Sorry bell hooks, Christianity Does Not Oppress Me
I can’t count the amount of times that someone’s perspective about me has changed upon hearing that I come from a religious background. People will contently enter into discussion with me about the advocation for women’s rights but as soon as there is a mention about my faith, they’re demeanor around me changes. Suddenly, my thoughts on what we were discussing no longer matters. Their face almost settles into a fake grin backed by a pitying look behind their eyes. I believe full-heartedly in God and I make no apologies for it. Often times, people assume that because I believe what I do, I have a very clouded and ignorant mindset. I don’t blame them. I have seen first hand the damage that religious people can make when they use their faith as an excuse for their actions.
To give you more of a perspective, I will get a little personal. My father’s mindset could not be any more different from mine. His perspective is one of dominance over his household. He believes that it is his job as the man of the house to take care of all financial needs and to rule with an iron fist. He is one of those people that uses his religious ideals as a motive to do what he wants without regard of my mother’s opinion or thoughts. He has a strict “man of the house” perspective. Like many, he comes from a culture in which he was taught that these are the societal expectations for a man. He grew up hearing and seeing these things from a very young age. His Christian beliefs only seemed to reinforce these ideas for him. He refuses to keep an open mind. Because of this, he does not allow himself to believe that anyone who thinks differently than he does, could be right.
This is probably what you think of when you think of Christian men. To be fair, he fits every stereotype. However, I urge you all to not judge a whole religion based on the ideals of some ignorant people.
bell hooks writes in Feminism Is For Everybody that, “…people continue to believe that god has ordained that women be subordinate to men in the domestic household” (hooks 2). I can’t help but disagree with this statement. These types of common misconceptions only serve to encourage stereotypes against Christian believers. Our religion does not preach dominion over women. We are not called to think ourselves higher than anyone. Men are not expected to be possessive. Women are not expected to be submissive and have no voice or opinions of her own.
The Bible says in 1 Chorinthians 11:11–12 “Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God”. God did not create men to treat women as though he is superior to her. He created men and women to be of help to one another. We are expected to treat one another as we would treat ourselves. Not with judgement and hate, but with a lending hand. We are all created equal through God’s eyes, not one person is greater than the other regardless of their beliefs, gender, or race. Christianity does not oppress me. It teaches me to love those that do not love me and to respect my neighbor regardless of who they are, where they come from, and what they believe. It encourages me to be the best version of myself so that I can help others do the same. I am not hindered by Christianity simply because I am a woman.
I refuse to believe that we cannot offer respect to one another within the Christian community and outside of it. The belief that because “…our society continues to be primarily a “Christian” culture” (hooks 2) is the main reason why we have not been able to move forward, is misguided. We have not been able to overcome gender inequality and hateful ideals because prejudice individuals refuse to give up their comfortable place in power. The problem is not Christianity, the problem is ignorance.
As my final word, I would like to ask you to forgive me if I came off as “preachy”. I simply wanted to offer you an insight into the mind of a Christian feminist.
