixed” When actually, the history of feminism goes far back, to the fall of man.
So let’s take a look at some of the women who played a big part in tearing down humanity. As Proverbs 14:1b says,
“A woman of folly tears her house down with her own hands.”
Let’s first look at Athaliah, in 1Kings 11. After her son died, she killed the royal family so that she might become queen of Israel. Through her independent thirst for power, she ruled wickedly for many years. But was eventually taken from her home to be executed by Godly priests.
Mary I ruled during the 1500’s and was the fourth to be crowned under the Tudor Dynasty as Queen of England and Ireland. After succeeding her short-lived brother, Edward VI, she restored England to Roman Catholicism. In the process, she had almost 300 religious dissenters burned at the stake earning her the title "Bloody Mary".

Fanny Adams Chamberlain discouraged her husband, Joshua Chamberlain, from going to the mission field. She fought the idea of having children before their marriage though later bore him several, many of whom died. While she didn’t seek independence or the life of a typical feminist and even served her husband her entire life, Fanny brought her husband down with her attitude and anti Biblical desires.

Hillary Clinton pursues the life of a feminist and encourages other women to live non-biblical roles. Through her desire for power she has been elected to the Senate in a state that was not her own, and attempted to become the first woman president of the United States. She is also very active in the pro-choice movement and the Equal Rights Amendment.

And finally, I will tell you about Mary Upton Ferrin who was considered one of the most influential women in the early feminist movement during the 1840’s. She is from Massachusetts, where her crusade for women’s suffrage began with the women’s rights convention in 1848.
Mary Upton Ferrin looked at herself as a hero with bloody feet blazing the trail for future feminists. On one event, she traveled 400 miles on foot collecting signatures for her cause.
At one point, she was put into an insane asylum, not because she was a lunatic, but because at that time in American history, her ideas were so foreign to anything the average woman believed.
She lived a galling life, with an abusive husband and without the most important thing in life, a relationship with Jesus Christ, which ultimately drove her to look for freedom elsewhere.



What does the opposite of this look like? God’s perfect plan from the beginning is still relevant now. His call is for women to be loved, valued, and protected. We will find the most joy when we submit ourselves to God’s plan, rather than try to simulate our own.
The beautiful poetry that King Lemuel’s mother wrote to him in Proverbs 31, describes the attributes of a Godly woman. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm all the days of her life. She works willingly with her hands, and is industrious. She rises early to meet the needs of her home. She is wise and dignified in her dealings, and loving and generous to those in need. She dresses herself with strength and clothes herself with dignity. She works vigorously in caring for her family’s needs. Her goal is to, through her loving service, build her husband up, so therefore his heart safely trusts in her. She speaks wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Because of her faithful ministry, her children rise up and call her blessed and her husband also praises her.
God created the relationship of marriage between a man and a woman to be a beautiful picture of God’s love and sacrifice through His Son, to His bride the Church. Though our value is equal, we must not confuse this with sameness. Though a man’s call is to lead, and a woman’s call is to submit, our worth is equal to God. Feminism defiles this picture. As 1 Corinthians 11:8-12 says:
For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man;
for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake.
However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.
For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.
Our culture would have us think that by following God’s plan, we are in bondage. As Paul says, in 1Co 1:18 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”
Though the path of life that Christ calls us too may look foolish to the world, for us it is the power of God. We do not find freedom in independence or autonomy, but through humble submission to Christ we are made free.
As John says in John 8:36,
"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
We have looked at women who have used their influence to tear down their husbands, families, and even countries. Now I will tell you about some inspiring women who used their influence, however small it may have been, to strengthen and heighten a nation. You will see through these dauntless examples that a wise woman truly has the power to build up. As Pro 14:1 says “The wise woman builds her house…”
I’d like to start with Jochebed who was the faithful mother of Moses. She sought and trusted in the Lord to save her baby even when it seemed hopeless. As you know, through her faith and fortitude, Moses was the man God would use to later lead his people out of slavery in Egypt.
Priscilla Mullins was 18 when she had to courageously and submissively follow her father to the new world, and later had to nurse him and her family when they got ill, until their death. She was one of the four women that remained alive and though she was grieving the loss of her family, she busied herself in helping to pioneer this new nation. She was wise enough to wait for God’s timing on the man she would marry, and He proved Himself faithful to her by bringing John Alden into her life and heart. Her husband was very influential in the early settlement of our nation and served as assistant governor in the town he helped established, Duxbury, for fifty – three years. They had eleven children all of whom were devoted Christians. They were grandparents to sixty – nine children, and great – grandparents to nearly five hundred. Through Priscilla’s godly life and sacrifice thousands eventually came to know Christ as their Savior.
Dolly Madison was born into a Quaker family, where she was raised to be a Godly woman. She went on to marry the fourth president, James Madison and during her stay at the White house, the war of 1812 ensued due to ongoing conflict with England. As flames engulfed the White House from the British soldier’s recent attack, Dolly Madison’s love for her country induced her to going back into the burning building to rescue the portrait of George Washington.
Anna Jackson was the precious wife of the renown civil war hero, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. Through her love for the Lord and her husband she was able to embrace his vision for their state, and support him in his fight for their beliefs. While her husband was called to war, she bravely remained in their home to tend to its affairs.
I’d like to end with a very familiar Biblical woman, Mary, a Hebrew virgin, betrothed to a man named, Joseph, during the reign of King Herod. An angel came to her and told her she had been chosen by God to bear the son of God into the world. She didn’t understand yet through her faith and submission she said, “Let it be done to me as you have said.”
She was found to be pregnant and her betrothed, being a man that feared God, did not want to expose her to public disgrace and decided they should part. But God knew Joseph was the man He had for Mary and came to Him in a dream and told him not to be afraid.
So they were married. While she was yet pregnant, Cesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken and she went with Joseph to his hometown in Bethlehem. When they arrived there was no place for them to stay, and she had no other choice but to give birth in a stable. The Bible says she never forgot what God did but pondered it all in her heart. Through God’s strength and grace, she raised him, loved him, and cared for him until it was time for Him to go about His Father’s business. She did not always understand the things He did and said but she yet remained faithful. She watched Him die and when He rose again she trusted Him as her Savior.
Home school mother and wife, Vicki Farris said,
“Just as Mary brought God’s Son into the world through humble submission and acceptance of motherhood so we can bring God’s Son before the world by doing the same.”5

God’s design is that we might be fulfilled in Him, if we choose to follow His plan and make Him our all, we will be so. I hope you have been made aware of what feminism is, how it began, and what God has for women.


Here I Stand,
Naomi Christiana