Well, looking at your typical gender roles (if there ever is such a thing), when I think of men, a few things come to my mind: winter, violence, the warrior, death. When I think of women I think of the following things: spring, nurturing, life. As a queer boy I think I can relate to women to see that they are by far much superior to men. JMHO.
Middle of the Night Thoughts
by teenyuck 13 Replies latest jw friends
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Prisca
Fortunately I had parents (JWs) that taught me that we were all people first, genders second. In my teenage years I was brought up by my father, and I was treated pretty much like a second son. Of course I was taught the submission thing, and I went along with it, although in the back in my mind I still knew that I was mentally and spiritually equal to men.
The "Good provider" thing I've always thought was a practical one, in the sense that if I have kids, I don't want to be forced to go back into the workforce asap. I'm the type of person that would like to be a at-home mum and the thought of being at work and putting my kids into childcare isn't my ideal. So that's where having a "good provider" for a husband makes practical sense to me.
It's got nothing to do with male dominance, since I earn more than most guys my age anyway. I just prefer looking after kids to having to work.
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AGuest
Dearest Puffsrule... may you have peace!
I would like to address your.... ummmm, 'anxieties', if I may, both of them. First, whether my Lord has a mother:
Indeed, please know that indeed my Lord has a 'mother', as do I, as his 'brother'. Our mother, then, is Jerusalem Above, the SPIRIT realm, from which we originate, the 'woman' whose 'seed' we are, in whose 'womb' we were created. My Father, then, the Holy One of Israel, had two (2) wives, in the manner of Abraham:
Abraham had a 'free' wife, Sarah, by whom his son, Isaac, the one 'born in the manner of a PROMISE', was conceived and came to birth. He also had a 'slave' wife, Hagar, by whom his first son, Ishmael, was conceived and birthed. This one was born 'in the manner of the flesh'.
With my Father, those of His 'sons' born due to a PROMISE... are those begotten... and born... by holy spirit. Their (our) mother, is Jerusalem Above (Sarah) and she is 'free'. Thus, we, her children are 'free'. However, those of my Father's 'sons' born in the manner of the FLESH have as their mother the Earth (Hagar), and since she, the earth, is a slave... her children also are slaves... to all that is fleshly. They live by the flesh, thus what they see, hear, know, etc., is limited to that which pertains to the flesh. Those born in the manner of the spirit, however, are not BOUND by the flesh... but are set free from its confines.
Jerusalem Above (Sarah), then, is the SPIRIT realm by means of which all that is spiritual comes into existence. All such things are created in her 'womb', the Ark of the Covenant, and thus she, Sarah, represents a NEW Covenant... one that puts under law the SPIRIT and whose fulfillment is love, mercy, forgiveness, releasing... and therefore, LIFE. The earth (Hagar), however, is the PHYSICAL realm by means of which all that is fleshly comes into existence. And she represents a LAW Covenant, one that puts under law... the flesh... and whose fulfillment is judgment, condemnation, atonement, sacrifice... and therefore, DEATH.
Yes, my Lord... and my brothers and I have a 'mother', our Father's TRUE 'wife', the 'woman' whose 'seed' we are and against whose 'seed' our Adversary wages war.
Now, regarding the subjection of women to men:
Women are not 'lesser' than men, but created to COMPLETE the 'team' of man and woman. Thus, subjection and submission of women to men is as 'relative' as it is for men to the 'superior authorities'. FIRST, though, you must know that a woman, if she so chooses, is subject only to ONE man... her 'husband'. Unfortunately, men... and particularly through religion, have attempted to make women subject to all men, generally. That is an error, and a very grave one.
Now, in the setting of a one-on-one situation, for a woman to submit to a man is an HONOR, for both the man AND the woman, in the same way it is for a MAN... to submit to Christ. Is not the Body called my Lord's "Bride"? However, if the Christ were a harsh, exacting master, then such submission would be difficult, if not impossible, yes? However, to serve a LOVING 'lord' is not something that is repulsive... but desirable, indeed a privilege. Thus, it would BEHOOVE a man... to be WORTHY of such submission.
Unfortunately, many men... are not. Many do not love their wives AS they love their OWN bodies, nor as the Christ loved the congregation, HIS Body. A BETTER truth, though, and one that might make this easier to 'swallow' is that many men CANNOT and/or are incapable of loving a woman in this way, due to never having recieved such love themselves, having been 'damaged' by unloving parents... and RELIGION. Religion has 'painted' the relationship(s) between men and women in so MANY undesirable 'colors', that I can most certainly understand how a man can be totally confused as to how to carry out his 'role'... and a woman, too! Because rather than teaching them LOVE... religion, etc., teaches them LAW and does so by means of FEAR. Can there truly BE love, then, where there is law and fear?
And there is always the other side of the coin: we women are NOT all innocent and 'good'. There are those contentious wives, the ones that HAVE to be 'right', HAVE to have the last word, HAVE to have their way... no matter what... even to the emotional castration of the man she SAYS she loves. Those women who consider, and TREAT, their mates as though they are children. True, men tend to do things WE think 'childish', but that is their 'way', something WE must understand, and honor and respect, just like we want them to understand, honor and respect OUR ways. We having NO problem seeing our sons always as our little boys, but cannot fathom the mothers of our men doing the same thing. Or cannot understand men who've never received a mother's love as not being capable of loving, while we deal with our 'father' issues. We are hypocrites in those practices, methinks.
It is, therefore, a two-way steet. There is nothing WRONG if a woman wishes to submit to a man, just as there is nothing wrong with a man having a women subject herself TO him... as long as he loves her as he loves himself... and treats HER accordingly... and she respects him... and treats HIM accordingly. Unfortunatley, it does not always work out that way, and that is due to the individuals involved... either one... or both... and in many, MANY cases... to religion... either primarily or secondarily. It depends.
I bid you peace,A slave (and brother) of Christ,
SJ
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rmayer32
I never married a JW (thank god) however the headship policy is something I seen a lot of abuse with when I was in the borg.
With my wife we do everything 50/50 and to be honest with you I wouldn't have it any other way. It's how a real marriage works and should be which is something that isn't controlling so the Watchtower doesn't want it that way.
As a man I would hate to be married to someone who waits for me to tell her what she should do or anything like that. We all have a right to think and do for ourselves and who the heck wants to marry a robot anyway??
-Rick